Misplaced Pages

#807192

96-540: The USHRA was founded as "Truck-O-Rama" in the late 1970s by Bob George, Ed Thayer, and Tony Vaccaro. By the early 1980s, the company became known as SRO Motorsports, and began promoting events under the USHRA banner. The early events focused on tractor pulling and mud bogging , and were primarily held in stadiums and arenas . Often, specialty vehicles were booked for events as intermission entertainment between competitions. In 1982, one such vehicle, Bob Chandler's Bigfoot ,

192-502: A 20 hp (15 kW) engine. In 1897, it was bought by Mr. Locke-King, the first recorded British tractor sale. That year, it won a Silver Medal from the Royal Agricultural Society of England . It later returned to the factory for a caterpillar track fitting. The first commercially successful light-weight petrol-powered general purpose tractor was built by Dan Albone , a British inventor in 1901. He filed for

288-511: A Ferguson-designed hydraulic hitch. In 1938 Ferguson entered into a collaboration with Henry Ford to produce the Ford-Ferguson 9N tractor . The three-point hitch soon became the favorite hitch attachment system among farmers around the world. This tractor model also included a rear Power Take Off (PTO) shaft that could be used to power three point hitch mounted implements such as sickle-bar mowers. In 1969, General Electric introduced

384-419: A complex system of gears to move weights up to 29,000 kilograms (65,000 lb). Upon starting, all the weights are over the drag's rear axles, to give an effective weight of the drag plus zero. As the tractor travels the course, the weights are pushed forward off the drag's axles, pushing the front of the drag into the ground, synthetically creating a gain in weight until the tractor is no longer able to overcome

480-447: A driver's class as significant skill is required to keep the tractor on the track. The mini-modified class is a highly specialized and custom built tractor to be fitted with a naturally aspirated engine, at minimum. NTPA Minis are limited to 9,420 cm (575 cu in) (always an aftermarket V-8 engine block) and uses up to a 14-71 hi helix supercharger. With the driver, they weigh only 930 kilograms (2,050 lb). Today's engine

576-536: A field to haul a plow back and forth between them using a wire cable. In Britain Mann's and Garrett developed steam tractors for direct ploughing, but the heavy, wet soil of England meant that these designs were less economical than a team of horses. In the United States , where soil conditions permitted, steam tractors were used to direct-haul plows. Steam-powered agricultural engines remained in use well into

672-571: A four- turboshaft unit hitting the hook in 1989. The growing popularity of the sport caused the creation of a new four-wheel drive division in 1976, which captured a large fan base. The engine sizes in these vehicles continued to increase, from 7,400 cubic centimeters (450 cu in) up to 11,000 cubic centimeters (700 cu in) and probably would have continued, but the NTPA limited it to 10,700 cubic centimetres (650 cu in) naturally aspirated and no blown engine in 1989. Today

768-411: A fully loaded hay cart or wagon . In other situations, a flat board or skid would have a horse or team of horses then hitched to it; weight would be added, usually in the form of rocks, and the driver would urge his horses to pull the load, with more weight added as competitors were eliminated; the animals pulling the most weight or for the greatest distance were judged the strongest. These events became

864-488: A locomotive-style boiler with horizontal smoke tubes. A large flywheel was mounted on the crankshaft, and a stout leather belt was used to transfer the drive to the equipment being driven. In the 1850s, John Fowler used a Clayton & Shuttleworth portable engine to drive apparatus in the first public demonstrations of the application of cable haulage to cultivation. In parallel with the early portable engine development, many engineers attempted to make them self-propelled –

960-403: A maximum of five engines is all that will make the 3,600 kilograms (8,000 lb) weight limit. Nitromethane and oxidizers were outlawed in 1976. Antique tractor pulling is how tractor pulling first got started (although the tractors were just modern tractors at that time). As early as 1929, farmers began attaching their tractors to drags, and dragging it down a field to see who could pull it

1056-410: A means to transfer power to another machine such as a baler , swather , or mower . Unless it functions solely by pulling it through or over the ground, a towed implement needs its own power source (such as a baler or combine with a separate engine) or else a means of transmitting power from the tractor to the mechanical operations of the equipment. Early tractors used belts or cables wrapped around

SECTION 10

#1732772551808

1152-821: A part of smaller arena shows, racing became used in all events by the early 1990s. Although monster trucks grew in popularity throughout the 1980s, tractor pulling and mud bogging (subsequently known as "mud racing") remained marquee events. Popular pullers included Art Arfons , who competed with the "Green Monster" unlimited tractor, David Willoughby, who pulled with his reputable "Back in Time" modified four-wheel-drive truck, Kenneth and Paula Geuin's Black Gold and Oklahoman four-wheel-drive trucks, Allen Gaines, who had an entire fleet of "Orange Blossom Special" truck pullers, and Gary Collins and his " Budweiser Boss" semi-truck . In mud racing, Tom Martin's "Mud Patrol" and "Super Trooper" police-themed vehicles dominated for several years, while

