Competition which gear?

[pwerwagn]

Hey fellas. A while back we had a pull (no trucks, just tractors) here in NM. I was talking to one guy who was sorta in charge and he told me I couldnt pull during the "show" but if I wanted to hook when nobody was there, he would try to work it out. I ended up declining. I was unsure of what gear to choose, whether or not to run in 4 low or high, etc.

I am a stock 215 12V 5 speed except a #11 plate foward, afc loose/foward, and a muffler. did I make the right choice in declining? I doubt my clutch would have like the abuse.

If I had to guess, my best guess would have been 4 high, start in first and If I can, go to second??????

 

[Bob4x4]

With 300hp and a stock clutch you would be lucky to be able to use any more than 2nd low range and still be able to drive home. Shifting gears while pulling is not an option with the manual.

 

[pwerwagn]

Well then its a good thing i didnt try!

I could have swore that in the videos in this same forum (have you seen a 1000hp spool up) the vid of one of the trucks, he shifts. I thought he did at least.

 

[csevers]

2nd on the high side is a pretty good sized gear for almost stock power. Not to many people try to shift, it is NOT recomended if you like your truck.

I can't watch the video due to an old computer but I would guess what you see is the Hand throttle being pushed/pulled as he accelerates out of the hole. If he has a reverser the only other gear is going in the wrong direction.



Craig

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

about 4 months ago at a local fair i pulled 215 ft, using 3rd gear low range. this was before all my current bombs. at the time all i had done was advanced my timing, afe intake, 4" exhaust to 5" stacks, and fuel turned up a bit! i was doing fine initially, but towards the end of the pull my clutch really started to slip and burn! it was dumb looking back, but my ford roomate told me a dodge couldnt pull no sled, and i had to prove him wrong. lol. i did drive my truck home that night, and the clutch held up untill my SBC arrived and was installed. i say hey, you live and learn! just my . 02

 

[Smokin Dodge]

I think in some of those videos there was an automatic but im not sure.

 

[pwerwagn]

so turbodiezel, did start in 3rd low or shift at all?

 

[tURBOdIEZEl]

no didnt shift during my pull. when i was asking around and talking to some of the pullers they said that would slow me down and to leave it in one gear.

 

[GBechtold]

I was watching some pulling DVD's and some of the guys if not all of them had automatics but it was hard to tell. Some of them down shifted and the jump between gears was to great and it caused them to run out of traction sooner. If anybody has ever watched any antique tractor pulling and has seen a farmall 460 or 560 with a torque amplifier they do the same thing. If you pull the T/A into low to soon you loose traction if you wait to long then it's to late. :{

 

[jwilliams3]

In the "1000hp spoolup video" there is no shifting, one gear all the way.

People have shifted with a manual during a pull, it is not recommended.

The auto's shift up like usually, then down towards the end.

 

[Sled Puller]

, but my ford roomate told me a dodge couldnt pull no sled, .

My,my,my.

The things we could show that Ford dude at TiM or Scheids! :-laf

 

[pwerwagn]

In the "1000hp spoolup video" there is no shifting, one gear all the way.

So then what is that slight hesitation from? I believe the truck that has non-dually front wheels (he has weld rims) in the 1000hp spoolup video is the one that i am reffering too. Just shortly after spoolup he leaves and then there is a slight hesitation, that I figured was a shift.

 

[jwilliams3]

In the 2nd video I think you are referring to Terry Martin's truck.

I think that was a fueling issue.

 

[pwerwagn]

yes, it was terry martins truck. that makes sense to me.