Features and Benefits Of The New Enclosed Track Tractor Drive

When is the last time you bought something and got more for less? When Spanco brought its new and improved Enclosed Track Tractor Drive to the market in June of 2020, that is exactly what we offered. The new tractor drive is loaded with features and benefits, and best of all it is at a much lower price point, offering you the best value in the industry.

Spanco’s new Enclosed Track Tractor Drive is more compact in height and length for better headroom, which can be important in tight applications. Our current enclosure is less than half the size in cubic inches as the previous model.

Perhaps the most noticeable difference, even more than the compact size, is the direct drive shaft design that replaces the old chain-and-sprocket form of power transmission. The motor-to-gearbox-to-shaft design is simple and requires no maintenance or adjustment. The added benefits of a direct shaft design are that the motor and gearbox are mounted higher and to the side instead of hanging directly below the track like on the chain-and-sprocket model.

With the motor and gearbox up and on the side, they naturally balance the weight of the control panel and side plate on the opposite side, thereby eliminating the need for counterweights. The new tractor drive with control panel weighs 130 pounds compared to 210 pounds for the old one. The lighter weight reduces the shipping costs and make installation easier for your crews.

Our previous wheel hub design had a smooth surface between the hub and the tread. Our new design uses grooved edges to better grip the polyurethane wheel tread. In addition to all the added features and benefits, and the lower price, we increased our warranty from one to two years. Our tractor drives are proudly built by Spanco in the USA. We use a 1/3 horsepower class B TENV motor, electrical components, and enclosures made by US manufacturers, including Power Electronics, Allen-Bradley, and others. We do not cut corners on the design or components used.

Our speed options remain the same as the previous (25/50 feet per minute), and the inverter can allow for speeds up to 100 fpm. Available voltages are also the same: 230, 460, 575V (3 phase, 60 Hertz). The new tractor drive has fewer machined parts, more bolted connections, and is much more robust.

Given the long list of features and benefits, not to mention the doubled warranty and lower price, motorizing your workstation bridge crane will provide the crane customer with efficiency, safety, and tremendous pride of ownership for many years to come. For more information on our new tractor drives or any other Spanco product, contact us at sales@spanco.com or your local sales representative.

About the Author

Jeff Brazwell is the VP of Sales at Spanco and Rigid Lifelines, and has over 20 years of experience in the crane industry, selling both enclosed track and I-beam and box girder overhead traveling cranes. Jeff graduated from the University of West Florida with a B.S. in Business/Marketing and is active in MHI (Material Handling Institute) and a few of its industry trade groups, CMAA and MMA.