How to build the best track?? November 03, 2010 03:46PM
Its easy to complain about tracks that haven't been prepped right, but how do some pulls always seem to get it right? Track Crew? Dirt ? Luck? What works best in your area? Pick up the demo parts and hope for the best. Freeze, thaw wait for fair. Disc, water, pack, level.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 03, 2010 04:43PM
The biggest thing is time. Too many people try to build a track in two hours. A good power track can take all day to build. One peeve of mine is waiting on somebody else to get stuff there, such as the water truck or other necessary equipment.

Another problem is making sure the track is level to begin with, not full of humps and dips or slanted to one side or another.

Dirt is another factor. Some dirt turns to slime when just a bit too much water gets in it, others seem to take lots of water to even start to pack together. If pressed for time, mixing the water in with a 3-point rototiller could help. Good red clay makes a good, biting track. Guernsey County Fair in Old Washington, Ohio has some good clay like that.

As the pull goes on, make sure the track crew (scraper and roller) know where the pan is dropping on the track so they can put the dirt back in that spot. Those grousers dig in, and the dirt has to go somewhere. Too many times, even at Bowling Green, I've seen the crews fill in the tire holes, but do nothing where the pan dropped, leaving a dip that progressively gets worse as the night goes on.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/04/2010 03:02AM by Oliver1655.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 03, 2010 08:35PM
Helps if you have track builder that knows what a pulling track should look like. The "tilled up garden look" doesn't make good track, but alotta first time tracks end up that way! Ya get somebody that knows tracks and knows dirt, as well, look out! Kevin [the track building king] Bauer, comes to mind!!!
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 03, 2010 10:30PM
I would say on of the biggest headaches would be the weather,put water into track the day before only to have forecast change from sunny to probable and guaranteed rain the next day! or leave the track alone because of expected rain,and have a blazing sunny day instead-hence dusty and complaints of organizer didn't do enough and other not so nice comments, as we always say,next year should be better,optimism persists?
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 12:41AM
The best way to build a track, if there was a track there before; is to get a no-till ripper and rip the track approximately 3 ft deep. Then run the disk over a few times to break up the clots, then run scraper over to level it up, put the water on it and roll it! Then as the pull goes on, put misters on the scraper to keep moisture in the track!
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 02:36AM
3 ft. I would sure love to see the results of that!
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 01:01AM
Wow - good point on the diggers. I'd never thought of that. That helps explain why you see tractors get the hops more and more as the night goes on...
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 03:47AM
I have watched Tomah Super Grand National tracks be build many times, both before the afternoon session, and between the sessions when they have considerably less amount of time to rebuild them. If you think they dont dig down 3 ft. you need to look again. I am not sure who runs the track building efforts there, but I have never seen a bad track from them. The inject water right in that track and it holds moisture ery well. They also have very nice Clay to build on.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 06:51AM
Half that would be more accurate at 1.5'.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 08:56AM
If I was going to build a track, I would determine optimum moisture content that the soil needs for maximum compaction. It is easy test to run call modified proctor. What it does tell you how much water needed for maximum density or weight per cubit foot. As far as how deep. If you go more the 1 foot deep in my opinion takes very large heavy compaction equipment unless you put it back in 3 to 4 inch lifts. Any grading contractor or local govermantal agency that builds roadways have the testing equipment to test density. I would recommend see if they would donate time and equipment to help out. The soil needs to be clay with out much sand in it. I really enjoy this website. Thanks a good luck.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 10:04AM
Rip it open to about 1 to 1.5', till it up, water, let it soak in, re till and re water, let soak, re till and re water, let soak in repeat as needed grade and roll. Dont use a truck and hose to water the track, use a trailer and tank with PVC pipe with lots of hole drilled in, where as you pull and water the track two or three pass entire track is covered. This ensure that some spots dont get to much or not enough water.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 04, 2010 03:50PM
I have seen some fairs use a terra gator to water with. works really well. they put really large nozzles in.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 19, 2010 12:58PM
Not everyone has clay at there disposal.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 18, 2010 08:33AM
yea i agree with this after u have your track prep it is easy to keep it nice if u have a good scraper operator and rooler operator that is key to keeping a nice track you have to put the dirt back where it came from not just fill in the holes left behind by the puller if it goes down the track it must go back up the track
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 18, 2010 02:30AM
Well Jim the whole key to a good track is getting the moisture down wise guy!!!
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 18, 2010 04:13AM
The problem is,unless you truck in the dirt for the track, most of the time anything over 12-18 inches and your track prep will require a bunch of volunteers or a $20K rock picker unless you want the tractors throwing rocks everywhere on every pass. A good set of chisel plows usually do the job, with or without discs.

Additionally, three feet is absurd from the amount of horsepower it would take to run a ripper that deep, more so in the eastern U.S. where there aren't nearly as many high horsepower tractors in operation.
Reply Quote

Re: How to build the best track?? November 19, 2010 09:21AM
every track is different, tomah has been doing this for 40 years and have dirt where they want it competitors will tell you it doesnt take the power it use to (could be sleds thats another subject). some clay gets to hard in day stays good at night.try things that work year after year and maybe try something new once in awhile, dont make extreme changes.have heard a little sand or lime mixed in can keep clay loose
Reply Quote

Newer Topic Older Topic

Author:

Your Email:


Subject:
Spam prevention:
Please, enter the code that you see below in the input field. This is for blocking bots that try to post this form automatically. If the code is hard to read, then just try to guess it right. If you enter the wrong code, a new image is created and you get another chance to enter it right.
Message:
Website Statistics
Global: Topics: 38,779, Posts: 229,954, Members: 3,338.
This forum: Topics: 37,098, Posts: 226,037.

Our newest member Jacklovik2009