AU2012265606A1 - A method for transporting a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transporting a vehicle that comprises rear wheels supported by a rear axle and front wheels supported by a front axle, and a motor for driving the rear wheels, and wherein the rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front 5 wheels. The method includes removing the front wheels from the front axle and attaching an auxiliary wheel to the front axle in place of each front wheel. Each auxiliary wheel has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels. The method further includes removing the rear wheels from the rear axle, and attaching the front wheels to the rear axle to be drivable by the motor to form an assembly for transportation. The assembly has a 10 height less than the height of the vehicle when in a normal operating configuration. The invention also relates to a vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation.

Description

Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT, 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: C.B. NORWOOD DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED Actual Inventors: CUZA, Longhin AXCELL, Laurence JAMESON, Andrew Address for service AJ PARK, Level 11, 60 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra ACT in Australia: 2601, Australia Invention Title: A Method Of Transporting A Vehicle The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us. 4989784 1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method for transporting a vehicle and a vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation. 5 BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Vehicles such as tractors are preferably shipped from a place of manufacture to a market destination within a shipping container stored on the deck or in the cargo hold of a ship. 10 Typically vehicles are shipped in a normal operating configuration and are driven under their own power into a shipping container or onto a ship. Vehicles such as tractors having a driver's cab can be too tall to fit into a shipping container. In order to fit such a vehicle into a container it is necessary to at least partly 15 dismantle the vehicle so that the disassembled parts fit within the internal dimensions of the container. Depending on the amount of disassembly, the vehicle may not be drivable under its own power, making the loading of the vehicle difficult, especially into closed top containers. Additionally, large parts such as tractor wheels need to be loaded into a container separately once they have been disassembled from the vehicle. These large items 20 can be awkward to maneuver and load into a container due to their size and weight. It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for transporting a vehicle, or to provide an improved vehicle assembly for transportation, or to at least provide the industry or public a useful choice. 25 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one aspect, the present invention consists in a method for transporting a vehicle comprising rear wheels supported by a rear axle and front wheels supported by a front axle, 30 and a motor for driving the rear wheels, wherein the rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front wheels, the method comprising the steps: i) removing the front wheels from the front axle, 2 ii) attaching an auxiliary wheel to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, iii) removing the rear wheels from the rear axle, and iv) attaching the front wheels to the rear axle to be drivable by the motor to form 5 an assembly for transportation, the assembly having a height less than the height of the vehicle when in a normal operating configuration. Preferably step iv) comprises: iv) a) fitting hub adapters to the front wheels, and 10 iv) b) attaching the front wheels to the rear axle via the hub adapters. Preferably the method further comprises the steps: v) a) attaching at least one support frame to the vehicle for supporting the rear wheels, and 15 v) b) securing the rear wheels on the support frames. Preferably the vehicle has front wheel splash guards and the method further comprises; vi) removing the front wheel splash guards. 20 Preferably the vehicle has rear wheel splash guards and the method further comprises: vii) removing the rear wheel splash guards. Preferably step vii) comprises: vii) a) removing the rear wheel splash guards, 25 vii) b) securing the rear wheel splash guards to or over the rear wheels secured to the support frames. Preferably step vii) comprises: vii) a) removing the rear wheel splash guards, 30 vii) b) securing the rear wheel splash guards to or over the rear wheels secured to the support frames with an inside of the splash guards facing outwards. 3 Preferably the front wheels each comprise a rigid wheel and an inflatable tyre inflated to a tyre pressure, and the method comprises: viii) reducing the tyre pressure from a normal operating pressure to a reduced pressure to reduce the height of the assembly. 