Making The Truck Hook Harder

RSWORDS

RSWORDS

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Joined
Nov 20, 2007
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319
Making The Truck Hook Harder?

Its no secret that my pulling truck lacks in the power dept. I pull a 89 1st gen cummins with a built non-lockup 727. I probably am putting down 350-375HP to the wheels. I'm trying to get my set-up tuned in to get all the avalable power to the ground. I am always 10-20 feet behind the pack were I pull. Know I'm getting good wheel speed (high 20's) its the ground speed thats killing me, I only weigh in at 5700 lbs in a 8000 class but we cant hang weight and the few time I have added weight to the bed (in the tool box) I feel like the truck pulled worse. I run a set of 305/70/16's with 25psi in teh front and 45psi in the rear, have suspension stops in now, and my next step is welding the front then some traction bars. What else can I do, Tips? Tricks? One think I'm curious about is you always see the big guys out there looking the track over and sampling the dirt (or clay like we pull on), what are they looking at? any tips on reading the track? I have plans to make more power but without getting the pawer I have to the ground whats the point?

Things I wont do...

Ditch the VE pump
Switch Trannys

I like my 1st gen and I know that winning all the time with this truck is not lickly but I pull for fun, I just want to be up in the pack, besides... I love all the people that come up to me at pulls saying how much they love my truck.

I think my lack of HP is offset a little by my style point any way LOL

pull4-18-09.jpg


Thanks
Bobby
 
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When you see them studying the track they are looking for the best path down. If you look at the track you can see if there looks to be any inconsistencies down the track. You can spot soft spots in the track and rough spots that will make you loose ground speed. As for the weight you need to get closer to 8000 pounds. I'm guessing that you are running in a WS or 2.5 class that doesnt allow hanging weights? We have been working on getting a few of my freinds trucks set up to pull a little so we will see how they do this year.
 
The guys out poking on the track are looking for the hard and soft spots in the track so they can stay away from the soft spots! You have to drive your truck some times to the hard spots.
 
RSWORDS said:
Its no secret that my pulling truck lacks in the power dept. I pull a 89 1st gen cummins with a built non-lockup 727. I probably am putting down 350-375HP to the wheels. I'm trying to get my set-up tuned in to get all the avalable power to the ground. I am always 10-20 feet behind the pack were I pull. Know I'm getting good wheel speed (high 20's) its the ground speed thats killing me, I only weigh in at 5700 lbs in a 8000 class but we cant hang weight and the few time I have added weight to the bed (in the tool box) I feel like the truck pulled worse. I run a set of 305/70/16's with 25psi in teh front and 45psi in the rear, have suspension stops in now, and my next step is welding the front then some traction bars. What else can I do, Tips? Tricks? One think I'm curious about is you always see the big guys out there looking the track over and sampling the dirt (or clay like we pull on), what are they looking at? any tips on reading the track? I have plans to make more power but without getting the pawer I have to the ground whats the point?

Things I wont do...

Ditch the VE pump
Switch Trannys

I like my 1st gen and I know that winning all the time with this truck is not lickly but I pull for fun, I just want to be up in the pack, besides... I love all the people that come up to me at pulls saying how much they love my truck.

I think my lack of HP is offset a little by my style point any way LOL

pull4-18-09.jpg


Thanks
Bobby
Click to expand...


is this at the buck? it sure looks like it is. I have no tips for you but I do love 1st gens and more power to you for keeping the ve:rockwoot:
 
Dazed&Confused said:
When you see them studying the track they are looking for the best path down. If you look at the track you can see if there looks to be any inconsistencies down the track. You can spot soft spots in the track and rough spots that will make you loose ground speed. As for the weight you need to get closer to 8000 pounds. I'm guessing that you are running in a WS or 2.5 class that doesnt allow hanging weights? We have been working on getting a few of my freinds trucks set up to pull a little so we will see how they do this year.
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brushpuller said:
The guys out poking on the track are looking for the hard and soft spots in the track so they can stay away from the soft spots! You have to drive your truck some times to the hard spots.
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Can a spot be to hard?
 
if your not above bendin the rules then fill the door bottoms with lead, put 1/2" steel plate under your seat, box the frame and fill it with lead, hang a second fuel tank on the passenger side, and partially fill it with lead, the rest with fuel, make up lead plates and bolt them behind the rad support out of sight, put two really big batteries up front, like bus batteries, make front traction bars outa tube and fill em with lead, make 1" steel side guards for the engine(safety ya know) put avle guards on, plate the frame, make a new rad support outa 1" steel plate etc etc etc etc etc

lots of ways to put weight on, legally and iffy

power wise what mods you got?

we run a VE and we were right there with the P-pumps last year

nice truck by the way

they arent just lookin at the track fer soft spots n such which is bein doen as well

they are also guaging the track so as to know how hard to get on it comin outa the hole based on track consistancy
 
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seeker1056 said:
if your not above bendin the rules then fill the door bottoms with lead, put 1/2" steel plate under your seat, box the frame and fill it with lead, hang a second fuel tank on the passenger side, and partially fill it with lead, the rest with fuel, make up lead plates and bolt them behind the rad support out of sight, put two really big batteries up front, like bus batteries, make front traction bars outa tube and fill em with lead, make 1" steel side guards for the engine(safety ya know) put avle guards on, plate the frame, etc etc etc etc etc

lots of ways to put weight on, legally and iffy

power wise what mods you got?

we run a VE and we were right there with the P-pumps last year

nice truck by the way

they arent just lookin at the track fer soft spots n such which is bein doen as well

they are also guaging the track so as to know how hard to get on it comin outa the hole based on track consistancy
Click to expand...

So far for power upgrades

POD's (I Know, I Know, they are coming out for a set of 6x16's when I get some $$$)
II Silver 62 running about 50-55 psi
Head Bolts Torqued to 120 lt/lbs
DennyT Stage II
Screws played with, close to runaway.
Reindexed throttle
Walbro 392 Pump w/ big lines
Built Tranny with Goerend TC
Reverse Manual VB
3200 Spring
 
I would think with the new injectors you will be in the 425hp range with your setup

what you run for a hitch? what are you allowed to run for a hitch
 
26" high with it moved forward as far as I can get it.

P1010243.jpg


I'm also in the process of getting an air to water IC hooked up just have a cross over now.

I like teh idea of adding weight up front, I want to try and keep it removable though for regular driving/whipping up on basic modded late model diesel on the street (which it does pretty good now). I'm thiking of plating teh front couple feet of frame and then filling some light weight tube with lead so it can be put in and taken out pretty easy
 
Your on the right track by adding weight. That will help your truck hook more than anything! Try to get your truck weight right at the 8,000 LB limit!!!

After that, the track reading is very importent. Talk to some of those guys that you see reading the track for tips, if they are nice guys they will help up out!
 
definitely need to get the weight at least a little closer to the weight limit if not all the way up to 8000. Obviously, for the most part, the more of the added weight that you can get towards the front, the better off you'll be.


How 'bout them tires... are they MTs or ATs? Have you played with different air pressures? How much tread remaining?

I seen where you mentioned having suspension blocks but don't see any traction bars in the picture you posted. If you don't have traction bars, I'd be getting a set on there ASAP. They will help plant the rearend good so that it hooks up nicely as well.


C-ya
 
Running 305/70/16 Nitto Tera Grapplers with about half thread. Saving up for some BFG AT's or maybe STS's.

Yeah some traction bars are in teh works
 
I disagree with these guys on adding weight for your setup because you are about half the horsepower of the other trucks. You add 2300 lbs and it will slow you down like you have allready found out. Traction bars, tires, gear selection. The other guys with 8000lb are right around 500-600 horse with tires, gears, lockers and so on. Right now, i would say your power to weight ratio is pretty close, unfortunantly it falls short of the other guys. I would up your power and chassis first then add the weight. Tim
 
ILLINOISRAM said:
I disagree with these guys on adding weight for your setup because you are about half the horsepower of the other trucks. You add 2300 lbs and it will slow you down like you have allready found out. Traction bars, tires, gear selection. The other guys with 8000lb are right around 500-600 horse with tires, gears, lockers and so on. Right now, i would say your power to weight ratio is pretty close, unfortunantly it falls short of the other guys. I would up your power and chassis first then add the weight. Tim
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He is running an auto, put as much weight as you feel that your truck will hold without breaking the driveline.
 
I have never ran or will run a auto so i dont know anything about them. But i dont think a 375 horse truck at 8000lbs will pull like a 600 horse truck at 8000lbs weather it is a auto or manual but i could be wrong. If he dont have enough power to spin the tires, he will do worse. The auto will change my gear selection part though. I just know its not all about weight, or power. He said he added weight and it felt like it didnt pull as good so i was going off of what he said. Tim
 
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