ABSTRACT
The chapter focuses on the use of hydrostatic transmissions for a vehicle. A hydrostatic transmission modifies and transmits power from the engine to the final drive, or directly to the wheels or tracks. An entire text could be devoted to the analysis required to properly match prime mover and load characteristics to achieve optimal productivity and efficiency. Our objective in this chapter is to understand the characteristics of a hydrostatic transmission so that it can be compared with mechanical transmissions. A brief review of mechanical transmissions is required to serve as a reference for our subsequent discussion of hydrostatic transmissions.
