[AT] RE: Vintage tractor pulling advice

[Thomas O. Mehrkam]

ken knierim wrote:
> On Thu, 2005-07-14 at 06:48, Matthew wrote:
> 
>>>A favorite scene of mine at a pull at the Nebr State Fair was when the huge,
>>>supercharged tractors got a sled loaded with concrete blocks skewed on the
>>>track.  They couldn't get it straightened out with tractors so they brought
>>>in the real muscle...two huge pulling horses, who got the sled straightened
>>>out as if they were moving a couple hay bales.  I love old tractors and have
>>>little affection for horses, but the big draft animals really do appeal to
>>>me.
>>>
>>>Rog
>>
>>I wonder how many horsepower they where?
>>
>>Which brings up a side question about horsepower..  When did they start
>>the massive cheating on horsepower ratings?  I have an old Case VAC that is rated at well under 30 HP and I have a newish lawn tractor that is rated at 26.
>>The Case can pull pretty much anything I ask it to, or make a mess out of
>>the ground trying.  Lets just say that the lawn tractor must be using much 
>>smaller horses...
>>
>>
Torque is what is important. A lot of horsepower does not necessary 
equal a lot of torque.

>>--Matthew
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe Nebraska needs to start testing Garden Tractors for drawbar
> horsepower? Now THAT would be interesting! I suspect that the garden
> tractor manufacturers would resist it slightly. :^)
> 
> I agree... they must be using pygmy horses or goats for ratings on the
> new ones. Of course, by the time you gear down those Briggs engines
> running at 3600 RPM to where you can get actual usable power on the
> ground, there have to be losses. I doubt the present manufacturers are
> overly concerned about power train losses since a lot of them run
> V-belts and that's gotta be somewhat lossy. Since the older engines were
> designed to produce torque and lots of it, the overall horsepower
> ratings weren't as high as they could have been... but what they had was
> a LOT more useful for pulling than what a lawn tractor has (which is
> high-speed and useful for spinning a blade)
> 
> Just my opinion, of course... but Nebraska testing for a lawn tractor
> would sort out the breed a bit. :^) 
> 
> Ken in AZ
> 
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