question about Farm Stock

Even though that tractor wasn't "pure stock," it was "farm stock," as the owner used it daily in his farming operation for over 20 years that way. So was his a modified tractor, or was it truly "farm stock"?? I say it was both, since it was used daily on the farm. It was a long way from "pure stock," but it ran the same farm gas as the other tractors on that farm, and was reliable for plowing, mowing, and running the mixer mill without overheating. To me, that's "farm stock," because that's the condition the tractor was for daily use on the farm.

It just doesn't make sense to me why someone would pull a stroked tractor in a farm stock class.

Where and when will the rules meeting be? I would like to make it down again.

The whole idea behind the rules at Washingtonville is to keep things simple - most of the time the only thing on a tractor that can be disputed is whether or not a tire is cut at our pull. We were the first pull in the area to seperate out cut and uncut tires, and it has been by far the best way to even the playing field in the pace classes - most of the other clubs in the area are following suite because they see that it works.

For the most part (excluding BN), the uncut tire class has been the place where the average farm tractor or show tractor can come out and have some fun and be competitive without doing anything other than putting weight brackets on and getting the hitch up to 18". Our M that we pull in the uncut classes only has a 4" bore and 52 HP was within 1-3 points of winning the 5500-6500 classes for the year, and we never leave 1st gear. Being that the 5500 and the 6500 are nonpace, it's obvious that the big HP tractors are staying where they belong in the cut-tire classes.

I think this past year has been better than the past few with guys getting into the right classes based on tire cut. Other than the BN in the light classes, I really haven't seen many other tractors consistantly running in the "uncut" division that belong in the "cut" division. The "cut" division was made for tractors like our strong M and H, Stine's C, Megargels, and others that are making some HP. Even at that, stine's M won a few classes for the year and it is only a super M engine in it compared the the HP that most of the rest of the class is making. Just goes to show that HP isn't everything.

I like to go and pull and relax. We quit going to some pulls (Nisbet in particular) with our Stock 4" bore M in the past partially because of fuel prices, but more because we got tired of being harrassed over and over about the RPM's and if we had a 450 block. It was obviously not a 450 block, every time we went we were tached and found to be okay, and we ran in the same 1st gear that every other M was running in. We did well there because we had a set of tires that loved the track and we read the track pretty good. After 2-3 years of the same thing every pull, we got tired of going and feeling like we had a target on our back because we did well. The rules at Washingtonville do not allow for any of that nitpicking crap - just pick your tires out, hit the scale, and pull.

Sorry to ramble - just trying to figure out what you felt sucked about the pull?? We'll take a look at them this winter and probably make very minor adjustments, but I don't think you'll see anything real drastic as far a changes.

Haven't been around the computer for a few days - sorry didn't reply sooner. I totally agree with you on the BN and C's - somebody's going to get hurt when one of them comes flying apart. I doubt I'll get anywhere, but that is one of the concerns I'll take to the winter rules meeting for discussion. I don't want to tach everything, but I think anything over 3,000 RPM's should have something over the flywheel.

The 39 and older can have cuts or uncuts - they aren't seperated out because there aren't many of them. Many of the guys on the rules committee would just as well do away with the class (I was one of them at one point and still wouldn't have any major concerns if it was dropped), so the basic concensus was that if we're going to keep it we're not going to worry about splitting cuts/uncuts. Most of them actually do have cut tires. I ran into some troubles with my case - tires are technically too wide, so I'll probably forfiet my points titles. They're the tires that it came with and I haven't found their replacements yet.... we'll see in time. I'd also like to address that this winter - establish a square inch rule for tire sizes instead of this one size over stuff. My 16.9x24 has a whole lot less rubber on the ground than a 14.9x36, but mine is considered illegal..... something's not right there. I know it's that way at a lot of the pulls, but I think there's a better way. You're right about the case - it's a litte guy, but it packs a big punch. I did a fair amount of searching before selecting it as my new puller - has more stock cubes than a Farmall M, and weights the same as a Farmall C - can't beat that! I still have some refining to do(hopefully this winter), and I might either jump it up some weight or pull it in the regular classes next year - I'm afraid I'm going to tick off some of the 39 and older guys with it if I pound them as hard as I did this year when it was running right.

Anyways - I agree with you that very few tractors that go there - stock or not - spend much time in the fields. Our stock M used to do a lot of raking and flail chopping when we first started pulling, but in the past 2-3 years it's lucky if it backs a wagon or two in the shed before a thunder storm. It's totally capable of running the flail chopper all day long if needed, but we've got other tractors to do that now.

Have fun this winter, and see you next spring at our FFA pull!

In reality, as long as there is competition, there wont be truly stock tractors. Make em run Kerosene. 1st gear doesn't work, you just get people spending money to either make gears or move them around.

Simplest way I've found - speed limit and RPM

If you want a true farm stock about the best you can do is factory size tires or maybe one size bigger, stock RPM's, low gear only, no hanging weights unless the factory offered it, and the UNALTERED factory drawbar. I add the unaltered part because I have seem alot of them (Olivers I noticed just because I pull one) cut the drawbar and drawbar frame to get it 18 inches from the center of the rear axle. Recommend wheelie bars but not mandatory as some of these tractors will be pulling a bush hog or something after the pull.

I know what you mean about the div. 3 tractors coming down. locally we have guys who were running in the open class with cut tires and stokers throwing a road worn or top cut set of tires on and pulling in Super farm. Luckily I go to have a good time and not worry about what I have to do to beat everyone.

See ya'll in Tunica!!! Gonna go down there this year and donate them some money, Hehe hey I know I'm probably not gonna win but I'm sure gonna have some FUN!!! LOL!!!

Lets be honest, with a pulling sled MOST "farm ready" stock tractors are not capable of exceeding 3.5 mph if they are running their factory weight and tire size. I see your point about creeper gears, but there should be a speed test done in the gear that the puller intends to use to see if it will exceed the speed limit under no load. That would make it a little more fair.

One thing else, you need to run a decent "stock" class as well, no cut tires, 1st gear only for the more experianced pullers who aren't quite in the open class.