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Important Information Concerning Pulling Sleds
Because there are no companies, manufacturers (except for us) or how-to books available for constructing a pulling sled (also know as "weight transfer machines"), most of them are actually built by an individual in their own private garage from a lot of imagination and parts availability. It greatly depends on a sled builder's preferences and a foreseeable knowledge of the laws of physics on how pulling sleds are built, operate and function. Also, an experienced tractor puller can tell a poorly constructed sled from one that performs with excellence. To be a successful and competitive puller, the puller must understand the pulling vehicle, plus the fundamentals of a sled.
What sets an easy-to-start sled apart from one that is hard to get moving is proper balance. A properly balanced sled is when there's not much weight on the skid pan when the weight box is all the way back, in the rest position. There should be about 300± lbs. of weight on the skid pan. Which makes it easy for a tractor to start the sled. A correctly balanced sled will allow a tractor to gain some momentum (ground speed), before successfully stopping the tractor.
As to how much weight it takes for a sled to stop a tractor, that greatly depends on what type of tractor(s) that will be pulling it. Most sleds have no problem stopping slow moving, stock or lightweight tractors, but a sled will need to be weighted down more or the weight box will need to be placed in a faster gear for the faster and heavier (fully modified) tractors. Multiple gearing to control the speed of the box travel is a must, too. The weight of most sleds for garden tractors and motorcycle engine-powered pulling tractors range from 4,000 to 6,000 lbs., including weights in the weight box. And the weight box itself can weigh anywhere from 200 to 2,000 lbs. But depending on the design of the sled and being there is no "specific weight capacity" to how much weight can be added to the weight box, just keep adding weight and/or choose the right weight box gearing until the sled seems to stop the tractors at a specified distance.
Rule of thumb is, and depending on the type of pulling vehicle, the total weight of the sled needs to be about 5 to 6 times heavier or 500-600% more than the total weight of the heaviest pulling vehicle for the sled to successfully and safely stop the pulling vehicle. And about 2.6 times the total weight of the sled needs to go in the weight box. Meaning if a sled weighs 5,250 lbs, then 2,000 lbs. of that weight will need to be in the weight box, leaving the sled itself weighing 3,250 lbs.. I.E. If you have a 1,050 lb. tractor class, then the total weight of the sled should be about 5,250 lb. If you run heavier classes, then multiply the tractor weight class by a factor of 5 and that should work well. That is what a professional sled builder shoots for. In other words, if a garden tractor were to pull an extremely heavy sled, it'll be like a Volkswagen trying to pull a dump truck uphill. And it'll be vice-versa if the dump truck were to pull a Volkswagen uphill, and the VW was trying to stop the dump truck from going downhill! Although, I have seen some good sleds that weighed about 3,500 lbs. work pretty well. Overall sled design, speed of the transfer box, weight transfer box weight vs. the sled chassis weight, pan size, angle of ascent for the weight transfer box, pull chain connection point on the front of the sled and length of the pull chain all must be considered for best results. The best thing to do is to go to several pulls where there are different sleds. Take note of which ones work well and talk to the operators/builders. They are usually glad to help.
Weight of Various Materials
-
- Purified water weighs .036 lb. per cubic inch, or 8.316 lbs. per gallon.
- Dry sand weighs .059 lb. per cubic inch.
- Dry gravel weighs .069 lb. per cubic inch.
- Dried concrete weighs about 150 lbs. per cubic feet.
- Aluminum weighs .0954 lb. per cubic inch.
- Cast iron weighs .275-.284 lb. per cubic inch.
- Steel weighs .278-.286 lb. per cubic inch.
-
Lead weighs .411 lb. per cubic inch.
- Lead is about 1.46 times heavier than steel and about 1.47 times heavier than iron.
If you don't have a scale to weigh your steel or lead, here's the formula to figure the weight of these metals: (All measurements shown are in inches. And it's best to use a calculator for these, folks.)
- For solid steel or lead (block or plate): Length x width x thickness x .282 (for steel) or .411 (for lead) = weight in pounds and ounces.
- For solid steel or lead (round bars): Diameter x diameter x .7854 x length x .282 (for steel) or .411 (for lead) = weight in pounds and ounces. (Figure this as you would for the cubic inch displacement of a single cylinder engine.)
