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Ga"/'den tcactor pulling is a fast gr2 wi.ng sp,orf i[l !11apy. 9fthe country. This nice 100/iog crass.
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Todd Markle
An Introduction to
Garden
Garden tractor pulling is getting
more and more popular every year. It
is a family oriented sport that allows
practically all ages to get involved
and have fun. It is also a fairly
budget friendly form of motorsports
competition. It seems to be springing
up in most areas of the country
including the Midwest, the South and
the Northeast.
Even if you don't plan to be a
competitor yourself, reading these
articles may make watching different
forms of pulling more enjoyable since
you will hopefully better understand
the science behind it .
The concept of modern tractor
pulling is fairly simple. The pulling
tractor is hooked to a machine called a
weight transfer sled. The overall weight
of the sled is usually several times the
weight of the tractor. At the beginning,
most of this weight is on wheels so
it is easy to get the weight started in
motion. As the sled moves down the
track, weight transfers from the wheels
to, a skid pan. This makes the sled
progressively more difficult to pull. The
winner is the competitor who pulls the
farthest distance.
Spring Mills, Pa
farmallgray@aol.com
ractor Pul ing
In the early days of the sport, the
"sled" was literally a wooden platform
that was pulled down the track. To
make the sled progressively harder to
pull, human ballast was used. People
stood along the track at specific
intervals and stepped on the sled as
it passed. Today
we can see some
obvious problems
with this setup
with the least
of which being
fairness. How and
when a person
steps on can really
affect the pull.
Safety is the main
concern with this
setup. Some of
these little tractors
can move the sled
down the track at
20 miles per hour
so just jumping
on the sled would
be very difficult at
that speed.
Momentum is
the name of the
game, so the more speed the tractor
can achieve, the further it will move
the sled. Unlike most motorsports
weight is an advantage. More weight
equals more traction. It is still
advantageous to keep your tractor
as light as possible. This allows the
The wide frame Cub Cadets are popular with pullers because the flared
front frame section accepts the larger flywheel for the gear drive starters.
The gear drive starters have an easier time cranking a high compression
engine.
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This tractor is about as stock as you can get.
The vertical exhaust stack is a common pulling
modification although most pullers don't use a
muffler. Wheel weights are an easy way to add
weight if you have them.
would need to travel to an event. If
you have to travel more than an hour
or two it can make for a long day and
cost more money in fuel. This could be
a big factor in determining if this sport
is right for you.
You may be lucky enough to have
several clubs in your area that sanction
pulls. If so, hopefully their rules are
somewhat standardized. Before you
decide to get into pulling try to attend
several pulls as a spectator and take
your family if you would like them
to be involved as well. Take a camera
or a camcorder and take photos or
videos of the various machines you see.
Look at and take photos of the details
of various custom built parts such
as hitches, wheelie bars and weight
brackets.
These photos will help give you
ideas on how to make these parts for
yourself. Don't be afraid to approach
the competitors and ask questions.
Most people are proud of their
machines and love to talk about them.
Just make sure they don't look busy
when you start a conversation. They
may be concentrating on getting their
tractor ready for the next round.
While you are at the pull, see if you
can get a paper copy of the club's rules,
Garden tractor pulling is truly a sport that the
whole family can get involved in. Many women
enjoy it just as much as the men do.
maximum amount of movable weight
which you can move to different areas
of the tractor to achieve optimum
balance.
Ideally on a two-wheel-drive pulling
vehicle, optimum balance is achieved
when the tractor's entire weight is on
the drive tires. The weight of the sled
tends to pull down on the tractor's
drawbar which tends to lift the tractor's
front end. When the front tires are
slightly off the ground, the tractor is
getting maximum traction. You don't
want the front end to get too high
though. The higher the front end gets,
the lower the drawbar gets. The higher
the drawbar the more the tractor tends
to pull up on the front of the sled
which makes it easier to pull. You don't
want the front end to get so high that
the wheelie bars touch the ground
either. The wheelie bars are strictly
for safety and any weight they carry
is weight that isn't pressing the drive
tires into the track. Their purpose is
to keep the tractor from flipping over
backwards.
Engine power is also very important.
The more power the engine has the
faster you can move the sled and the
more momentum you can build up.
One of the first things you will want
to do is find out if there are any pulls
in your area to determine how far you
There are many ways to add weight to a puller.
Barbells are popular with beginners because
they are inexpensive and easy to find. Be sure
to securely fasten them to the tractor.
Some of the upper level tractors like this Pro
Stock get pretty wild looking and are far from
stock. This low slung tractor is running what is
known as a "half pint" style chassis. The name
came from the first tractor built in this style.
Even though the class is called "stock", pullers
have some creative freedom in paint color and
graphics to personalize their machines.
or find out if they are posted on a
website. It is very important to know
the rules before you start modifying
a tractor to pull. Otherwise you could
spend a lot of time working on the
tractor only to find out you aren't
allowed to pull because you are in
violation of the rules.
