Best big pulling tractors

I just started doing a little tractor pulling last summer and was curious about some opinions on this subject. I have a Farmall 806 and 1256 was wondering how these measure up to other tractors pulling in the 10,000-12,000 pound class and what I can do without major engine modifications to compete as I am on a budget and just learning about these tractors mechanically. Also, what is considered the best pulling tractors in the 12,000+ category? Can a big 66 series IH compete with a well built 6030 or is the big JD unbeatable if it's put together right? I pull "farmstock"

This post was edited by Farming Enthusiast on 04/12/2023 at 05:21 pm.

Only my 2 cents. First
off,nothing is unbeatable.
If you are on a budget, you
shouldn't be tractor pulling
anyway.

I agree that it's a bit of a moot point to try to pull on a budget. But, other than a couple obviously altered tractors here and there, it's a pretty clean outfit that I pull in. Btw my family had a Super 77D years ago and it was my uncles favorite tractor. Kinda had a Little Engine that Could personality to it. I've pulled my father in laws Super 88G and I like that tractor also.

Your 1256 if 'tuned' properly will perform well.Stick with it. As said,no tractor is unbeateable. However the ones that seem to be are hugely EXPENCIVE. Those guys have very deep pockets.You are not
going to compete with those guys. Just go and have fun.

My brother and I own an Oliver 88. What is considered
around here a light enhanced tractor. We have pulled the
tractor primarily with a certain club. All kinds of
restrictions. Usually no mph limit, and we have a ton of
money in it. That said if youre going to a stock tractor
pull and you take your stock tractor you will most likely
find out the stock tractors arent so much stock. Turned
up fuel pumps, possibly bigger injectors depending on
the make, and such. You may even be pulling against a
1066 with a 466 engine depending on the rules. In my
honest opinion the out of the field stock classes and old
antique pulls is where you would find the most stock
tractors to pull against. Some of them arent anywhere
near stock either. Take either one, go have some fun, and
see what the guys are all about in your area ! If it is 100
percent bone stock classes either one will make you
proud !

So far I've pulled my 806 as I bought my 1256 after pulling season last fall. I didn't expect to win since I know everybody at least has their pump turned up. So my biggest competition is my cousin and his 856 who as far as I know ran bone stock settings as well. I beat him at one out of three venues. Seams how our vastly different tires hook up on different tracks makes the difference. I didn't intend on pulling the 12 right away but I can't get the front end set out to plow so looks like it's gonna pull too. Do you or anybody else know if a 1256 with a Hinicker 1300 cab will make it in the 11,500 class if I strip the windows and doors off?

I have been associated with a national level tractor puller (in the late 1970s). There is no substitute for innovation. careful preparation and details that allow superior traction and power delivery. Those who stretch the rules (or hide clear modifications) just make honest pullers mad. When the competition is fair enjoyment can be had by winners and non winners. Pro pullers can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their modifieds. Just have fun and help others have fun. Jim

Thanks. They lowered the speed limit to 4mph so the hot rods can't get a real good run at it and it levels the playing field some

Depends what the definition of stock is in your
neighborhood. If on a straight transfer sled, no drop pan,
weight and a low enough gear can win. Ive seen a 1650
Oliver win the 22500 class. Also if power shifts are
allowed they have a definite advantage.

