Right off the farm Oliver 77 RC

[Brian Williams]

I kind of feel silly asking this question due to the fact that I?ve been around tractors my whole life and been to many tractor pulls. I just bought a right off the farm Oliver 77. I?ve wanted one for a long time because when I was a child we had a 77 on the farm. When we sold the farm the gentleman that bought it used it to win many tractor pulls back when they had pull on Saturday, plow on Monday tractors.

I pulled my tractor on Saturday and was very disappointed to say the least. And my factory draw bar was set at 18 inches, which is in the top hole of the adjustment. The drawbar was in the long setting. Before I even moved the sled the front end was off the ground. My son beat me with his Farmall H. Frankly speaking, I?m getting tired of him beating me every time we go out with two tractors to the pull.

What do you guys do using the factory drawbar to pull good? It burns a little oil but it was sure not short on power. I don?t want to alter the old girl much because it?s mostly for show. It has 12.4 38 tires with cast centers. They weighed me at 4075. I thought it would be heavier. Did he misread the scales?
It doesn?t seem like the drawbar moves that much when you place it in the short setting. I?m sure that will make a difference but is it enough?

 

[johns]

Do your rules specify a stock drawbar or are you pulling in classes that allow a modified hitch? As short and as high as possible within rules is what I would do regardless of class.

 

[showcrop]

Well, you say that you know that it is not short on power. I assume because it spun out. What weight class were you in? What gear. Oliver 77s don't use first gear below 5000 lb class. I expect that except for your tractor all were on were on 15.5-38s. 4075 means you want to get 75 lbs off and enter 4000 and 4500. Conventional wisdom is that you set your drawbar as high and short as possible. HOWEVER, if you are front heavy at 4000 lbs you can overcome that by letting it out a couple inches. Your 77 came with 39 belt HP. it is now probably around 33. The other Olivers in the class are probably producing around 55 HP.

 

[Pmer]

If you are burning some oil try changing to a straight 40 weight. It should help increase the compression. Try to run the hitch as far in and as high as rules allow. I cut my 77 hitch shorter and bolted a plate with a hole in it for the sled and I have a factory hitch I can swap in too.

Adjust the main jet on the carb by taking off hard at high idle in 5th or 6th gear. If it stumbles with no smoke open the jet till you start getting a better response. Likewise if it's too rich and grey smoke is pouring out turn it some. You'll notice a difference if the carb isn't set right.
From here on all it takes is money LOL.