Fellow Drag Racers -

[KatDiesel]

I posted this in my "video" thread but it kinda gets lost in there. I'm curious do any of you run with a tonnue cover or with the tailgate down or off?? Does it make a difference? It was brought upto me on another board... . another truck owner says its faster off.



So when you race what do you do with the tailgate? I am pondering removing the tailgate, spare tire, and jack the next time I go out.

 

[yogibear]

Hey Kat, what ya gonna do if ya have a flat!?!?

 

[Skyjacked Ram]

I used to think the same thing, get rid of the tailgate and spare = faster truck... . then along came a good friend of mine that pointed out that your driving a truck and the front end air deflection already killed you more than a tailgate or spare tire removal... . the more I tried to prove him wrong the more I got a headache.

Derek

 

[MY6EATSV8'S]

Its wieght. .

every 100lbs is said to be worth 1/10

I always drop as much wieght as I feel like. those I always feel like.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I also understand that every 100 lbs is supposed to be worth 1/10th. In my case though I leave the tailgate and the toneau on. First reason is that when I'm drag racing it's bracket racing so I'm not that concerned with my actual ET - I'm in it for the racing. That being said I do want to get my truck into the 15's consistently. I ran in the 15's all day long the first time out this year, then couldn't get back into the 15's all summer to save my soul! Last weekend I finally got back into the 15's and I think I should be able to pretty much stay there now - still planning a turbo upgrade and that should nail it down. Second reason is I already change my rear wheels and tires when I get to the track and I don't feel like doing much more. 3rd is I want to run in street trim just how I run all the time (except for changing the wheels and tires - can't afford to burn through my street tires). Lastly I always have some dirt, leaves, chunks of wood that fell off the firewood, etc in the back of the truck - I don't want to litter/contaminate the track during my runs and cut someones tire.

 

[MY6EATSV8'S]

I understand what you are saying about keeping it in street trim.

I am usually interested in besting my last time out so usually its the go for broke attitude.

As far as your time problem, I used to have a terrible time trying to get the same time as I was running consistantly the week before, then I'd realize I was trying to hard. I guess I'd waste at least one run a week like this. I always had the best runs just driving it like I do on the street. Make no adjustments for the track in driving adjustments. I have a little advantage to that now with an auto. I still get lost almost every time to the track. Last time I forgot to take it out of 4wd. Oh well. Have fun, thats what its supposed to be for.

Adam

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Hey guys - make sure to tune into ESPN2 on November 27th at 6:00 pm eastern time. It's supposed to be the DDRA race we were at in Bristol, TN (originally we were told Oct. 26th - hope their right this time). Eric won the entire event, and myself, and Daniel (SETDR) should all be on their racing!!!



-Steve

 

[GLASMITHS]

what to do with tailgate?

This came up in Trailer Life a couple years ago. Ford and Chebby ran a lot of tests, of different configurations, up, down, removed blah, blah----.



The outcome was that if you removed it or let it down it actually cut your mileage down (increased resistance?). This was because with the factory tailgate up a bubble of air formed in the bed of the truck and all the air passes over it. If it is down, a vacumn is formed behind the truck and actually holds it back.



The only things that would help "some" is an aero cap or a vented tailgate, which puts some of the air under a 5vr(if you are pulling) otherwise it doesn't help.

 

[Hammer]