1248-411: A part of the tractor, almost as if it were attached by a fixed mount. Previously, when the implement hit an obstacle, the towing link broke or the tractor flipped over. Ferguson's idea was to combine a connection via two lower and one upper lift arms that were connected to a hydraulic lifting ram. The ram was, in turn, connected to the upper of the three links so the increased drag (as when a plough hits

1344-480: A patent on 15 February 1902 for his tractor design and then formed Ivel Agricultural Motors Limited. The other directors were Selwyn Edge , Charles Jarrott , John Hewitt and Lord Willoughby . He called his machine the Ivel Agricultural Motor; the word "tractor" came into common use after Hart-Parr created it. The Ivel Agricultural Motor was light, powerful and compact. It had one front wheel, with

1440-560: A patent, Froelich started up the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company and invested all of his assets. The venture was very unsuccessful, and by 1895 all was lost and he went out of business. Richard Hornsby & Sons are credited with producing and selling the first oil-engined tractor in Britain, invented by Herbert Akroyd Stuart . The Hornsby-Akroyd Patent Safety Oil Traction Engine was made in 1896 with

1536-406: A pull-off; the winner is the one who can pull the drag the farthest. The drag is known as a weight transfer drag . This means that, as it is pulled down the track, the weight is transferred (linked with gears to the drag’s wheels) from over the rear axles and towards the front of the drag. In front of the rear wheels, instead of front wheels, there is a "pan". This is essentially a metal plate, and as

1632-529: A risk-mitigation standpoint because of what can go wrong if the operator makes a mistake – transmission damage is possible, and loss of vehicle control can occur if the tractor is towing a heavy load either uphill or downhill – something that tractors often do. Therefore, operator's manuals for most of these tractors state one must always stop the tractor before shifting. In newer designs, unsynchronized transmission designs were replaced with synchronization or with continuously variable transmissions (CVTs). Either

1728-403: A rock) caused the hydraulics to lift the implement until the obstacle was passed. Recently, Bobcat's patent on its front loader connection (inspired by these earlier systems) has expired, and compact tractors are now being outfitted with quick-connect attachments for their front-end loaders . In addition to towing an implement or supplying tractive power through the wheels, most tractors have

1824-433: A rollover risk depending on how the tractive torque was applied. The Fordson tractor was prone to roll backward due to an excessively short wheelbase. The linkage between the implement and the tractor usually had some slack which could lead to jerky starts and greater wear and tear on the tractor and the equipment. Drawbars were appropriate to the dawn of mechanization, because they were very simple in concept and because as

1920-467: A self-propelled one. The alteration was made by fitting a long driving chain between the crankshaft and the rear axle. The first half of the 1860s was a period of great experimentation but by the end of the decade the standard form of the traction engine had evolved and changed little over the next sixty years. It was widely adopted for agricultural use. The first tractors were steam-powered plowing engines . They were used in pairs, placed on either side of

2016-415: A separate, implement-mounted power source, which is almost never seen in modern farm equipment. It is also optional to get a front PTO as well when buying a new tractor. Virtually all modern tractors can also provide external hydraulic fluid and electrical power to the equipment they are towing, either by hoses or wires. Modern tractors have many electrical switches and levers in the cab for controlling

SECTION 20

#1732772551808

2112-545: A solid rubber tyre, and two large rear wheels like a modern tractor. The engine used water cooling, utilizing the thermo-syphon effect. It had one forward and one reverse gear. A pulley wheel on the left hand side allowed it to be used as a stationary engine , driving a wide range of agricultural machinery. The 1903 sale price was £300. His tractor won a medal at the Royal Agricultural Show , in 1903 and 1904. About 500 were built, and many were exported all over

2208-410: A synchronized manual transmission with enough available gear ratios (often achieved with dual ranges, high and low) or a CVT allow the engine speed to be matched to the desired final-drive speed, while keeping engine speed within the appropriate speed (as measured in rotations per minute or rpm) range for power generation (the working range) (whereas throttling back to achieve the desired final-drive speed

2304-477: A tractor must perform at its original speed. Some pulling competitions will have a ‘dyno’, connecting the PTO shaft on the tractor to a dynamometer to test the horsepower. If a tractor shows it has more horsepower than the original tractor is supposed to have, it is placed into an alternate class called ‘Modified Tractors’. Most antique tractors when pulling use about 14–15 pounds (6.4–6.8 kg) in their tires. There

2400-538: A tractor should be no shorter than 18 inches (460 mm) from the center of the rear axle to the point of the hitch. All the weights on a tractor must be fixed. All drivers when pulling must remain seated. The first Australian Tractor Pull was held at the Elmore Field Days (Victoria) in 1976. The following year saw Tractor Pulling begin in the Victorian rural town of Quambatook . It has developed over

