Club Events & Field Days
Each year, the Penn State Pullers strive to make the tractor design process a fun and rewarding experience for all members involved. We aim to provide club members with real-world experience necessary for their future career paths. We also emphasize teamwork and building relationships among members. We do this through various team outings and field days, where we like to have a little fun.
In the Fall 2018 semester, before our tractor design was on the ground, some of our members participated in a mock-up tractor pull to simulate the effects of a real tractor pull competition, to give members some practice behind-the-wheel, and to prepare them for the official pull at the ASABE competition in the Spring. We utilized the Penn State Agricultural Engineering department's Deutz-Allis 6250 farm tractor, and one club member's John Deere 316 garden tractor (roughly the same size & weight as our 1/4-scale tractor build).
The two tractors were chained together, and the garden tractor was used to (safely and slowly) pull the non-running farm tractor around a gravel parking lot while the emergency and service brakes were gradually applied, to imitate a weight-transfer sled. The farm tractor was also towed up a slight incline, which increased the load on the garden tractor and eventually brought it to a stop. The drivers learned how to control speed and traction, as well as set up and change weight accordingly, in order to pull as far as possible. This helped prepare them for the challenges that await them on the pulling track at the competition.
Here are a video and some photos of the event. Enjoy!
In the Fall 2018 semester, before our tractor design was on the ground, some of our members participated in a mock-up tractor pull to simulate the effects of a real tractor pull competition, to give members some practice behind-the-wheel, and to prepare them for the official pull at the ASABE competition in the Spring. We utilized the Penn State Agricultural Engineering department's Deutz-Allis 6250 farm tractor, and one club member's John Deere 316 garden tractor (roughly the same size & weight as our 1/4-scale tractor build).
The two tractors were chained together, and the garden tractor was used to (safely and slowly) pull the non-running farm tractor around a gravel parking lot while the emergency and service brakes were gradually applied, to imitate a weight-transfer sled. The farm tractor was also towed up a slight incline, which increased the load on the garden tractor and eventually brought it to a stop. The drivers learned how to control speed and traction, as well as set up and change weight accordingly, in order to pull as far as possible. This helped prepare them for the challenges that await them on the pulling track at the competition.
Here are a video and some photos of the event. Enjoy!
