Hub dynamometers are awesome machines that have gained lots of traction (no pun intended) in the USA recently. They have been seemingly more popular in other parts of the world but we know of at least four shops that have added a hub dyno to their arsenal of equipment in the last year. What’s the big deal? Hub dynos are far better able to hang onto awesomely powerful machines, they are safer because you eliminate the potential for straps breaking and you take the mass of the tires away, and lastly they seem to be more user friendly to both the vehicles using them and the operators running them. In this video we’ll see a John Deere pro stock pulling tractor make a pull on a hub dyno.
If you are wondering why the machine is called a hub dyno, it is simple. The vehicle being tested is attached to the dyno by the hubs! In this case we’re talking about a diesel pro stock pulling tractor that likely makes upwards of 3,000-4,000 lb/ft of torque. The real test of a dyno (in our eyes) when it is working as hard as this one is comes down to how it loads the vehicle being tested. This particular one works like a champ because the tractor is loaded about exactly as it would be when pulling the sled down the course.
This is no slow speed rip, either. This guy keeps the hammer down for a few seconds when the engine is under its heaviest load and the tractor is chugging as hard as it can. Punishing but exceptionally valuable experience and data for the team. Motorsports events are won off the track and it is putting in the work like this that gets it done!
We’re going to be getting some more cool hub dyno footage shipped our way soon. Stay tuned!
How about some tech on how they convert these monsters from Diesel to Alky? Not too much online about it.