Wagon Backing Competition

[Anonymous-0]

Need your opinions on an idea I had the other day. There's an antique Iron show down the road from me every year, and I've always wanted to be a part of it. Well, I thought up a competition that might go over well there. The goal would be to back a wagon straight back between cones. There could be four classes of tractors, narrow-front manual steer, wide-front manual steer, narrow front power steer and wide front power steer. The same wagon would be used for all 4 classes. It would be timed, with a panel of judges to see who has the best technique. Some of the old boys that have done it for years on the farm might like competing with fellow old boys. What do you think?

 

[Anonymous-0]

When I went to school and was in the FFA, that was a yearly competition for some members at field days and other competitions. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. The winner did for sure.

 

[MoMike]

I think that would be a great idea, however to make it more challenging have it be a loaded old hayrack. I spent 10 min backing mine into the barn last night.

 

[Chances R]

I have been puting on a tractor rodeo for 12 years now here in Evansville IN. I can tell you from my experience that it is hard to get people to try these games and the need for different classes will most likely will not be needed. Here is the rules that I use.
TWO WHEEL TRAILER & WAGON BACKING
The straight track is 25 feet wide and 75 feet long. Each driver has up to 2 minutes to back through the track without hitting or crossing the boundary laid out with orange cones The clock is stopped when any part of the wagon or trailer crosses the finish line. The tractor that pulls the wagon or trailer on the track cannot go first. Each driver has only one chance.
We only judge by time. Last week I put one on at a fair and there was 2 guys that it took 4 minutes to back 125 feet. I must admmit my run wasent pretty either.
my web site.

 

[Homard]

I think it is a good idea, but as "Chances R" wrote, just getting people to participate could be difficult. Just make it an open competition.

I like MoMike"s idea of adding a few tons of visual obstructions (hay), but include going up a barnbridge....

 

[Anonymous-0]

Did you use a single axle trailer or a wagon with two axles? I'm picturing a hayrack/flare box type running gear, not a road trailer. Thanks for the insight, though. 2 minutes seems a bit short, but I like the idea of using time only.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Actually I think a load is easier to steer and back up than a light rig. I try to avoid backing wagons up, so I don't really know for sure ; ) I definitely understand the 10 minute ordeal though.

 

[Hugh MacKay]

in too deep: I took part in one of these 50+ years ago. The IH dealer provided a new CS narrow front and everyone had to use the same tractor. We had a course we had to drive through, around turns, etc. etc. There were two back ins on the course. Most of the course was lined with fence posts with non breakable bottles on top. One of the back ins was elevated requiring one to back the wagon onto 2 - 12" wide planks, 12" off the ground. It also had a railing as one couldn's see wheels and planks. It was judged on time and how many bottles you didn't knock down. A downed post counted as three bottles. Besides the best time there was also a time limit. It was a lot of fun.

 

[Dick L]

We had the backing competition when I was in 4H 55 or 56 years ago. The wagon had to be backed up a distance and then turned 90 degrees and backed into a space a foot wider on both sides. We had to back a manure spreader thru a course as well as a side delivery rake. At the end we had to belt up to a saw rig. All timed. That is all I remember about it. Except I was 11 or 12 and the winner was 21. They didnt have age groups. You just had to be in 4 H. I was able to do it all without a penalty but was slow because I had problems with the belting to the saw rig. I went to a neighbor and had one instruction evening.

 

[Chances R]

Both 2 wheel trailer and a 4 wheel wagon.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Five years from now...you just watch. Theres gonna be $4000 prizes, and live feed cameras in the back of the wagon leading to a TV on the tractor, and laywers taking the people who host the event to court.

 

[the tractor vet]

They use to do that at the county fairs back years ago , ya had to back a 4 wheel hay rack thru a course . Don't think i could do it today can't get my head to sivel around enough anymore.

 

[armand tatro]

When you are hauling cobs from a corn sheller with a barge wagon with 6ft. sides pulled by a 560D. with factory wide front and backing into a pole barn so the box can go up to dump between 2 trusses you get good real fast. The time limit is to be back to the sheller before the next wagon is full without bringing any barn parts with you.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I just made a coment on this subject the night before last. Our neighboring town had nine inches of rain and I was asked to take the county comand center to the town. When I arrived they informed me that I was to go to a church parking lot and set it up. Simple enough but there is a different church parking lot right in front of the church I was to diliver it to,but not the church lot they actualy said. I was asked to back up a block or so and around a corner in a down pour of rain, and about 4" of water covering all street markings. All this with six cop cars with all their important top lights on behind me and all in differnt positions. This was about 3:30 AM. I informed them that I did not have the coffee and donuts to shut their fricking lights off. There was numerous folks needing help, not just flashing lights. OH SO you guys think I have a big mouth only on this board only!

