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Tractor Pulling Discussion Forum

For those who have a low gear only class????

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burns

02-04-2004 03:50:00




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I long story made short is as follows:

Our club has been very successful in not having a lot problems as we police ourselves fairly good. However, we did have a few folks who..let's just say..worked to rules in their favor. Basically had a tractor in a class that definitely did not belong in the antique class. Another local club that adopted most of our rules except they implemented a low gear class and an any gear class. They too also have been very successful.

Question: We had discussion at our last meeting about implementing similar low or any gear classes. I'm sure that you can guess the type of friendly but passionate discussion there was.

How does you club define low gear?
1st gear
1st gear low range
1st gear high range
1st gear with torque back
1st gear with torque forward
1st gear with a tractor equipped with a larger diameter rim.

Yes, I pull green but I can be objective enough to agree that any factory TA's should be permitted to be used. I been beat by the TA and I have beat them because they used the TA incorrectly.

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NATPA

02-04-2004 13:49:31




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
Natpa has the best set of rules going because everybody,s tractor has a home. I,m not saying they are the best club out there but study there rules and think about them for awhile. Speedimits are always the best policemem to have around for stock and near stock tractors. Somebody shows up with a hot tractor have a class for him too.



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BigRed

02-04-2004 10:43:00




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
Here we have a 3.5 mph limit. Just last year they added an open farm, which for most of us meant we could pull our farm stock 560's in second gear in the 6500lb class. Unfortunatly I can see some more than farm tractors coming next year so the rules will probably have to be revised. TA's are allowed here, and I haven't heard any objections to them. My thought is that the tractor was designed and geared to be able to be shifted when it pulled down, but as I have said earlier I pull red. Since the 3.5 mph limit was imposed a few years ago, I haven't really seen any change in the types of tractors that have been coming.

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JDBert

02-04-2004 08:50:07




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
The sleds we pull with here in southern MN have 1st gear rules UNLESS you have a creeper deere then you have the option to use 2nd. TA's are set so what you start with is what you end with. They also then have open class and mod classes. Open class you can run whatever gear you want but the TA rule is the same. And most run either a 1 size over stock tire or have maximum tire sizes per weight class. So you could have a 450 or something like that with 18.4x38's but you'd have to weight it to at least 8500 class.

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farmallpuller

02-04-2004 08:30:59




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
The pulls that i pull in around my hometown only allow first gear. Though some guys do run in run in second, but they stay under the speed limit. If the tractor has a torque you can't use it goin done the track in the antuique classes you have to keep it in what ever stage you have it in at the start of the pull,though the other class you can or i have seen it done anyways.



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Wild Horses

02-04-2004 08:07:51




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
WTW is right. Most "low gear" classes are actually speed limit classes. This keeps most tractors in low gear, unless they want to play the trottle all the way down the track. I believe ours is set at 3.5 MPH. Our Farm stock is set at 7 because we allow any year and the bigger tractors want to run a little faster.



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WTW

02-04-2004 07:54:14




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
All the local antique pulling clubs in this area all started out as low gear programs. Worked for awhile, then came the large tires and the whining. Then came all the controversy over the creeper gear tractors (which are at a disadvantage) and the whining. Then came the Farmall TA and the whining. Then came the mixing and changing of gears in the transmissions so tractor would run 4 and 5 miles per hour in low gear and with that yes more whining. What I am trying to get across here is: It is just a matter of time and your program too will have the same issues. Step up to the plate and do the most fairest thing that ever happened to antique tractor pulling and adopt a speed limit. For the more so called stock tractors keep it lower like maybe even 3 mph. and for the most common type of antique pulling tractors out there go to a 3.5 or 4 mph. If needed have an open class with no speed limit or an higher one. This was well excepted in all the local clubs around these parts. With a speed and RPM limit you will not have to be as picky with what the alterations are, but still can if you want to. Believe it or not I pull two cylinder tractors too and they are not creepers either and if the program is a low gear only I will not go. I do pull in low gear once in a great while but want the option and same advantage as the next guy. A low gear rule is not a fair program for any brand of tractor, it's just a way to protect a certain few tractors and if that's what you want to do slow down the limit and make a class for them. Just another pullers opinion. I am sure you will hear it from both sides. Good Luck on what ever you do decide. DW

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ChadS

02-04-2004 20:23:27




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 Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only class?? in reply to WTW, 02-04-2004 07:54:14  
Well said. It is a speed limit class, not a gear limit class. If a tractor in first gear that beeps the horn still dq'ed? yes, is the same tractor in 2 nd gear that beeps the horn dq'ed? yes. Our local club has a low gear rule, and yes the red ones seem to dominate alot. The JD are getting tougher, but a speed limit, is a speed limit, run the right rpm, and keep it under the speed limit, and pull all day long. Just my opinion. Dave, are you going to any Indiana pulls this month? ChadS

