A vehicle having a front axle with a pair of front wheels having a track width adjustable between a wide track and a narrow track; a rear axle with at least one rear wheel; a steering wheel configured to control the turn of the rear wheel when the front wheels are set to the narrow track; track width control configured to change the track width of the front wheels and to change the wheel base between the front axle and the rear axle such that for the wide track of the front wheels the wheel base is longer than for the narrow track of the front wheels; a locking mechanism configured to lock the track width; wherein each of the front wheels is connected to a dedicated front wheel motor for driving that front wheel and to a dedicated front wheel brake for braking that front wheel.

A vehicle having a front axle with a pair of front wheels having a track width adjustable between a wide track and a narrow track; a rear axle with at least one rear wheel; a steering wheel configured to control the turn of the rear wheel when the front wheels are set to the narrow track; track width control configured to change the track width of the front wheels and to change the wheel base between the front axle and the rear axle such that for the wide track of the front wheels the wheel base is longer than for the narrow track of the front wheels; a locking mechanism configured to lock the track width; wherein each of the front wheels is connected to a dedicated front wheel motor for driving that front wheel and to a dedicated front wheel brake for braking that front wheel.

A combine harvester with a variable length wheelbase. For example, a combine harvester may have a chassis defining a forward end and a rear end, a feeder house at the forward end of the chassis, a first set of ground-engaging elements supporting the forward end of the chassis, and a second set of ground-engaging elements supporting the rear end of the chassis. The second set of ground-engaging elements are configured to move forward and rearward relative to the chassis.

A vehicle includes a chassis, an axle pivotally coupled to the chassis such that the axle can tilt from side to side relative to the chassis, a tilt-angle sensor configured to detect a tilt angle of the axle relative to the chassis, and steerable hubs carried by the axle. Each hub is configured to rotate about steering axes relative to the axle, and a steering-angle sensor is configured to detect a steering angle of at least one hub relative to the axle. A control system limits a maximum steering angle of the hubs based at least in part on a size of tires or tracks carried by the steerable hubs and the detected tilt angle of the axle. A method includes detecting a tilt angle of the axle relative to the chassis and limiting the maximum steering angle of the hubs.

A system to simultaneously adjust a wheel track axle width and a steering angle of an agricultural vehicle made of: an at least two variable axle assemblies, each one of the variable axle assemblies connected to a wheel set of the agricultural vehicle is provided. During the wheel track axle adjustment process of a variable wheel track axle machine the angle of each wheel is “toed-in” or toed-our depending on wheel track extension or retraction. When the wheel track axle of the machine is being extended, all wheels are commanded to “toe-out” 3 degrees to aid in the extension and reduce external forces on the wheel and axle system. When the wheel track axle of the machine is being retracted, all wheels are commanded to “toe-out” 3 degrees to aid in the retraction and reduce external forces on the wheel and axle system. Once the wheel track axle adjustment is complete all wheels return to 0 degrees for normal operation.

An extendable axle with wheels on a common centerline preferably includes a base housing, a left axle device, a right axle device, a left extension cylinder and a right extension cylinder. The left axle device slides into a left side of the base housing and the right axle device slides into a right side of the base housing. The left axle device preferably includes a base tube, a steering knuckle, a drive motor and a steering cylinder. The steering knuckle is pivotally engaged with an end of the base tube. The drive motor is retained on the steering knuckle. The steering cylinder pivots the steering knuckle. The right axle device is the left axle device rotated 180 degrees. The left extension cylinder extends the left axle device. The right extension cylinder extends the right axle device. The left drive motor and the right drive motor are on the same centerline.

A telehandler having a tilt axle with an extendable track preferably includes a base frame, a front axle assembly and a rear axle assembly. The front axle assembly is pivotally retained on a lengthwise axis of the base frame at a front thereof and the rear axle assembly is pivotally retained on the lengthwise axis of the base frame at a rear thereof. Each axle assembly includes an axle beam, a left pivoting axle and a right pivoting axle. A front pivot cylinder is used to pivot the front axle assembly. A rear pivot cylinder is used to pivot the rear axle assembly. Left and right steering cylinders are used to pivot the left and right pivoting axles relative to the axle beam, respectively. Left and right extension cylinders are used to extend the left and right pivoting axles outward from the base frame and pivot with the axle beam.

A spacer for coupling a wheel to a rotary output of a vehicle, the spacer including two connectors fixed relative to a respective first and second end of the spacer, the connectors each having a matching first array of fittings to engage a rim of the wheel, whereby to allow wheel gauge adjustment by disconnecting the wheel from a first one of the connectors, sliding the wheel along a body of the spacer and connecting the wheel to a second one the other connectors. The invention also relates to a method of adjusting wheel gauge on the spacer including releasing a wheel from one of the connectors, sliding the wheel along the body of the spacer and attaching the spacer to the other connector. The invention also relates to a spacer for supporting a wheel relative to a rotary output of a vehicle, the spacer being formed of modular sections that are separately attached by fasteners that connect only between adjacent sections to allow for independent addition and removal of sections to vary the length of the spacer.

A spacer for coupling a wheel to a rotary output of a vehicle, the spacer including two connectors fixed relative to a respective first and second end of the spacer, the connectors each having a matching first array of fittings to engage a rim of the wheel, whereby to allow wheel gauge adjustment by disconnecting the wheel from a first one of the connectors, sliding the wheel along a body of the spacer and connecting the wheel to a second one the other connectors. The invention also relates to a method of adjusting wheel gauge on the spacer including releasing a wheel from one of the connectors, sliding the wheel along the body of the spacer and attaching the spacer to the other connector. The invention also relates to a spacer for supporting a wheel relative to a rotary output of a vehicle, the spacer being formed of modular sections that are separately attached by fasteners that connect only between adjacent sections to allow for independent addition and removal of sections to vary the length of the spacer.

There is described a wheel axle for an agricultural vehicle such as a combine harvester. The wheel axle has at least one wheel suspension (32a) arranged to maintain a wheel axle parallel to the supporting surface, through use of a linkage arrangement (36, 38, 40) which is pivotally coupled to the axle frame (30). The configuration of the wheel suspension allows for the wheel axis to passively follow the surface profile, as any loads transmitted through the wheel carrier act to level out the wheel suspension to align with the underlying surface. As the wheel axle is adjusted to lie parallel with the underlying surface, accordingly the ground-contacting surface area of the associated wheels is maximised.