# Questions About Tractor Pulling.



## Shaker (Mar 17, 2010)

Do you use your personnel tractor or do the guys who do it build specialty for tractor pulls? I have built up a couple of Jeeps and I think this would make a good new project. Any thought or suggestion? I have never even driven a tractor but I need to get as much info as I can.


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Well..........you might need to answer a few question first before you head down this road. 

How much money do you have to spend?

What class do you want to pull in? 

Are you married?

If so, does the wife have a REALLY good sense of humor? 


I would NEVER use my work tractor for pulling. Even in stock classes, if you push things hard they break and it ain't cheap to fix. 

I am presuming you are interested in diesel. Just to give you an idea of the cost of building a little bit of power to have on tap to play with, a friend and I made a few modifications to our trucks (2002 Dodge Ram 2500 4x4 Cummins) to bump the power up from the stock 245 hp and 505 ft./lbs. torque to around 380 hp and estimated 900 ft./lbs. 

New 90 hp fuel injectors run around $800. I got mine used from a friend who races a Cummins diesel for about half that that were near new but not what he wanted. 

The Edge EZ runs around $450 which will raise about 65 hp. 

The BHAF air cleaner, Outterware Pre-filter, and heat shield was about another $150.

The Farm Boy Performance 5 inch straight pipe exhaust was about $350. 

The A-pillar EGT, Boost Pressure, and Fuel Pressure gauges cost about $400

The AirDog 150 fuel lift pump/fuel de-aerator cost about $500

The Cummin eBrake (exhaust brake) cost about $700

The engine current makes too much power for the stock clutch to hold and will easily slip the clutch. A Southbend ConOFE clutch will run around $1100 give or take. 

Tractor pulling parts are way more expensive than the stuff I put on my truck. 

You might start looking around for some pulling tractors for sale. Folks are always getting out of tractor pulling do to various reasons but cost is a big one. You might find a good pulling tractor to get started with and avoid some of the learning curve with the mods and parts already installed on the tractor. 

If you are married, you are gonna need a REALLY cool, and tractor pull oriented and hot wife too! :lmao:

It is not difficult to tie up a LOT of money in this sport but it is fun though. I prefer to just watch and hold on to what is in my wallet. 

Welcome to Tractor Forum by the way.


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## SHARTEL (Feb 11, 2009)

How about Garden Tractor pulling?

I have seen some very impressive numbers and the cost was more to my liking . And there is still plenty of room for individuals to add or adapt components for the competitive edge...

Shartel


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## Shaker (Mar 17, 2010)

SHARTEL said:


> How about Garden Tractor pulling?
> 
> I have seen some very impressive numbers and the cost was more to my liking . And there is still plenty of room for individuals to add or adapt components for the competitive edge...
> 
> Shartel


I think this is were I'm going to start.I looked at prices of Tractors and if I'm going to put that much cash into it I would want a return of some sort. I think that's going to limit me to miniature tractors but I think that would be a hoot. So where do I start if I'm going with a Garden Tractor?


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## porky1 (Jan 10, 2010)

Sounds like fun!


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## durallymax (May 17, 2010)

Tractor pulling is the worst sport to be in finacially period. You drop tens of thousands of dollars into a puller and make a couple hundred bucks. Then if you start pulling regional or national, you sink hundreds of thousands into your puller and make a couple grand.

No other sport has a worse input cost-winnings ratio.

It is also 10 times as addictive as herion, but costs more.

That being said its the best 10 seconds of your life (in public).

The biggest thing to do is to start small. And work your way up. And stop at a class that you can afford.

Remember there are no big sponsors in pulling, its basically people you know who give you a little money. The big majority of it is out of pocket. An engine for a heavy Super Stock tractor can cost between 50,000 and 150,000 and thats just the long block, no turbos, no injectors, no injection pump. 

So knowing when to stop is important, but trust me it happens less than 1% of the time.

All of that worrying aside, pulling is very fun and of all of the motorsports it is one of the most family oriented ones and there really arent any rivals in pulling. Everybody is one big family no matter where you are and are glad to lend a hand.



Garden tractor pulling is where many get there start, as is stock truck pulling and stock tractor pulling.

But if you are just starting out of the blue pick a cheaper class that has a lot of hooks so you can get a feel for the sport. Knowing which lines to pick on the track, how to spot the sled, how to check for track conditions, and how to adjust your puller to meet the varying conditions. Its not like NASCAR where all of the tracks are balcktop and you just turn left. Pulling tracks.

Basically pick a class., Hot farm is a resonably priced class that is still fairly competitive. But there are a lot of hot farm tractors. Best thing to do is buy a good base. Everybody and their brother pulls a 1066, but it is a good base. Pull farm stock with it for awhile, then jump up to altered farm, then hot farm and then you can go to pro farm, then super farm and you can keep going all the way to pro stock or super stock. The possibilites are only limited by your checkbook.

Now for a diesel pulling truck many will praise the 12 valve cummins, and it is a cheap easy motor to get power out of. But at the same time it has its disadvantages. A cheap Duramax truck is another option. It will cost more upfront, but it wont cost much to hit 500hp.

The group I pull with consists of about half cummins trucks and half Duramax trucks. And then top ten this year only had 3 cummins trucks in it.

But at the same time the duramax will cost a lot more to take to 1,000hp. But on the flip sie you can fine tune it much better than a cummins using EFI Live.

For a gas pulling truck you are on your own, I know nothing. Same goes for lawn mower pulling.


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## Dugout (May 13, 2010)

Do you pull? What class? Do you have any pics of your rig?


