Drop pan sled at Sigourney

superbee

New User
Sounds like the outside track had the same issues as the inside track at Sigourney. It does not seem like this was hard to figure out. Using a drop pan sled for antique tractors does not work very well. Everyone stops within 3 feet of one another and makes a big hole in the track. Couldn't the sled operator not have the pan drop and just stop the tractors via the weight box transfer. Would have made a better show.
 
I've pulled drop pan sleds that were dropped 25-50' out of the hole, bringing the box up slow till it spins you out & it can work but to hold that pan up till you have about all you can handle just ruins it for antiques. Smokers & mini rods are going like a bat out of hell and when the pan drops it's done. Like SUPER BEE said every one stops with in a couple of feet. Antique's are pulling not racing an are a different show for the event. RIVER RAT WEST ALTON,MO
 
Didn't help it any either that there was a big soft spot that the sled wheels sunk down in. Some thought they should have gotten rid of the weights in the box to lighten the sled up.
 

The operator of a sled that does just one or two pulls in my area says that for antiques he will set it to drop early then use the transfer to stop them. Even with the big tractors if you get going fast you can get hit pretty hard when they have grousers down on the back of the pan.
 
I don't agree with them using drop pan sleds. everybody stopping in the same spot just destroys the track. If the sled operator isn't lazy he can change weights and make it work instead of making a big hole in the track. It can be done correct it is just up to the person running the sled wanting to spend the time and do it correct and having a person who can run a grader tractor filling the holes in correct. I think sometimes the sled operators want to get it over as quick as possible and don't spend the time needed. It costs a lot of money to go to the big pulls. they should have a sled that set up for antique tractors.
 
I just spent a few minutes looking at recent results from Tunica, Princeton and Springfield. It seems to me that the sleds used by Mean Green and NATPA stop MPH limited tractors in bunches too.

Maybe those are drop sleds also.
 
I was running the sled on the fast side at Tunica this year. The way my pan works for antiques is I let it float and it will drop it in the first 25' or so. The box does all the work from there. I also do not have any grouser bars under the pan when pulling antiques. The Dixie Thunder sled that was running the other track in Tunica looks like it's set up the same way, and that's how me and Cale Mahnke had our sleds set up this past weekend in Richmond, KY.
Heartbreaker 2 sled
 
I think it's kinda funny how there's so many people that talk about how tough their big cubed antique tractors are yet when they hook onto the our "little" sled that we pull everyone is up in arms about how hard it is.... IMO drop pan sleds are little more challenging and it takes a little more to set your tractor up for it.

I have personally pulled the Magnum on some very very rough tracks and have never had an issue with it. I guess I've only pulled an antique sled twice in my life so it's what I'm used to.
 
I was there with two tractors. It was the track NOT the sled. No problems after we moved out side. And yes there are some tough big cube antiques!
 
I'm not blaming the pull officials as they didn't have much time on the outside track, but it was just about as bad as the inside track. Drop pan sleds have no place in antique pulling. Our local club would have been able to set the sled up to go past the hole and stop the tractors before the end of the track. The magnum sled should be able to also. The inside track wasn't great, but having to move outside is the sleds fault
 
We were there with two tractors as well. This has been the same sled we have pulled for years, not sure the settings were similar. The track & sled was the same for all the tractors in the class. It was the ones that figured out how to work with the track, inside or out, that did well. The cream always raises to the top. Lynne & I would like to thank Jon & his crew for the great effort in trying to make the best pull they could. Being able to see folks we only see once or twice a year is the greatest part of this pull. Playing with the tractors is a bonus. Having had a bite to eat with a couple of the board members on Saturday night, it sounds like future changes to the plumbing in the building we'll help a great deal for future pulls. We we'll differently be back next & years to come. Thanks again to Jon & his crew.
Tim & Lynne Harlin
 
Jon and crew did a phenomenal job. The only complaint I have is all of the tractors pulling third gear at half throttle and not hitting the horn.nebraska field test shows a Farmall me at 4.25 third gear with stock tires at 1600. With agritronix 15.5 tires my 88 will hit the horn at 3.6, in sigourney with 16.9 at 1900 it never even bumped it. Just sayin it was advertised as 3.5 to 4.otherwise absolutely no complaints
 
Justin , the sleds at Tunica were great no complaints. Looks like they need to learn your set-up up north. By the way I'm from Indiana.
 

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