What is harder on the truck?

[TheBac]

IMO, sled pulling is tougher. This is my theory, mock it as you may. You guys will let me know if my thinking is FOS....

In drag racing, the stress is highest at the start. Engine/converter...then rear axle. Engine/trans after the start. But once the trans is thru its gears, the engine is revving relatively easy, because the only weight its moving is the truck itself, and also because inertia is at work "easing" the engine load. You also have the length of the shutdown run, which allows the stress to be eased over a longer length of time. I have not heard of anyone having body twisst issues with these trucks at >12 second 1/4s, so I'd assume the frames are strong enough to not be twisting very much under the initial torque (unlike a high-hp drag car).

Sled pulling, the stress gradually rises until the end of the run. Sure, thats ok, but you've also got XX,XXX lbs of sled behind you acting on the entire drivetrain/frame of the truck, not to mention the weight keeps going up the farther you go. Towing in and of itself is stressful on the entire truck, not just the engine/trans/rear axle. The sled wants to stop, so you're always fighting that...which just adds more stress to the driveline. Its been mentioned that tirespin helps relieve stress, which is true, but youre also kicking up dirt all over the body of the truck. We've all seen that a farm truck "ages" faster than a city truck due to dirt roads...
Then you factor in the exceptionally fast shutdown at the end, where if you as driver arent quick enough, you bark the turbo, plus add what ever other stressors to the driveline from backing off the power so fast.

 

[dmaxlover]

Problem with a dyno is it's 2wd and steel. I can't load fully on a dyno with Casper. It spins the tires.

What does it being 2wd and steel have to do with anything?

If you put enough weight in the bed, and enough straps on the rear end, it should hold. This of coarse if the knurl is in good shape on the drum.

It took 2 55 gallon drums oil oil, 4 ratchet straps, and 1 chain binder to hold Nasty girls 900+ hp run on Huckstorf's dyno.

 

[Mike L.]

What does it being 2wd and steel have to do with anything?

If you put enough weight in the bed, and enough straps on the rear end, it should hold. This of coarse if the knurl is in good shape on the drum.

It took 2 55 gallon drums oil oil, 4 ratchet straps, and 1 chain binder to hold Nasty girls 900+ hp run on Huckstorf's dyno.

It didn't take anything to hold it on Dunbars dyno.. She only made 1038 hp that day.

 

[dmaxlover]

It didn't take anything to hold it on Dunbars dyno.. She only made 1038 hp that day.

Weren't those numbers made on Danville's dyno? If so they can't load there dyno jet nearly as much as a Superflow.

 

[JOHNBOY]

I agree. Racing is harder on the trans, t-case, axles, ect. but easier on the motor.

If you have your truck setup right (traction bars, bump stops, torsion bars, sleeves and centerlink, ect) pulling isn't really that hard on the drivetrain relatively speaking. If you are breaking U-joints you need to get axle wrap and hop under control. Pulling is harder on the motor though.

Both are hard on converters.

I have broken everything in your first sentence pulling. How many have done that drag racing. I twisted two Moser axles off and snapped the trans output all in one hook. I have launched at the drag strip in third gear at 4500rpm at the drag strip and never broke a thing.

If you think a 1.5 60' is at all easy on the drivetrain. On the track with good traction the power has no where to go - on dirt the lack of traction softens the abuse.

You need to try pulling on good clay track. What your forgeting about is that the sleds weight is pulling down planting the rearend. That is where the grip comes from.

Again can you show me anyone that has boken a stock axle shaft drag racing. I have a pile of them. I do beleive that drag racing is harder on the motor and trans. The rest the driveline is abused more by pulling.

 

[Mike L.]

Weren't those numbers made on Danville's dyno? If so they can't load there dyno jet nearly as much as a Superflow.

Did you read Danville in my post? I was at Merchant's when Nasty dynoed. Tony Martino was in the truck massaging a tune out of it. I got a ride in the truck. At 50 mph when you nailed the throttle it felt like a rocket sled. Did it acrually have 1K hp? Well, my truck runs about 500 hp at the wheels and it would feel like an ant crawling up an elephants leg looking for sex compared to Nasty.

 

[dmaxlover]

Did you read Danville in my post? I was at Merchant's when Nasty dynoed.

Nope. I didn't read Merchant either.

 

[duramaximizer]

They are both hard on the truck but for different reasons. I agree with MikeL though cuz pulling is my sport. LOL

 

[fast03]

I say drag racing is harder; most of the time. Most pullers are in low range which helps and the tires are spinning most times which also helps. I have seen more transmissions break drag racing and more engines blown too.

Agreed. I think the tire spin eliminates alot of the engine and drive train stress inless you are really over revving it for the whole pull.

 

[clayt171]

...............my truck runs about 500 hp at the wheels and it would feel like an ant crawling up an elephants leg looking for sex compared to Nasty.

We need to get a section of the forum just for Mike's quotes and analogies. Priceless:rofl:

 

[TheBac]

Did you read Danville in my post? I was at Merchant's when Nasty dynoed. Tony Martino was in the truck massaging a tune out of it. I got a ride in the truck. At 50 mph when you nailed the throttle it felt like a rocket sled. Did it acrually have 1K hp? Well, my truck runs about 500 hp at the wheels and it would feel like an ant crawling up an elephants leg looking for sex compared to Nasty.

I remember the look on your face after that ride....a combination of happiness and shock.