Here are some important factors that
are usually governed by rules;
Tire size and type
Engine size and modifications
allowed
Weight
Maximum Engine RPMs (usually
only in stock classes)
Hitch or Drawbar height and
length
Overall length of tractor
Tip over bar specifications (wheelie
bars)
Like most other hobbies, the amount
of money you have to spend can
vary quite a bit. There are usually a
multitude of classes with one for just
about every budget. A big factor is
your particular skill set. If you can turn
wrenches and maybe do some welding
and fabrication work that can save you
a lot of money over having someone
do this work for you. Chances are, if
you are reading this magazine, you
probably have some interest and skills
Here is a fairly stock looking narrow frame Cub
Cadet. The aluminum wheels reduce weight
and dress the tractor up a bit.
www.redpowermagazine.com
in tinkering \\ith things mechanical
anJ"A'ay. Don't be afraid to try learning
some new skills. The more work on
your tractor that you do yourself, the
more fulfilling your pulling successes
will be.
You are probably wondering what
kind of tractor would be the best to use
as a starting point for building a puller.
Opinions vary but the older gear drive
Cub Cadets are the most popular
by a huge margin. There is a reason
for this; because they are built like a
small farm tractor with an automotive
clutch and all gear transmission. There
are folks who successfully use other
makes but mostly in the stock classes.
In the higher level classes nearly all
the tractors started out as Cub Cadets.
Some have their sheetmetal changed
to make them look like other brands.
Most clubs don't allow changing
sheetmetal in the entry level classes.
Whatever tractor make or model you
chose, be certain it is a true Garden
tractor that is designed to pull ground
engaging attachments. There are many
tractors out there with 12" rear wheels
that look like garden tractors but are
actually lawn tractors. These models
have drive-trains that won't survive
in pulling; even in the stock classes.
In general, the tractors with the
best survivability will have cast iron
transaxles. The belt driven tractors do
have an advantage in changing gear
ratios. With the Cub Cadets the only
way to change ratios is by getting
different gears for the transmission .
On a belt driven tractor you can
change to different size pulleys. Since
this is an IH magazine, most of the
information here will be applicable to
Cub Cadets.
Changing gear ratios is important to
be able to match your ground speed
to your engine's power output. You
want your ground speed to be a fast
as possible without having the engine
run out of power.
Many pullers use telescopic front weight
brackets. This allows the weights to be
moved out to the maximum distance allowed
by the rules, but easily collapsed to make
transporting easier.
You may be thinking that hydrostatic
drive tractors would work well
because of their infinitely variable
speeds. Unfortunately while hydros
are awesome for mowing grass and
other lawn and garden chores they
aren't very efficient at transferring
power. A fairly large percentage of the
engine's horsepower is lost through the
hydrostatic drive. This has proven to
be too much of a deficit to overcome
in most cases. Unless your club has a
specific class for hydros, a gear drive
would be your best choice.
One nice thing about the older
Cub Cadets is that there is a lot of
interchangeability of parts. So it isn't
too difficult to swap a gear drive
transmission in place of hydrostatic
unit.
Once you have a tractor to use as
a starting point for you puller you
want to make sure it is in top running
condition. Your club may allow engine
modifications, but you would probably
be best served by leaving the engine
stock in the beginning. But a thorough
tune up to make sure it's at least up to
stock specs is a good idea. A new spark
plug, head gasket, points, condenser,
carburetor rebuild kit and air filter
would be a good starting point.
Changing the fluids and checking the
valve clearances would also be in order.
While some clubs have rules that
cater to tractors straight off the lawn,
you will probably still need to make
some modifications in the name of
safety. Most clubs reqUire wheelie
bars in all classes. These are bars that
protrude from the rear of the tractor to
keep it from tipping over backwards.
They can have wheels or skid plates
to contact the ground. The rules can
vary so be sure to build them so you
conform to your local club's rules. It
is fairly common that they protrude
at least 5" beyond the rear tires and
be less than 5" off the ground. They
also need to be strong enough to
Here is the rear view of a pro stock tractor.
This tractor has a simple adjustable hitch that
uses threaded rods and wheelie bars with skid
shoes.
support the weight of the tractor.
Whatever measurements the rules call
for, leave a small margin for error so
you don't get disqualified on a minor
technicality. It is also a good idea to
make them adjustable in height to
compensate for different tire sizes and
pressures.
A seat back is another important
safety item. Most stock tractors have
seat with some sort of back rest. If
you have an early tractor with a pan
seat you may want to either build a
back rest or change to a seat that has
one. Most clubs require at least a 3"
high seat back to keep the driver from
sliding off the back of the seat if the
front end comes up.