- Note: Your calculator will display the answers in exact pounds, but not exact ounces. To convert the figures to exact ounces, simply multiply the .XXX (numbers after the decimal point) by 16. Example: the answer 6.325 is actually 6 lb. 5.2 oz. (.325 x 16 = 5.2), because there's 16 ounces in 1 pound.
When placing permanent weight in the weight box of a sled, try to avoid using gravel, automotive engine blocks, cylinder heads or anything that's porous or has a lot of "empty space" in it. The empty space takes up a lot of valuable room that could be filled with other metal. Therefore, it's best to use solid pieces of steel, cast iron or better yet, lead.
IMPORTANT - After a sled has been setting for a while, it's a good idea to have a large (farm) tractor pull it down the track with the weight box in the fastest gear to remove any rust that develops on the bottom of the skid pan. If this isn't done before the pulling event begins, the first tractor to pull will out-pull all the others by at least 20-30 feet!
When maintaining a sled, be sure
to clean out the inside of the pan when the pulling event is over, or during
a pull if necessary. If the pan isn't kept clean, dirt accumulation will
make the sled heavier to pull and it might rust out in certain areas. Also,
be sure to clean the old, dirty oil from the drive roller chains with a
power/pressure washer, especially after a dusty pull (when the track hasn't
been watered down). Spray the chains with WD-40 or lubricate them with ordinary
motor oil. Remember, oil attracts dust. So if the chains aren't kept clean,
the dust that's mixed with the oil gets inside the chain rollers, causing
the chains to wear or appear to "stretch" overtime. The faster spinning chains
will always wear quicker than the slower moving chains. And the reason double
chains are used isn't only because they're stronger, they reduce the amount
of wear that can take place on the chains and sprockets. Remember, to make
the drive chains (and other parts on the sled) last as long as possible,
always have the [dirt] pulling track watered down. Before the pull and if
necessary, between classes.
Swivel VS. Non-Swivel Skid Pans -
Some people may have different thoughts on this, but in our opinion, swivel (center pivot or "fifth wheel type" of connection) skid pans don't work near as well as a pan having two leg supports. We have noticed that a swivel pan will sometimes cause a high speed tractor to "jerk" side to side while pulling. This is very dangerous and could break something on the tractor or cause the tractor to go out of control and possibly injure the driver. We've seen some tractors have to stop about halfway down the track because the "side to side jerking" gotten so bad. And the track officials would measure the distance where the tractor stopped, too.
For safety, don't make the pan swivel side to side. Attach it to the two "leg" supports and fasten a heavy bolt or pin crossways on each side of the pan and into each leg. Make the pan so it'll "float" with the contours of the track, but not rotate or swivel side to side.
On rare occasions, a swivel pan could cause a [high speed] tractor to suddenly whip to the side severely, and if the weight box is "topped out" when this happens, 90% of the weight of the sled will be transferred directly over the pan, causing the sled to be top heavy. This could cause the entire sled to topple over. This has been known to happen! It's not a pretty sight, either.
So as you can imagine, a pan with two "leg" supports works much better than any sled with a swivel pan. In fact, a sled with two "leg" supports will be much more safe and stable. Plus, the sled will follow the tractor straight down the track, causing no problems whatsoever. Also, if you are thinking of constructing a sled, make the pan so it'll "float" with the contours of track (when the front and rear of the pan can move up and down). And our sled design will allow the frame of the sled to flex, allowing both the tires and pan to have full contact on the ground at all times.
Towing a Sled on the Road -
The type of sleds that we build can be towed
on the road or hauled on a trailer. If you prefer to tow it directly on the
road behind a truck then on a trailer, always place the transmission with
the driveshaft in neutral. Use a padlock
to securely lock the transmission
in neutral in case you have to stop someplace on the road and some stranger
attempts to place the shifter(s) in gear without your knowledge. Also, our
sled designs can be towed on the road with a late model 1/2 ton pickup truck
with good brakes. Plus, position the weight box about 1/4 way up on the frame,
to add some tongue weight on the tow vehicle.
Some further notes about sleds -
When not in use, always try to store your sled indoors, keep it sheltered or cover it with a drip-proof canvas or cover. (A large boat cover will work.) Because rain water can play havoc on the roller chains, shifting mechanisms and the paint. Keep the skid pan raised off the ground too, to prevent excessive rust from accumulating under it. Take proud in your sled! It'll last for many years and give trouble-free service when properly taken care of.