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WTW

02-05-2004 09:41:41




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 Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only cla in reply to ChadS, 02-04-2004 20:23:27  
Chad, If it is a NATPA pull I don't go no matter where it's at. I said "Good Bye" to them back when the board made there executive decision to screw everybody over that didn't pull an Allis with there RPM favoritism. I told them back then I would never support them again and I am a man of my word. Have not made any plans this winter to go to any USAP Indiana pulls. Would like to but just have to many things going on this year. I am going to school for my job this month that spoils it for February. The rest of the Winter I have my time pretty well slotted for working on everybody else's tractors. Would like to go to Fruitland Mo. if I could sneak off but cannot plan on it for sure either. Wish we could get some "USAP" Winter pulls further north into Ill. or Ind. as it is a long ways to travel for use but when we decide to go we will be there. Its 500 miles for us to go to Princeton. Great track and program and it not hard to see why they have them there. We "always" have fun when we pull USAP. Hope to see ya and pull with you somewhere soon. Good Luck with the "H", Dave W.

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burns

02-04-2004 09:30:50




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 Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only class?? in reply to WTW, 02-04-2004 07:54:14  
I think that most would agree that a fairly stock tractor is not really capable of running more than 1st or 2nd gear unless they are dropping 2 or more weight classes from factory shipping. Most JD A's with the h/l range are not going to be as competitive in the 7500 or 8500 when compared to the lower classes.

We are not trying to single out a particular brand or person buy making a rule to outlaw them. I personally don't want to win a pull that way.

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RED WHEELS

02-04-2004 06:16:28




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 Re: For those who have a low gear only class???? in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 03:50:00  
Our club used the low gear rule in the stock/farm class for 3 years and found it was not the best answer. The tractors that pull good in the lowest gear will always do good and the models that don't because of the gear being too slow never will. They made tractors with ta pull them back into low and all in this class had to run a stock size tire. The John Deeres with the creeper low didn't do well either and the classes were getting smaller in numbers instead of growing. Now they have adopted a 3 1/2 mph speed limit with stock size tires or factory options to stock only in hopes of it helping.

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burns

02-04-2004 07:15:44




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 Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only class?? in reply to RED WHEELS, 02-04-2004 06:16:28  
Part of the original thinking was to allow the stock class to pull any gear that they wanted for tractors equipped with 1 1/2mph first gear. These tractors could elect to pull 2nd or 3 mph with a fairly stock motor. It was only after someone pulled a farmall M in 4th gear, 15.5x38, and stock RPM did eyebrows get raised. The tractor fit the rules but certainly did not have any place in the stock class.

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Rich

02-04-2004 15:24:24




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 Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only cla in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 07:15:44  
Would the same tractors be pulling in the low gear and any gear classes? With the format (heavy, then light, then heavy)used at Hilltop that is going to make for an especially long day, when another class is offered to pull for each weight class. I would vote for a speed limit, 3 to 4 mph rather than a low gear class.



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burns

02-05-2004 03:46:49




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only in reply to Rich, 02-04-2004 15:24:24  
I was approached by a hand full of folks that were "expressing" their thoughts on a couple tractors particularly in the heavier classes. I told them to bring it up at the next meeting or shut up about it. Anyhow, I threw out on the floor the question of whether or not we are satisfied with the current setup or should we consider the low gear/any gear like at South Buffalo. Nothing has been finalized or put in a motion for consideration. Who knows maybe nothing will happen. The club will decide.

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Jack

02-04-2004 09:29:37




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 Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only cla in reply to burns, 02-04-2004 07:15:44  
What gear someone was in never bothered me as long as the speed limit was enforced.I like the 3mph in the farm class better than 4mph,then it's a weight/setup game not so much horsepower and momentum.The t.a.'s don't bother me either because the ones I seen either stood straight up or just went to spinning as soon as it was used.



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Jeff

02-04-2004 18:29:55




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only in reply to Jack, 02-04-2004 09:29:37  
I agree. I usually pull in first anyway but never have a problem with someone pulling in second as long as they stay under the speed limit. TA's? pull them, doesn't bother me a bit. These classes are supposed to be Farm Stock and since that was a stock option I can't see why anyone can't use it. My old ragged 88 doesn't have one but it seems to do fair on it's own against them.



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Dave

02-04-2004 17:46:48




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: For those who have a low gear only in reply to Jack, 02-04-2004 09:29:37  
We pull with the first gear only farm classes and someitmes also the stock classes, we do alow the tractors with the creeper gears to pull second gear. This has worked pretty good so far. The biggest problem that I see is just what tire size came stock on what tractor??? We pull a IH 400 and I have seen at least 3 different "standard" tire sizes listed for this tractor. I can't tell you myself which one is right. It seems like the best way to eliminate the guess work out of tire sizes are to establish maxinmum tire sizes for the different classes/weights. Perhaps an easier way is a maximun tire square inch on ground. Cut and un-cut are another story.

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