Wheel Slip Calculator
A tractor whose wheels would carry it at 6 km/h but which travels at 5.1 km/h has 15 % wheel slip.
15 %
- Drawbar power pull × actual speed
- 17 kW
- Tractive efficiency DBP/axle power
- 70.83333333 %
- Guide
- high slip: add ballast or reduce draft
Step-by-step solution
- Slip = (1 − V_a/V_t) × 100 = (1 − 5.1/6) × 100 = 15 %
Wheel Slip Formula
Slip = (1 − V_a/V_t) × 100
tractive efficiency = drawbar power / axle power
Worked Example
A tractor with a no-slip speed of 6 km/h moving at 5.1 km/h:
- Slip = (1 − V_a/V_t) × 100 = (1 − 5.1/6) × 100 = 15 %
Tractive efficiency DBP/axle power: 70.83333333 % · Guide: high slip: add ballast or reduce draft
GATE tip
Slip by revolutions and by speed give the same answer: both compare the distance per wheel turn with and without load.
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Frequently asked questions
What slip is best?
About 8–12 % on firm soil and 11–13 % on tilled soil for two-wheel-drive tractors, where tractive efficiency peaks.
How is slip measured in the field?
Count wheel revolutions over a fixed distance with and without load: slip = (N_loaded − N_unloaded)/N_loaded.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). Wheel Slip Calculator. Retrieved October 29, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/wheel-slip-calculator/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "Wheel Slip Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 29, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/wheel-slip-calculator/