When or if you're having an indoor pull, remember that most indoor arenas are made of a mixture of sod, sand, a little clay and some dried animal manure. This means that most sleds won't stop as well on this type of pulling surface. So to successfully stop the tractors, you may have to add more weight to the sled, either in the weight box and/or in the skid pan. Always bring extra weights along, at least 1,000 lbs. worth. Because you may, or more likely, will, need them. Especially if the sled's been used a lot outdoors on longer tracks. And to prevent any delays at the start of the actual event, practice pulling a few days before the event to get the sled weighted correctly.
Furthermore, if you're going to introduce automotive-engine mini-rods as a new class, it's best to have a sled that's capable of handling these powerful and faster pulling machines. Most ATV, garden tractor and motorcycle engine-powered tractor pulling sleds are too light, making them too dangerous for heavy, high-horsepower and high tire speed mini-rods to pull. Even if one were to add a lot more weight to a smaller sled, this would be hard on its chassis, tires, ground axle(s), chains and the weight box drive parts. Plus, the pull chain and hook probably wouldn't be strong enough to handle the strain. It'll be like a Volkswagen trying to stop a dump truck going downhill.
By the way - we use a 40" length pull chain. That's pretty much standard for garden tractor sleds. And most mini-rod sleds use a 54" length pull chain (I think). The length of the chain is measured from where it attaches to the front of the sled to the inside of the hook.
The basic safety requirements for virtually any pulling sled are as follows:
- A operator/controller on the sled at all times, and who is experienced and knowledgeable in the safety of sled operations.
- A red and green light visible at a distance of at least 300 feet. The lights should be activated by a DPDT (double pole, double throw; on/off/on) toggle switch next to the operator and by the wheel brakes.
- A powerful electric motor activated by a heavy duty push button switch within easy reach of the operator to pull the killswitch on the pulling vehicle in case of hitch and/or chain breakage or pulling vehicle goes out of control.
- Hydraulic wheel brakes (brake pedal) to stop the sled.
- And most importantly, sled operations requires total alertness of the operator while the pulling vehicle is pulling the sled down the track. This means nobody should be personally talking to the sled operator just before a tractor starts to pull, distracting the operator from his/her's duties.
Sled Inspection and Certification -
Some years ago, the people in charge of the now defunct NGTPA (National Garden Tractor Pullers Association) contacted us about using our sled at one of their events and they said that first it would need to be inspected and certified. They wanted $200 cash for the inspection and $500 cash to certify it. Where this money went or was used for, nobody would tell us. Personally, we think it was a scam. Because we built our sled to be safe and it's been proven to be very safe over the years. We believe that the NGTPA was the only sanctioning body that required that the sleds used at their events were supposed to be inspected and certified. Because at all the other pull sites that we furnished our sled to said nothing about a certification or inspection. The NGTPA were the only ones who mentioned that to us. And as far as we know, there are no laws anywhere that say that sleds must be inspected and certified before use. And there are no web sites nowadays saying anything about sled inspections or certifications.
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* Track Master *
Information about Brian
Miller's One-of-a-Kind Motorized/Self-Propelled Garden Tractor Pulling Sled
-
Dubbed by many professional pullers as the "best sled in the nation" and it's "way ahead of its time," "Track Master" pulling sled has style, beauty and grace. It's easy to start, get speed and sure to stop. "Track Master" was designed, constructed and engineered solely by Brian Miller in late 1992 and completed in 1995. It took about 6 months to draw the plans on paper and 2 years (off and on) to build it. A stock 14hp Kohler engine, which sits next to the operator on the rear, propels it. A hydraulically controlled front axle with small steering wheels lowers which raises the skid pan off the ground, making it easy to maneuver.
Professionally-built for garden tractors, ATVs, motorcycle engine-powered pulling tractors and small-wheel mini-rods. The total weight of the entire sled is about 6,000 lbs. There's about 2,000 lbs. in the weight box, which has 8 control [distance] speeds. When the box is in the rest position at the rear, the front of the sled (skid pan) is very light, making the sled easy to start pulling. When the box is "topped out," about 5,400 lbs. or 90% of the total weight of the sled is transferred over the skid pan, stopping garden tractors efficiently. This sled can be used for all garden tractors, light- to heavy-weight ATVs and with added weight in the pan, it'll stop 1,500 lb. "small wheel" (26-12.00x12 tires) mini-rods! "Track Master" is 17 feet long (without towbar) and very functional. It's used mainly in the central Missouri area. Click HERE and HERE to see our sled in action!
