185 questions

8500 just a guess 

I would guess you are pretty close to 9000 pounds with that cab.  Our 185 with loaded 18.4x30 tires and a canopy was just around 8900 when we pulled it years ago. 

weighed in at 8160 with me on it. that puts me in a dilemma, the classes go from 8,000 to 10,500 I really don't feel like putting 2000 lbs of weights on it. I need to lose 200 lbs.......

that would be nice although with my luck it'd be a 100 lbs heavier.

My 185 with 18.4x30 (empty tires) and no cab weighed about 6500 with no cab or canopy.

My experience is you are going to be heavy on the front end. Pay a lot of attention to getting your drawbar as high as possible and get any weight you can off the front end.

One battery, two cab doors, side windows, rear window.....done deal.   3rd gear (low 2nd).

yeah, dr allis and gm I was thinkin about takin out 1 battery, and the side doors is a great idea. burn a few gallons of fuel out of it batt& a door or 2 that should do the trick. the stock drawbar is almost 18" but I either have to fab a new drawbar with a larger hole or just use a clevis.they said I could use a clevis, but Ashland co. is still in the stone ages most other pulls won't allow a clevis. I'm gettin pumped for this. right on about 2nd low as 2 h I think will be to fast. is nutted bolt on the cab side of the pump the fuel screw? clock wise more fuel? thanks for all the input, right now she's at dale James ford bolivar boy is gonna see to it that's the ol girl will be ready for battle.

stone age? around here EVERYONE uses a clevis, that way they dont have to make a custom drawbar for em

The problem with a clevis is that (unless you can bolt it solid) it tips and you start right off losing drawbar height. I use a piece of 1" steel plate that I torched a 4" hole. You can drill a couple holes that will bolt to your existing drawbar and use washers to get the plate to maximum height. Our antique club allows a plate of 1/2" and I have never seen one break (yet).

You should also push the drawbar in as far as possible. The closer (and higher) you can hook, the more it pulls down on the rear wheels of the tractor and pulls up on the front of the sled. Also, if the front wheels do come up, you lose less drawbar height by being hooked closer.

Some moveable weight would be nice, but you probably aren't going to have that luxury because of the starting weight of the tractor.

For an "out of the field" tractor, without major mods like changing tires and increasing power, drawbar and weight placement are the two most important variables on how it pulls. If your club is like most, an out of the field, stock tractor doesn't stand much chance of winning.

Good luck!!!!!!!!

That 301 is not gonna like the 10500 lb class without a turbo and more fuel your best bet is watch the track good and hope your tires hook up good

thanks guys!! a lot of great advice from you all. i'm gonna make a "hook plate" i'm not gonna mess with the fuel til turbo is added, which will be next year.

 Remove the drawbar and swing slide from the tractor. Make your "hook plate" bolt to the cross piece with all the holes drilled in it where the drawbar swings back and forth on. Unbolt the cross piece and mount it on backwards so your pull point is even shorter and shim your hitch point up to 20 inches with rear tires aired up to proper PSI. As long as you start you pull smoothly (tight chain) with no jerking, you'll never damage anything. Bolts all tight, of course.

WF owner wrote: DrAllis wrote:  Remove the drawbar and swing slide from the tractor. Make your "hook plate" bolt to the cross piece with all the holes drilled in it where the drawbar swings back and forth on. Unbolt the cross piece and mount it on backwards so your pull point is even shorter and shim your hitch point up to 20 inches with rear tires aired up to proper PSI. As long as you start you pull smoothly (tight chain) with no jerking, you'll never damage anything. Bolts all tight, of course. I bought a piece of 1" x 3" bar and had holes drilled in it to the same size as the pin that held the drawbar. I had 3 holes drilled in it so I could push it back a little for a soft track for more weight transfer. The straight bar came right over the top of the "swing bar". I had a heavy duty turnbuckle that anchored in the (3 point hitch)top link to adjust height. I agree with DrAllis that you would not hurt it by hooking right to the swing bar. Most weight transfer sleds start quite easily, unlike the old dead weight boats I started pulling on back in 1973.