Competition Chassis Tips for Sled Pulling????

[JStrosnider]

Was wondering if anyone could help me out?? I'm kinda new to sled pulling but I have pulled several times but I'm looking for a few tricks for my chassis setup to sled pull with. I'll be running in a street classes this year. Oh and I also have a set of 5 ft Ladders on the truck. .



These are rules that are a No Go. .

1. No solid, blocked or air bag suspensions. .

2. No hanging front weights or weight bars. .



Also I've been told If I move my my Hitch forward on the truck it will help me. . Is this true??



Does anyone have some ideas that will help me out??

 

[jwilliams3]

You could add some rear leaf springs if they wont let you block up.



Yeah, moving your hitch forward will help.

Generally speaking you want to be as close to the 26" hitch heigth as possible.



You can always lower the pressure a bit in your front tires to help with traction.

Generally speaking you want the rated pressure in your rears.

 

[JStrosnider]

I'll try moving my hitch forward but our rules for hitch height is 20". . Sounds a little low to me but that's their rule. . Currently I have 2 inch Spacers up front with stock springs in the rear. Now everytime I put weight in the truck it looks like its squatting but the overloads aren't close to touching. . I going to end up packing some leafs in the rear but not sure of what kind and how many. . I'd like to raise the rear of the truck about 3/4 - 1" in height. But then again I could always pack the rear leafs and remove the front spacer (wouldn't that look cool). I've also heard of u-bolting the rear leafs together so they can't move side to side. Supposedly what I've been told that it makes the rear leafs twice as stiff as they are un bolted. . Not sure... .

 

[GWBourne]

i cant speak from pulling experience, but when it comes to leaf springs in general i know a bit. yes, clamping them together stiffens the up a good amount. it makes it so they bind. it wont be comfy to drive like that with the clamps on both front and back, but would be bearable...

 

[Xtremewheeling]

Here's what I tried in the rear. After reading every rule book and yes they're all different they said you CAN NOT block the rear. Must have Movement. So I took this as it could not be solid. I used 1 or 1 1/2" square stock and just lowered my rear bump stops. I limited it to about an inch of travel rather than the stock amount. And if they say anything just jump up on the rear bumper and say Look it moves... Less movement the better...



Another suggestion is you should build yourself AXLE Loops. They'll come in handy on the track and also on the highway. My buddy lost a strap on his u-joint and wishes he had axles loops. I just used 1 1/2 wide strap steel to make my loops. I hooked them to the frame cross members. I can send pics if you would like.



Also weigh your truck with a full tank of fuel. Get yourself a deep took box behind the cab and add weight. That's the science i'm working on now is how much weight is good and at what point is it hurting me. I used 8" solid cab blocks. They weighed in around 100lbs a piece. Its just all trial and error.



Guys let me know what you think about what i'm trying. Any help and comments are appreciated.

 

[JStrosnider]

Our rules don't make us run loops YET but however I was going to go ahead and install them anyway. . With that nice plastic fuel tank beside the driveshaft I'm going to really ticked off after slicing that baby open with a full tank of fuel... I've got a nice deep tool box now. I went to a Tug A Truck last year and believe it or not my box will hold 1500 lbs of suitcase weights. Yeah it sagged a little but the bottom never fell out. . LOL

 

[JStrosnider]

OH!!! and my truck with a full tank of fuel and with the normal stuff in my tool box weighs in right at 7500lbs.

 

[jwilliams3]

You do not want a full tank of fuel, also you do not want weight in the tool box.



All the weight you need in the rear will be provided by the sled pulling your rear end down hence the previous discussion of suspension blocks for the rear.



Ideally you want to run almost no fuel in the cell (just enough to pull with) and as much weight up front as possible (up to the rule limit).



On a side note:

I have seen alot of pro stock 4x4 gas trucks out here run so light in the rear that the owner could pick up the rear end of the truck with one hand and move it over a couple of inches.

 

[strokerschmoker]

If the rules state no blocked suspension then take it to a spring shop and have them install a set of helper/overload springs that are only about an inch away from the stops when there is no load on it. These springs need to be like dump truck springs so that they will not give. Once the sled load the back of the truck it will move the truck down an inch and then it will rest on the new springs which will not move and you then have a "legally blocked" suspension because there are no rules about adding helper springs. As for weight positioning take every once off of the back of the truck and get it as close to the front end as possible. As Jwilliams said, the sled will be more than suffient for rear weight. The weight on the front end will give you better traction and help eliminate the dreaded bounce

 

[lcaad1249]

I've seen trucks that have a bolt that screws down above the back axle, that way you can have a normal driving truck but when you hook to the sled you can screw the bolt down with an inch or whatever the rules state of clearance and not sag at all.

 

[JStrosnider]

Well unfortunately moving as much weight to the front of the truck is a problem... We are not allowed to have hanging weights or any weight bars on the front of the truck and the only weight we are allowed to have is in the bed of the truck (secured). Probably the most lamest rule I've ever heard of. To me that gives the long wheel base trucks an even bigger advantage. . Oh well just have to find more ponies and more means of putting it to the ground. .

 

[JCutter]

Are you allowed to have them in the cab still?

 

[Sled Puller]

I know of nowhere that "allows" weight in the cab.



Overstiff rear springs can be a bigger problem than a little sag.



Don't think you HAVE to be at 26" just because that is max rule. I'd start at 20"-22".

Build your hitch eye, solid and horizontal, keep it tight to the truck.

 

[DPS]

Back when the pulls in Indiana did not allow hanging front weights there was a bunch of lead weights poured so that they would hang inside the front bumper. You couldn't see it, but boy did it make the trucks hook.



Josh www.dieselperformancesolutions.com

 

[JStrosnider]

Well I recieved an e-mail from one of the bord members from our pulling association and he's already notified my that he read my this forum from me on hitches and that stuff. So now that I know he's read all this I'm sure he's gonna be passin this stuff along to the officials.



Our Maximum hitch height is 20" Max!!! That's the dumbest hitch height I've ever seen. The Tug A Truck Competions I go to is 27" Max. . But I don't make em. . I'm sure if we try to pack the bumper with weight (lead) They are going to raise cain or someone else will. As far as I know According to our rules they are only Allowing Weight in the BED ONLY...

 

[BSwope]

How do the 3500 springs work in pullin is anyone doing anything with the springs on these trucks or are they stiff enough?

 

[JStrosnider]

I buddy of mine has a dually and his truck doesn't seem to squat to bad. However I did tell him that he should try to stiffen em up in some way just make it better...

 

[jwilliams3]

When the suspension squats you are losing hitch height and the sled weight affects your pull more than when you are keeping your hitch height.

 

[strokerschmoker]

Jwilliams is right but I have found that if the rear end is too stiff than it will make for a pivot and it will lift the front end up or worse, start to make you bounce. It only applies when you cant hang weight on the nose. This is just what I have found in the gas class. The weights of the Cummmins alone might be enough to disprove what I have just said here.

 

[JStrosnider]

Your right with no weight on the nose and the amount of torque these motors put out they really tend to pull the left front off the ground. My truck stock last year was twisting the front pretty good (got pics to prove it). I beginning to think that it's almost gonna be alot of trial and error before I find a setup that's gonna work for my truck. . But thanks for the input. .