The summer of 1997 not only marked a milestone in combine harvesting technology, but also for the broad market acceptance of soil-protecting tracks on self-propelled harvesters. Since then, the friction crawler track systems developed and extensively tested by CLAAS Industrietechnik (CIT) in Paderborn have been the standard and benchmark in the industry.
Initially available for the LEXION, further development progressed rapidly. In 2004, driving comfort was significantly improved by the introduction of rubber shock absorbers on the axles of the running gear, which until then had been rigidly mounted. The development of hydro pneumatic suspension marked a quantum leap, which distinguished the new TERRA TRAC generation in 2011 and still provides excellent comfort characteristics to this day. This enabled significantly improved ground tracking, and a driving speed of 40 km/h on the road could be achieved for the first time.
"After initial skepticism, we were able to quickly convince more and more farmers and contractors of the advantages of TERRA TRAC technology," remembers Dr. Ulf Leinhäuser, CEO of CLAAS Industrietechnik Paderborn. “Whereas the number of machines fitted with TERRA TRAC crawler track systems was initially just over 10 percent, today it is more than 50 percent for the LEXION alone. In North America, more than 70 percent of the LEXION are delivered with our crawler track systems, while in Great Britain it’s more than 90 percent.”
The TERRA TRAC drives continue to be further developed. In 2019, CLAAS expanded the range of high-performance combines available with TERRA TRAC technology with the introduction of the LEXION 5000/6000/7000/8000. In the same year, series production of the AXION TERRA TRAC, which was shown as a concept at Agritechnica in 2017, began with two models. The AXION is still the only full-suspension half-track tractor on the market. At the end of 2018, CLAAS also added two JAGUAR forage harvesters with integrated crawler track systems to its product portfolio. These are fitted with drives that incorporate a patented headland protection system that allows the contact area of the drives to be reduced when turning at the headland, so bringing the benefits of TERRA TRAC to grassland and other sensitive areas.
The newest member of the TERRA TRAC family at CLAAS is the TRION. Launched in 2021, for the first time this includes the option of a medium-sized 5-walker model with TERRA TRAC, ex works from Paderborn.