5 Preferably the vehicle comprises a cab mounted to the vehicle via suspension, and the method further comprises: ix) disconnecting the suspension and supporting the cab in place on the vehicle on blocks. 10 Preferably the method comprises: x) loading the assembly into a 40ft high-cube shipping container. Preferably the method comprises: 15 x) loading the assembly into a 40ft high-cube shipping container by driving the assembly into the 40ft high-cube shipping container by the motor via the front wheels attached to the rear axle. Preferably the vehicle has a steering arrangement for steering the vehicle by the front 20 wheels when in the normal operating configuration, the method comprising: x) loading the assembly into a 40ft high-cube shipping container by driving the assembly into the 40ft high-cube shipping container by the motor via the front wheels attached to the rear axle and using the steering arrangement to steer the assembly via the auxiliary wheels. 25 In another aspect, the present invention consists in a vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation, in a normal operating configuration the vehicle comprising rear wheels supported by a rear axle and front wheels supported by a front axle, and a motor for driving the rear wheels, wherein the rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front 30 wheels, the assembly for transportation comprising: auxiliary wheels attached to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, and the front wheels attached to the rear axle to be drivable by the motor, 4 the assembly for transportation having a height less than the height of the vehicle in the normal operating configuration. Preferably the assembly comprises hub adapters, the front wheels attached to the rear axle 5 via the hub adapters. Preferably the assembly comprises at least one support frame attached to the vehicle for supporting the rear wheels, the rear wheels supported on the support frames. 10 Preferably the vehicle has rear wheel splash guards and the assembly comprises the rear wheel splash guards secured over the rear wheels secured to the support frames with an inside of the rear wheel splash guards facing outwards. Preferably the front wheels have a rigid wheel and an inflatable tyre inflated to a tyre 15 pressure, and the assembly comprises: the front wheels attached to the rear axle and having a tyre pressure less than a normal operating pressure. Preferably the vehicle has a cab mounted to the vehicle via suspension, and the assembly 20 comprises the cab disconnected from the suspension and supported in place on the vehicle on blocks. Preferably the vehicle has a steering arrangement for steering the vehicle by the front wheels when in the normal operating configuration and the assembly comprises: 25 the auxiliary wheels attached to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, and the auxiliary wheels being steerable by the steering arrangement. Preferably the vehicle is a tractor. 30 The term "comprising" as used in this specification and claims means "consisting at least in part of'. When interpreting each statement in this specification and claims that includes the term "comprising", features other than that or those prefaced by the term may also be 5 present. Related terms such as "comprise" and "comprises" are to be interpreted in the same manner. As used herein the term "and/or" means "and" or "or", or both. 5 As used herein "(s)" following a noun means the plural and/or singular forms of the noun. To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves 10 without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the 15 following gives examples only. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described by way of example only and with 20 reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a tractor suitable for shipping in accordance with a method according to the present invention. Figure 2 is a side view of the tractor of Figure 1 arranged in an assembly for transportation 25 according to one aspect of the present invention. Figure 3 is a view of a front wheel of the tractor of Figure 1 with an adapter plate fitted allowing the front wheel to be fitted to a rear axle of the tractor as shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 shows the tractor of Figure 1 with auxiliary wheels fitted to the front axle in place of the front wheels, and support brackets fitted either side of a bonnet of the tractor for 30 supporting the rear wheels. Figure 5 is a third angle projection of two front brackets for supporting the rear wheels either side of the tractor bonnet. 6 Figure 6 is a third angle projection of two rear brackets for supporting the rear wheels either side of the tractor bonnet. Figure 7 is a side view of the tractor assembly of Figure 2 with the rear wheels mounted on brackets on either side of the tractor bonnet. 