New "independent" front end on larger Deere ag tractors

[sixdogs]

Saw these while traveling today and had my camera. Not sure how it's done but the tractor is level to the ground but the ground sure isn't level to the tractor. I have a feeling great things will eventually trickle down to us. I think these were 7000 or 8000 series tractors.

 

[CDN Farm Boy]

Interesting. Those have got to be some monster suspension arms and presumably springs in there too. I know Deutz has had front axle suspension for a while on their 50Km/h tractors but it's nice to see others.

Got a pic of that tracked one?

 

[sixdogs]

Interesting.

....Got a pic of that tracked one?

No, but I could take one next time through.
Happened to see a big field of beans nearby today, however, with maybe five big 4WD Case combines, with 30 or 36 ? ft headers, and backed up by maybe 6 ? tracked Case tracktors and huge tracked grain carts. Six semis to haul grain and it was quite a sight. I have been told the field totals 5,000 acres but can't tell if some or all was in beans.

 

[catdozer]

Deere had this out for quite some time. Well actually there are no springs, it's electronic hydraulics, it really neat to use, as you put a load on the tractor the front end rises, but it senses the rise and lowers the front back to normal. If you let the tractor sit in the barn over winter months it completely bleeds off and frame is just about on the ground.

 

[sixdogs]

...

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Got a pic of that tracked one?

 

[mikehaugen]

Deere had this out for quite some time. Well actually there are no springs, it's electronic hydraulics, it really neat to use, as you put a load on the tractor the front end rises, but it senses the rise and lowers the front back to normal. If you let the tractor sit in the barn over winter months it completely bleeds off and frame is just about on the ground.

couldn't this be done much more simply with just 2 pivoting axles, one above the other and 2 "ball joints" on each of the steering knuckles? It wouldn't do the load leveling that you are talking about, but would accomplish what is seen in the pics.

 

[catdozer]

couldn't this be done much more simply with just 2 pivoting axles, one above the other and 2 "ball joints" on each of the steering knuckles? It wouldn't do the load leveling that you are talking about, but would accomplish what is seen in the pics.

I guess but i cannot see this as a good design. But the load leveling is one of the main points Deere wanted out of this design. It's also a easily serviceable, instead of axles, which break easy when duals are on the front. They use a 3 u-joints design shaft thats allow sharper turning and no stress on the axle.