New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 27, 2019 06:59PM
Glad I found this site, seems to be the most active tractor pulling site on the internet...even though it feels a bit primitive for a modern day chat forum, so you know the active users here must be die-hard fans!

I grew up watching tractor pulls at local fairs in Massachusetts, and have played with building some custom mowers over the years but I want to start competing with my grandfathers old CubCadet 122. I am having a hard time finding information about classing as it seems to change from group to group based on location? What I am afraid of is building something that will limit who I can compete with, since custom power-sports in general is a dying hobby due to the new generation of things not to mention this is already a niche sport as it is being tractors. I know I am going to have to travel a bit to enjoy this so I have to be prepared for that to some extent. I am now located in the Tampa FL area and I would have to go back to MA to get the tractor, I do not own property down here so I can't really do much with it at home as far as riding it. I would think there would be enough events down here to get some use out of it so the fun does not die after I am done building it, I could do some mudding with it too or trail riding if I played with the gearing.

Stock pulling takes away half the fun of the sport in my opinion since I love modifying things, so I need to pick a class to run the tractor in...or at least some boundaries that will allow me to fall into one class or another from location to location. Which brings me to my next question of what to do with the engine or what I should swap it out with. Seems like most people are dumping the old cast Kohler blocks lately for a twin cylinder OHV engine (the sport must be getting increasingly more competitive?) but those are not cheap. There is only so much I can do with a 12hp flat head so is it worth modifying it? If I went with a new twin cylinder OHV it would be a Kohler since its a bit more purist to the tractor, even though the Predator twin engines are popular. The only thing that came to mind with the original flat head was running it on alcohol, not sure how that would match against the new 22-25hp twin engines. If I blow it up on alcohol I can always look into a new twin OHV. The engine may change the class I am able to compete in as well, if it falls into too high of a class I may not have enough local people to compete with. Advice?


Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 02:32AM
First and foremost look around and see what clubs are active in Florida, attend one of their pulls and see what is running. Typically clubs have separate classes for the singles vs the twins and some clubs even divide up by engine original hp (i.e. 12hp class etc.)

You have a good starting place with the 122 and the sky is the limit with modifications. A good places to start for information is Brian Miller's Tractor Pulling Tips

Also spend some time on the Midwest SuperCub website; Vogel machine and Zack Kerber to name a few looking at parts.

If you have Facebook, there are groups on there dedicated to garden tractor pulling that will help as well.

It can be a fun hobby especially if you enjoy the engineering side of it.

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 04:14AM
After you get the tractor and start taking off all the stuff that makes it a cool stock tractor I would be interested in the sleeve hitch and creeper gear for a 122 I’m restoring

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 06:57AM
Quote
mh49
First and foremost look around and see what clubs are active in Florida, attend one of their pulls and see what is running. Typically clubs have separate classes for the singles vs the twins and some clubs even divide up by engine original hp (i.e. 12hp class etc.)

You have a good starting place with the 122 and the sky is the limit with modifications. A good places to start for information is Brian Miller's Tractor Pulling Tips

Also spend some time on the Midwest SuperCub website; Vogel machine and Zack Kerber to name a few looking at parts.

If you have Facebook, there are groups on there dedicated to garden tractor pulling that will help as well.

It can be a fun hobby especially if you enjoy the engineering side of it.

Thanks that should point me in the right direction. Good to know most have separate classes for single and duals, I looked into higher HP flat head Kohlers but I would have to notch my frame for the flywheel past 12hp.

After posting this I did turn to Facebook and found several very active groups, seems like thats where its at now!

Quote
Hrc
After you get the tractor and start taking off all the stuff that makes it a cool stock tractor I would be interested in the sleeve hitch and creeper gear for a 122 I’m restoring

I will keep that in mind, I believe it is only a 3-speed so I need to figure out how I want to set it up. I need to reserve a gear for pulling, and also have two higher speed gears for playing around. Too bad there are not more gear sets to change so I could dedicate a few to pulling and a few to higher speeds. The only thought that comes to mind is pairing a torque converter with the 3-speed gear box for variable speed but with direct drive I am not sure that is possible...I have done it with riding mowers that use a belt drive.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2019 06:58AM by PinkFloydEffect.

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 03:03AM
You need to get on facebook,locally classes and rules vary on a huge scale,

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 06:58AM
Quote
patches
You need to get on facebook,locally classes and rules vary on a huge scale,

Yeah I definitely found the active communities on Facebook, but that is what I was afraid of with the varying rules...that is kind of frustrating.

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 09:30AM
That tractor in the picture has a separate gear box on the front of the transmission input that is a creeper gear. You will want to remove it for pulling. Definitely check Brian Millers pulling tips. He has a ridiculous amount of information on his website mostly geared to cub Cadet. Pick a class and build to the rules in your area. Mid West Super Cub will send you a paper catalog for free if you request one. Excellent reading material for the man library most importantly have fun

Re: New To Pulling - Choosing A Class? (CubCadet 122) June 28, 2019 02:42PM
Welcome to the forum. I'm just starting down the same road as you with a 122 and a 128 for my kids. I agree with the advice given so far. The rules can vary a ton between clubs, even for "stock" classes. Find a club close by and see what they'll allow. Also, don't underestimate what you can do with that little Kohler 301. There are tons and tons of things you can do and you can get some serious horses out of that engine. Like all other levels of pulling, it's only limited by your wallet.



Jake Morgan
Owner, PULLOFF.COM
Independent Pulling News



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