5 Figure 8 is a side view of the tractor of Figure 1 arranged in an assembly for transportation according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 10 Figure 1 illustrates a tractor I in a normal operating configuration. The tractor I generally comprises a chassis 2, a driver's cab 3, two front wheels 4 (one obscured from view) and two rear wheels 5 (one obscured from view). The front wheels are supported by a front axle and the rear wheels are supported by a rear axle. The rear wheels are driven by a motor via a transmission. The front wheels are steerable by the driver's steering wheel via 15 a steering arrangement. The front and rear wheels each comprise a rigid wheel and a tyre. The rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front wheels. Splash guards 6 and 7 are provided over the front and rear wheels. A typical tractor for which the inventive transportation method and configuration is suited 20 has an overall height of approximately 2.9m. This height is too tall for the tractor to fit into a standard shipping container such as a high-cube 40 foot container. A high-cube 40 foot shipping container has an internal height of approximately 2.3m. Figure 2 illustrates a tractor assembled into an assembly 10 for transportation. The 25 assembly 10 comprises auxiliary wheels 14 attached in place of the front wheels 4 on the front axle of the tractor 1. The auxiliary wheels 14 have a smaller diameter than the front wheels 4. In the assembly, the front wheels 4 are attached to the rear axle in place of the rear wheels 5. As the auxiliary wheels have a smaller diameter than the front wheels, and the front 30 wheels have a smaller diameter than the rear wheels, the overall height of the assembly 10 is lower than the height of the tractor I when in the normal configuration. The reduction in height allows the tractor to be shipped inside a high-cube shipping container. 7 The assembly 14 as illustrated in Figure 2 is drivable. The tractor motor drives the assembly via the front wheels 4 attached to the rear axle. In addition, the assembly may be steered by the steering wheel using the auxiliary wheels 14 attached to the front axle. The assembly may therefore be driven into the shipping container under its own motive power. 5 The auxiliary wheels are preferably formed from metal and comprise a metal rim that contacts the ground or floor surface, and a flange inside the rim for bolting to the front axle. Bolt holes are provided in the flange for bolting the auxiliary wheels to the wheel hub of the front axle. The bolting arrangement of the auxiliary wheels is compatible with the 10 front axle wheel hub bolting arrangement. The auxiliary wheels may be cast or fabricated, for example from steel. The auxiliary wheels may be formed as a single item or be provided in multiple parts, for example as two half shells, to be assembled to the axle wheel hub. 15 To allow the front wheels to be attachable to the rear axle, suitable adaptors may be required where the front axle wheel hub bolting interface is different to the rear axle hub bolting interface. As shown in Figure 3, an adapter plate 15 may be fitted to each front wheel 4. As shown by example in Figure 3, the front wheel bolt holes 16 are at a larger pitch circle diameter than the adapter plate bolt holes 17 which match the rear axle wheel 20 hub bolting interface. The adapter plate provides mounting features corresponding to the rear wheel mounting features. The adapter plate may be attached to the front wheel with bolts 18 at the front wheel bolt holes 16. Preferably the rear wheels 5 are secured to the assembly 10 for transportation so that the 25 rear wheels do not need to be loaded separately into the shipping container. Preferably the assembly 10 also comprises the rear wheels 5. To allow the rear wheels to be secured to the assembly, at least one support bracket is provided to the assembly. As shown in Figure 4, two support brackets 20, 21 are attached to the chassis 2 each side of the tractor bonnet 8, for supporting a rear wheel 5 each side of the tractor bonnet. To provide space for the 30 brackets 20, 21 and rear wheels 5, the front wheel splash guards 6 are removed from the assembly 10. 