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truck pull...strategy **Video and pics added**

Looks like your realy into this Leadfoot.

Do you know of a tech forum (like CK5) that is for pullers? I am building a rig that I would like to do some pulling with....it mostly for hauling the toys around on the road. But I haven't been able to find any good info on the net... thanks
 
thats pretty cool, but a little too red neck for me... anyway... to whoever said they are running about 10 psi on the street, isnt that a bit low? im not suggesting your tire will rip off, but doesnt it ride a bit off? i work in a shop and people come in everyday running 0 psi flat tires asking me to put air in them, so i honestly doubt tire spinning off the rim would be a problem running around 10 psi.
 
I don't know how much your truck weighs or what kind of gonads it has but...

1st and high range might be your best bet if you don't have the power. You'll have a "wider" rpm-speed range. 2nd and low range you'll have more power to get moving (and keep moving once you get full weight) and the ability to upshift (synchros, man) if you manage to get the sled going fast enough and be able to downshift at full weight. But, if you don't have the gonads, you won't be able to go fast enough (more gear reduction) because you won't be able to get into third gear.

I hope that makes sense.

Basically... in first gear high range you're stuck there. No synchros = no shift. You'll be able to get up to speed relatively quick but you'll soon run out of gear/RPMs and then as the weight gets on you'll run out of gear/power.

In second gear low range you'll be able to get the sled moving quickly, run out of gear/rpms, and then upshift. You'll then run third gear until the weight gets too high then slam it back down to second gear until you're out of horsepower.
 
Half of "street pressure" to most of us would be around 15 psi. I don't know what size tire you run on a "street" truck, but 3 to 5 psi off road is still damn low. 3 to 5 psi would be almost flat. I ran about 10 psi on 33's when running on the riverbanks (sand) and in the waters on the banks. 10 psi was showing a noticable tire width, too. This is where I say half of street pressure would be around 15 psi since most tires average 30-35 psi for street driving duties.
 
You better be damn, damn good at shifting fast and direct to the gear range you want to be able to do that.

I still call for low and 2nd to be the best overall range to work with. Had too much experience with that to use anything else.
 
blazerpro79 said:
to whoever said they are running about 10 psi on the street, isnt that a bit low? im not suggesting your tire will rip off, but doesnt it ride a bit off?
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The rig is around 4500lbs loaded for the trail and I run 44" tsl tires on 10" wide rims. I usualy shoot for 8-10 psi in the rear and 13-15 psi in the front when I run on the road. Even at these low pressures I still ware the center of the tread. If I go much lower I end up feeling some sidewall flex in the turns. The rig runs down the road fairly well untill around 70mph...higher than that and the tire vibes get bad.
 
Where were the pulls in MA??

Looks like either the Northampton Fairgrounds in western MA,or Chesire Fairgrounds in Keene NH--is it ??...I used to go to both places,and many in VT during the 80's to watch the tractor and truck pulls!... :D

Most of the stock K5's and pickups with manual tranny's I've seen win use granny low in high range,or the next gear up if they have a beefy motor,and they usually leave it in that gear,no up or downshifting..

One memorable win was a hefty woman in a 72 K5,with a 307,2bbl,all stock,looked like they pulled it out of a boneyard!--she did a full pull,with the motor spinning at 5500 rpm's or more the whole 300 ft with the valves floating,the front end bouncing off the ground!!. :D ..you shoulda heard the crowd!.. :laugh: the bouncing front end is what prevented most of the others from doing better...

.NONE of the "fancy" trucks with nice paint jobs and headers sticking out of the hood made it much more than halfway!..more than a few of the guys with the nicer trucks were embarrased to be beaten by a woman in a junky looking blazer! :haha: :haha:
 
Your truck must have some serious gonads to pull in 1st high. Most guys with modded big blocks won't even try that here. Not saying you don't, or can't try, but I know I struggle getting the RPM's up in Low range (although locked front and rear doesn't help) pulling in manual low with a 700r4 auto (with modded governor), 4.56's, and 33 A/T's. I do give up power to most as I run an SBC and everyone else runs BBC, BBF, or BBD. I was hoping to put the BBC in this year that I got from a fellow member, but am holding off until I get the funds to also put in the manual 4L80.
 
Looks like either the Northampton Fairgrounds in western MA,or Chesire Fairgrounds in Keene NH--is it ??...I used to go to both places,and many in VT during the 80's to watch the tractor and truck pulls!...
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No, those were from Westfield, MA. We haven't run Northampton for a few years as we run on the horse track (BEST track around) and the horse trainers didn't like and our club doesn't run in NH (although some guys from our club go there). We are actually back at the Northampton fair after a LONG absense (4-5 years) as they need the income we bring in.

I've seen win use granny low in high range
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Not calling BS, but I've never seen it. I have seen one guy launch is clutch and another 7.3L pump Powerstroke launch an auto tranny, both from trying to pull in high range. Stone boat....maybe, or a very light set transfer sled (slooooow weight transer).

One thing to learn about "most" pullers is you ask them what they run for gear and what RPM's they turn, etc. etc. You ask the same guy 3 times and you will get 4 different answers.....
 
I used to run 12/10 on my 33" TSLs.

I run 4/2 on my 40" TSLs.

Anything less than 2psi and I spin the wheel in the tire.
 
rcurrier44 said:
Looks like your realy into this Leadfoot.

Do you know of a tech forum (like CK5) that is for pullers? I am building a rig that I would like to do some pulling with....it mostly for hauling the toys around on the road. But I haven't been able to find any good info on the net... thanks
Click to expand...


