Podium Newsletter. September 2010

Transcription

1 Podium Newsletter Welcome to the Podium Club! The information found at is like no other information out there. The tips, tricks and secrets of successful tractor pulling are designed to improve your performance at the next tractor pull, while having more fun at the same time. Ready for all conditions Off the track too My wife and I were expecting a baby girl on September 29 th, On the morning of September 16 th, we woke to a surprise my wife s water had broken. With almost 2 weeks until the due date, we rushed to the hospital where we were told the baby was definitely on the way. After laboring all day and into the wee hours of the next morning, our daughter was born on September 17 th, 2010 at 2:27am. She s a healthy & strong baby girl weighing 7lbs 2oz. We had been preparing for her arrival for months and I was especially working hard to complete the Massey Harris Mustang project. One of the things I learned long ago was to always roll with the punches, make adjustments and keep pushing forward this goes for tractor pulling and life in general. Ever since Ava s birth, our first child, we have enjoyed our new bundle of joy. A future tractor puller in the making? Only time will tell. As for on the track surprises, there was a tractor pull on September 12 th, 2010 that took many of us pullers by surprise. It was the track that was so tricky. Read on Zack and Ava 2010 by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 1

2 Ready for all conditions (cont) One of the most helpful aspects of tractor pulling is being able to make adjustments on the fly, no matter what the weight class or conditions happen to be. This statement couldn t have been more true when attending the 2010 Sublimity Harvest Festival on September 12 th. The track at Sublimity is notoriously hard clay. It tends to reward those who have the power to go the distance and will fool many into thinking they can pull in faster gears. The rules are fairly simple, with a 5mph speed limit in all classes. In 2009 the track was in the best condition ever in its 38 year history perfect moisture content, great bite and endless traction. The traction was so good that a John Deere 60 pulling in 1 st gear won the 7000lb class against a tough field of competitors including three seemingly unstoppable MM U s. This year the prep crew got a little over zealous and added too much water to the track, turning the clay into a spongy sort of mess but a deceiving mess at that. Most pullers arrive at Sublimity set up for the hard conditions. With hot weather, the track conditions would improve slightly throughout the day, but not enough to properly dry it out. In watching the first few tractors pull, it was apparent that even with the soft ground the track was somehow still a power track. The clay had become very sticky, causing the sled to pull very tough. Lower geared tractors would spin out in the damp ground, while faster geared tractors who normally had the power, had to contend with a tough pull. The other half of the equation was weight balance a softer track weight balance, which was why this track was deceiving. With the hard pull and heavy loads, the tendency was to put weight up front when in fact the correct weight balance was less than a full hard track setup. The ZA was weighed in at 4000lbs, a class that it is very competitive in. With the track conditions and watching other tractors in the class, I chose to keep the weight up front. This worked well in that it pulled 40ft further than the next competitor, but the tractor pulling behind me was a tough Allis Chalmers WC. He chose to move weight rearward for the conditions and was justly rewarded by putting 40ft on me! The WC had a spectacular textbook sort of pull. It was captured on video and will be posted soon at by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 2

3 Expecting the unexpected (cont) In the 5000lb class, the Massey Harris 444 had was pulled in a slightly faster gear 3 rd, low range which is good for around 3mph. It was a clear advantage on the Sublimity track, a good balance between ground speed and power for the conditions. The 444 won the 5000lb class. Attempting to pack wet ground The Massey Harris 444 Minneapolis Moline ZA too many weights up front for the conditions by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 3

4 What is Tractor Pulling Etiquette? In short, the term etiquette means an excepted code of behavior in a social setting. At a tractor pull, this etiquette covers all that the pulling rules do not. Some tractor pulling rules state things such as no use of alcohol or no argumentative behavior, but there are other recommended rules of conduct to abide by. After all, pulling is about fun, right? Here are a few recommended things to consider when attending a tractor pull: Look but don t touch Getting a good look at the competition is always interesting, but don t dare touch anything. Most folks do not want anyone to touch their tractors but them, plus you wouldn t want to be accused of tampering with someone else s equipment. Chat with someone new There are many tractor pulls throughout the year and it s always nice to meet a few new faces and learn about their tractors. Appreciate, and don t complain This is tough for most folks, especially those who are the highly competitive type. When seeing a good hook, appreciate what you are looking at. The best part is to film it and then study it again at home. Don t complain on the spot (especially accuse someone of cheating); figure out a way to become more competitive at the next pull. Pullers who put in the time to improve, will eventually become the ones to beat. Always pay attention and make small adjustments. One of the best things that can happen at a tractor pull is to have a handful of tractors separated by a short distance when it s all over. This usually means driver skill becomes a bigger factor, which is a great show to watch. Congratulate the winners on a good pull There is always something to be said for good sportsmanship. Always congratulate those who do well, it gives them credit and shows your sportsmanship. Thank the track crew & sled operator (usually after the pull) these folks are often the unsung heroes of the pull. Without their help, the pull would not run as smoothly. They deserve lots of praise by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 4

