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The turning radius and the large amount of contact area that is under the belts may cause the machine to need more power in order to turn. Turning a track-type machine that is pulling a heavy load is the most common cause of reduced performance during turns. If the performance during a turn is not acceptable, refer to the following guidelines.
Lift the implement out of the ground when you turn at the ends of the field. Reduce the load while you turn the machine in order to improve performance during turns. Even when you lift the implement partially out of the ground, you can improve performance.
When you use implements that are mounted to the drawbar, allow the drawbar to swing during turns. Remove the lock assemblies. Removing the lock assemblies allows the load to swing from the centerline of the machine when you turn the machine. This decreases the amount of effort that is required in order to turn the machine. If the machine is equipped with a wide swinging drawbar, set the stops for maximum swing. (The wide swinging drawbar is only available on machines that are not equipped with a three-point hitch.) See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Wide Swinging Drawbar" for more information.
When you use implements that are mounted to the three-point hitch, adjust the sway blocks in order to allow the hitch to pivot during turns. Set the draft arms for maximum float. This allows the draft arms to float with the contour of the ground in order to improve the ability of the implement to follow uneven terrain. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Implement Leveling".
Slow down while you turn the machine. Turning the machine requires much power. Reduce the speed of the transmission without reducing the engine speed in order to slow down the machine. This provides more power for the turn. Try using the programmable downshift for the transmission in order to reduce speed while you turn the machine. Quickly return to the previous gear after the turn is complete. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Transmission Control" for more information on the programmable downshift.
Balance the machine for even distribution of weight. An out-of-balance machine may turn poorly. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Counterweight - Adjusting Machine Balance" for more information.
Increase the amount of counterweights on the machine. Performance during turns may be reduced by slippage between the ground and the belts. Increasing the weight of the machine can improve the performance during turns. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Counterweight - Adjusting Machine Balance" for more information.
Increase the track gauge. Machines that are equipped with a wide track gauge turn more easily than machines that are equipped with a narrow track gauge. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Track Gauge Spacing" for more information.
Install wider belts. Wide belts reduce ground pressure. Also, wide belts reduce the required power for turns. See Operation and Maintenance Manual, "Belts" for more information.
Note: When you must turn the machine in extremely difficult conditions, turn the machine with a series of short, quick turns. Quickly turn the steering wheel by 90 degrees. Immediately return the steering wheel to the center position. Repeat this procedure until the turn is completed.