8 The tractor chassis 2 may be provided with mounting interfaces to allow the brackets to be fitted. Typically, threaded holes are provided in the chassis of a tractor to allow agricultural instruments for use with the tractor to be mounted. Typically these threaded holes are provided with blanking plugs. The blanking plugs are removed and suitable brackets 20, 21 5 fitted using threaded fasteners and the threaded mounting holes of the chassis. Suitable brackets for use with a tractor, for example, New Holland tractor models T6010, T6020, T6030, T6040, T6050, T6060, T6070 and Case IH tractor models Maxxum 110 to 140 are detailed in Figures 5 and 6. Each bracket 20, 21 preferably has a mounting flange 22 with bolts holes 23 for connection to the chassis 2 , a horizontal member 24 and an upright 10 member 25 for supporting a rear wheel 5 above the front axle. Preferably the upright members are angled inwards towards the bonnet. By example, the brackets are welded assemblies. The flanges may be fabricated from 100mm x 100mm x 10mm angle section steel, the horizontal members formed from 40mm x 40mm x 3mm box section, and the upright members formed from 50mm x 25mm x 2.5mm box section. Additionally the 15 brackets on each side of the bonnet may be linked together by a cross member extending above or in front of the bonnet. The cross member may be bolted to the upright members after the brackets are fitted to the chassis either side of the bonnet. A person skilled in the art will understand suitable brackets other than those described and illustrated by example may be provided for use with these or other vehicles and still fall within the scope of the 20 present invention. Preferably each rear wheel 5 is supported by the brackets 20, 21 and secured to the assembly 10 using straps. Figure 7 illustrates the assembly 10 for transportation comprising auxiliary wheels 14 mounted to the front axle, front wheels 4 mounted to the rear axle, and 25 the rear wheels 5 mounted on brackets 20, 21 above the front axle, each rear wheel 5 mounted beside the bonnet 6. As shown in Figure 7, with the front wheels 4 fitted to the rear axle, the rear wheel splash guards 7 extend rearward beyond the rear extent of the front wheels 4. The overall length 30 of the assembly can be reduced by removing the rear guards 7. Preferably the rear guards are removed from the rear of the tractor and secured over the rear wheels 5 supported by the support brackets either side of the tractor bonnet. Preferably the rear guards are secured over the rear wheels so that an inside 9 of the rear guards face outwards. That is, 9 the guards are secured over the rear wheels 5 so that an outside edge of each guard is adjacent the bonnet. Preferably the rear guards 7 are fitted so that the forward most part of each guard is rearward of the forward most extent of the rear wheels 5 by at least 6 inches or 150mm as illustrated in Figure 8. 5 A further height reduction may be achieved by reducing the tyre pressure in the front wheels 4 from a normal operating pressure to a reduced pressure. The overall height of the assembly 10 may be assessed by measuring the distance from the ground or floor surface to a datum on the assembly and comparing that distance to a required predetermined distance. 10 For example, the overall height of the assembly can be determined by ensuring the distance from the ground to the centre of a power-take-off shaft is less than a predetermined distance. The final height of the assembly may be finally adjusted by checking the distance to the datum and reducing the tyre pressure until the desired height is achieved. 15 Additional steps can be taken to reduce the overall size of the assembly for transportation. For example, for a tractor having the cab 3 suspended on suspension, a height saving can be achieved by disconnecting the suspension from suspension mounts, for example at the chassis 2 or at the cab 3. By disconnecting the suspension, the height of the cab can be lowered by supporting the disconnected un-suspended cab on the chassis. The cab is 20 supported from the chassis in place on the tractor, for example on suitable blocks. Supported in place means the cab is not removed from the general position the cab is in when the tractor is in a normal operating configuration. Some components may be removed from the tractor and loaded into a container separately 25 from the drivable assembly for transportation. For example, stairs to the cab may need to be removed to avoid a bottom end of the stairs contacting the ground. The stairs and front wheel splash guards 6 may be loaded into a shipping container separately from the assembly 10. An exhaust pipe may also be removed and stored separately from the assembly within a container. Such items may be located underneath the assembly once the 30 assembly is located in a container for shipment. 10 Other components may be repositioned on the assembly to reduce the overall envelope size of the assembly. For example, rear vision mirrors and head lights or direction indicator lights maybe loosened and repositioned. 