Miller's Sled Rental - Top of page
The rental price is $500.00 per event up to a radius of 150 miles from Columbia, Missouri, and then $1.00 per mile one way thereafter for extended travel expenses. If it's a two or three day event at the same place, then the second and/or third day will be half price each. No refund(s) whatsoever if event(s) are rained out.
The rental price includes use
of our sled, weighing scales (from
Central City Scales
[http://www.ccscales.com]) with a portable 4' x 8' platform connected to
a large easy-to-read electronic digital display. We also furnish a convenient
and very accurate electronic distance measuring system (from
Agri-Tronix Sled Monitor
System [http://www.atcindus.com]) with an easy-to-read digital sled monitor
and a remote display that's placed on a table at the announcer's/judge's
stand. Our sled has two filled fire extinguishers with quick access, plus
the ability to pull even the toughest killswitch!
We use our sled on dirt (clay) tracks only. Rather if it's a small community homecoming, special fund-raising event, county fair, state fair or an NQS event, "Track Master" pulling sled will provide a quality show for all ages to participate in or come to watch. It's easy to start and sure to stop, even on short, indoor tracks. If you have an event and want a crowd drawing attraction, give us a call. And we go wherever our sled and equipment is needed and we operate them. Click here to read and print out our sled rental agreement and use this online mileage calculator: Rand McNally Get Mileage (http://www.randmcnally.com/rmc/directions/dirGetMileageInput.jsp) for an estimated distance from Columbia, MO to your location (nearest town or city).
If you'd like to rent "Track Master," please contact A-1 Miller's Performance
Enterprises | 1501 W. Old Plank Rd. | Columbia, MO 65203 USA |
Phone: 1-573-875-4033. Please
call any day, 9am to 5pm, Central time. If no answer, please try again later.
(When speaking with Brian, please be patient because I stutter.)
Fax: 1-573-449-7347.
E-mail:
pullingtractor@aol.com. You can
also contact us through Yahoo! Messenger:
Find us here: Directions to our shop
|
Yahoo! Maps, 1501 W. Old Plank Rd., Columbia, MO |
1501 West Old Plank Road, Columbia, MO - Google Maps or
Map of 1501 West Old Plank
Road, Columbia, MO by MapQuest.
Brian Miller's Tractor Pulling Sleds For Sale -
- Pull-Back Sled for Garden Tractors and ATV/UTVs - $6,000
- Self-Propelled/Motorized Sled for Garden Tractors and ATV/UTVs - $15,000
- Pull-Back Sled for Mini-Rods, Light Trucks and Antique/Classic Tractors - $40,000
- Self-Propelled/Motorized Sled for Mini-Rods, Light Trucks and Antique/Classic Tractors - $60,000
- Financing available. A minimum 50% security deposit is required on all sled orders until it's paid in full. This is to secure your sled so no one else can come along and purchase it.
Advertisement:
| If you need a quality narrowed rear end for your pulling sled, please
contact A-1 Miller's Performance Enterprises | 1501 W. Old Plank Rd. | Columbia,
MO 65203 USA | Phone:
1-573-875-4033. Please call any day, 9am to 5pm, Central time. If no answer,
please try again later. (When speaking with Brian, please be patient because
I stutter.) Fax: 1-573-449-7347.
E-mail:
pullingtractor@aol.com. You can
also contact us through Yahoo! Messenger:
These quality narrowed automotive rear ends are to control the weight box in a pulling sled. Details include:
|
Contact:
A-1 Miller's Performance Enterprises | 1501 W. Old Plank Rd. | Columbia,
MO 65203 USA | Phone:
1-573-875-4033. Please call any day, 9am to 5pm, Central time. If no answer,
please try again later. (When speaking with Brian, please be patient because
I stutter.) Fax: 1-573-449-7347.
