Towing Up Semi-Steep Inclines

Tall T

Well-known Member
This is the driveway from the road down to my shop. It is a little steeper than the photo makes it look. Am I Ok, assuming all the right tractor moves; i.e., tow bar, stay bars, sway bars etc., to tow an Austin car up the drive from the shop?

There are about 100 pounds of weights on the front.
I have a very heavy refrigeration compressor or austin block with crank in that I could fix to the front. (?)

That's my shop.

thanks,
Terry

mvphoto8314.jpg


mvphoto8315.jpg
 
Terry,
Maybe I'm missing something here.
You have an NAA/Jubilee don't you?
If so then what's with all the doohicky sway bars, stay bars, etc?
Aren't you using the under mount draw bar?
I'm curious why not as that's what it was made for.
Either way your tractor should tow a little car like an Austin easily up that slope.
It would tow a deuce and a half truck up that slope.
Really.
Don't be afraid of your tractor. Being afraid will get you into as much trouble as being entirely careless with it.
 
Hi UltraDawg,

You wrote:

" You have an NAA/Jubilee don't you?"

I do.

If so then what's with all the doohicky sway bars, stay bars, etc? Aren't you using the under mount draw bar?
I'm curious why not as that's what it was made for.

Well, I haven't towed anything ever as yet and my tires are still off. But what you just told me I obviously needed to know.
I do have the under mount draw bar! So do people only use the 3 point draw bar for towing when they don't have the undermount for towing?

"Either way your tractor should tow a little car like an Austin easily up that slope. It would tow a deuce and a half truck up that slope."

I have yet to learn how much muscle it has.
Only things I've done was to wrap a long chain around a 12 foot high burn pile to lift it so I could build a fire under it.
did something stupid there too because I tied the chain to my carryall at the bottom cross bar, BUT the top link was in the top hole!! How's that for dopey. the front end did lift off, but I was being cautious. then I used the landscape rake to pull the fire apart cause it was too wet and decomposing and wet to burn -- spread out all the branches to dry.

"Really.
Don't be afraid of your tractor. Being afraid will get you into as much trouble as being entirely careless with it."

Good point!
I have all the materials for a ROPS.
A gas and diesel bulk plant got torn down and the boss gave me all the super heavy steel piping and elbows and clamps etc.

I'll need to study up on the use of the tow bar.

Did you have a look at the seat bracket like yours that I fabricated yesterday? Tricky but I'm happy with the result.

Cheers,
Terry
 

I actually wondered about that and the only thing is that I'd need a spotter cause I'm backing onto the main road.

My grille guard has a ball on it.
 
Those stay bars are for the 9/2Ns that didn't have a real drawbar under them.
They were rarely used/needed for 8Ns and later.
They are not as safe as a real drawbar because if you had a heavy trailer or spreader behind and hit a hole, stump, berm or some such and stopped the tractor quickly your lift arms are likely to lift right up and hit you in the back.
Also, it's more likely to pull from a higher point with the lift arms which basic geomtery tells us is less safe.
Stay bars keep your lift arms up, not down.
Use the drawbar if at all possible.
It also makes me sad in a way to hear of people hooking a chain on the front axle and pulling backwards.
These tractors were made to put out their last ounce of horsepower pulling from the back end and have been doing it Safely that way for 75 years.
I couldn't conceive of doing that and had never heard of someone doing it that way till I came here.
 
I hear ya.

Just thinking . . . could be that wrapping chains around the front axle is the reason why I've seen so many photos where the sheet metal is generally bunged up in those lower areas.

Here's my front end.
I still don't know how much those black weights weigh -- they came with.

Cheers,
T

P.S.
I just realized Ultradog thought my initial post had to do with whether my tractor could pull the weight!!
I was ONLY concerned about the Roll-over factor. Newbie roll-over phobia. :D
I realize that my tractor would pull any vehicle I own up that hill as long as I had the traction.

mvphoto8319.jpg
 
Nice looking tractor.
I like the weights too.
I'm a firm believer in weights. Weight (both front and rear) plants your tractor better, makes a more stable platform and allows the tractor to put it's full horsepower to the ground.
With as much weight as you have up front, if your rear tires don't have fluid And wheel weights you will likely never raise the front end off the ground - pulling properly of course.
You will slip your tires first.
And with those front weights, if you were heavily ballasted in the rear, with fluid, weights, etc you are just as likely to run out of hp - ie kill the engine - before you lift the front.
These old tractors are pretty safe after all.
I hope I'm not patronizing anyone here.
But I do think that this kind of fundamental stuff is far more important than a lot of topics like paint color or prices or how wide of a mower you can run.
 
Stellar advice for sure!!

I can't quite get this sentence though:

"With as much weight as you have up front, if your rear tires don't have fluid [b:8bff8e581e]And wheel weights[/b:8bff8e581e] you will likely never raise the front end off the ground - pulling properly of course.
You will slip your tires first."

Did you mean "OR wheel weights"
or no fluid but affirmative on the wheel weights?