5 The present invention has been described with reference to a tractor. However, the invention may be applied to any vehicle comprising a front wheel and a rear wheel wherein the rear wheel has a larger diameter than the front wheel. The invention provides a vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation, the assembly having a reduced size while being drivable under its own power. The reduced size compared to the size of the vehicle 10 when in a normal operating mode can achieve a saving in transportation costs. A method for preparing a tractor for transportation is provided below. A front of the tractor to be transported is lifted, for example using a gantry crane, a forklift 15 or a suitable jack. The front wheels are removed from the front axle and auxiliary wheels are fitted to the front axle. The front of the tractor is lowered so that the auxiliary wheels are in contact with the ground or floor surface supporting the front of the tractor. Steps provided for access to the cab are unbolted from the tractor and bolts refitted to 20 their corresponding threaded holes so that they are not lost. Other items such as the tractor muffler and front wheel splash guards may be removed and lights may be removed and/or repositioned. These items may be plastic or cardboard wrapped for protection. 25 Brackets are bolted to the chassis either side of the bonnet by removing blanking plugs from threaded fastener holes provided on the tractor chassis, and securing the brackets to the chassis using suitable bolts or threaded fasteners. 30 The rear of the tractor is lifted, for example using a gantry crane, fork lift or suitable jack. The rear axle may be lowered onto stands. The rear wheels are removed from the rear axle. Adapter plates are fitted to the front wheels and the front wheels are fitted to the rear 11 axle. The rear of the tractor is lowered so that the front wheels support the rear of the tractor. The rear wheels are loaded onto the support brackets, for example using a gantry crane or 5 fork lift. The rear wheels are strapped to the brackets or the chassis using suitable straps. Rear guards are removed from the tractor. The guards may be wrapped in plastic or cardboard to prevent surface damage and the guards secured over the rear wheels already loaded on the brackets. The guards are secured by strapping in place on the wheels, 10 preferably with an outer side of the guards facing inwards adjacent to the bonnet. Other items removed from the tractor may be wrapped in plastic or cardboard for protection. Some items may be loaded into the cab for storage during transport, or loaded into a container before the assembly is driven into the container or afterwards. Each item 15 not mounted to the tractor assembly may be labelled with the tractor serial number for ease of reference for reassembly at the destination. The height of the assembly is checked by measuring the distance from the ground or floor to the centre of a power-take-off shaft. The front tyre pressure is adjusted to achieve a 20 predetermined height to the power-take-off shaft. Location blocks are installed in the container to ensure the position of the assembly in the container is correct. Where a plurality of tractors are to be installed in a single container, preferably the plurality of tractor assemblies 10 that are ready for shipping are lined up 25 before loading into the container to check the positioning of location blocks to be fitted into the container. The tractor assemblies are lined up with the front end of one assembly directly behind the rear end of another tractor assembly. Once location blocks have been installed in the container, each tractor assembled for 30 transportation is driven under its own power into the container. A final check is made on the height of the tractor with respect to the internal height of the container as the tractor enters the container. The assembly may be steered by the auxiliary wheels attached to the front axle, or the unit may be skid steered using the rear wheels. 12 Once loaded into the container the tractor wheels are preferably chocked to prevent the tractor moving in transit. Any items that are not mounted to the tractors may be loaded into the container before or after the assemblies are loaded into the container. Any rear 5 linkage or draw bar is disconnected and rested on the floor of the container. The driver may exit the tractor cab by climbing out of the back window of the cab. By example, the transportation method and tractor assembled for transportation described 10 herein allows three 4-cylinder New Holland Elite tractors, or two 4-cylinder and one 6 cylinder New Holland Elite tractors, or one 4-cylinder and two 6-cylinder New Holland Elite tractors to be loaded into a 40 foot High-cube shipping container. Once the shipping container has reached its destination, the tractor assemblies are driven 15 out of the container. The method described herein is reversed to reconfigure each tractor back to the normal operating configuration. The method for preparation of the assembly for transportation is provided as an example only. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the specific order of steps 20 described in this specification and claims is provided as an example only. It will be appreciated that the order of certain steps in the process are not necessarily important. The foregoing description of the invention includes preferred forms thereof. Modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the 25 accompanying claims. 13

