Competition Pulling Advice

[Stroker Smoker]

I am thinking about pulling my truck, just once, in a surrounding county's fair during the day pulls, usually stock trucks



I need some advice from the pulling veterans



My truck details are in the sig. and it last dynoed at 420 RWHP



Question 1: I only have a SBC Con-O, Should I even subject the clutch to this and expect it live much longer after the pull.



Question 2: If I were to pull, the track is very sticky and hard(gotta love the local clay) How should I start. I was told by someone that I somewhat trust that i should use 4Low 3rd gear



Question 3: Is there anything in particular that I should be worried about breaking on my truck while pulling



Question 4: What size clevice should I use, would a twisted clevice or regular clevice be best to use with a reese hitch receiver



Any help is very much appreciated - Phill

 

[csevers]

I am no veteran puller but here is my OP

Q1: No, don't expect that clutch to like sled pulling very well



Q2: Low range 2nd with a LOW hitch height under 26inches maybe 20 to 22" depending on truck height to start with Don't rev it up to redline and slip clutch it will probably rollover and die right there



Q3: Any thing could break but most likely the clutch will slip if you grunt it to much



Q4: Most pulls want at least a 3 inch clevis so the hook fits Keep the hitch point as close to truck as possible and rigid ie shimm clevis to receiver to make it stand out straight and measure your hitch height to the bottom of the clevis



These are the rambilings of a 6 time sled puller I am not an authority on sled pulling.



GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN

Craig

 

[DSteinel]

I would think that you might be able to use 3 rd low because of the 4. 10 rear. Where abouts is it that you live , what city are you near. If it's not too far maybe I will swing by for the pull. Dean

 

[dlange]

"probably roll over and die" Thats funny, but true.

 

[MMiller]

I drive a different creature than you and have pulled it more stock than it is now. I do quite a bit of street class truck pulling too.



I can't get a heavy sled off the line in 3rd low side, the clutch won't hold and I can't idle it off the line in 3rd. I almost always can pull 2nd low side,BUT I have to come off the line at idle, as the clutch will slip if I try to pull a high RPM off the line. Once the clutch has locked up I have never slipped it. I run 3:54's and 33's, a WHOLE lot differnt then 4:10s. Do you ever have problems driving through the clutch now?? If you don't, then you shouldn't have problems pulling unless you slip it at the begining.



You need to find out if you can block the rear end so the truck won't squat. If you can block the rear, I strongly encourage you to do this. This gives the truck good advantage on the sled, and keeps the rear from wrapping and taking out the rearmost ujoint. In southern IA ALMOST all the pulls let everybody block. Eastern IA and illinios rules wont let you.



Also if you can block the rear end, put the hitch up to the limit, this also gives better advantage on the sled. Pump up the rear tires tight too. I think it you can't block the rear then don't worry about making the hitch high, this will cause the truck to squat more and have more probelms with the ujoint.



I no longer pull my 93 as I think it runs hard enough now to tear stuff up. After I get a 6spd,mitchell clutch, and dana 80 rear end then I will go again. Until then old red stays under the trailer and spectates!



All in all, if you keep the truck kinda light, and get it off the line SMOOTH, while letting the clutch hook before adding power, you will probably be ok. As you get more pulls then you know how much harder to push the truck.



Michael

 

[Brandon]

ask bbd about pulling he has pulled with both, a con o and a puller clutch

bigbadodge

 

[Stroker Smoker]

MMiller, Do you pull with your DMI? I have one That I am going to install soon. I was just planning on taking the DMI off and bolting the reese hitch back on for pulling. If the DMI will work for pulling that will be alot easier. I could just make a custom draw-bar to get my hitch height where I want it.



Phill

 

[ROADWARRIOR]

Craig aka Csevers pulls with a DMI.



Dan

 

[csevers]

I pull with a DMI "quick & easy" reciever hitch it works but you can bent the draw bar, I know I have already. Other down fall is it is way heavier than a stock trailer hitch if you are close on weight like I am.