Drag racing 101

100 lbs worth about 1/10 is close to being correct,,As for the gate and tonneau deal,remember these trucks were designed to be as slippery as they can with the gate up and no cover,,So as far as an advantage for wind slickness for speed,it will not make a major impact,,Now for weight thats different there will be some impact,,Steve,you say you could not run numbers in summer months comparable to earlier,thats easy to figure out,one easy answer... WEATHER CONDITIONS... ,,Did you tune with a weather station??,,Look at the difference from early to late and also consider track conditions,slick,asphalt or concrete launching pads,bald spots and "marbles"(small rolled up rubber at line) will also play a major part in your all over numbers,,One last thing from a racer,easy way to consistent et's is be dead on the tree and leave the same way all the time,,Routine is the best way,into water box,light spin for water,ease up fry the hides well and spin them all the way to line,stop short clean her out,stage and go,,One thing that kills et is the dreaded dry hop after the burnout,it removes any heat you have just put in and will hurt the inital hook,since you already did it by dry hopping,such a novice mistake,,Now this is really the end,feeling windy tonite,an easy way for lower et's,well maybe not so easy,is by reducing your rotating weight,,1 lb is worth 7 hp,lighter wheels and tires,aluminum or titanium driveline parts,better axles, spools and so on will definately help,,Cost here is the issue,,Got my driveshaft person working on a set for mine for next year,not sure how the torque in our trucks will affect it,but,one never knows till he tries... ...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Actually, my problem was what MY6 said - trying too hard. I was just dumping the clutch at the launch. Can't remember for sure how I was launching the first time out this year (that's about 170 passes ago), but this last time out I let the clutch out slowly trying to slip it and that reduced my 60 ft times by ~. 1 and lowered my ET's back into the 15's. So in a way I slowed down to go faster - found the same thing when I was roadracing, when I tried the hardest to go fast my lap times would be slower ! I was taking into account weather conditions, btw - even on days where the wx conditions were almost the same as the first time out this year I was in the 16's. I did have some problems with the truck a couple of times when I went to the track too (bad lift pump once, bad MAP sensor another time).



-Steve

 

[sewman]

Steve,

Where do you race at?

Bob

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

This year I've been to Stanton, MI (mid michigan motorplex - that's my local track); Muncie, IN; Salem, OH (Quaker City raceway); Bristol, TN; and Madison, IL (Gateway raceway). The Bristol race is supposed to be on ESPN2 on November 27th at 6:00pm eastern time - Eric McBride (Stack'd'n'jack'd), myself, and Daniel (from the SETDR) were there racing.



-Steve

 

[Greg's PSD]

Eric I think your getting too ate up with it! You need to work on cutting killer lights cuz 9 times out of 10 if your in a actual dragrace the light determines win or loose or its that away with racing bracket style. Consistancy is KEY! Running fast is easy but doing that being a consistant racer and being a killer on the tree is what makes a good all around racer.



Greg

 

[KatDiesel]

Ya I know. . still learning... . I wanna work on going fast first to see what it will do, then I will work on being consitent next year. The rest of this year (4 more Sundays) is... ... how fast will she go type of attitude.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Greg - that's what I meant when I said "when I'm drag racing it's bracket racing so I'm not that concerned with my actual ET - I'm in it for the racing. " I spent a couple of days at the track working on my R/T's and all season working on consistency with my ET's for just that reason. My R/T's are pretty consistent in the . 58? to . 68? range with a few under and over that now - a few red lights too . Took a while to get there though!! My ET's are pretty consistent too. Consistency is definately the most difficult thing with our large beasts!!



-Steve

 

[Mopar-muscle]

i run with the tailgate down as i don't have a tonneau cover , according to this site http://mars.acnet.wnec.edu/~ehaffner/did.htm , its better ??? i'm not sure if this is a joke , but take it for what its worth ... i have posted this a couple times , including when we were pipe dreaming on an LSR truck ...



as far as running with it down get a hose clamp and put it around the tailgate on the side that lifts off , a guy at the track the other day was told to run with it up because they were arfaid if he hit a bump or something happened it would fly off . i'm going to make solid straps to keep mine solidly in the down position ...

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Why not just take it off? Save 50 lbs.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

john , did you check the link i posted ? the areo numbers is better with it down vs up , and up is better than with it removed , an air gate or a big square cap . a tonneau is better than it up or down or off or airgate or big square cap.



but i think a hard tonneau is better than a vinyl one , i need a vinyl one as i use my truck as a truck ... sometimes ...