Claims (20)

1. A method for transporting a vehicle comprising rear wheels supported by a rear axle and front wheels supported by a front axle, and a motor for driving the rear wheels, 5 wherein the rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front wheels, the method comprising the steps: i) removing the front wheels from the front axle, ii) attaching an auxiliary wheel to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, 10 iii) removing the rear wheels from the rear axle, and iv) attaching the front wheels to the rear axle to be drivable by the motor to form an assembly for transportation, the assembly having a height less than the height of the vehicle when in a normal operating configuration. 15

2. A method as claimed in claim I wherein step iv) comprises: iv) a) fitting hub adapters to the front wheels, and iv) b) attaching the front wheels to the rear axle via the hub adapters.

3. A method as claimed in claim I wherein the method further comprises the steps: 20 v) a) attaching at least one support frame to the vehicle for supporting the rear wheels, and v) b) securing the rear wheels on the support frames.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the vehicle has 25 front wheel splash guards and the method further comprises; vi) removing the front wheel splash guards.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the vehicle has rear wheel splash guards and the method further comprises: 30 vii) removing the rear wheel splash guards.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein step vii) comprises: vii) a) removing the rear wheel splash guards, 14 vii) b) securing the rear wheel splash guards to or over the rear wheels secured to the support frames.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein step vii) comprises: 5 vii) a) removing the rear wheel splash guards, vii) b) securing the rear wheel splash guards to or over the rear wheels secured to the support frames with an inside of the splash guards facing outwards.

8. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the front wheels 10 each comprise a rigid wheel and an inflatable tyre inflated to a tyre pressure, and the method comprises: viii) reducing the tyre pressure from a normal operating pressure to a reduced pressure to reduce the height of the assembly. 15

9. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the vehicle comprises a cab mounted to the vehicle via suspension, and the method further comprises: ix) disconnecting the suspension and supporting the cab in place on the vehicle on blocks. 20

10. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method comprises: x) loading the assembly into a 40ft high-cube shipping container.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the method comprises: 25 x) loading the assembly into a 40ft high-cube shipping container by driving the assembly into the 40ft high-cube shipping container by the motor via the front wheels attached to the rear axle.

12. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation, in a normal operating 30 configuration the vehicle comprising rear wheels supported by a rear axle and front wheels supported by a front axle, and a motor for driving the rear wheels, wherein the rear wheels have a larger diameter than the front wheels, the assembly for transportation comprising: 15 auxiliary wheels attached to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, and the front wheels attached to the rear axle to be drivable by the motor, the assembly for transportation having a height less than the height of the vehicle 5 in the normal operating configuration.

13. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in claim 12 wherein the assembly comprises hub adapters, the front wheels attached to the rear axle via the hub adapters. 10

14. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in either claims 12 or 13 wherein the assembly comprises at least one support frame attached to the vehicle for supporting the rear wheels, the rear wheels supported on the support frames.

15 15. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 14 wherein the vehicle has rear wheel splash guards and the assembly comprises the rear wheel splash guards secured over the rear wheels secured to the support frames with an inside of the rear wheel splash guards facing outwards. 20

16. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein the front wheels have a rigid wheel and an inflatable tyre inflated to a tyre pressure, and the assembly comprises: the front wheels attached to the rear axle and having a tyre pressure less than a normal operating pressure. 25

17. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 16 wherein the vehicle has a cab mounted to the vehicle via suspension, and the assembly comprises the cab disconnected from the suspension and supported in place on the vehicle on blocks. 30

18. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to I7wherein the vehicle has a steering arrangement for steering the vehicle by 16 the front wheels when in the normal operating configuration and the assembly comprises: the auxiliary wheels attached to the front axle in place of each front wheel, each auxiliary wheel having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the front wheels, and the 5 auxiliary wheels being steerable by the steering arrangement.

19. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation as claimed in any one of claims 12 to 18 wherein the vehicle is a tractor. 10

20. A vehicle configured in an assembly for transportation substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated by any one or more of Figures 2, 7 and 8. 17