Here's a question. Say you have a large piece of equipment stuck and 2 smaller identical tractors that are unstuck. if neither smaller tractor can pull the larger one out by itself, but both together might.... Do you hook each tractor to the stuck equipment (side by side) or do you hook one to the stuck and then hook the other to the front of it (in line)?
Pulling with 2 tractors
- Thread starter hudr
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I did this once many years ago. While working for a farmer checking the fenceline in his pasture (first time for me in that area), I drove his JD4020, a big tractor, along one side of a bog. The ground looked fine, covered in grass and not really in a low area. The farther I drove, the more the tractor started leaving ruts. I was in 7th gear at half throttle. Looking forward, the ground looked no worse than behind, so I went to full throttle. About 100 yards later, the tractor was sitting on its belly and the ruts were FULL of water!
I went and got the farmer, who instantly realized that he FORGOT to tell me not to go along that area of the fence (duh).
Anyway, we got another one of his big tractors and all the chain and steel cable we could gather at three farms and headed to the beast. Strung out the chain and cable and got the 2nd tractor stuck.
Came back with a 3rd tractor with duals, and with more chain and cable, hooked it in front of the front stuck tractor. Running all three, we got them all out.
That was 30 years ago and I'd bet the ruts are still there.....
Ron
I went and got the farmer, who instantly realized that he FORGOT to tell me not to go along that area of the fence (duh).
Anyway, we got another one of his big tractors and all the chain and steel cable we could gather at three farms and headed to the beast. Strung out the chain and cable and got the 2nd tractor stuck.
Came back with a 3rd tractor with duals, and with more chain and cable, hooked it in front of the front stuck tractor. Running all three, we got them all out.
That was 30 years ago and I'd bet the ruts are still there.....
Ron
jwstewar
Elite Member
Bird
Epic Contributor
I've never had to do it with tractors, but about 3 years ago a nephew got a rented moving van type truck stuck. I wasn't able to get enough traction to pull him out with my 2WD, 3/4 ton Ford pickup, but then when we hooked my brother's Suzuki Sidekick to the front of my truck, everything came out easily.
JoeL4330
Platinum Member
"Parallel" or "Series" ...probably doesn't matter much ... think about dog sleds, or horse/oxen teams, troikas, etc. ... parallel case depends more, I bet, on no. of attachment points and/or ability to equalize load, and/or width of track/trail ahead.
Henro
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I think I read somewhere that the danger with hooking tractors in series is that the line that is pulling on the stuck item has a greater chance of breaking when it is feeling the pull of two or more tractors.
So the operator of the tractor closest to the stuck item is in more danger, all things considered, with a series hook up, than if he were pulling on the same chain/cable/strap with only his tractor.
There may be other reasons...wish I could remember where I read about this...some farm/tractor safety site I think...
So the operator of the tractor closest to the stuck item is in more danger, all things considered, with a series hook up, than if he were pulling on the same chain/cable/strap with only his tractor.
There may be other reasons...wish I could remember where I read about this...some farm/tractor safety site I think...
If you can do parallel (based on what JoeL4330) said and for the safety reason Henro said, it's probably the best way.
Another potential reason is that each pulling vehicle has it's own clean traction area. When in series, if the first tractor digs things up or whatever, the 2nd tractor will have to contend with that mess and may loose some of its traction.
Another potential reason is that each pulling vehicle has it's own clean traction area. When in series, if the first tractor digs things up or whatever, the 2nd tractor will have to contend with that mess and may loose some of its traction.
rockinmywaypa
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If a person had it at their disposal the best thing to have would be a pulley attached to the stuck vehicle and then each pulling tractors attached to the ends. Then when one slips a little the other can still keep a steady pull on the stuck one. Pull is more constant without the jerks and stoppages that occur when one slips and then the other can't pull all the weight. Of course in a perfect world you wouldn't have one stuck in the first place. Close to 30 yrs ago in one corn season it was incredibly wet and the harvester and trucks were always stuck, Boss got a big block and tackle from a towing company which was about the only way some of that equip was going to see motion again.
AndyM
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PineRidge
Super Member
Before we got our home built and the drive graded our lot was more mud than anything else. One hot summer day we got the 4 WD Explorer stuck up to the belly in gumbo about 700 foot from the road.
We called a tow truck and when they arrived they got about half way back to us before they were sucked in by the goo himself.
He got on his radio an about 30 minutes later we had a tow truck on the main road that looked like it could handle semi's with ease. The big guy stayed on solid ground and played his cable out to the tow truck that was stuck. The stuck tow truck played his cable out till it attached to our Explorer and 20 minutes later we were all on solid ground.
I really can't tell you if it was the right way or the wrong way, but I can tell you it got me to the highway and that's what counts. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
We called a tow truck and when they arrived they got about half way back to us before they were sucked in by the goo himself.
He got on his radio an about 30 minutes later we had a tow truck on the main road that looked like it could handle semi's with ease. The big guy stayed on solid ground and played his cable out to the tow truck that was stuck. The stuck tow truck played his cable out till it attached to our Explorer and 20 minutes later we were all on solid ground.
I really can't tell you if it was the right way or the wrong way, but I can tell you it got me to the highway and that's what counts. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif