Heavy Metal
- Thread starter amazinblue82
- Start date
67newport
Old Man with a Hat
Big rig Burnouts ... yeah, like at the drag strip.
I'll pollute "my" thread rather than the truckers' hangout.
Still find it (1) fascinating that this is even possible, and (2) are these "drag trucks" capable of doing real truck work (e.g, "eastbound & down" stuff) without reversing whatever was done in (1)?
I'll pollute "my" thread rather than the truckers' hangout.
Still find it (1) fascinating that this is even possible, and (2) are these "drag trucks" capable of doing real truck work (e.g, "eastbound & down" stuff) without reversing whatever was done in (1)?
67newport
Old Man with a Hat
in cab view at 7:10
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300rag
It's Not Going to Shift Itself
We had a few of these here few years ago. I for one love tractor pulls.
However, I am of "two minds" though on these epic fail examples
1. First, some fails are spectacular (especially when NOBODY appears to get hurt in these cases - although this sport has killed folks) .. almost as crowd-pleasing as the "full pulls"
2. BUT, I think about the cost to repair an epic fail .. they happen with such frequency how does this "sport" continue to attract competitors? Doesn't seem to be a profit motive .. so why do it?
source:
However, I am of "two minds" though on these epic fail examples
1. First, some fails are spectacular (especially when NOBODY appears to get hurt in these cases - although this sport has killed folks) .. almost as crowd-pleasing as the "full pulls"
2. BUT, I think about the cost to repair an epic fail .. they happen with such frequency how does this "sport" continue to attract competitors? Doesn't seem to be a profit motive .. so why do it?
source:
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LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
Any form of motorsports these days seems to be expensive.
Who are the motors heads in Denmark? Thats where this vid is from.
Apparent Americans showed up in thr early 1980's with bada** tractors and it caught on all over Europe.
Almost 100% full pulls ..the biggest tractors doing it like a walk in the park .. nothing shown blowin up..
source:
Apparent Americans showed up in thr early 1980's with bada** tractors and it caught on all over Europe.
Almost 100% full pulls ..the biggest tractors doing it like a walk in the park .. nothing shown blowin up..
source:
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LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
Turbines, Allisons, and Diesels in the modified class! I'd love to see the cost breakdown between them and the Supercharges Hemis.
last one .. and then I have pullers outta my system for a while 
older video. dunno where this tractor is. Italian-built Tornado 2. Pullin' the sled like it was nothing...
3 Allison V12s, 9,000HP -- finished 3rd place in Europe 10 years ago. Wonder what beat it?
older video. dunno where this tractor is. Italian-built Tornado 2. Pullin' the sled like it was nothing...
3 Allison V12s, 9,000HP -- finished 3rd place in Europe 10 years ago. Wonder what beat it?
I would too...
I have been looking for a "documentary" on tractor pulling .. I wanna see "behind the curtain" expose on this activity .. including the cost/benefit analysis.
Have not located such a piece of media...
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
last one .. and then I have pullers outta my system for a while
older video. dunno where this tractor is. Italian-built Tornado 2. Pullin' the sled like it was nothing...
3 Allison V12s, 9,000HP -- finished 3rd place in Europe 10 years ago. Wonder what beat it?
View attachment 545397View attachment 545398
They have to be using very little weight for pulls where they coast at the end. Are they timing them? Over here stateside, they're digging in hard at the end.
LocuMob
Fluid Technician with a hat
I watch the NTPA show on RFD-TV (channel 231 on Dish network) and they talk to driver's, and you sometimes get to see the operation at their shops. One team has a complete CNC department for engine and cylinder head programs. Then they sell to their competitors so the playing field is fairly level. That's one thing I love about pulling, they all seem to help each out, even if it means they get beat by that same guy they're helping. And you can still walk through the pits and talk to the drivers and teams.
I would too...
I have been looking for a "documentary" on tractor pulling .. I wanna see "behind the curtain" expose on this activity .. including the cost/benefit analysis.
Have not located such a piece of media...
This one 2002 is cool .. wanted something more recent tho...
I lied .. I am not quite done.last one .. and then I have pullers outta my system for a while
Though I like it, I am clearly NOT "into" tractor & truck pulling since I didnt know basic things about NTPA until @LocuMob pointed it out above. Hell, I havent been to a pull in 20 years and then less than 5 events in my life.
Unlike drag racing, which I was forced to learn that sport because I was a corporate sponsor, we constantly "stiff-armed" the puller segment .. what they were building/running were NOT like anything coming out of our factories. So a corporate ROI calculation always failed.
But, there is stunning engineering and creativity in pulling that makes it unique in many ways. Big HP, big noise, smoke and fire .. still quite the spectacle. What started at "pulling on Sunday, farming on Monday" has evolved substantially over the years.
Helicopter turbine mills, piston airplane engines, blown Hemi's .. mixing/matching, 3,4,5 engines at once, gear boxes, superchargers vs. turbo's or both .. and have it all NOT blow up on you (let alone overall safety). That takes skill.
HOWEVER .. still not sure though HOW anyone can make a living at pulling -- thats the business nerd in me. I am having trouble seeing the ROI (return on investment) in pulling. I see a sh*t ton of INVESTMENT -- the RETURN part is still a little hazy
Anyway, f ound a cool engine builder site with a focus on "modified" tractor pulling classes. Its older (2017) piece, but still fascinating. I am sure cooler/newer tractors have appeared in the past five years..
Now I'm done --- for now..
source: Immovable Objects & Irresistible Force
Excerpt and photos below:
"Probably the biggest difference from other motorsports is the multiple engine configurations of the Modified Class.
This class started out with single engine configurations, but found that more power could efficiently be made with the use of multiple blown alcohol engines joined precisely together.
Through the years, the tractors have seen three, four, five and more engines. The complexity of joining these massive engines boggles the mind, and also the pocketbook.
The number and type of engines vary with the particular class. Just check the array of engines that are legal including automotive engines (such as Mopar and Chevy), V12 WWII Allison aircraft engines, and even Lycoming jet engines!
And modified tractors sure don’t look like their Stock Class stock-appearing counterparts. They are more like an old style front engine rail dragster with the engine or engines sitting in front of the driver. "
And even though the modified tractors are different in appearance and size, they all must use the same 30.5×32 tires.
20 minutes of neat stuff.. specialized & general purpose .. many of which use machinery I first heard of today.
A few shown below in images. If interested in these/others they are in the video and described in more detail.
Low Loader (loaded with a mega-dump truck) can do up to 100 tons.
Loader transporters (think "roller skates" for tracked loaders -- the Komatsu is being "towed" with transporter under the tracks_)
"Slag pot" carrier -- the pot is the thing being dumped, the carrier is the rest of what's in the picture. Slag is the by-product of smelting.
"Road zipper". makes/moves temporary traffic lanes
Wood and rubber schredders. basically, they turn big logs and tires into "dust"
large-diameter themoplastic pipe fuser.. dunno how this was done before these machines came along
rotary (t0wed) brush clearing rake.
A few shown below in images. If interested in these/others they are in the video and described in more detail.
Low Loader (loaded with a mega-dump truck) can do up to 100 tons.
Loader transporters (think "roller skates" for tracked loaders -- the Komatsu is being "towed" with transporter under the tracks_)
"Slag pot" carrier -- the pot is the thing being dumped, the carrier is the rest of what's in the picture. Slag is the by-product of smelting.
"Road zipper". makes/moves temporary traffic lanes
Wood and rubber schredders. basically, they turn big logs and tires into "dust"
large-diameter themoplastic pipe fuser.. dunno how this was done before these machines came along
rotary (t0wed) brush clearing rake.
More on slag dumping.
Please, I am NOT making, NOR intending to launch. ANY environmental/political debating here, though I am sure there are concerns/ton of regulations where this gets discussed
It's. its just its a spectacular show and a process I have never heard of .. before today.
information source: Slag - Wikipedia
Please, I am NOT making, NOR intending to launch. ANY environmental/political debating here, though I am sure there are concerns/ton of regulations where this gets discussed
It's. its just its a spectacular show and a process I have never heard of .. before today.
information source: Slag - Wikipedia
BTW .. for folks like me NOT familiar with steelmaking .. therefore where "slag" becomes a "byproduct" of the smelting .. here's 12 minutes at Bethlehem Steel, Lehigh Valley in PA, circa 1995.
Process may be different nearly 30 years later .. but slag is still a byproduct.
The white arrow is where "slag pots" get filled (simplified diagram .. actual removal process in the factory is shown a few minutes later in vid).
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67newport
Old Man with a Hat
67newport
Old Man with a Hat
