Need Help getting ready for Sled Pulls

[wes06dmax]

Trac Bars, clamp leaf springs, tie rod sleeves, put blocks inbetween the frame and axle, lower the front end all the way down, good all terrain tire 50 psi in the rear tires and 40 psi in the front hang all your weight in the front remember the sled is pulling down all the time so weight in the back is wasted, put it in 4x4 low tow-haul on put in 2nd gear hold the brakes build a little boost then eas off the brake tell you feel the sled moving good then hammer on it at 100 ft mark manual shift into 3rd and hang on tell the ride is over good luck and post a video of your pull :thumb: and most clubs will let all the safty stuff go for the first couple times you pull just say you are pulling for the first time and that you are there to have fun, then after you get your feet wet and wanna pull alot you will have to do the cross bolts in the down pipe and safty loops and shields around the drive shaft and dont waste the money on a e-locker until you get very serious with pulling you will do fine with the stock locker only thing will happen it that your front tires will just stop spinning when you reach your limit anyways, but you with twins you might be able to pull 4th

 

[$Smokin_Duradog$]

x2 On what durallymax said in his post. Everything he suggested will keep your truck in one piece. Only thing I would add to the braking part would be it is ok to "ride the break" if the truck starts to hop. Usually you can stay in the throttle and bring on the break until the hop stops then start letting up on the brake. But like he stated never try to stop with the brakes on the track let the sled stop you or you will need a new bumper/ bed. LoL

 

[Rhall]

Trac Bars, clamp leaf springs, tie rod sleeves, put blocks inbetween the frame and axle, lower the front end all the way down, good all terrain tire 50 psi in the rear tires and 40 psi in the front hang all your weight in the front remember the sled is pulling down all the time so weight in the back is wasted, put it in 4x4 low tow-haul on put in 2nd gear hold the brakes build a little boost then eas off the brake tell you feel the sled moving good then hammer on it at 100 ft mark manual shift into 3rd and hang on tell the ride is over good luck and post a video of your pull :thumb: and most clubs will let all the safty stuff go for the first couple times you pull just say you are pulling for the first time and that you are there to have fun, then after you get your feet wet and wanna pull alot you will have to do the cross bolts in the down pipe and safty loops and shields around the drive shaft and dont waste the money on a e-locker until you get very serious with pulling you will do fine with the stock locker only thing will happen it that your front tires will just stop spinning when you reach your limit anyways, but you with twins you might be able to pull 4th

40 psi on the front is high, way high, i would bring them down to 25 atleast, and if you wait till 100 ft to nail it, youve lost a lot of momentum you could have been gaining, unless it was a really loose/muddy track, i would be full on from the line. But that depends on tracks, we have some real good tracks around here for the most part, but you can win a pull in the first 100ft.

 

[durallymax]

40 psi on the front is high, way high, i would bring them down to 25 atleast, and if you wait till 100 ft to nail it, youve lost a lot of momentum you could have been gaining, unless it was a really loose/muddy track, i would be full on from the line. But that depends on tracks, we have some real good tracks around here for the most part, but you can win a pull in the first 100ft.

Exactly. The first 50' determines if you will do well or not. But our tracks around here are very nice clay tracks with consistent moisture, and groomed very well.

Around here if you wait till 100' to nail it, you can have 1,000hp and get beat by a 500hp truck.

The first 100' is when you are just pulling dead weight that is on wheels. Its easy. you need to get your speed up, because that momentum will help you carry the sled further.

 

[wes06dmax]

Exactly. The first 50' determines if you will do well or not. But our tracks around here are very nice clay tracks with consistent moisture, and groomed very well.

Around here if you wait till 100' to nail it, you can have 1,000hp and get beat by a 500hp truck.

The first 100' is when you are just pulling dead weight that is on wheels. Its easy. you need to get your speed up, because that momentum will help you carry the sled further.

Yeah but in 3rd gear you can only go so fast and our tracks are like pulling on glass some are just perfect and some are hard as hell so I just know what works for me :thumb:

 

[blacked_out_lly]

Lower the T bars down and if you dont have sleeves get some. If you have the factory centerlink and no braces strap it or get some braces.

what do you mean by straping the centerlink, i have the heavy rods but no braces and i dont have money for braces right now i just spent most of it my zf-6 fixed

 

[durallymax]

somebody one here should know how to strap it. I personally dont, I just went right to a straight centerlink.

 

[wes06dmax]

Here You Go :thumb:

 

[meanmachine]

I was thinking about making something to support my centerlink like what Mike Tomac has on his truck. I have braces and sleeves but I had a bad launch at the drags, my front end wasnt down all the way but my cv axles were close to level. Does this really help that much with the straps? And do you put one on each side or just the one strap?