2496-421: A two-point "Fast Hitch", and John Deere had a power lift that was somewhat similar to the more flexible Ferguson invention. Once the patent protection expired on the three-point hitch, it became an industry standard. Almost every tractor today features Ferguson's three-point linkage or a derivative of it. This hitch allows for easy attachment and detachment of implements while allowing the implement to function as

2592-540: A uniform book of rules to give the sport the much needed structure, and created the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA). The NTPA's early years were events that used standard farm vehicles, with the motto "Pull on Sunday, plow on Monday". Pulling remained basically the same through the '70s, with only stock and modified tractors. Stock tractors were commercially available tractors produced by manufacturers, and modified tractors were

2688-423: A young Tom Meents began his rise to fame in the "Shake Me" machine. In 1991, the parent company, now known as SRO/Pace, bought out competitor TNT Motorsports , and in the process acquired the rights to promote events at several more venues, as well as the booking rights to several of their best known trucks, including Carolina Crusher , Equalizer , and, most notably, Grave Digger . These trucks all competed in

2784-627: Is a form of a motorsport competition in which antique or modified tractors pull a heavy drag or sled along an 11-meter-wide (35 ft), 100-meter-long (330 ft) track, with the winner being the tractor that pulls the drag the farthest. Tractor pulling is popular in certain areas of the United States , Mexico , Canada , Europe (especially in the United Kingdom , Greece , Switzerland , Sweden , Netherlands , Belgium , Italy , Denmark and Germany ), Australia , Brazil , South Africa , Vietnam , India and New Zealand . The sport

2880-454: Is a plug-in, powered by an electrical cable. Kubota is prototyping an autonomous electric tractor. Most older farm tractors use a manual transmission with several gear ratios , typically three to six, sometimes multiplied into two or three ranges. This arrangement provides a set of discrete ratios that, combined with the varying of the throttle, allow final-drive speeds from less than one up to about 25 miles per hour (40 km/h), with

2976-523: Is a trade-off that leaves the working range). The problems, solutions, and developments described here also describe the history of transmission evolution in semi-trailer trucks . The biggest difference is fleet turnover; whereas most of the old road tractors have long since been scrapped, many of the old farm tractors are still in use. Therefore, old transmission design and operation is primarily just of historical interest in trucking, whereas in farming it still often affects daily life. The power produced by

United States Hot Rod Association - Misplaced Pages Continue

3072-506: Is also a drawbar rule, it is to be a minimum of two square inches (13 cm ) in total steel at any point, as well must be rigid in all directions. The hitching device can be no more than 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 -inch (38 mm) round stock ( 1 + 1 ⁄ 2  in or 38 mm square), or less than 1 + 1 ⁄ 8 -inch (29 mm) round stock (1 in or 25 mm square), the hole has to be 3 by 3 + 3 ⁄ 4 inches (76 mm × 95 mm) diameter. The drawbar on

3168-484: Is an engineering vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort (or torque ) at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery such as that used in agriculture , mining or construction . Most commonly, the term is used to describe a farm vehicle that provides the power and traction to mechanize agricultural tasks, especially (and originally) tillage , and now many more. Agricultural implements may be towed behind or mounted on

3264-512: Is capable of a minimum of 1,800 kilowatts (2,500 PS) on methanol or ethanol. Their reputation is known as the wildest ride in pulling, as naturally it is a very high horsepower to weight ratio. Whereas, their larger counterparts, the Modifieds, will weigh 2,700, 3,400 and 3,600 kilograms (6,000, 7,500 and 8,000 lb), utilizing the same engine that a Mini has, but, with multiple powerplants per custom built tractor chassis. Usually,

3360-524: Is determined by the overall maximum weight, engine modifications, fuels and physical size. Competition is open to both women and men, the only restriction being that competitors must at least hold a current Learner Driver’s Permit. It sometimes comes down to members of the same family competing for the trophies. The Junior Modified Pulling Association conducts an "introductory" class for 8- to 16-year-olds to develop driving, mechanical and competitive skills. The Modified Mowers pull their own smaller version of

3456-511: Is focused on actively promoting this spectacular sport and working with communities to not only establish a unique annual event, but more importantly to assist communities financially through the influx of spectators, sponsors and promotion. The tractors are divided into classes and comply with either "Limited" or "Open" rules. The classes are Open Modified, Super Modified, Limited Modified, Open Mini Modified, Mini Modified, Pro Stock (diesel) and Two Wheel Drive Trucks. The distinction between classes

3552-424: Is known as the world's most powerful motorsport, due to the multi-engined modified tractor pullers. All tractors in their respective classes pull a set weight in the drag. When a tractor gets to the end of the 100 meter track, this is known as a "full pull". When more than one tractor completes the course, more weight is added to the drag, and those competitors that moved past 91 metres (300 ft) will compete in

