Pulling truck on a budget.

[inline6359]

So i get a phone call last night from my dad telling me that my mother went and bought herself a motorcycle. I know where this conversation is going.


Anyway we got the idea to have a family puller me and him being partners. This probably wont end good.

Here is what i came up with for the first year. This is in a perfect world if it all came together, let me know what you think. And let me know if the picture is flawed.

1996 dodge 12v dosent matter if it is longbed, shortbed, SRW, DRW or 25/3500. As long as it is a 5spd and an 883 pump.

Mods for the first year would be as followed.
1. Hoodstack, just because i can
2. Traction bars, and maybe a bar on the pumpkin to get rid of the side to side slop.
3. rubber bump stops on the leaf spring to reduce squat.
4. Home made hitch with vertical adjustment
5. Bumper to stop sled from damaging truck
6. Gutted interior
7. Titanium keepers and hardened retainers
8. 5k gsk
9. HD valve springs
10. Drive shaft loops
11. Air shutoff
12. Backup fuel shutoff

I figure under 2k will get us these mods, and if i keep my hands out of the pump we may just be able to hold onto the stock clutch for atleast 4-5 hooks to see how things will pan out. Then if it works we will invest more in the winter.

Like i said he may just be pissed but i told him i would explore it.

Rick

[Timbeaux]

The GSK will not help if you dont cut the pistons... Get a 4k, and a set of 370's. When tuned properly, you can get 5 bills on an Hx35... Just ask Turbo Matt

[house]

you wont be competive with out a good pulling clutch

[inline6359]

okay, thanks guys.

We are looking for a cheaper truckwith high milage, so the plan would be to rebuild it the winter after the first season. That is when we would be cutting and coating the pistons. I was hoping i could use a 5k gsk as an advantage because i would no be touching the pump.

House: We would definitly be putting in a DD in the off season and maybe even a iron giant, but for the first season i just want a few hooks to see if it would be worth it for both of us. That is why i am hoping the stocker would last atleast a few hooks.

[lightsOUT]

that is all a good start. you may want to hold off on the hood stack. most places wont let you pull in street classes w/ it, automatically bumps you to modified. hold off for the first season, get the suspension and such figured out, then go big-timer style!

good luck.

[inline6359]

Originally Posted by shakinIH

that is all a good start. you may want to hold off on the hood stack. most places wont let you pull in street classes w/ it, automatically bumps you to modified. hold off for the first season, get the suspension and such figured out, then go big-timer style!

good luck.

You officially killed my dream of having a hoodstack!



J/K

[JOHNBOY]

In western PA a hood stack would be a bad idea IMHO. You will have to run in Prostreet, or Super Street. Good luck on doing that on a budget.

I would look for a excab longbed 12v Auto. Around here an auto is better most of the time IMHO. Also by the time you by a real clutch like an Iron Gaint and get the NV4500 beefed it is less money. A good pump with the governer set to 4500rpm with 370s and a K31 with 71mm in and a 3" exducer exhaust housing. 4.11 gears and spooled axles.

Timmay

An HX35 and 500hp will not get it done up here.

[inline6359]

Well this was just a glance so to speak. What i would really consider as a budget truck would be a dragon flow pump, 74mm bushed down turbo, iron giant clutch, ddp injectors, and lockers. But we all know what it would cost to fill in the blanks.

So to speak this would be a street truck, stleast the first season.

[C'ya]

Probably don't want to gut the interior right away either as most street stock classes want you to have full interiors.

[parttimepuller]

there are a few trucks out there (one on ebay) that are already built for pullin for sale.. I would buy a truck that is track ready and then put your mods on it. I just boughta 97 w/ 24 valve head and twins at a decent $$. Im going to work on the driveline through the winter.. I should ready next spring..

[Scooter's Roofing]

you'd be better off w/ a bone stock truck w/ $2k in dual disk and input shaft.

get a 96-98 5sp

[4 Tuggin]

Atleast from my pullin years!

[inline6359]

Originally Posted by 4 Tuggin

Atleast from my pullin years!

And last time i checked we dont have to spend an assload of money to have fun! For the first season we would probably have 12k in it. Do the math, if we dumped that much in it every year how long do you think it would be until we would be competitive?

[zstroken]

883 pump?? I thought it was 887 and 913 were the pumps to have. 887 early 215 pump, 913 later 215 pump.

[parttimepuller]

mines is a 913!!!!!!!!!!!

[kino_fab]

how bout this setup:
12v
60lb springs
studded head
66mm turbo
DD clutch, and an input shaft
remove the fuel plate and add some 370 sticks.
then upgrade the axles and add some traction bars and have fun

I would look into beefing the drive train up a bit first before you get into any major engine mods. After you start breaking stuff because the rest of the truck can't handle the engine, then its starts to be no fun at all, and more money in the long run. You also just do not want to go out with a nearly stock truck and get your ass handed to you every weekend either. That takes the fun out of it too. Once the fun starts to go away, then you will get burnt out on it quick. Just giving you a heads up on my past year of pulling.

[ABOBB]

It can be done, just takes some work dealing.

I help on a truck that made the finals in Street at Scheid's. It's owner has a grand total of $16000 invested.

[zstroken]

I made the finals at the last 3 national events that I went to, with just a 66 mm charger. It can be done. My money probably is in the driveline. D80 posi spider gears are junk. Might as well replace it before you break the spider gears. Make sure you have a DHD transfercase. The items that need to be replaced are the items that have some resale value. Example replace a DLD transfercase cause one of those can bring $400 or more in good shape.

[inline6359]

My bad, yes i want either an 887 or 913.

[ABOBB]

Originally Posted by zstroken

I made the finals at the last 3 national events that I went to, with just a 66 mm charger. It can be done. My money probably is in the driveline. D80 posi spider gears are junk. Might as well replace it before you break the spider gears. Make sure you have a DHD transfercase. The items that need to be replaced are the items that have some resale value. Example replace a DLD transfercase cause one of those can bring $400 or more in good shape.

Actually the truck I work on has open diffs with the spiders shimmed very, very tight, a DLD t-case, and the small driveline! Knock on wood, it hasn't broken a driveline part all year!!!