keeping fans interested June 29, 2016 10:31AM
I'm sure I read a forum where this topic was the item but can't find it now. I have read a lot of things and ideas about how to run a show and make it more interesting, less boring is another way, of saying it. But of the major items is of course keeping the show going with minimal lost time. But one thing I see at all pulls that I haven't seen mentioned is the amount of time it takes to maintain the track between pulls. Meaning running the the scraper and packer down the track between every tractor/pickup. Even in the slow moving classes many times it takes more time than the puller does to go down the track. I don't have the answer but just wanted to bring it up as it seems a lot of people never thought about it. If the scraper and packer are always going to take the same path, as they usually do, why couldn't they be hooked one behind the other on the same pull rig so there is no wait time between the 2? The time savings each pull wouldn't be great but over the course of 4 to 8 hours of pulling it would add up. Or am I thinking wrong? Any other ideas would be appreciated.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2016 10:33AM by 3010JD.
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Keeping fans interested June 29, 2016 01:57PM
I like the thought behind this post. The main thing I see wrong with hooking them both to the same tractor is that a lot of the pulls I go to the scraper tractor backs up several times throughout the pull. He is usually backing up when filling in the holes that the tractor leaves at the big end of the track.
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Re: keeping fans interested June 29, 2016 02:51PM
One thing I noticed at a two track pull last weekend was you have to have two different groups of scrapers and packers. At the pull I attended, it was two tracks but the scraper and packer were at the far end and it took forever for them to work both ends. The end result was that inevitably once one puller finished the other track didn't have a puller even close to getting on the track, let alone backing to the sled. It was very disappointing. Whoever was in charge of directing people to the sled was working way too slowly-- even with the limitations of having only one packer and blade at a two track event. Bottom line: It added HOURS of dead time to what otherwise was a great pull.

At fast moving pulls I've been to, there's a tractor working the starting line behind the sled and then other tractors working the track immediately after the sled backs away. With this system, the second track always has a puller backing to the sled once the other pull has taken place.
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Re: keeping fans interested June 30, 2016 11:23AM
I'm nowhere near a professional in this topic, but as someone that helps put on a pull I'd love to hear new ideas.

Two tracks is great if you have the space but as mentioned the pulls either need to be timed perfect or additional support equipment is needed. For many smaller pulls, the space, extra sled cost and extra equipment needed makes this option less economical.



There are many things you can do to improve the speed though.

For starters you need good operators and make sure to have a meeting with all of them at the beginning. Sometimes it's good to have two shifts so others can take a break. Some guys love sitting in a tractor all day and don't need one. Make sure they know what to do and what their purpose is as well as how to operate their equipment.

Get decent equipment, a lot of smaller pulls get equipment as a donation. Try to get tractors that can easily adjust speed on the go. Since close ratio powershifts and CVTs are not always common or available in this size machine, make sure you have a tractor that can start in the appropriate range/gear and maintain a decent speed down the track while still doing a good job. Some tractors just suck at this task. Make sure they have a good turning radius as well.

Create an efficient pattern for the equipment you have. In the scenario I deal with(which is common for many small pulls), the scraper and packer are both staged behind the sled, as soon as the puller is done they follow the sleds path on the side closest to the sideline, regardless of if it's left or right. They slow/stop 50-100' away from sled to allow the sled to finish it's end of run stuff and navigate to the other sideline, then they continue on their path, then they loop around well past the end of the track and continue back working the opposite side of the track. We usually already have the next puller backing to the sled by the time the scraper and packer return so they simply drive around them and back into their holding position. One flaw is the lack of scraping/packing at the immediate start. Over time if the operators notice a change they will make sure to correct it. This could mean scraping both sides of the start, then packing both sides and then following the sled. For a brush pull though, it eventually evens itself out without any extra work. Every other hook they may start on the left or right side, but then adjust sides to accommodate the sled maneuvering around them. If it's a class where everyone spits the sled to the far left or right, then you need to do a little extra work.

The other component is the SSL/CTL with the landplane. That person is staged close to the track or in line with the track but at a safe distance. As soon as the puller let's off the throttle, that person is moving towards the sled while trying to stay out of the path of a puller who would possibly whine if they had to drive around them. A good operator will know which side the scraper and packer are starting on and will work that run first, then reposition to allow the scraper and packer to pass. This reposition means working the furthest away that you can to avoid touching wither of the other two machines. As soon as they pass, the land plane operator can make their last pass and be out of the way before the others loop around and return to complete the prep process.

Just one person's take on track prep speed/efficiency. This method seems to get it done very fast for a single track. As a spectator, I've noticed one aspect about pulling is the delay between hooks. During a hook, spectators are focused and possibly covering their ears. In between hooks they socialize with those around them. If you don't know anyone around you or went to a pull by yourself or just with your kids, then the lag time is aggravating, but for others it seems like an appropriate amount of lag is acceptable or even appreciated.

You will never make everyone happy though, but an open mind can accomplish a lot. Go for a happy medium.

Cheers.
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