3648-621: Is often a local school, sporting, service or community club (for example; Apex, Rotary, Lions, Netball, Cricket, Football) who use the event as a fundraiser. Tractor Pulls are held in locations throughout Australia, predominantly in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. In the west the Western Australian Tractor Pullers Association (WATPA) runs events and is affiliated with the ATPA. The ATPA

3744-746: Is slightly restricted, as opposed to the Pro Stock class, which can run up to 11,100 cm (680 cu in) engine and an unrestricted size turbocharger , along with intercoolers. The latest addition to Pro Stocks is the Light Pro Stock Class that typically pulls 3,800–3,900 kilograms (8,300–8,600 lb) depending on location. These tractors are limited to 8,800 cm (540 cu in) engines but can run any size turbo. They are not allowed to run intercoolers, however these tractors are making an average of 1,800–2,100 kilowatts (2,500–2,800 PS). The light overall weight makes this

3840-443: Is the replacement of wheels or steel crawler-type tracks with flexible, steel-reinforced rubber tracks, usually powered by hydrostatic or completely hydraulic driving mechanisms. The configuration of these tractors bears little resemblance to the classic farm tractor design. The predecessors of modern tractors, traction engines, used steam engines for power. Since the turn of the 20th century, internal combustion engines have been

3936-558: Is via a quick hitch, which is attached to the three-point hitch. This enables a single person to attach an implement quicker and put the person in less danger when attaching the implement. The three-point hitch revolutionized farm tractors and their implements. While the Ferguson System was still under patent, other manufacturers developed new hitching systems to try to fend off some of Ferguson's competitive advantage. For example, International Harvester's Farmall tractors gained

United States Hot Rod Association - Misplaced Pages Continue

4032-794: The Elec-Trak , the first commercial, electric tractor (electric-powered garden tractor). The Elec-Trak was manufactured by General Electric until 1975. Electric tractors are manufactured by a German company, Fendt , and by US companies, Solectrac and Monarch Tractor. John Deere 's protoype electric tractor is a plug-in, powered by an electrical cable. Kubota is prototyping an autonomous electric tractor. Tractors can be generally classified by number of axles or wheels, with main categories of two-wheel tractors (single-axle tractors) and four-wheel tractors (two-axle tractors); more axles are possible but uncommon. Among four-wheel tractors (two-axle tractors), most are two-wheel drive (usually at

4128-538: The Midwestern and Southern United States in the 1950s and 1960s. From there it gradually spread to Canada, Europe, and Australia and New Zealand. Prior to the invention of the tractor, when farm implements were pulled by horses , farmers would boast about the strength of their teams and seek to compare and contest in teams with one another to see who had the most powerful animals. In some cases, they compared horse teams pulling large loads over distance, such as

4224-541: The Netherlands , and Germany , the word "tractor" usually means "farm tractor", and the use of the word "tractor" to mean other types of vehicles is familiar to the vehicle trade, but unfamiliar to much of the general public. In Canada and the US , the word may also refer to the road tractor portion of a tractor trailer truck , but also usually refers to the piece of farm equipment. The first powered farm implements in

4320-413: The flywheel or a separate belt pulley to power stationary equipment, such as a threshing machine, buzz saw, silage blower, or stationary baler. In most cases, it was impractical for the tractor and equipment to move with a flexible belt or cable between them, so this system required the tractor to remain in one location, with the work brought to the equipment, or the tractor to be relocated at each turn and

4416-470: The " Camel Mud & Monster Series", which ran from 1990 to 1994. By the end of the Camel series, monster trucks were the headlining competitors. In 1993, USHRA produced the syndicated television show " Monster Wars ", which was controversial for its implementation of professional wrestling style characters representing the monster trucks. This was also the year that some events began to be promoted with

4512-404: The "Mission Impossible" tractors of Tim Engler, which at one point had up to seven blown alcohol engines on board. Subsequently, modified tractors with four engines were common, while stock tractors tried to catch up by adding multiple large turbochargers , along with intercoolers , but both retained the appearance of a tractor . Soon tractors became single-use machines that were not used on

4608-568: The 'spirit' of the original tractors. The maximum engine displacement is 11,100 cubic centimeters (680 cu in). These engines can achieve around 2,700 kilowatts (3,700 PS) and 7,500 newton-meters (5,500 lbf⋅ft) of torque. In recent years, new classes have been created to appeal to different groups of pullers. There is now a class called Limited Pro Stock that is limited to 10,500 cm (640 cu in) engine and 100 millimeters (4.1 in) turbocharger. This class typically pulls at 4,200–4,300 kilograms (9,300–9,500 lb) and