Craig

 

[MMiller]

Yeah I have pulled off my DMI. It is plenty stout. Mine is the regular drawbar type, not the newer one with the reciever setup. Craig is correct the DMI setup is heavy. I think it will be plenty stout enough for you with your setup. I have seen lots of guys pull the hitch out of a regular reciever hitch, but I think they were using CHEEP hitches. Usually the pin stays and the slide in portion pulls right through the pin. Does this make sense?



I pulled with recievers on my 75, and had no trouble, but I don't go and yank on the sled. I also built a adjustable pulling hitch for my 75 with a welded on horizontal clevis.



Michael

 

[jtisdale]

With your 305's and track being tight, I would think that 3rd low will be too much for your clutch. If you had 265's, then I would say 3rd, but only since you have 4. 10's. There are a lot of variables like Craig said. Air pressure, tire stlye, hitch height, hp, gear selection, track condition. And, if your worried about breaking something, DONT HOOK!



I would...

Air the tires up,

hitch as high as rules let you,

get as heavy as rules let you,

2nd LOW

I wouldnt...

block the suspension, unless your gonna do something to prevent axle wrap first (but thats just me).

dump the clutch



hook, get the chain tight... *gently*,

Now, slowly rev the engine to 1200-1500 rpm and let the clutch out a little slower than normal, but dont let it slip too long (This isnt something I cant really explain, you just have to feel it) you just want to get the sled going without frying your SBC or killing the truck. You need to get on top of the turbo here too, otherwise your doomed. Adjust the mirror to see your rear tire, so you know your tires are spinning, and not just your clutch. Just pretend its a big wagon or trailer. When rolling, SLOWLY apply throttle until its on the floor, and hold it there till you start to spin out. If you apply throttle too quick, you will hop and spin and bounce and break stuff or slip your clutch. If you start bouncing at any time, let off gently, and try to ease back into the throttle. When you get to the end, you will (more than likely) spin out.

Happy hooking. :-laf

 

[HOSS]

Originally posted by Stroker Smoker

I am thinking about pulling my truck, just once,





That is like saying your gonna have just one Lays potato chip

or just one beer



Good luck with the "just one pull" You will not believe how addicting it is!!!:--)

 

[Stroker Smoker]

I'm not worried about breaking things, I'm just trying to avoid breaking things if there is something that I cant do to prevent it.



I am on a extremely limited budget right now but maybe I can scrape together enough pennies and call EEP and buy a pulling clutch and install it myself. How hard is it to back a trailer with the pulling clutch - I really don't care as long as its possible.



The only reason I am pulling is to put stock Power Strokes in their place



Phill

 

[jtisdale]

Originally posted by Stroker Smoker

How hard is it to back a trailer with the pulling clutch - I really don't care as long as its possible.



Phill

I have no problem, but the most I ever have behind the truck is 12k-14k. That would put me around 19K-21K gross. Maybe Craig will chime in, I know sometimes he grosses 30K-33K!!!

:--)

 

[Diesel Darryl]

I have had no problems, backing up any size or weight trailer with my pulling clutch and I have had it in for 4 years. I did install a vavle for 2 wheel low, this helps.

 

[BigBadDodge]

I sliped my Con-O the first time I pulled with it and I was at only 330 RWHP it will slip but on the other hand it recovered enough to allow me to drive it on the street for short while pulled several times after that and did absolutly nothing but a white smoke show.



BBD

 

[MMiller]

How did you come off the line BBD? Did you let the clutch hook before adding power, or did you slip it out of the hole at a higher engine speed?



Michael

 

[Crankshaft]

You can pull in 1st hi. It is geared between 2nd and 3rd lo. Ive done it. It gives you more speed than 2nd lo. 3rd lo with 3. 55 or 2nd hi with 4. 10s is the gear to pull in if you have the power and clutch. I smoked my stock clutch for 256 ft in 3rd lo with 3. 55s. There was so much white smoke you couldn't see the truck,man did that smell good! Come to the Loudonville Fair the first week of October. We have a pretty good pull. Not real big but good.