After things got a little better they asked me if I didn't know how to back a trailer or what? or if I could have my wife back it for me the next time? They were joking of course, but I comented to our old chief that in the university of Nam that we used to get all smart on canned beverages and have a backing contest. I never lost a single time. We had to back around the motor pool and it was all sand and everything had OD green paint on it and all the trucks were scattered.

What I did was say I had to drive around it first to get my bearings straight. The simple part was it was nothing but deep deep sand. So when I drove around the motor pool I was leaving a semi trailer tire print the whole distance, and had to simply keep her in the tracks wide open in high reverse.

I never had to buy the beverages, and attempted to drink my fair share. We never ever tried it sober otherwise maybe I would have lost.

My point being that to keep it fair you probably should scuff up the track after every attempt.

We have discussed this at our local show, and there had been coments on perhaps having a hand clutch / no power steering class. Another class was to only allow the clutch to be let out once at the start and awarded by distance around the course completed before clutching the tractor to a stop position---timed and not timed could be a consideration for classes perhaps.

Another option was considered as the driver had to have a copilot to guide then from in front of the tractor---driver was not alowed to look backwards. Then pickup trucks were discussed also.

Does anyone besides me ever get advise in your truck mirror to turn your wheels this way as they spin their finger? The last few years I have attempted to break in a hired man by asking do you mean this way or this way as I spin my finger in the mirror? He once in a while will point to the way he wants the back of the trailer, but most times he still forgets.

Good luck, I'm sure it will be fun to many, let us know how it turns out.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I remember well competing in a backing contest at our local county fair. It was for any body 18 years old or younger. You could use your own tractor or one provided by the local Massey Ferguson dealership. needless to say, I was on our own Massey 65 with a single front wheel. The course was some 2 X 4's on 5 gallon buckets creating a parking space and the tractor was hooked up to a 1 axle manure spreader. You drove out and turned 90 degrees and weaved back and forth through 5 50 gallon drums that were spaced out in a straight row. When you got to the end, you then needed to back the spreader back through the barrels and back into the parking space. It was a timed event and if you touched a barrel or the buckets or were unsafe, you were disqualifed. I recall winning this event 3 years in a row as a 15, 16 and 17 year old. I like the idea of a backing contest. 4 wheeled wagons are obviously harder but if there was a similar local contest, I would try my hand again.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Dad won a wagon backing contest at the Indiana State Fair back in the 40s-50s. I wish I was as good at it as he was or is. Might be fun to let him try with my M and the hay wagon. I have done it a few times with my f-12 and wore out the steering knob! Oversteering it seems is where everyone including me get in trouble.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Still do it every year before the fair with the FFA and 4-H kids. They must pull through a course and back a 2 wheel and a 4 wheel trailer into a garage size stall. They are all timed. They also get points deducted for hitting cones or too far away from the back of the "garage". We had some official sizes and courses somewhere.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Forgot to mention that lawn tractors for the next generation of old men, and a pedal tractor class with more first place ribbons than there are contestants may add to the competition in years to come.

 

[Anonymous-0]

hey in something i have taken part in is back a tractor up to an egg on a stand. see how close you can come without breaking the egg and once you stop you are done.
it isn't as easy as it sounds when you are using an jd g without power steering.

 

[Jimmy King]

This used to be in the tractor driving compition in 4 H a friend of mine went to the national.

 

[Anonymous-0]

My dad was telling me that his FFA chapter had a tractor driving competition back in the 50's. One of the events was to get a 10' grain drill through an 8' gate opening. Can't remember if you had to go backwards or fwds.

I grew up on a farm and was never any good at backing a 4 wheel wagon unless it was unhooked, on flat ground, and empty.

 

[onefarmer]

Add to it, backing two, four wheel steer wagons hooked together. My father could do it, I never could.

 

[Anonymous-0]

That is nearly impossible, at least to get them to go much of a distance. I would love to see anyone back two wagons of a normal size nearing 200 bushel gravity box or larger (not trailers) at least 50' in less than half an hour! If you can and prove to me you did (say a video clip) I will buy ya a beer or twelve!

 

[onefarmer]

I never said I did it! My father did once when I was a kid. We was hauling hay and the front wagon had a flat. Rain was coming and the farm we was in front of was a big farmer and came out and offered us to put the wagons in his shed. My dad got it lined up good and straight and backed it in. I'm not saying he did it the first time but he did make it. This was like 35 yrs ago. I remember the guy saying he never saw anything like it before.

 

[Bill(Wis)]

Look at it this way. If the wagon was light enough that you could pick up the tongue by hand and push it back to where you wanted it, you wouldn't have a problem, especially after a little practice. Same principle with tractor attached. Just try to imagine you're steering the wagon by hand. It helps to have a narrow front tractor and a drawbar that is long enough to give good positive response to your steering input.