Tractor PullingTractor Pulling
Publication Date: April 2001
Since the beginning of time, man has been trying to dig out a living from the soil. By the early 1800s, agriculture was booming in Europe and boulders were being removed from the land with the help of horses and mules. Rumor has it that one day a local farmer told another that his team could move a larger boulder than his - and so a competition began.
During the second world war, the mechanization of agriculture evolved and tractors replaced horses. But the debate still raged on, except now it was over engine 'horsepower.' With arguments of who had the best tractor, competition pulling boulders continued. The family tractor that was plowing fields during the week was 'Tractor Pulling' on Sundays.
Tractors became bigger and the competition grew heavier. Boulders became too large to handle, so the 'dead-weight-sled' was introduced. This was a sled with weights on it that was connected to the tractor with a chain. The competition was all or nothing - the tractor took off with the sled, or it lost grip and dug itself into the track. To gain more grip, tractors were loaded with anything that was heavy, to include a certain number of volunteers that took position next to the track and stepped on the sled as it went by. This was called a step-on-sled. The further the distance, the higher the position. If a tractor made it to the end of the track, this was called a 'Full Pull' and the driver classified for the finals that day.
As tractors became faster over the years, finding volunteers became
harder because of safety issues. To solve this, the "weight-transfer-machine"
was developed. The sled had wheels at the rear end. At the beginning of
a pull, the weights were placed above the wheels. When the tractor started
to pull, the weights were transported forward to the sled-plate by a chain.
The friction increased and at some point the tractor lost grip.
Most of today's sleds have their own engine. By lowering two wheels next to the sled-plate, the sled can roll itself back to the start of the track. They also have some kind of steering by slightly rotating the sled-plate. Often a team chooses the starting-position of the sled. By locating it on the right side of the track, they create more margin at the left side. This is done if the team assumes the tractor will deviate to the left during the pull.
Should a tractor break away from the sled, or a driver gets in trouble, then the sled-operator can pull the dead man's switch that's connected to the tractor. This cable turns off the ignition of the tractor and makes it stop. If this doesn't help, there is usually a pile of dirt at the end of the track to stop the tractor.
The covered distance is usually measured with infrared or laser equipment. The accuracy is measured to the nearest centimeter (0.4 of an inch). With each pulling event, it's not just power that makes a tractor win. The most important thing is the balance of the tractor. Sometimes a 4,000 hp tractor can beat a 7,000 hp tractor.
Most pulling events feature many types of vehicles.
Some of the classes include:
Don't forget the power-explosions that accompany these powerful vehicles. Some trucks and tractors have registered a noise level of over 110 decibels.That's why many enthusiasts say the sport of Tractor Pulling can rightly be called the world's most powerful motorsport!
For more information on tractor and truck pulling visit the ATPA website at: http://www.ATPApullersonline.com
EXTREMZ.COM is copyright © by Extremz, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction or use, without written permission, of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.