The Challenger from Caterpillar is one of the world's most powerful agricultural tractors that you can find both on farms and on some construction sites. The most obvious thing that distinguishes the Challenger tractor from a wheel tractor is its tracks . Tracks give the Challenger tractor better traction. The amount of contact area that the four wheels of a wheeled tractor might have with the ground is just two or three square feet per tire at the most. The contact area of a Challenger tractor approaches 90 square feet.
Tracks reduce soil compaction .
If you have ever walked in a freshly tilled field you know that your feet compress the soil and leave footprints. If you were to wear snow shoes you would compress the soil less by spreading out the load. Large tractors weigh tens of thousands of pounds, so spreading out the load to reduce compaction is important. Tracks also give better flotation . If a wheel tractor tried to drive through a muddy field, it would likely get stuck.