Tow Tractors
Tractors that pull trains of trolleys or dollies instead of carrying the load, used for line feed into production and for long horizontal moves where a forklift would sit idle most of the cycle.
Features
- Rated tow capacity is a rolling figure on a level floor. Gradient, floor surface and trolley bearing condition all reduce it.
- Drawbar pull, not tow capacity, decides whether the tractor can start a stationary train.
- Coupling type has to match the trolley fleet; pin, automatic and rotating hitches are not interchangeable without adapters.
- Seated versions suit runs beyond about 100 m and multiple trailers; stand-on versions suit frequent stops.
- Tyre compound follows the floor finish and any clean-room or food-area requirement, not the load.
Specifications
| Figure | Typical range | Unit | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rated tow capacity | 2 000 - 25 000 | kg | total train weight on a level floor |
| Drawbar pull | 800 - 6 000 | N | whether a stopped train can be started: 25 t of trailers on a level floor already needs roughly 5 kN before any gradient |
| Travel speed laden | 6 - 16 | km/h | cycle time over the route |
| Gradeability laden | 5 - 15 | % | ramps between levels |
| Coupling type | pin / automatic / rotating | must match the existing trolleys | |
| Battery voltage and capacity | 24 V / 465 Ah | V / Ah | distance covered per shift |
| Turning radius | 1 300 - 1 900 | mm | corners on the route |