Tractor Pulling on gravel track

I have a pull tomorrow on a gravel track and am looking for advice on what to run for tire pressure on because I spun out at about 215 feet last year which isn't very good. I will be pulling a Farmall 806 at 9500-10500 pounds with pretty much brand new Michelin Agribib deep bar tires. Last year I ran 16 pounds in them but I'm thinking about going less because by the time the smaller tractors went the track was tore to hell and I'm thinking maybe a larger footprint will help float on the loose areas better. I know I'm not set up well and the tires I have are I'll advised for pulling but I'm just getting started and use the tractor for other things.

You got 18.4 x38 or 34's on the back, i got 14.9x38 Michelin on my SMTA,i run 14lbs, on a hard clay sevea Loam track, it just keeps pawing,and keeps moving, but i got all my wight on the rear axle behind the axle, the front end stays down! All the competitors got 18.4 34, they just sit on top, and cant bite in, being on gravel i cant help you much!!

Good way to ruin a new set of tires pulling on gravel. I won't do it. Tires are too expensive to get the bars eaten up.

Sorry they are 18.4x34.It's definitely not my favorite track but It's the only pull on gravel and it's the hometown pull so it's hard to turn it down.

I never pulled on gravel. Why gravel ? I would think
maybe in the 10 to 12 range and put enough on the front.
Gravel. Thats different !

(quoted from post at 19:25:23 06/24/23) I never pulled on gravel. Why gravel ? I would think
maybe in the 10 to 12 range and put enough on the front.
Gravel. Thats different !

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It's not a popular pull but it's so close and it's the hometown pull so I pull it. The guy that puts it on says he's ready to throw in the towel on it but the local historical society likes to have it and apparently they have nowhere else to do it.

I'd say your running the wrong tire (new
deep bar) for pulling, no matter what tire
pressure. I'm not seeing pressure reduction
making much of a difference. How many more
bars are going to be in contact with the
ground at 12psi versus 16? When running
deep bars like that, you got to get
additional bars in contact with the ground
to increase surface area. It's not like
tires that are near bald where every square
inch gained is more surface traction on the
track. The bars are intermiten around the
tire, where as there is some constantcy
with baldness. Hope I explained that to be
understandable.

Anyways, there is a whole big science to
tractor pulling tires. And it's a science
thats better thought of in the reverse. One
should think of it in tired baldness with
enough bar grip to accommodate track. And
not new tires with enough baldness to
accommodate track. Kind of a backwards way
of thinking, but better off to be on the
bald side than on the new tread side when
making bar depth adjustments.

I've never heard of pulling on gravel.
Sounds like they are hard up for a place to
have it, and using an old city side street,
or county mixing strip. I think I'd either
skip it, or pull in it without a care in
the end placement results. They surely
can't be expecting serious pullers to show
up and compete on a gravel track.

Good or bad track everyone has to pull on it so that makes it equal.

I usually start at 1 psi per 1000 pounds for pulling. That
said our skid chains are on the long side. I would try 8-10
psi on gravel. You dont get as much grip, so less
downforce equals less air pressure needed.



Not that it will help you, but gravel is the one place long
bar short bar tires will pull. They generally will walk away
from any other tire on gravel tracks.

Good advice
Like pulling on ball bearings ,h ard on the drive line .
Did it once , wont do that again .
Got to much in vested

(quoted from post at 04:53:29 06/25/23) I usually start at 1 psi per 1000 pounds for pulling. That
said our skid chains are on the long side. I would try 8-10
psi on gravel. You dont get as much grip, so less
downforce equals less air pressure needed.



Not that it will help you, but gravel is the one place long
bar short bar tires will pull. They generally will walk away
from any other tire on gravel tracks.

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Thanks that might just help me in the long run because my dad has long bar short bars on his 1066. I don't know how 34" centers ended up on that tractor but they are on 34-38" step up rims.

I'm 50/50 on pulling but if I do end up running with it I might sell the tires that are on there, buy a set of step up rims because my dad has a set of All Traction Field and Road Firestones that have been sitting in the sun on a set of duels for 20 years now. The tractor that the duels belong to is the planting tractor now so I doubt they'll be needed

This post was edited by Farming Enthusiast on 06/25/2023 at 05:23 am.

I never run the tires soft because the sag
and loose lift which costs down pressure
on the tires. I won a lot of pulls with
the hardest tires at the pull. Most folks
try to be like the super puller and don't
pay attention to physics. The more lift on
the skid you get will make it pull easier.
Plus keep your front down for the same
reason. 100 pounds on the front of the
tractor that keeps the front down will
translate to 1000 or more at the rear
tires.

Set the tire pressure so the full imprint of the tire lugs show up even on the ground. Maybe start around 8 psi. New tires really don't work that good for tractor pulls.