4704-498: The 1910s, when they became smaller and more affordable. Henry Ford introduced the Fordson , a wildly popular mass-produced tractor, in 1917. They were built in the U.S., Ireland, England and Russia, and by 1923, Fordson had 77% of the U.S. market. The Fordson dispensed with a frame, using the strength of the engine block to hold the machine together. By the 1920s, tractors with gasoline-powered internal combustion engines had become

4800-623: The 20th century until reliable internal combustion engines had been developed. The first gasoline powered tractors were built in Illinois, by John Charter combining single cylinder Otto engines with a Rumley Steam engine chassis, in 1889. In 1892, John Froelich built a gasoline-powered tractor in Clayton County, Iowa , US. A Van Duzen single-cylinder gasoline engine was mounted on a Robinson engine chassis, which could be controlled and propelled by Froelich's gear box. After receiving

4896-852: The 2WD class is 470 mm × 410 mm (18.4 in × 16.1 in), with a maximum circumference of 3,600 mm (143 in) when mounted on an 460-millimeter (18 in) rim and inflated to 190 kilopascals (28 psi). The ground patch is not to exceed 480 millimeters (19 in) on original tread. Super Stock tractor Open class uses primarily methanol fuel (some are diesel versions). The Super Stock Open machines can generate over 4,400 kilowatts (6,000 PS) and 5,400 newton-meters (4,000 lbf⋅ft) of torque, with billet or re-cast engine blocks. Super Stock Open and Super Stock Diesel tractors may use up to four turbochargers in three stages. The Diesel super stock tractors generate close to 3,700 kilowatts (5,000 PS) and 8,100 newton-metres (6,000 lbf⋅ft) of torque and are allowed to compete in

SECTION 50

#1732772551808

4992-482: The 4-wheel drive division is one of the most popular with the success of trucks like the Holman Brothers "4-Play" Chevy and Bob Boden's "Studley Studebaker". The two-wheel drive (2WD) division was introduced in 1983. The division imposes a weight-limit of 2,800 kilograms (6,200 lb) on each competing truck, a maximum width of 2.4 meters (8 ft), and a maximum distance of 4.6 meters (15 ft) from

5088-620: The Open class, which very rarely occurs anymore. However, a true Open (methanol fuel) tractor is not allowed to compete in the Diesel class. There is light Super Stock class which is 2,800 kilograms (6,200 lb) and the Heavy Super Stock Classes that are 3,630–3,740 kilograms (8,000–8,250 lb). Diesel Pro Stock Tractors are limited to one turbocharger and diesel fuel is the only allowable source for power, in keeping with

5184-697: The United States, and is on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. The two-cylinder engine has a unique hit-and-miss firing cycle that produced 30 hp (22 kW) at the belt and 18 hp (13 kW) at the drawbar. In 1908, the Saunderson Tractor and Implement Co. of Bedford introduced a four-wheel design, and became the largest tractor manufacturer in Britain at

5280-505: The basic tractor chassis with another non-tractor engine mounted on it. Tractors remained single engine until two Ohio brothers, Carl and Paul Bosse, introduced the crossbox which could allow multiple engines to be attached to a single driveshaft . Other innovators during this period included Bruce Hutcherson, with his triple Rodeck engine powered "Makin Bacon Special", Dave and Ralph Banter and their Chevrolet powered tractors, and

5376-485: The big sled. In the early days two main techniques were used. Either a dead weight of fixed mass was dragged, or the step-on method was used, where people stood at fixed positions and stepped aboard as the drag passed. Another rule which has now been dropped was that a speed limit should be observed because of injuries resulting from the increased speed at which they boarded. Today's tractors can achieve theoretical speeds over 200 km/h (125 mph). Today's drags use

5472-517: The centerline of the rear axle to the front of the vehicle (including weight racks and tow hook). (The length restriction allows for up to 250 millimeters (10 in) of cosmetic fiberglass, however.) Alcohol methane engines with up to eight cylinders are permitted, but diesel engines are not. Any wheelbase is permitted. The National Tractor Pullers Association restricts engines to 9,420 cm (575 cu in) and two valves per cylinder. They permit tubular steel frames. The maximum tire size for

5568-526: The clutches. Twinned brake pedals - one each for left and right side wheels- are placed together on the right side. Some have a pedal for a foot throttle on the far right. Unlike automobiles, throttle speed can also be controlled by a hand-operated lever ("hand throttle"), which may be set to a fixed position. This helps provide a constant speed in field work. It also helps provide continuous power for stationary tractors that are operating an implement by PTO shaft or axle driven belt. The foot throttle gives

5664-487: The early 19th century were portable engines – steam engines on wheels that could be used to drive mechanical farm machinery by way of a flexible belt. Richard Trevithick designed the first 'semi-portable' stationary steam engine for agricultural use, known as a "barn engine" in 1812, and it was used to drive a corn threshing machine. The truly portable engine was invented in 1839 by William Tuxford of Boston, Lincolnshire who started manufacture of an engine built around