Well i have done SOME pulling in the past with the red tractors . the days of the PURE farm stock is about dead . As your going to run up against the ones claiming farm and that tractor has not seen a field in years. I also have and 806 and that old UGLY 806 put the whippen on a bunch of tractors BUT it was at a dead weight pull in the 12500 class , At that pull they just kept stacking on weights and one after another left and it came down to me and one of my customers and his 1456 . They had run out of weights to stack on the sled and wanted Stanley and i to spit the prize ,NAh find more weight and we put a Chubby guy on top the stack about another 350 Lbs . Stanly thought he had me by dragging the sled into a mud hole , welp that did not work as i pulled it out of the mud hole for a full pull where Stan did not make the full pull when he plated the sled in the hole and had to come back for his second try and failed . I have built five antique pullers for real close friends and each one was a winner out the gate . The one that was my favort was the one i built with my accountant , the only new parts we used was Rings Bearing And Gskt. Everything else came out of a scrap dumpster . we started with junk blocks , 6 scrap Cummins 855 sleeves 8 .060 over size allison pistons 4 farmall M connecting rods two junk heads four old style John Deere A valves a scrap crank shaft a used cam and built a 4 cylinder M M engine that was 335 CU . in. to 609 Cu in. A bendix carb off a Mil air compressor with a 3 inch intake throat , added in a inch stroke to the scrap crank had the cam built up and reground and when done four different drivers drove the tractor in four classes and won every class for two year running till we sold it . Now that was fun with A grand total of under 3500 in everything . Now what you can do with the 806 Well a good TUNE up for starters setting the valves DEAD on the money , next make sure your pupm timing is dead on then add 3-5 degrees to it ( this will take some playen to see where she likes it , Next open the pump up about 15 % , Ya can still farm with it but ya got to watch for her running warm , Keep a good clean air filter in it as she needs AIR . My 806 is running around 112 Hp with out a turbo ,another close friend and old customer with and 806 he has had since he got out of High School WAY back in 1974 has a turbo on his 806 and it is running at 118 and he farms with it . Tires , tires on certain tracks make the difference . Don't know what your running but myself i have always run Firestones . What i have learned Don't drop the tire pressure as when they come under a hard pull the centers buckle under and you loose traction ,learned that with my S/MTA and the big county pull , fist with low tire pressure when under load you lose draw bar height and like i said the center buckle under I spun out on my first hook and had LOTS of time to make changes before i had to come back for my second and i went and put air back in the tires and came back got my full pull and ended up winning . Way back i pulled a Farmall 450 D and we would take her on up to the 10500 classand give the 4020's and yes even the 806's fits . Now mind ya i did not go flying down the track in the 10500 it was 1st gear and all pull and when done there was not a skeeter left in five miles , that one was easy to twist the screw and turn up the wick , just open up the side cover crack the little lock nut loose insert allen wrench and back the screw out to the center punch mark in the threads on the screw , when done playen turn it back to farmen . I ran that engine at 5 mode degrees advance pump timing . My pride and joy of all the pullers i have worked on was my one friend 706 Gas Narrow ft , fast hitch with 15.5 x38's found in the dead row of a sale he and i went to twice a month and he gave 750 Dollars for . I rebuilt the engine did a few LITTLE tricks to it did a vary fine tune of the engine improved the carb tweaked the gov. recurved the dist. and Donny's 706 Gasser won EVERY dead weight pull it went to . We took it up to a pull just north of me for a two night pull and we got it in the 8500 class and i ran it and won , his kid runs it in the 9500 and wins that Donny ran the 10500 and won that . That was friday night and we left everything at the pull , came back saturday night and i pulled the 11500 and won that one his kid gets in the seat for the 12500 and wins that one and then the big jump 14500 class and DON cleans house up against some pretty big Pony's . To say the least they were NOT happy and told Don that next year don't come back your cheating . Welp next year we went back and did it all over once again , evrywhere that 706 went it came home with First places . His wife told him to stop Pulling as she was running out of room for the trophy's and this is a true story .

I love your stories . Seem like a guy I could talk to for days

I pulled a Ford 9000 "on a budget" for about 15 years, and had a lot of fun with it. In farm stock classes speed is very important, and usually speed takes power, but not necessarily. YOU CAN RUN OUT OF POWER EARLIER IN A HIGHER GEAR THAN THE NEXT LOWER ONE!!! SO TRY THAT HIGHER ONE!!! Around here farm stock is usually no limit. There are two ways to get into the upper levels of HP within your class: First is to spend a lot of money on power enhancements, and second is to pull in a lighter class where the tractors are less powerful. I used a combination of both. Most pulls have a 9500# class. That is where you want to be. Lose the cab, hitch, cast centers, put an H narrow front under it. It is a simple bolt up. Increase the power with five hole tips on you injectors, increase the fuel pressure, advance the timing. I never spent much on power until I got my pump rebuilt after ten years. I even beat hot farm guys with their helmets, flame suits, and roll cages in free-for-all classes with tenth of the money they spent.

I can tell you the 1300 designation
signifies the weight of the cab if that
helps. Run it over to the local elevator
and weigh it.

For sure, I also like reading tractorvets stories.

Yes Yes, thank you for the good stories.

I used to pull a lot with tractors that weren't modified against guys that would cheat or pile on the money. They sort of took the fun out of it. Power isn't everything by any means. A tractor that will pull good on a hard track may not do well on a soft track. Details make a lot of difference such as tire pressure, where weights are placed, hitch height (as high as legal), tire tread and gearing. On a hard track I outpulled a souped up 560 with a G John Deere. Also outpulled a D21 Allis with a 4020. In both cases the tracks were real hard and both of my tractors had worn tires. I was a lot slower but they spun out while I was able to keep going. Different track would be a different story maybe.p>

As long as you're in the same weight class, power and speed isn't everything. The main thing is to experiment and have fun win or lose.

Always like to hear them

(quoted from post at 13:53:16 04/13/23) Always like to hear them

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Thanks everybody for the info, advice and stories. I think im gonna run them with light or no mods this year and concentrate more on weight placement and tire pressure, and get more familiar with the pulling game. I will have time to fine tune them in years to come. I'd also like to get my kids into it as they get old enough. Anything I can do to keep them out of video games and social media.

I had rather read Tractor Vet's stories than eat ice cream.

(quoted from post at 19:54:59 04/13/23) I had rather read Tractor Vet's stories than eat ice cream.

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But not homemade vanilla ice-cream.