5 What is Tractor Pulling Etiquette? (cont) Encourage new pullers In order for tractor pulling to continue, new folks will have to join the competition. Always encourage new competitors and share some of your experiences with them. Always learn something new Maybe it s something about a brand of tractor you aren t familiar with, maybe it s a technique for pulling, or maybe it s something about the track, but always go to the pull with the intention of learning something. Fun, Fun, Fun Always keep in mind that tractor pulling is about fun, having a good hook, hearing your tractor run, entertaining a crowd, visiting with friends and having a good time by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 5

6 Looking Ahead Winter Projects What s a Minneapolis Moline guy doing with another Massey Harris tractor? Others may have similar stories, but sometimes it s about being in the right place at the right time. This is the newest tractor in the fleet, a 1938 Massey Harris 101 Twin Power. Cosmetically, the tractor is in very nice original shape and has never been painted. This tractor has a 201 cubic inch Chrysler industrial engine, which is stuck and in poor shape. This winter a newer, larger displacement engine will be installed and the tractor will be kept in otherwise original condition and set up as a puller. Stay tuned for details. Also, as another winter project, my friend Jake and I are going to build another Minneapolis Moline puller. This time it will be a Red Nosed ZTU tractor built in This tractor is in decent shape and has been in the collection since The trick to this puller will be the installation of a later overhead valve Minneapolis Moline 220 cubic inch engine. Oddly enough, the engine was found transplanted into a Massey Harris 44 standard several years ago and is already in running condition. These two projects will be interesting, especially the end result since the tractors will pull in the same weight classes it will be the high revving Chrysler vs. the higher torque MM engine Massey Harris 101 Twin Power 2010 by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 6

7 Looking Ahead Winter Projects (cont) 1938 Massey Harris 101 Twin Power 201 cubic inch Chrysler Flathead six 1948 Minneapolis Moline ZTU: 186 cubic inch side valve engine Minneapolis Moline 220 cubic inch power unit engine, overhead valve See next month s newsletter for the detailed comparison between these two tractors, plus the planned build for each by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 7

8 Building a Drop style front weight bracket: Part 1 - The design A drop style weight bracket has a few advantages because the front weights hang lower. The first advantage is for ease of adding and removing the weights since they don t have to be lifted as high. The second advantage has to do with the geometry of weight balance, which will be discussed in a future newsletter. And finally, the third advantage is for looks the grille and front of the tractor isn t as dramatically affected by a pile of weights hanging directly in front of it. Below is a mock up of how to build a simple drop style front bracket. The trick is to get the bracket to bend down at an angle that won t interfere with the front wheels, yet far enough back so it doesn t affect the looks of the machine. How much should the bracket drop? It can drop several inches, but not too low as to allow problems driving onto a trailer or the scale. Cardboard mock up showing angle clearance for the front wheels Weight that could hang on the bracket Extended bracket, weight located 9ft in front of rear axle (bracket could get pretty long if 11ft is allowed) by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 8

9 Building a Drop style front weight bracket (cont) Material selection brackets are easiest to fabricate out of steel, but aluminum is also widely used to save weight. For a weight class, consider how heavy of material should be used. A non-rectangular cross section may be a stronger and lighter design, especially with steel brackets. Here is the front weight bracket that came off the Mustang, which worked very well and was a straight design. The Mustang pulls in a 3000lb weight class. Mustang s old front weight bracket. Note cross section of main beams ¼ thick steel in a fabricated 2-1/2 x ¾ angle, very light and very strong. Stay tuned for part two next month showing the final material selection and detailed fabrication of the drop weight bracket by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 9

10 Massey Harris Mustang Update Major painting and assembly was the action this month on the Mustang. With the arrival of Ava, progress has been at a slower pace, but still steady stay tuned for a Podium Newsletter supplement within the couple of weeks. Drive shaft, battery tray, fuel tank supports mounted Platform, seat and steering mounted 2010 by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 10

11 Podium Newsletter Coming next month Winter project details Building a drop front weight bracket Part II Massey Harris Mustang update And more October issue will be available 10/27 I want to hear from you! If you have feedback, requests or information you would like featured, please send an to: zack@antiquetractorpullguide.com. Hauling fun transporting Minneapolis Moline U s to the tractor pull aboard a 1962 Kenworth by Zack Peterson and Podium Finish, LLC 11