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## durallymax (May 17, 2010)

Yes I do pull, I pull with Badger Truck Pullers Association in their Super Street Diesel Class. As far as Diesel 4x4 Classes go, Super Street is the biggest "street" truck class. Our rules are basically that our truck has to have all one ton or smaller components on it, but they can be modified and dont need to be brnd specific. We have to run DOT tires, and our turbos are limited to 3.0 twins or unlimited single. And we can only run on diesel fuel, no oxygen extenders or any of that. Other than that, theres a lot of freedom to add big power and such.

We also have a lot of safety requirements such as multiple shutoffs, explosion sheilds, a Snell SA2005 or better helmet, and a full firesuit.

heres a pic of it from last year











Here is a pic of my truck in its current state a couple weeks ago, and no its not goi9ng back together in this pic










heres a vid of some of my season last year which was very rough and full of broken parts

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4aI7s83D-Y]YouTube - 2009 Pulling Season[/ame]

and heres a vid of some of the rest of the truck I pull with. Not many of these trucks see the road. There are a few in this video though that are just one time hookers, that are street trucks.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_Ri9T1XLqM&feature=related]YouTube - BTPA Baraboo 7/11/09[/ame]


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## Shaker (Mar 17, 2010)

Awesome Videos. Is it more common for a truck to do the pulling than a Tractor?


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## durallymax (May 17, 2010)

depends where you are.

Around here there are more tractor classes, and fewer truck classes but the truck classes are fuller. Its getting closer to even, but still a few more tractors.


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## ProfessorJWN (Apr 10, 2011)

Ummmm, I disagree....it is 12 times as addictive as Heroine, and the government doesn't supply you with a means to quit! HAH Even GAMBLERS have a support group.

Also, if you raise your kids tractor pulling with you, you are twisting their brains for life. they will hotrod and try to re power ANYTHING, from mopeds to your car...anything with an engine.

For example, I never saw the "silliness" on the Tim Allen show.....IMHO I found him pretty conservative.

A "single engine" Turbine powered mower....whats wrong couldn't find another one? One Engine in ANYTHING is boring!!!

PT Boats, that is something I could get into 3 V-12 2400 CID Packard Engines...2500 HP each stock.

Why aren't there more 2 and 3 engine Garden Tractor pullers?? Can't think of anything cooler sounding than 4 V-twin Briggs motors cranking away at 8,000 RPMs


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## jdar51 (Aug 9, 2011)

Shaker said:


> I think this is were I'm going to start.I looked at prices of Tractors and if I'm going to put that much cash into it I would want a return of some sort. I think that's going to limit me to miniature tractors but I think that would be a hoot. So where do I start if I'm going with a Garden Tractor?



garden tractors are pricey to. i had a mossouri super stock that i put close to 8,000 into. and this is one of the smaller classes. they are alot of fun but like any other type of pulling there isnt much of a pay out. its for fun not money. i think the best pay out i had was 80 dollars for first and i had one of the top running tractors in the state in that class. i know nqs pays out more but it also costs more to travel the country. starting out cub cadet is the way to go. just put your favorite brands hood on it. theres more custom parts available for them and they are easier to build to hold the power. mine had the guts out of a dodge in the rear end. it had a 16 horse kohler (341) built running on alcohol pushing 50 h.p. if you have any questions let me know. i no longer have this tractor i upgraded to a mini rod but still have alot of knowledge of them. You also need to pick your club before you build or buy one. there is no set of rules they follow they all differ.
mike


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## Kay_graham16 (Jul 23, 2013)

How old do you have to be, to drive a Pulling Tractor?


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## Kay_graham16 (Jul 23, 2013)

How old do you have to be to drive a Pulling Tractor?


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## ben70b (Aug 29, 2012)

I imagine it varies to the competition, maybe find some ads for tractor pulls and call and ask


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## ProfessorJWN (Apr 10, 2011)

Kay_graham16 said:


> How old do you have to be to drive a Pulling Tractor?


It used to be 16 (with drivers license and parental consent) at least in Illinois (ITPA). with the "brush Pulls " and "outlaw" not sure, but WHATEVER you do, make sure they and you have insurance before you pull. There is one day event insurance for promoters and group liability insurance for associations. When you join the association or group, you typically can buy the insurance. 
Also make sure you follow all safety rules and regulations, and make sure you have personal liability insurance (usually available through the association or club).


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## rajagears (Aug 9, 2014)

Tractor pulling parts are way more expensive .


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## Shuppspulling (Sep 23, 2014)

Does anybody know of pulley swap on a sears ss16 for better power speed distribution? Everyone at the pulls does it where I'm at


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## Outlaw1 (Oct 18, 2014)

*Re*

I had a craftsman at one time but never changed the pulleys on it. Only ran it a couple times before switching to cub cadets now all I run is open super and outlaw ots a ton of fun but takes three tons of cash


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## fordgirl11 (Feb 3, 2016)

Shaker said:


> Do you use your personnel tractor or do the guys who do it build specialty for tractor pulls? I have built up a couple of Jeeps and I think this would make a good new project. Any thought or suggestion? I have never even driven a tractor but I need to get as much info as I can.


First step find a tractor if your doing garden look for something lighter then u can pack more weights on to make u eligible for heavier classes I built a ford had an original engine dropped the deck and let her go totally stock see what she could do first pull was a full pull second I blew up the engine on the track brought it back home to the shop ripped it apart replaced the original with a 18 hp briggs and straton engine also a little cheat if u run about a teaspoon of alcohol it gives I an extra boost similar to nos I regards to the tractor u will also need wheely bars my first tractor over 3 years costed me roughly 12000$ over the years I just bought a massey ferguson to start my next tractor


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## LouNY (Dec 15, 2016)

Pulling is fun and interesting, it is quite similar to local dirt track car racing.
They are all addictive and expensive and a ball.


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