 

[adas]

can you turn at all with the centerlink strapped? how do you get to the line lol

 

[durallymax]

The reason you need to support your centerlink is because it rotates and pulls the tires in towards each other.

In theory you should be able to turn with it strapped providing it can still slide within the strap, might be a bit tougher though.

 

[blacked_out_lly]

how much will the tires flex in without braces or a straight center link, i have heavy tie rods

 

[durallymax]

Here is a vid of my truck with no sleeves no centerlink and without the t bars down. On a crappy track

[YOUTUBE]vofyAkhV1AQ&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]


here is the same track the next year but with the straight centerlink, sleeves, and the t bars down. Nice a straight down the track.


[YOUTUBE]45SAPyl_GSk&NR=1[/YOUTUBE]

 

[03-GMC]

So slowly let of the brakes as you roll into the throttle more?

 

[LBZ]

Wow those vids really show how bad things can get!! I have the braces/cognito HEIM's. Hopefully that should be enough to keep things straight!!

 

[DIESELMAFIAPER.LB7]

I just strapped my front end down Fabtech tie rods beefy idler an Pittman I stayed straight just forgot to put it 3 an let it in drive hit 5th at bout 70 ft game.over how should I work it no that I'm running a 2.6 charger spool it up an then give it hell

 

[durallymax]

Wow those vids really show how bad things can get!! I have the braces/cognito HEIM's. Hopefully that should be enough to keep things straight!!

that it does, its pretty extreme dont know how it held together. Maybe ill sell the vid to centerlink MFGs.

As for spooling up on the line, its up to you. Many factors affect when to do it and when not to.

I always spooled up a little bit. Until I grenaded my front end doing it. Then i was too scared to do it and would just floor it off the line with my 2.8 charger.

When you are spooling it up on the line, you want to build up heat so when you mash the throttle the turbo will light. Watch the EGT gauge not the Boost gauge.

 

[straightpiperoar]

If you do traction bars you dont need spring clamps. For pulling you want a long bar.

Lower the T bars down and if you dont have sleeves get some. If you have the factory centerlink and no braces strap it or get some braces.

You may need a regulation 3x3.75" pulling loop. Depends who you run with. Hitch height will most likely be limited to 26" and thats where you want to be.

A weight bar if its allowed is a good thing, our trucks are light.

Blocking the suspension as solid as allowed is a good idea too.

A decent new all terrain tire or half wore mud terrain will put the power down.

An e-locker will help.

Driveshaft loops, cross bolts, kill switch and a stack are good safety things to have.

With the power you have you should be able to hit 4th. Once you get some heat built up on the line roll into it quickly and once it hits 4,000RPM peg 4th then hold on.

Basically just keep it pinned, if anything clunks or sounds weird keep it pinned and worry about fixing it later.
best other advice i can give you is NEVER HIT THE BRAKEs. your bumper/box will thank you.

o and always watch the flag guys. Do whatever they tell you even if you dont think it is right unless it is unsafe.

I love those words!!!!!!!!!!

 

[03-GMC]

If you do traction bars you dont need spring clamps. For pulling you want a long bar.

Lower the T bars down and if you dont have sleeves get some. If you have the factory centerlink and no braces strap it or get some braces.

You may need a regulation 3x3.75" pulling loop. Depends who you run with. Hitch height will most likely be limited to 26" and thats where you want to be.

A weight bar if its allowed is a good thing, our trucks are light.

Blocking the suspension as solid as allowed is a good idea too.
A decent new all terrain tire or half wore mud terrain will put the power down.

An e-locker will help.

Driveshaft loops, cross bolts, kill switch and a stack are good safety things to have.

With the power you have you should be able to hit 4th. Once you get some heat built up on the line roll into it quickly and once it hits 4,000RPM peg 4th then hold on.

Basically just keep it pinned, if anything clunks or sounds weird keep it pinned and worry about fixing it later.

best other advice i can give you is NEVER HIT THE BRAKEs. your bumper/box will thank you.

o and always watch the flag guys. Do whatever they tell you even if you dont think it is right unless it is unsafe.

Do you have any pictures of this? After reading through some of our rules looks like I will go into a higher class because I have twins. Plus it states

23.An OEM-style suspension is mandatory. Traction bars and devices are permitted; they must be bolt on only; welds are permitted for attachment to frame or axle housing. Control arms may be strengthened or replaced, provided all original mounting points are retained. Strut tower braces, lower tie bars, sway bars, limit straps, and camber kits are permitted. The rear suspension may be bolted solid to eliminate travel. All rear suspensions must use at least one working shock absorber per wheel.

 

[TrentNell]

Do you have any pictures of this? After reading through some of our rules looks like I will go into a higher class because I have twins. Plus it states

with twins you will be running in the 3.2 class , that is what i had to run last year .if you have questions call Matt , he helps tech trucks at most the events , and is very familiar with the class rules.