There are lots of stories in farming country about producers who hooked to the front end of their four-wheel drive to pull it out of the mud, only to end up with half a tractor at the end of their towline.
The correct way to pull a 4WD is to hook onto a good solid point at the front of drawbar, just behind the articulating point.
However, running a heavy line to that correct point is nobody’s idea of a good time when the mud is knee deep because of all the spinning and sinking.
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The best idea is to have the front tow cable attached, tied up out of the way and ready to go before venturing into muddy fields.
CNH took that Boy Scout “be prepared” motto one step further last year by making the tow cable standard equipment on all 600 tractors. Each tractor is built with a heavy braided steel cable attached at the correct pulling point and extending to the front of the tractor.
“The cable attaches to the tractor just behind the articulating point,” says CNH representative Darryl Priel.
“That’s the correct place to attach a cable to any articulating tractor, right at the front point of the drawbar.”
The cable is slung underneath the front differential, supported by a bracket so it doesn’t drag in the mud. If farmers need to pull the tractor, the cable loop is readily accessible.
Priel said this level of preparation doesn’t give potential buyers a negative view of the big tractor.
“Farmers know they’ll get stuck. It happens,” he said.
“With your tow cable anchored to the drawbar, it doesn’t transfer force through the frame. The force goes straight back to the drawbar, so you can pull the tractor and implement at the same time.”
Priel warned that pulling the stuck tractor from the frame puts a tremendous stress load on the frame and articulation points.
“We know that will cause some long-term structural damage every time we do it.”
The correct cable mount also gives the stuck operator full steering, which is a major factor when extracting implements from the mud.
Priel doesn’t expect the new 600 tractors to get stuck more often than other tractors, but their extensive hydraulic options mean they are more likely to be used in scraper and front blade operations, which are often muddy places.
“For example, in some situations we’ll have two tractors working in series. That would be in tile drainage installations. Use the cable to hook the drawbar of the lead tractor to the drawbar of the follow tractor so you do all your pulling through the drawbars, not through the frames.”
A factory installed tow cable is available as an option on new Versatile tractors.
John Deere has it available from the parts department under the name Tow Cable Kit #RE315780. It lists for $2,000.
For more information, contact Priel at 306-227-8786.
