Starting out

[Anonymous-0]

Hello I've got a 1947 Massy Haris 44-6 that my Dad left me. Was thiking of starting to pull. But not sure where to start. If anyone could give me some advice or point me in the right direction I would appriciate it.

 

[VicS]

I would go and look at a few massey's hitch and weight brackets. Pull it in the stock classes a few times then do something about your engine. Probably look for a bigger Continental. There is one around here that has had the engine changed and it is very competitive! He is on this forum from time to time. He can really help you. Maybe he will chime in. Vic

 

[JDJACK]

Go to a pull and pull it. Look at other tractors and watch them.

 

[Mike in Mn.]

I pull a 1950 44 with a 4 cyl engine, but have many hours in the seat of a 44-6. We play with a lot of old Masseys here on the farm. If you want to pull this tractor cause it was your Dad's, that's great! They are no power house, just a smooth runnin old horse. To give you some idea, on a good day a Massey 33 will out pull it. It will weigh about 4000 without any fluid in the tires, and will be a low gear puller. That engine will not lug much so it will only pull wound up as stock. The front end is pretty light so one thing I would change is run a short draw bar. I run mine 20 and 20. If you don't the front will be in the air right away.for a hitch you can run the rear cradle low and run the draw bar on top of it. Make a new draw bar from a piece of 1x2 or so and make it adjustable from 18 to about 24 long(from the center of the rear axle) and you can shim it up on the cradle to get your height. With you on the tractor It should pull in the 4200lb class on up. I pull from 42 to 55. Shorten the draw bar, tune her up, pull 1st gear and let her rip, on a good biting track you will kill the engine before you spin out, HAVE FUN.!!

 

[RandyB(MI)]

I guess I may need my eyes checked but I didn't see anything in your post about intentions of becomming a mechanic/welder and taking on engine swaps and wheelie bars/altered hitches/weight brackets etc , so my advice would be to find a pull with a "barnyard" class or slow speed rules or dead boat percentage pulls all of which are user friendly to a beginner with a stock tractor who wants to have fun as apposed to working on it all week to try to beat everyone else. Have fun.

 

[showcrop]

before going to my first pull I found out what weight classes I could enter and what the hitch height and other key rules were. having these few things right will give you a good start, and then just ask pullers that do OK and they will be happy to help you.

 

[MMZAck]

Guys like you are exactly the reason why I wrote the Antique Tractor Pull Guide. I pull a Massey Harris 101, which is similar to your 44-6. Send me an email, I can help.

Also, check out the link below to the ATPG website.

Best regards,

Zack
The Antique Tractor Pull Guide

 

[LarryM]

Zack has the best info on what you are trying to do. The challenge you are facing is your horsepower to weight ratio availability. There just is not enough horsepower available in the stock engine to be successful at pulling without spending big money even in the "stock" classes. There is however "other engine options" available depending on the rules you will be pulling under.