Tips for pulling a stock super 88 at the fair

I restored an Oliver super 88 gas last winter. It has m&w 3-7/8 pistons,and 1600 manifolds and carburetor. It has new 14.9-38's, but they are the older 45 degree style. It also has a wide front. Cast wheels all around, no wheel weights or fluid. I am guessing it's between 5500-6000, but need to verify. The pull at the fair is for "stock" tractors and they have 3.5 and 5 mph classes. I was going to use the factory drawbar, with a bolt on plow loop. I have pulled one time before, many years ago on an Oliver 77. What drawbar length should I try? I thought a longer drawbar, because the wide front and cast front wheels put a lot of weight up front? How about tire pressure? And should I try 3.5 or 5 mph classes? I thought maybe 5, I was thinking a super 88 would be more powerful than a lot of the tractors in the 6000 lb range. It seems a lot of guys with similar sized tractors weight up for 7500. How about practice? I have some much bigger tractors on the farm. I was going to rig up something that would approximate the chain angle on the sled, hook it to the front of a larger tractor and have someone ride the brakes on the larger tractor to see how it pulled. Is there a better idea? Thank you,
Josh
 
Try to get drawbar hook point 18" from center of axle, and 20" height from ground, run about 12psi and should be good, longer drawbar doesn't work at all. Depends on sled too, you could probably run 2nd gear in the 3.5
 

Many guys will tell you never ever run a drawbar any longer than minimum. There is however an exception and you hit it right on the head. If you know that you will be front heavy, yes, you want to pull that draw bar way out. Don't guess about your weight, if you can possibly get it on a scale. The scale house at my local quarry is outside of the gate, and the readout display is lit up 24-7. Like Farmaller said be sure that your drawbar hitch point is at the max allowed. If your bolt-on plow loop is a horizontal loop that is good. If it is vertical that is bad, you give away 3/4 inch in height. Get a twisted clevis instead and get it up to the max height with a long grade 8 bolt and a stack of washers. I tried what you described for practice 16 years ago but it was no help because it was nothing like the actual track. Use the right gear for the speed limit. Don't think that low low pulls best. If you were on cogs it would but you will over power your traction in low.
 
I will respectfully disagree on the drawbar length. That is a lesson I have learned the hard way. As short and high as the rules allow. I run a really long moline, and could never lift the front with a long
drawbar. Shortened it up and now the JD guys don't like me!
 
I've pulled a stock S88 and a not so stock 88 diesel for a while now and here's what I've learned: Whether rules allow a modified hitch or stock hitch, go as high and short as allowed. If your running a stock hitch against guys that have theirs at 20/18 you will have trouble competing. It takes out one variable to leave it short and tall and use your wts to balance the tractor out. Shorter hitch also keeps front end down. If your pulling on a clay track with a 20" high hitch with clevis bolted tight and a short chain on the sled the front end will come up 55-6500# depending on your tires. Old and hard is best, new tires squat too much and the lugs will lay back over on a hard track. On a hard track I would start with 14-16psi, 12-14 on a loose track. Stay in the 3.5mph class and run 1st gear on hard track, 2nd on loose but youll need to watch your spd. Have you increased rpms? I would take it up to 2,000rpms if you haven't.
 
You need to get a copy of rules that tell you what you can and can't do and go from there. Pull with draw bars as short and set as high as allowed by rules. If you use a clevis use a twisted clevis not a C clevis and bolt it tight to draw bar. In our area farm stock has to pull low gear with 3.5 MPH top speed and 15.5 is the widest tire we can use. I run my 15.5 X 38's no fluid at 10-12 lbs.. I pull in a 7,500 to 10,000 lbs farm stock class with Stock Super 88's and not a one could handle 5 MPH. We do have several modified class 3 Supper 88's that do great. But you should check all rules for your pull and do what they will let you do.
 
It's a horizontal plow loop. I can shim it so it is exactly at the
max. I was going to check the speed so I know how fast each
gear goes. Thanks,
Josh
 
The rules aren't very strict. It's a county fair, and their are tractors that have been restored, tractors that have raked hay that afternoon, and tractors that were built to pull. I was thinking 5 would be better for a super 88 in a 6000 class, br could be wrong. Thanks,
Josh
 
As always: many variables play into pulling. Where I am located a near stock 88 cannot pull 5 mph. Will power out. Best to talk to some local folks that have done that sled and track before and get their input. Hard, tight track and short chain will yield much different results than loose, soft track and long chain.
 
I pull several tractors in a 3 mph 1st gear only class with 18" high drawbars maximum...The 4 sleds I pull
have long chains so all my tractors have the drawbar 20 to 24 inches back....Set at 18 inches back I cant
get the front off the ground in the lightest classes pulled..I'm always as high as allowed but never as close
as allowed..

Even my 5 MPH U MM with 20" high drawbar is set 24 inches back so I can get the front up at 5500...Lots
depends on the sled chain length on how to set a tractor up..
 
(quoted from post at 14:47:44 07/30/17) I pull several tractors in a 3 mph 1st gear only class with 18" high drawbars maximum...The 4 sleds I pull
have long chains so all my tractors have the drawbar 20 to 24 inches back....Set at 18 inches back I cant
get the front off the ground in the lightest classes pulled..I'm always as high as allowed but never as close
as allowed..

Even my 5 MPH U MM with 20" high drawbar is set 24 inches back so I can get the front up at 5500...Lots
depends on the sled chain length on how to set a tractor up..


SHHHHH 1206SWMO! you are giving away secrets!
 
here's a chart for a super 88 with 13x38s.
a167738.jpg
 

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