Abstract: The present invention relates to a delimbing and cutting head of a harvesting machine, including a body (22) mounted tiltably and rotatably on the machine boom, which body is provided with a pair of grip arms (14,16) articulatedly mounted on the body (22), grip arms (14,16) being sharpened along at least on one edge so that they simultaneously serve as delimbing blades, a cutting saw (19), and a pair of drive wheels (100). Each drive wheel (100) including a hub liner (101), an elastic material layer (102) has been adhered around the hub liner, first and second fixing flanges (112,113) each arranged along an axially side of the wheel, each of the flanges including a plurlity of thorughbores each adapted for receiving a chain therethrough, and pins (119) for securing each end of each chain to one of the first and second fixing flanges. In this way, the chains can be secured to the first and second fixing flanges and pretightened in place to compress the elastic material layer in an axial direction.