5760-517: The engine compartment. This basic design has remained unchanged for a number of years after being pioneered by Wallis, but enclosed cabs are fitted on almost all modern models, for operator safety and comfort. In some localities with heavy or wet soils, notably in the Central Valley of California, the "Caterpillar" or "crawler" type of tracked tractor became popular due to superior traction and flotation. These were usually maneuvered through

5856-430: The engine must be transmitted to the implement or equipment to do the actual work intended for the equipment. This may be accomplished via a drawbar or hitch system if the implement is to be towed or otherwise pulled through the tractive power of the engine, or via a pulley or power takeoff system if the implement is stationary, or a combination of the two. Plows and other tillage equipment are most commonly connected to

SECTION 60

#1732772551808

5952-493: The farm, making the "Pull on Sunday, plow on Monday" motto obsolete. Throughout the '70s and '80s the modified division continued to thrill crowds by adding more engines, and soon the tractors lost their tractor appearance and turned into high 'spec' dragsters . The limit was reached in 1988 when a tractor with seven engines was built. As well as piston engines , turbine engines (frequently mistakenly called " jet engines ") appeared in 1974, with Gardner Stone's "General" Tractor

6048-473: The first events at Bowling Green, Missouri , and Vaughansville, Ohio . Although the sport was recognized then, it did not really become popular until the '50s and '60s. It was also realized, at that time, there were no uniform set of rules. The rules varied from state to state, county to county, and competitors never knew what standards to follow. This made the sport difficult for new entrants. In 1969, representatives from eight states congregated to create

6144-791: The force of friction . Most drags have grouser bars that act like teeth and dig into the soil to stop the sled. Apart from modified standard diesel tractors, a variety of high power engines are used in tractor pulling, which started in the late 1970s. In the early years, mainly single, double or multiple US-made big block dragster engines were used, but nowadays, a lot of parts from discarded military machinery are in use, like Klimov TV3-117 (Isotov) turboshafts from Russian helicopters, Soviet Zvezda M503 torpedo boat engines, Continental AV1790 tank engines, or World-War-2-era aircraft piston engines in V12-shape (e.g. Rolls-Royce Griffon ) or as radial engines (e.g. Curtiss- Wright R-3350 ). Due to

6240-484: The fore-runners of the traction engine . In most cases this was achieved by fitting a sprocket on the end of the crankshaft, and running a chain from this to a larger sprocket on the rear axle. These experiments met with mixed success. The first proper traction engine , in the form recognisable today, was developed in 1859 when British engineer Thomas Aveling modified a Clayton & Shuttleworth portable engine , which had to be hauled from job to job by horses, into

6336-523: The formalized sport of horse pulling , which is still carried out today with draft horses , specially bred to have high strength for pulling heavy loads. Today, fixed weights on drags are dragged for a set distance and additional weight is added in successive rounds. While it is said that the term horsepower is derived from this event, the concept was developed earlier, in experiments and measurements performed by James Watt and Mason Worrell . It wasn't until 1929 that motorized vehicles were put to use in

6432-513: The forward power unit while the trailing unit is not steered separately. In the early 21st century, articulated or non-articulated, steerable multitrack tractors have largely supplanted the Caterpillar type for farm use. Larger types of modern farm tractors include articulated four-wheel or eight-wheel drive units with one or two power units which are hinged in the middle and steered by hydraulic clutches or pumps. A relatively recent development

6528-457: The furthest. People who were event organizers at Bowling Green, Missouri and Vaughansville, Ohio found out farmers were doing this and that it drew spectators. By 1950, county fairs across the country started featuring tractor pulls. Spectators found it fascinating to see machines that would “Pull on Sunday, plow on Monday”. At first competitors would use a ‘Human Drag’, meaning a drag that was weighted by humans, different people would be added as

6624-431: The implement being semi-permanently attached with bolts or other mounting hardware. Usually, it was impractical to remove the implement and reinstall it on a day-to-day basis. As a result, the tractor was unavailable for other uses and dedicated to a single use for an appreciable period of time. An implement was generally mounted at the beginning of its season of use (such as tillage, planting or harvesting) and removed when

6720-510: The limited number of vintage warbird engines remaining, some organisations that own them, such as the Fantasy of Flight museum in Florida , refuse to sell engines from their collection to customers that wish to use them for tractor pulling. In recent years a number of agricultural engines have been converted to run on methanol with multi-stage turbocharging. Tractor A tractor

6816-531: The lower speeds used for working the land and the highest speed used on the road. Slow, controllable speeds are necessary for most of the operations performed with a tractor. They help give the farmer a larger degree of control in certain situations, such as field work. When travelling on public roads, the slow operating speeds can cause problems, such as long queues or tailbacks, which can delay or annoy motorists in cars and trucks. These motorists are responsible for being duly careful around farm tractors and sharing