Thanks for the tractorials.
:D
 
I meant both both actually.
Think of it as the links in a chain.
Tire slippage, horsepower, and rearing.
Always the weakest link that fails.
Add enough rear ballast to stop slippage she'll rear.
Add front ballast to stop rearing and you run out of horsepower.
You could add more HP I supppose but now you're beyond the limits of that platform.
That's why I never wanted a Funk.
My 3000 is about the same size as your Jube. A little heavier curb weight, about 3 or 4 more ponies, 1 or 2 inches longer.
Same 12.4x28s as you have.
I keep about 225 lbs of cast iron weights per wheel on the rear and have 200 lbs on the front bummper.
She never rears. Will still always slip the tires first.
In the winter I add heavy pie weights and chains for traction - another 600 lbs/wheel.
Then I can make her rear. If I run it real hard, full hp, high revs and beat on the poor thing.
But then we're right back to being scared or careless - the weakest links in the chain...
 
Gotcha!

Very scientifically logical.
I'll have to save that to a file.

Seems like I'm forced to go water whether I like it or not.
My plan to just add a very heavy ROP while wishin' and a hopin' that wheel weights pop up doesn't quite cut it.

So if I tried to plow snow with just chains, no water no weights,
I'd be SOL right?

I'm kicking myself that I waited to long to buy those steel tracks that I could have easily adapted to single wheels. Could have gotten them for $200. or less and chains for my 13.6's are $500. up here. they would have good weight as well as they were all steel, not steel crossbars riveted to rubber belting.

My rims are 13" actually.

Thanks,
Terry
 
you'll be fine
Listen to UD, the under belly drawbar is designed for pulling/towing, please use it.
I'm not an engineer, so I won't try to explain, but Royce's pic of a tractor pull shows the engineering.
Angle of the chain hooked to the drawbar and tractors centerline angle is the same in the pic. That is as high as the front can go.
The engine will bog down or the tires will spin soon after, in the pic.
The 3-point arms are designed for 3-point implements
not towing.
Little Fords are pretty light, so the front will come up a little sometimes, even properly hitched, but hitched properly for the job/implement, it only comes up so far and then you just spin out.
If you are still a little nervous about it, put on a heavy box blade, etc.
hook the chain to that and the towed object. lift it enough to just clear the ground, and tow away.

I never hook a chain to the front end for anything except tying down on a trailer. That weak front end can't take it....

Yep, up North in real snow, lots of weight and chains if you want to get it done.

ps driving/towing uphill, ya pick a lower gear and make your run.
Don't clutch on the hill. Control your speed/pull with the throttle.

Edit: I'd like to add (because it's steep at my camp, so I feel your concern)
pics of hills can be deceiving. Drive up that hill with just your tractor first. Do your internal animal instincts that watch out for us start yelling..danger, danger. If so, don't tow up it.......... :D
 
Probably, but no way to know by looking at the photo.

What tractor?

Brakes good?

Tow from the under axle drawbar not the three point lift.

Dean
 

Don't worry about it!! as others have said as long as you are pulling from the under axle draw bar it won't tend to lift the front. It will pull it easily even with the Austin in gear. That is a TRACTOR that you have there.
 
You are getting good advice on towing uphill and I will only add that you could get into trouble real quick towing downhill! The weight of what you are towing will push you and brakes will not hold it. Don't ask how I found out!! nice looking tractor!
 
Thanks NNP, Dean and Showcrop.

I'll definitely use the drawbar.
Good explanation of how high the tractor can lift off before stopping in Royse's photo. No, I'd never clutch on a hill.

I've been up and down that hill three times and instinct said there was nothing to worry about.

I guess I got a little antsy watching roll-over videos and warnings and death statistics which can make tractors seem like death traps to newbies.

But all your proper towing advice and tow line science eases my mind.

Dean, it is the Jube in the photo above with the black weights on the front.

Showcrop . . . "even with the Austin in gear" reminds me of how when I lend my chain come-a-long and the person asks how much it will pull, I tell them it will pull a truck sideways . . . and it will. :D

Thanks,
Terry
 
Thanks for that downhill warning.
In the past I've taken stuff down my drive with iffy brakes but first set up some wheel stopper timbers if all else failed.

I sure wouldn't pull anything down right now. I haven't examined my shoes yet but one side is weeping gearlube. It's on the list.
:)

cheers,
T

Just put my new seat bracket on and it feels solid. Pivots nicely at all points. I searched my lifetime supply for two half inch bolts with the right length of smooth shank and finally found just two!! I cut a few threads off each and now they come up tight but still allow the pivoting at the upright.

OH and the cylinder now feels like it doesn't need a kit, now that there are two support arms running to the seat.


mvphoto8330.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 13:33:53 06/24/14) Thanks for that downhill warning.
In the past I've taken stuff down my drive with iffy brakes but first set up some wheel stopper timbers if all else failed.

