sled puller/ daily driver...not sure whats next.

[RichB1422]

ok guys, so ive built pull trucks before but never a duramax. my truck is my daily driver and sled pulling is just something i enjoy and its something i have to do. ive been very competitive when i was a ford owner but i was tired of fixing it all the time so i upgraded to a GM. The truck is a 03 2500 reg cab long bed, all mods are listed in my sig. im just not sure what i should do for motor/trans mods and how i should setup the suspension. it has a plow package and i have heard that the torsion keys are not the best for hanging weight off of for sled pulling( which doesn't make sense since it is meant to have weight off the front)

just looking for any info anyone is willing to share. thanks!

 

[arneson]

What class u wanna pull in?

 

[RichB1422]

just work stock, our rules here in CT arnt that great so i can get my truck in 7,000lb work stock, 7,000lb modified, 8,000 work stock, and 10,000 open class,

 

[Janimal444]

I would lose the torsion keys. It's not that they are bad for hanging weight, but you want to get your CV shafts as flat as possible when pulling, meaning lowering the torsion bars all the way down. With torsion keys it does not allow you to lower them enough.

 

[RichB1422]

ok, how horrible will it ride on the street after?

 

[Leadfoot]

Well, first and foremost is something to combat the toe-in issue these trucks are famous for (I don't see anything listed in your sig). I run Cognito braces and Super Diesel tie-rod sleeves. The braces are what combat the toe-in, and the sleeves are insurance just in case those don't work (to keep the tie-rods from bending and taking out the CV shafts).

You have a regular cab which many think is not a good place to start, but in a hanging weight class can be made to work. Get in touch with Derek Borden, he ran a regular cab all year and did very well.

Motor and trans mods......could get very expensive (not sure on your budget). I would talk to your tuner (Tony) as he is not new to the game and can work with you to keep your motor/trans "relatively" safe (there are no guarantees) and/or steer you in a build direction (maybe even just a tranny upgrade) and adjust the tuning to match.

Buy/Build a set of adjustable rear blocks (several vendors sell them here...Merchant, All Seasons, I think Fleece, etc) and a good hitch (Big Chevy Hitch).

As for the torsion bars, as long as you have stock keys, just remove the bolts when pulling. You will need to count the turns when removing in order to re-install at the same setting. Lifting the front end (all at once or side to side) helps during reinstall and I use spacers under the head of the torsion bar bolts, so I don't have to count each time i remove them.

Edit: see underline

 

[Leadfoot]

I just realized the keys are not stock. I know guys who run stock keys plowing (so you can swap them out) but they run timbrens to keep from bottoming out with the plow. As far as I know they don't ride too bad. Maybe somebody else can chime in who runs them.

 

[RichB1422]

thanks for the info! i have been looking into doing full tie rids and not just the sleeves and also the cognito braces as well, i installed a 2" cognitio leveling kit in an LML and after seeing the difference in tie rods i want them in my truck haha.

 

[SmokeShow]

Just lower the front for pulling then crank it back up afterwards. Just count the number of turns you made to lower it & go back up the same number of turns after.

I'm assuming you have a California emissions LB7 since you list an EGR blocker?

What did you have done to your ford to be competitive? What year/engine was it? That'll help us understand how much power you'll need to be competitive w/ the dmax.

 

[derek06]

In CT they are allowed weight in the front end as long as it does not stick out past the front bumper so I would make a plate to go under the front end to put weights on. (Ask me how I know this lol). I know a lot of my friends run tonys tuning and big dipper trans work great with them. Beef up your front end and make a weight rack build or buy rear suspension stops (CT is supposed to have 1" travel even tho everyone blocks solid or atleast the one pull i went to this year) I changed out my hitch for a class5 reese this past season but my stock hitch was fine for 1 1/2 seasons.

 

[Sledheadxp800r]

For CT all you really need is a 500hp tune, rear blocks, and a good steering setup and you'll be wiping your ass with just about every ford and dodge around here. :roflmao:

 

[RichB1422]

thanks for all the info!

and my ford was an 05 F350 dually, it only made 357hp on mass diesel dyno but that was the fastest 350hp truck i was ever in, truck never took home less then a fifth place and biggest breakage i had was i sheared the front pinion shaft clean at the Goshen stampede truck pull. i had a BTS torque convrter, arp studs, egr delete, and tunes from vivian at quick tricks in florida. the main reason that truck pulled the way it did was all in the suspension setup but i dont have that option wit the chevy

 

[derek06]

There's a bit of suspension set up to these if you want it to hook on our soft tracks

 

[kmax05]

And if you need tires and rims i have a set of 33/12.5/17 on chrome H2's i can deliver to tony's for by spring time, tires have 1000 mi and 3 hooks on them, like new:thumb:

 

[CT2500]

Kmax05 would you sell rims only?

 

[Sledheadxp800r]

CT2500 has a pretty mint dodge to watch out for in ct :thumb: he's beaten me a few times in the last couple years

 

[RichB1422]

yeah that damn silver stock dodge is one hell of a puller :roflmao:

 

[RichB1422]

Kmax05 would you sell rims only?

i only need the tires so if you want ill buy them and sell you the rims. i left my old tires on the ground in front of your shop and in front of debaise bro's last week. i have drag slicks all around haha