E-mail:
pullingtractor@aol.com. You can
also contact us through Yahoo! Messenger:
Find us here: Directions to our shop
|
Yahoo! Maps, 1501 W. Old Plank Rd., Columbia, MO |
1501 West Old Plank Road, Columbia, MO - Google Maps or
Map of 1501 West Old Plank
Road, Columbia, MO by MapQuest.
Ordering Parts -
The prices and parts in our web sites are current as of today. If you wish to place an order with me, please send us an email with a list of parts or call us at 1-573-875-4033. Tell us what part(s) you need and what you plan to use it/them on. We will need your name, mailing address and phone number so we can figure the shipping cost and mail the parts to you. Or if necessary, we'll either call or email you an invoice with the total including shipping. And for payment, we accept cash (in person), money orders, cashier's checks, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and PayPal, whatever you prefer. But if paying through PayPal, please add 5% to the total for what PayPal charge us for processing. (PayPal's surcharge.) Our PayPal account name is our email address. And our address and phone number are below. All your information is kept confidential. Prices shown are in U.S. dollars (US $). Shipping, packaging and insurance charges is extra, except where specified, and applies only to the continental United States.
To figure the shipping cost, we weigh the package with the parts, then we go online to the USPS Postage Rate Calculator web site. We type in the weight, our zip code and your zip code, and then it shows us the prices for various ways to ship the package. We always choose US Postal Service because we that's the most fastest, economical and reliable method.
Shipping: (United States and it's territories)
- To save you shipping charges, item(s) in a package or cushioned envelope weighing less than 13 oz. is sent by First Class Mail for a 2-6 day delivery.
- Most packaged item(s) weighing over 13 oz. is sent by US Priority Mail for a 2-3 day delivery.
- To save you even more on shipping heavy items, we always try to use the US Postal Services' Flat Rate Priority Mail envelope and boxes (if the item(s) can fit inside the envelope or boxes).
- Some heavy items weighing no more than 70 lbs. is sent by US Mail Parcel Post.
- Item(s) weighing over 70 lbs. is sent by FedEx Ground.
- We do not ship anything COD.
Ship to Canada and elsewhere around the world:
- Item(s) in a package or cushioned envelope weighing less than 1 lb. is sent by US Postal Service Airmail Letter Post for a 4-7 days delivery.
- Packaged item(s) weighing over 1 lb. and up to 66 lb. is sent by US Postal Service Airmail Parcel Post for a 4-10 days delivery.
- We cannot use the US Postal Services' Flat Rate Priority Mail envelopes and boxes to ship outside U.S. territories.
- Item(s) weighing over 67 lbs. or more is sent by FedEx Ground or equivalent services.
(When placing an order through PayPal, please specify which parts you
need.)
To make a payment to us through PayPal, go to PayPal's web site ( https://www.paypal.com/ ) and click Send Money. Type in (or copy and paste this:) pullingtractor@aol.com and then follow the directions. Be sure to mention in PayPal a description of what the payment is for. After you've finished, PayPal will then send us an email notifying us that you have paid us for the product(s) or services and amount entered. We then go to their web site and direct PayPal to deposit the money into our bank account. And we will send the parts to you as soon as we receive your payment. But we may have to order some of the parts if they're not in stock, which should take a few days. In that case, we will send you the parts as soon as they come in.. PayPal protects your financial privacy and security. With PayPal, privacy is built in. It's a way for you to pay without exposing their financial information.
IMPORTANT - When sending your part(s) to us for rebuilding or repair, package everything securely so the item(s) won't get damaged in shipping & handling and please include a note in the box with your name, mailing address, phone number and a description of what you want done. When the work is completed, we'll either call you or email you an invoice with the total including shipping & handling. And for payment, we accept money orders, cashier's checks, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and PayPal, whatever you prefer. But if paying with PayPal, please let us know beforehand because you'll have to add 5% to the total for what PayPal charges us for processing. We will return the parts to you as soon as we receive your payment.
Linked pages to our parts & services:
A-1 Miller's Performance
Enterprises |
Engine Rebuild Parts, Engine Rebuilds, Build-ups, Exhaust Header Pipe Kits & Machine Shop Services |
Transmission, Transaxle Parts, Rebuilds & Machine Shop Services |
|
Ignition, Electrical and Crank Trigger Electronic Ignition Parts and Kits |
Miller's Pulling Sled Services |
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