6912-517: The mass starts at the back of the sled, slowly working its way up to the top as the drag moves down the track. The tractors are divided into different weight classes based on the tractor weight, the weight classes starting at 2,500 and ending at 14,000 pounds (1,100 to 6,400 kg). The tractors could go in any class they choose, with many adding weight for the higher weighted classes. In order to be able to compete in Antique tractor pull competitions

7008-458: The multitude of different functions available on the tractor. Some modern farm tractors retain a traditional manual transmission ; increasingly they have hydraulically driven powershift transmissions and CVT, which vastly simplify operation. Those with powershift transmissions have identical pedal arrangements on the floor for the operator to actuate, replacing a clutch pedal on the far left with an inching pedal that cuts off hydraulic flow to

7104-410: The name "Monster Jam", which would become the official series name in 1995. 1998 saw competitor USA Motorsports bought out by USHRA's parent, now known as Pace Motorsports, which led to Monster Jam events being shown on TNN 's Motor Madness television show. In 1998, Pace was bought by SFX Entertainment , which was bought in turn by Clear Channel in 2000. The live events division of Clear Channel

7200-464: The norm. The first three-point hitches were experimented with in 1917. After Harry Ferguson applied for a British patent for his three-point hitch in 1926, they became popular. A three-point attachment of the implement to the tractor is the simplest and the only statically determinate way of joining two bodies in engineering. The Ferguson-Brown Company produced the Model A Ferguson-Brown tractor with

7296-415: The operator to engage the clutch to shift between gears. This mode of use is inherently unsuited to some of the work tractors do, and has been circumvented in various ways over the years. For existing unsynchronized tractors, the methods of circumvention are double clutching or power-shifting, both of which require the operator to rely on skill to speed-match the gears while shifting, and are undesirable from

7392-406: The power set-up reapplied (as in cable-drawn plowing systems used in early steam tractor operations). Modern tractors use a power take-off (PTO) shaft to provide rotary power to machinery that may be stationary or pulled. The PTO shaft generally is at the rear of the tractor, and can be connected to an implement that is either towed by a drawbar or a three-point hitch. This eliminates the need for

7488-488: The power source of choice. Between 1900 and 1960, gasoline was the predominant fuel, with kerosene (the Rumely Oil Pull was the most notable of this kind)being a common alternative. Generally, one engine could burn any of those, although cold starting was easiest on gasoline. Often, a small auxiliary fuel tank was available to hold gasoline for cold starting and warm-up, while the main fuel tank held whatever fuel

7584-425: The rear ); but many are two-wheel drive with front wheel assist, four-wheel drive (often with articulated steering), or track crawler (with steel or rubber tracks). The classic farm tractor is a simple open vehicle , with two very large driving wheels on an axle below a single seat (the seat and steering wheel consequently are in the center), and the engine in front of the driver, with two steerable wheels below

7680-554: The road with them, but many shirk this responsibility, so various ways to minimize the interaction or minimize the speed differential are employed where feasible. Some countries (for example the Netherlands ) employ a road sign on some roads that means "no farm tractors". Some modern tractors, such as the JCB Fastrac, are now capable of much higher road speeds of around 50 mph (80 km/h). Older tractors usually have unsynchronized transmission designs, which often require

7776-441: The season ended. The drawbar system was virtually the exclusive method of attaching implements (other than direct attachment to the tractor) before Harry Ferguson developed the three-point hitch . Equipment attached to the three-point hitch can be raised or lowered hydraulically with a control lever. The equipment attached to the three-point hitch is usually completely supported by the tractor. Another way to attach an implement

7872-514: The second world war, Petrolium based fuel was scarce in many European nations. So they resorted to using wood gasifires on every vehicle, including tractors. In some countries such as Germany, biodiesel is often used. Some other biofuels such as straight vegetable oil are also being used by some farmers. Prototype battery powered electric tractors are being developed by a German company, Fendt , and by two US companies, Solectrac and Monarch Tractor. John Deere 's protoype electric tractor

7968-544: The time. While the earlier, heavier tractors were initially very successful, it became increasingly apparent at this time that the weight of a large supporting frame was less efficient than lighter designs. Henry Ford introduced a light-weight, mass-produced design which largely displaced the heavier designs. Some companies halfheartedly followed suit with mediocre designs, as if to disprove the concept, but they were largely unsuccessful in that endeavor. While unpopular at first, these gasoline-powered machines began to catch on in

8064-424: The tractor made it down the track. However, organizers began to look at different ways to add weight to the drag, as spectators walking on the drag while moving proved to be a hazard. In the late 60s, a weight-exchanging drag was created, the drag that was created was basically a flatbed truck trailer with wheels near the back and a drag at the front. A mass that is moveable of up to 65,000 pounds or 29,000 kilograms,

