Off Season Sled Pulling Mods

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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Texas!!!
Something I have always been curious about is, why does everyone swear by a tuff country 4" lift for sled pulling? Is it the corrected steering geometry that helps that much? Or is there something more to it.....

One of my theories is that with a tuff country lif tthe front doesn't sit on the foam suspension stops as much. Where as with stock suspension it is resting heavily on them so as soon as the front end lifts a little bit the weight comes off the bumpstops and the torsion bars are "loose" enough they don't put much downward force on the front tires.
It doesn't work that way. The front end either has weight on it or it doesn't. The only thing being on the bump stops would change is effective spring rate.
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
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It doesn't work that way. The front end either has weight on it or it doesn't. The only thing being on the bump stops would change is effective spring rate.


I never said it did. I'm simply trying to understand and maybe explain why a tuff country lift seems to help so much. Whats your theory?
 

05smoker

I'm officially done!
Mar 30, 2007
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I never said it did. I'm simply trying to understand and maybe explain why a tuff country lift seems to help so much. Whats your theory?

CV angles are more leveled? Tony B had one and was one of the top setups so people lined up for them?
 

JoshH

Daggum farm truck
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Feb 14, 2007
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I never said it did. I'm simply trying to understand and maybe explain why a tuff country lift seems to help so much. Whats your theory?
I don't have a theory. I was simply pointing out a flaw in yours. It was my understanding that the Tuff Country lifts were popular because of the angles in the front suspension compared to other lifts and the clearance for larger tires over stock suspension.
 

IOWA LLY

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Feb 23, 2007
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05Smoker,

Could be. Do most guy's that run a 4" lift, run 4" blocks in the rear? Or something less? I see you run lowering shackles on your puller. Whats your reason for doing so?
 

05smoker

I'm officially done!
Mar 30, 2007
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05Smoker,

Could be. Do most guy's that run a 4" lift, run 4" blocks in the rear? Or something less? I see you run lowering shackles on your puller. Whats your reason for doing so?

Not sure on the rear of the lift. Somebody that has one might be able to chime in.

I wanted to get the rear lower thinking it might not want to act like a lever so bad and want to lift the front. All I know is my front end doesn't come up near as bad as my old truck. Having the hitch as far forward as possible helps too obviously. Not sure if it's the best way or not, but I thought it worked well for us this season and see no need to change it back.
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
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Not sure on the rear of the lift. Somebody that has one might be able to chime in.

I wanted to get the rear lower thinking it might not want to act like a lever so bad and want to lift the front. All I know is my front end doesn't come up near as bad as my old truck. Having the hitch as far forward as possible helps too obviously. Not sure if it's the best way or not, but I thought it worked well for us this season and see no need to change it back.

Makes sense to me. I wonder if that's part of the reason the lifted trucks do well? Assuming they run a smaller lift block then 4" with a 4" lift on the front.

Most of the trucks I have seen with the back end jacked way up lift the front a lot also. So you might be on to something.
 

bullfrogjohnson

Big Girl!
Nov 20, 2006
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Did you notice a difference in the way it pulled after you installed the lift?

I just watched some videos of before and after and I'll let you be the judge. You might be onto something with the bumpstops. Granted when the truck was at stock height it was a single cp3 2.6 truck, with the lift it is a 2.8 2xcp3. It definitely comes up more with the lift.

Before
[YOUTUBE]lnGHTBxgUAM[/YOUTUBE]

After
[YOUTUBE]7YTyH6Thy68[/YOUTUBE]
 

RENODMAX

Dead Wrong
Mar 4, 2008
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TC 4" lifts run a 2" block in the rear. Most people I have seen have flat or negative CV angles and a lift also allows you to run a taller and wider tire.
 

IOWA LLY

Yes, its really me
Feb 23, 2007
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I just watched some videos of before and after and I'll let you be the judge. You might be onto something with the bumpstops. Granted when the truck was at stock height it was a single cp3 2.6 truck, with the lift it is a 2.8 2xcp3. It definitely comes up more with the lift.

Before


Does the front of your truck rest on the bumpstops in pulling form? Or do the torsion bars hold it up off the bumpstops?
 

Rhall

Old Skooler
Aug 12, 2006
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With a crew cab long bed, Troy also has a lot of leverage up front. Im not sure on the lift kit... a lot of people swear by them, i doubt i ever put one in my truck tho.. i would rather lower the back down, and let it set level with some kind of a coil over set up up front. I might even remove the torsion bars completely and let the weight rest mainly on bump stops..
 
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Akdiesel

IFS Hater
Aug 23, 2009
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Fairbanks
I just watched some videos of before and after and I'll let you be the judge. You might be onto something with the bumpstops. Granted when the truck was at stock height it was a single cp3 2.6 truck, with the lift it is a 2.8 2xcp3. It definitely comes up more with the lift.

Before
[YOUTUBE]lnGHTBxgUAM[/YOUTUBE]

After
[YOUTUBE]7YTyH6Thy68[/YOUTUBE]


Dude your truck is a frickin monster! Sounds a lot healthier of an exhaust note in the 2nd video.
 

05smoker

I'm officially done!
Mar 30, 2007
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Whos all going Air to Water this year? Any ideas of whos cores your going to use? Sizes?

I'm going the economical route with a frozenboost unit. Jimdmax has had good luck with one as have many others (the $499 one). There was a good thread on DP about it when they installed it. I'll look for it.
 

ecc_33

Junior Member
Aug 10, 2006
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I have 2" blocks also, I never pulled without the lift but would not take it off for anything. That was the best upgrade I think I have done to the truck thus far. I like having the hitch point lower than the back of the frame rails. I think it plants the truck better and makes it harder to lift the front of the truck. And I never touch my T bar bolts. I just set the cv's level and add weight.
 
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