Most clubs also now require a safety
helmet even in the stock classes. If
you don't already own one for another
purpose, be sure to buy one that is
DOT approved. Full face Motocross
or ATV helmets seem to provide the
best compromise between safety and
visibility. If you decide to move up to
one of the classes that use alcohol for
fuel you will need a fire suit.
The above mentioned items are
safety related and what I consider
a bare minimum of modifications
needed to turn a stock garden
tractor into a puller. The following
modifications are fairly simple but
can make a big difference in how
competitive your tractor is.
A very important item is an
adjustable hitch or drawbar. As
mentioned earlier, the higher the
drawbar is from the ground, the better
the tractor will pull. Consequently,
most clubs have a maximum drawbar
height. If your stock drawbar is lower
than the maximum, you will conform
to the rules but you will be at a
disadvantage to the tractors that have
their hitch at the maximum height.
Most rules call for a 1-1/2" diameter
hole for the sled chain hook to drop
into.
This tractor uses wheels on the wheelie
bars. Notice the weights under the drawbar.
Also notice the tires. These are specifically
designed for pulling and are referred to as
"pro" pulling tires.
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This tractor could use a bit more weight on the
front end. Notice the wheelie bars are touching
the ground. This takes weight and traction
from the drive tires. The driver could help
The driver of this tractor is leaning back
to possibly correct for too much front end
weight.
turf type tires can work, but this is
These two tractors rulllling s.Ue by- siDe are pulling the same sled. This is
called "double tree " pufing "" u:ses a setup similar to a two horse hitch.
This offers an extra chab"lge of normal pulling.
correct this by scooting forward on the seat.
Weight is an advantage so you need
to be able to get your tractor up to the
maximum allowed for the class. There
are many ways to do this so let your
imagination be your guide. Barbell
weights are popular, easy to find, and
relatively cheap if you find them used
at yard sales and in local classified
ads. Some people melt down lead tire
balance weights to make their own. Be
sure to take proper safety precautions
when doing this.
Whatever brackets you make to
fasten them to the tractor, make sure
they hold the weights securely. Any
parts or weights that fall off the tractor
during a pull will probably get you
disqualified.
Most clubs have rules that spedfy
how far the weights can protrude from
the front of the tractor. Also, most
rules don't allow weights to protrude
rearward beyond the rear tires and
there is usually a maximum width
allowed. Try to keep all your weights as
low to the ground as pOSSible, but keep
them high enough that they can't drag
on the ground.
Depending on the weight class you
may need to add as much as a couple
hundred pounds to the tractor. If you
are making your own weights, be sure
to make them in different increments
that allow you to arrive very close to
the maximum weight. I like to have a
few as small as 5 pounds so I can get
within 5 pounds of the target weight.
By now you are probably wondering
about tires. Tires are a very important
part of tractor pulling. So much so,
that I'm going to talk more about
them in another issue. You may be
lucky enough to buy a tractor that
already has bar tread (or AG tread
tires) tractor type tires already on it.
There are many brands and styles
of these tires and some work much
better for pulling than others. Under
certain track conditions, the regular
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usually the exception, rather than the
rule. In some areas, pulls take place
on pavement so turf tires would be a
better choice for that.
If you want to buy AG tires for your
tractor, don't run out and buy the
first or cheapest set you find . Take
a look at what others in your class
are running. Chances are, most of
them will be running the same ones
and that is because they are probably
what works best on your local tracks.
Unfortunately, some of the best
stock pulling tires have been recently
discontinued by their manufacturers.
If you build your tractor or a part
for it and you later decide you don't
like it, or think it can be improved
on, don't be afraid to make changes.
Most competitive machines are being
constantly improved as technology,
skills, and knowledge progress.
So far I have only mentioned
building custom pulling parts yourself,
but there are also aftermarket parts
manufacturers who make just about
everything you could possibly need
to build a pulling
tractor. Some of
these suppliers will
even build you a
complete ready
to-run tractor.
Look for more
information about
these suppliers in
an upcoming issue.
I have found a
couple places on
the internet where
used parts can be
found. A lot of
folks will move up
to a higher class or
make changes to
their tractors and
will have good used
parts to sell. One
place to find these
ad site
and the
Be sure -
seller q _ ow what you are
buying. I idea to watch both
these site) . e before buying so
you b.av - o. fair prices. There
are also 5eOe! '" web forums with
lots of !IDOl::' ; Jrnla ti on that can easily
be found' . sean::bing "garden tractor
pullin
Thanks __ _ j and Kathy Lear, John
Piper, anti -a:.-=-.f' Chiello for providing
me .....'it:t! .. ::-:c . .he photos used in
this articc...
ro by email at
farm _ or if you prefer
to sen . a _, _. my address is; Todd
Mal e, 3S3-i Pt:nns Valley Rd, Spring
Mills, Pa - -. I can also be reached
b, ph<J.d:" . l O: at 814-422
7632. 11 i'e any interesting IH
tips or techniques you
snare- with other readers
i-. a line.

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