8160-499: The tractor replaced the horse, existing horse-drawn implements usually already had running gear. As the history of mechanization progressed, the advantages of other hitching systems became apparent, leading to new developments (see below). Depending on the function for which a tractor is used, though, the drawbar is still one of the usual means of attaching an implement to a tractor (see photo at left). Some tractor manufacturers produced matching equipment that could be directly mounted on

8256-401: The tractor via a drawbar . The classic drawbar is simply a steel bar attached to the tractor (or in some cases, as in the early Fordsons, cast as part of the rear transmission housing) to which the hitch of the implement was attached with a pin or by a loop and clevis . The implement could be readily attached and removed, allowing the tractor to be used for other purposes on a daily basis. If

8352-431: The tractor was equipped with a swinging drawbar, then it could be set at the center or offset from center to allow the tractor to run outside the path of the implement. The drawbar system necessitated the implement having its own running gear (usually wheels) and in the case of a plow, chisel cultivator or harrow, some sort of lift mechanism to raise it out of the ground at turns or for transport. Drawbars necessarily posed

8448-501: The tractor, and the tractor may also provide a source of power if the implement is mechanised. The word tractor was taken from Latin , being the agent noun of trahere "to pull". The first recorded use of the word meaning "an engine or vehicle for pulling wagons or plows" occurred in 1896, from the earlier term " traction motor" (1859). In the UK , Ireland , Australia , India , Spain , Argentina , Slovenia , Serbia , Croatia ,

8544-399: The tractor. Examples included front-end loaders, belly mowers, row crop cultivators, corn pickers and corn planters. In most cases, these fixed mounts were proprietary and unique to each make of tractor, so an implement produced by John Deere, for example, could not be attached to a Minneapolis Moline tractor. Another disadvantage was mounting usually required some time and labor, resulting in

8640-437: The use of turning brake pedals and separate track clutches operated by levers rather than a steering wheel. Four-wheel drive tractors began to appear in the 1960s. Some four-wheel drive tractors have the standard "two large, two small" configuration typical of smaller tractors, while some have four large, powered wheels. The larger tractors are typically an articulated, center-hinged design steered by hydraulic cylinders that move

8736-579: The weight moves toward it, the resistance between the pan and the ground builds. The farther the tractor pulls the drag, the more difficult it gets. Tractor pulling originated from pre- Industrial Era horse pulling competitions in which farmers would compete with one another to see whose teams of draft horses could pull a heavy load over the longest distance. The first known competitions using motorized tractors were held in 1929 in Missouri and Kentucky . Tractor pulling became popular in rural areas across

8832-510: The world. The original engine was made by Payne & Co. of Coventry . After 1906, French Aster engines were used. The first successful American tractor was built by Charles W. Hart and Charles H. Parr . They developed a two-cylinder gasoline engine and set up their business in Charles City, Iowa . In 1903, the firm built 15 tractors. Their 14,000 pounds (6,400 kg) #3 is the oldest surviving internal combustion engine tractor in

8928-458: The years into a highly competitive and technical sport, where the difference between first and last place may be as small as one or two metres. Often the top tractors are separated by mere centimetres. The Australian Tractor Pullers Association (ATPA) is a non-profit organisation that governs Tractor Pulling in Australia. Their events (Tractor Pulls) are held in conjunction with a promoter. This

9024-655: Was booked for an event at the Pontiac Silverdome . It was that event, during which Bigfoot drove over a pair of cars in its first stadium car crush, that launched the phenomenon of monster trucks. In 1985, USHRA held their first monster truck racing event, The Battle of the Monster Trucks, at the Louisiana Superdome . Up to this point, monster trucks had only performed freestyle exhibitions, and although for several years exhibitions would be

9120-915: Was most convenient or least expensive for the particular farmer. In the United Kingdom, a gasoline-kerosene engine is known as a petrol-paraffin engine . Dieselisation gained momentum starting in the 1960s, and modern farm tractors usually employ diesel engines , which range in power output from 18 to 575 horsepower (15 to 480 kW). Size and output are dependent on application, with smaller tractors used for lawn mowing , landscaping, orchard work, and truck farming , and larger tractors for vast fields of wheat, corn, soy, and other bulk crops. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or propane also have been used as tractor fuels, but require special pressurized fuel tanks and filling equipment and produced less power, so are less prevalent in most markets. Most are confined for inside work due to their clean burning. During

9216-642: Was split off as Live Nation in 2005, and the motorsports division was sold to Feld Entertainment in 2008. Under Feld ownership, all events except Monster Jam and the AMA Supercross Championship , which is sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association , have been discontinued, and the USHRA name has largely been phased out in favor of the better known Monster Jam name. Tractor pulling Truck and tractor pulling , also known as power pulling ,

#807192