Thursday, January 22, 2009

Tractors Overview

There is wide use of tractors in the agricultural sector of the economy. Keep in mind, however, that these tractors are not exclusively used for farming purposes. With a few extra fittings, some tractors can be used for large scale gardening in places like universities and public parks around Wales. What does a tractor do? It is used for pulling and pushing agricultural machinery or trailers, as well as for ploughing, tilling, disking, harrowing, planting, and other like type of activities. Usually, the modern models have five foot pedals on the floor of the tractor. The clutch pedal is on the left. Two pedals make up the brakes on the right. The left pedal stops the left rear wheel, while the right one does the same on the right side. A split brake pedal is used where the soil is soft and mushy. In this way, a tire that spins around due to loss of traction is kept under control. Both pedals are pressed when the driver brings the vehicle to a complete halt. Some tractors around Wales have additional front-wheel drive. Four wheel locking differential is engaged to stop the tractor when driving over roads. A fifth pedal just in front of the seat prevents wheel-slip. It operates the rear differential lock. The differential makes it possible for the outer wheel to move faster than the inside one while taking a bend. The driver must be careful to unlock the differential by hitting the pedal a second time before taking the turn, because the vehicle cannot do so with the differentials locked. The pedal to the far right is the foot throttle. A hand lever, known as the hand-throttle, can also operate it. This helps maintain uniform constant speed while work is going on in the field. It also provides uninterrupted power for stationary tractors that are operating an implement by the shaft or belt. Thus, the foot throttle gives the driver more control over the speed of the tractor. Tractors engaged in row-crop work have a de-accelerator pedal. The pedal is pushed down to slow the engine.

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