50 Ate Today? Thank a Farmer. Better Farming | January 2024 TRACTOR TESTING & RESULTS Test reports allow producers to make informed decisions. By Ralph Winfield When tractor production started, there was a significant problem with power ratings and performance in the early 1900s. The State of Nebraska took up the cause and established a tractor testing laboratory at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1920. Their testing was so extensive and unbiased that other states, and even other countries, considered their reports as being the national and international standards. Tractor companies paid a fee for the Nebraska tests and thus the reports became readily available in other states and many countries. A company with an employee named Ford submitted a tractor called “Ford.” It failed to meet the Nebraska performance standards, so Henry Ford switched to using the name “Fordson” (Henry Ford and son) for his early tractors instead to separate himself from his failure with the Ford tractor. After he established his credibility as a tractor manufacturer, he dropped the “son” and went back to using the name “Ford” for both his cars and tractors. Initially the engine power was established by using a belt to drive a dynamometer. This was later changed to a power take-off drive (PTO) dynamometer that became the present-day standard. A test track of the University of Nebraska was, and still is, used to establish the drawbar horsepower of all tractors being tested. A soft surface track is used only when testing track-laying tractors. Many load units are attached to the drawbar to create the required pull load. Each load unit is an engine operated in reverse without fuel to create a resistance load. They are effective air compressors. Another test is a sound test to protect the hearing of the operator and people nearby. Tractor cabs have a significant effect on these sound levels. After a final inspection, the performance data is calculated, and the Nebraska tractor test report is written for that tractor. Tractor manufacturers and potential buyers have used these reports for many years to compare power and fuel consumption between competitive tractors. When I taught students in the two-year agricultural programs at Ridgetown and Woodstock, I used the Nebraska reports extensively as teaching aids. These test reports allow potential tractor buyers to do some effective price comparison shopping when deciding what tractor to buy. BF How it Works This generic report from the University of Nebraska explains the history of test reports. The Official Tractor Blue Book summarizes the engine makes and gearing as well as the estimated tractor values up to 2007. This book shows photos of the many early tractors built by the three manufacturers. RALPH WINFIELD Ralph is a retired professional engineer, farmer and technical writer. He has a BSA, BASc, and an MSA in engineering from the University of Toronto. We love connecting with OFA farms. Please advise if we can ask a few questions about your operation. Paul.Nolan@Farms.com OFA FARMERS: CAN WE TALK?
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