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Interesting question. If there's a Caterpillar dealer near you perhaps you can obtain or borrow a copy of the Caterpillar Performance Handbook. In the back of it there are tables that list traction coefficients and grade and rolling resistances which allow the estimation of situations such as you describe. If there's about 3500 lb on your drive wheels, on wet or compacted sand there is probably .40 times that or 1400 lb traction available. The combined rolling resistance of your tractor and load might be about 10% the total weight on all the wheels, tractor and load. To this per centage add the % grade up out of the sand pit at its steepest point. Say it comes to 10 + 10 = 20%. This total can then be divided into the available traction calculated above. So the total load that could be moved with the available maximum drawbar pull, including the weight of the tractor would be 1400/.2 = 7000 lb, assuming all these weights and factors are accurate. If the grade is not so steep, or if the rolling resistance is less, then obviously you can move more. And remember those brakes going down hill. There used to be a saying in the crane industry: "You can raise a load with dynamite, it's the setting it down that gets interesting."
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