I sure wouldn't pull anything down right now. I haven't examined my shoes yet but one side is weeping gearlube. It's on the list.
:)

cheers,
T

Just put my new seat bracket on and it feels solid. Pivots nicely at all points. I searched my lifetime supply for two half inch bolts with the right length of smooth shank and finally found just two!! I cut a few threads off each and now they come up tight but still allow the pivoting at the upright.

Most people trust 1st gear more than the brakes for down hill braking. :roll: :roll: :roll:

TOH
 
(quoted from post at 02:42:40 06/25/14)
(quoted from post at 13:33:53 06/24/14) Thanks for that downhill warning.
In the past I've taken stuff down my drive with iffy brakes but first set up some wheel stopper timbers if all else failed.

I sure wouldn't pull anything down right now. I haven't examined my shoes yet but one side is weeping gearlube. It's on the list.
:)

cheers,
T

Just put my new seat bracket on and it feels solid. Pivots nicely at all points. I searched my lifetime supply for two half inch bolts with the right length of smooth shank and finally found just two!! I cut a few threads off each and now they come up tight but still allow the pivoting at the upright.

Most people trust 1st gear more than the brakes for down hill braking. :roll: :roll: :roll:



TOH
:) :)


first gear works real good until the tires start sliding :) :)
 
(reply to post at 10:42:40 06/24/14)

Don't we all. . . . and emergency brakes. But I've rolled automatics belonging to other people down that hill to do the brakes.

Not everything has a nice bull low for braking like all my 50's 4-speed trucks over the years. :D
 
(quoted from post at 13:47:51 06/24/14)
(quoted from post at 02:42:40 06/25/14)
(quoted from post at 13:33:53 06/24/14) Thanks for that downhill warning.
In the past I've taken stuff down my drive with iffy brakes but first set up some wheel stopper timbers if all else failed.

I sure wouldn't pull anything down right now. I haven't examined my shoes yet but one side is weeping gearlube. It's on the list.
:)

cheers,
T

Just put my new seat bracket on and it feels solid. Pivots nicely at all points. I searched my lifetime supply for two half inch bolts with the right length of smooth shank and finally found just two!! I cut a few threads off each and now they come up tight but still allow the pivoting at the upright.

Most people trust 1st gear more than the brakes for down hill braking. :roll: :roll: :roll:



TOH
:) :)


first gear works real good until the tires start sliding :) :)

Same for brakes ;-) That's when you need the sea anchor - a good ground engaging implement :!: Or possibly an ejection seat/escape pod :idea:

TOH
 
I know you don't need me to tell you this but going downhill and needing to stop is easier that going uphill and stopping.

What I mean is taking the load up the hill might not be a big problem but what if you need to stop and hold the load from going backwards.
 
There have been a lot of tractor rollovers because of a load pushing the tractor. We lost a guy here a few years ago on a Farmall H with a baler and half full wagon on a paved road. He was going down hill and tried to make a turn off the paved road. Tractor went left but the baler and wagon tried to keep going straight. Messed the guy up bad enough it was closed casket. really sad part was his wife was following him and has to deal with seeing him squashed under the tractor. A load pushing a tractor noted for poor brakes is a disaster waiting for a place to happen.

We all need to be careful out there!

Rick
 
(quoted from post at 23:33:40 06/24/14) I know you don't need me to tell you this but going downhill and needing to stop is easier that going uphill and stopping.

What I mean is taking the load up the hill might not be a big problem but what if you need to stop and hold the load from going backwards.

Pulling a load uphill can be interesting.

The Corollary to your Theorem:

As everyone knows :roll: static friction is greater than sliding friction. Start up a questionable grade with a load on the rear and hit a point where the drive wheels (even one) start to spin and the load will immediately start pulling you BACKWARDS down that grade. And since the wheels are sliding it may be all the way back to the bottom before they regain enough traction to stop sliding and put you back in control....

TOH
 
Good stuff men, thanks!

In a couple of cautionary rollover videos I watched there was an extreme warning about even moderately sharp turns while going down a slope. The front tires can dig in and at that point the roll begins . . . as you know.

I'm thinking that because the conventional tractor front tire is designed for straight tracking and the elimination of sideways slip in the field that a wider surfaced conventional tire would be safer in this regard.

Also, not having fields to plow, but multiple other uses for a tractor from firewood to whatever, it might be good to have an alternate set regular front tires.

thoughts?

T
 
Tall, when that tire "bites" it stops motion or at least tries to. Car sliding sideways on ice is fine as long as it stops before the leading side tires bite into something. Here, first snow cars slide sideways into the ditch without much of a problem. Let the snow get hard and those leading tires bite into the packed snow and the car rolls. Going down hill with a load pushing a tractor is a little different. The tire turns, starts to slide, bites and starts to turn the tractor. Now you have the load pushing straight down the hill and the tractor going a different way. This, if the load is heavy enough is going to start pushing the rear tractor tires sideways. If the rear tire bites in, hit a stump or protruding rock the momentum is going to carry the tractor over.

Rick
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top