I wish I did. There are alot of truck pulling and tractor pulling sites, but none that are "technical", if you come across one, let me know.

I do know as I use mine for a daily driver (and most others trailer theirs in), that what works well for toy haulin' (or in my case enclosed landscape trailer hauling) is not necessarily what's best on the track. Most guys run super stiff suspensions, rigid sway bars, etc. and some even run motors that overheat going down the road on long trips (empty with no trailer in tow) all in the attempt to squeeze out every last HP. I'm happy if I can beat them, but most times I can't. I just look to beat those that drive theirs in like I do...and sometimes I get beat by them too :eek:

I just like doing it, and enjoy driving it home afterwards.
 
Leadfoot said:
I do know as I use mine for a daily driver (and most others trailer theirs in), that what works well for toy haulin' (or in my case enclosed landscape trailer hauling) is not necessarily what's best on the track.
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I am hoping to make it adjustable enough that it can do both. I am using a trailing arm/air bag setup so I can adjust the antisquat and how stiff the suspension is. I also plan on running a stoker BB on NOS so I can run it normaly on the road and run both a NA class and a blower/nos class. Unfortunalty the 427 tall block that I was going to use sezed up last night when the guy was driving it into town....so I don't think I will use that one :doah:
 
rcurrier44 said:
The rig is around 4500lbs loaded for the trail and I run 44" tsl tires on 10" wide rims. I usualy shoot for 8-10 psi in the rear and 13-15 psi in the front when I run on the road. Even at these low pressures I still ware the center of the tread. If I go much lower I end up feeling some sidewall flex in the turns. The rig runs down the road fairly well untill around 70mph...higher than that and the tire vibes get bad.
Click to expand...

do you feel safe running 44s at 70mph???
 
big83chevy4x4 said:
if i had a auto, i would just put it in 4low and let the tranny shift. but with the stick, what would be a good gear combination. i have a sm465/np208 with 4.10 gears and 35s.
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You wouldn't shift out of 1st gear. Know a guy that was pulling with a '97 crewcab with supercharged, intercooled Vortec 454 in low range, 4.10 gears running about 33s and didn't hit the rev limiter in first.

If I get around to pulling my dodge/cummins again I'll try to shift. Held it at 3300rpm all the way down the track. Running 33s and 3.54 gears/auto. The only two pull trucks that showed up in Bay City were 4sp bigblocks and both broke drivetrain parts.
 
my truck has some cahones, i wouldn't call it alot. the motor is just a 355 with speed pro forged flat tops and a comp 4x4 cam (12-239-2 part#). stock heads, holley contender intake, small tube headers. i have never run out of HP when i tried.

i don't like the idea of hi and creeper, i don't want to shift either. i can shift from creeper to 2nd just as fast and i can 2nd to 3rd and to 4th, SLOW.

but looking at the numbers, hi and creaper is 26.81 final ratio while low and 2nd is 38.2. if i don;t get enough momentem, i don't think i will pull it any when the weight gets to the top. i will have to drive around and see what gear i think i will do well with.
 
I didn't know how to lock up the rear suspension, thanks for pointing out the correct way.... :waytogo:
 
Low range/second gear would allow you to get it moving to overcome static friction, run 'er up to 5500-6000, grab third gear, and run it until she starts slowing down (watch the tach) to the point where you can be at 6,000rpm or less in second gear, and then drop it back down into second gear (keep your foot on the stupid pedal so you can run the r's up so you can get it into second gear under power). If you've got more traction than power you'll eventually come to a stop.

If you run first gear/high range you'll have that entire time after you get the sled moving until it starts building weight that you'll be at 6,000rpm with not a lot of load on the motor.

A decent 12" clutch will take a lot of abuse. In the olden days, I used to do 5200rpm launches with a BBC. A lot of people are afraid to feather the clutch but people like you and I that grew up on dirtbikes/quads know they'll take a lot of abuse until you get them heat soaked.
 
Just plan on running one gear and not shifting. If it is too much/little gear stop within the first 75' or so and you can restart your pull. Most pulls allow you to do this once. I know one guy that pulls with a BBC and SM465 competitively. He tried high range several times and broke the t-case input shaft many times.

Alot will depend on how heavy the sled is. The one I hooked to in BayCity was really heavy. I weighted in over 7,000lbs and had a hard time getting the sled moving, traction wise. You'll be surprised how fast that sled gets heavy and wish that small block had a few hundered more cubes :D !
 
If I may chime in here:

Doing a pull only once a year, I always forget to remember the strategy from the year before :thinking:
I never tried it in high although (K30, 400/208; 6.2 Diesel NA; 4.56 gears 37" tires).

Recently I had to swap to my old tires (235/85 R16 MT, about 31") and the pull is only 3 weeks in the future.
I'm still thinking low range would be best for my gear/tranny/engine, even with the 31" tires. As airing down seemed to help in the past, I will give it a try this year too.
 
[quote blazerpro79]thats pretty cool, but a little too red neck for me... anyway... [/quote]

Hey, I resemble that remark :wink1:

I'm a shirt and tie guy with bachelor's degree during the week for work. It's amazing how many funny looks I get when I tell people I belong to a truck pull organization and do demolition derbies. I get even funnier looks when I tell people I actually like to work on cars and trucks......most of the people I work with have a mechanic on speed dial. :crazy:

To each their own I guess :laugh:
 
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