Rebirth of Monster Mudder

[Big Boy Toys]

Love the trucks! Mud racing is much more pleasurable when the whole family in involved too. I've got a bog truck (98 ex-cab, short bed, 60's, on 44 inch boggers or 56inch rice & cains BBC with one kit) and a drag truck (86 blazer BBC on 33inch boggers for "stock" class and 36inch IROCs for mod) that we haven't ran for 2-3 years now. Really feeling the urge to go racing again, ran every weekend for 5-6 years and it was just time for a break. Again, really digging you're trucks, good luck this year!

[DieselWrencher]

Wow, your daughter's truck really looks nice! The pics for the trading cards look great too!

[NakeDiesel]

My son brought home a magazine his diesel tech teacher gave him. Inside was a picture of my truck and an article about the mud race last month in Tulsa. Thought it was pretty cool.

[NakeDiesel]

Raced in Porter, OK this past weekend. Didn't do as well as I wanted, ended up getting 5th in both classes I raced in. Truck ran great, just wasn't fast enough passes.

Class 3 run, ended up getting off the track and into the deep stuff at the end which slowed me down some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Whspc8oW_NM

Class 4 run, was fast, just not fast enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw8Q6i0KV-Y

My daughters class 1 run, she got 5th in this class

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAKMLDao7KE

My daughters class 2 run, she got 4th in this class

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkdbBFEkfq8

[NakeDiesel]

Drove 4 hours up to Junction City, Ks to race this weekend. Didn't do well in their deep pit. Ran in a 40" tire class with my 38.5" boggers and was just out tired I think. Need to get me a set of 39.5 x 18's for the truck. Anybody want to sponsor me for 4 tires at 2400.00 plus wheels? Damned things are expensive.

First run:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtOaBPdQjeg

Second run:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYgJwdgMF30

[NakeDiesel]

Raced at Paden, OK this weekend. With all the rain we have had, the pit didn't have a bottom in it. Didn't make it through in either run. Was on my way to getting through it on my class 4 run when 3rd gear quit spinning my tires. Guess it's time to pull the transmission again and go through it.

Class 3 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9tXnhP9x-0

Class 4 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuJwUc3w4O4

I'm starting to seriously consider building a 47RH for it next season to see what I can do with lockup and if the truck will do better.

[NakeDiesel]

So who in the tranny realm has the best parts for 47's? And no, Bruce Jenner doesn't qualify. I haven't made my mind up to go with a 47, but wanting to start looking into it.

Want lockup in atleast 2nd gear, manual reverse valve body would be nice. Do I need all billet shafts? I'm just running a front billet in the th400. What are other good parts to add into the trans to make it last under heavy boosted launches?

I found a video someone else took at the races Saturday. My run where the trans goes is at about 11 minutes in. You can definately hear the engine change sounds right as the wheels stop turning like it was unloading. I shared the video on my trucks FB page

https://www.facebook.com/CoaltrainPowerWagon

[mathews8pt]

A reverse pattern vb will cost a pretty penny, not many guys who do those. The standard pattern is pretty easy to get ahold of and should work ok for you. It can be setup to lock in 1st or 2nd. Billet input at minimum for shafts. If your going full manual then a 47re is your best bet. They can be had pretty cheap these days.

[CorneliusRox]

Originally Posted by NakeDiesel

So who in the tranny realm has the best parts for 47's? And no, Bruce Jenner doesn't qualify. I haven't made my mind up to go with a 47, but wanting to start looking into it.

Want lockup in atleast 2nd gear, manual reverse valve body would be nice. Do I need all billet shafts? I'm just running a front billet in the th400. What are other good parts to add into the trans to make it last under heavy boosted launches?

I found a video someone else took at the races Saturday. My run where the trans goes is at about 11 minutes in. You can definately hear the engine change sounds right as the wheels stop turning like it was unloading. I shared the video on my trucks FB page

https://www.facebook.com/CoaltrainPowerWagon

For mud stuff where you're spinning and hitting hard patches, I'd feel safer with a billet input and output.

Most shops that will do 'performance builds' can do 1st and 2nd gear lockups.

Here's a link to the only reverse manual valve body I've found:
https://www.suncoastconverters.com/s...al-valve-body/
Like I wrote on your facebook. That **** ain't cheap!

I think Hobie still builds these, so he could probably tell you the best year to get. I think some years has weaker direct drums too, or maybe that was just the 48rh's?

[NakeDiesel]

I have the trans that came out of the truck and the transfercase. Just don't have the converter anymore (someone thought it would be good for scrap metal prices, wasn't happy about that). The truck was a 96, so it would have an RE in it I think.

[CorneliusRox]

Originally Posted by NakeDiesel

I have the trans that came out of the truck and the transfercase. Just don't have the converter anymore (someone thought it would be good for scrap metal prices, wasn't happy about that). The truck was a 96, so it would have an RE in it I think.

I think that's an RE as well, but you can confirm quickly by looking at the electrical connector, or the OD housing.

RH Connector:

RE Connector:

RH OD Housing:

RE OD Housing:





Also, This made me laugh:

Originally Posted by NakeDiesel

So who in the tranny realm has the best parts for 47's? And no, Bruce Jenner doesn't qualify.

[NakeDiesel]

How does 1st gear lockup work? Do I have to hit a switch after I launch?

[NakeDiesel]

Here is a pic of the trans/transfercase back when I initially built the truck:



Looks like a RE OD unit to me

[jlbayes]

Originally Posted by NakeDiesel

How does 1st gear lockup work? Do I have to hit a switch after I launch?

will have to be a switch of some sort to force lock up.

[CorneliusRox]

Yeah, the lock up on the 47rh/47re/48re are all PCM controlled, so you're going to have to use a switch. OD is as well for that matter, but I doubt you'd even use OD in your application.

And I usually hit it just after launching (since it takes a second to engage), unless I think I'm going to be knocking on 2nd gear's door before. I try not to have it lock and shift at the same time (obviously different than shifting while locked).

And that looks like a 47re to me too.

[NakeDiesel]

Well, went through the transmission and got it back in the truck. Basically nothing glared at me. Clutches and steels were perfect. Did find the large seal on the direct piston had gouges taken out and was pretty rough all around that would make it hard to seal. So I'm running it this weekend and then probably pulling it again after this race and sending the converter to hughes to have it checked out.

[NakeDiesel]

Raced today and didn't place in either class. Truck would not get on top of the turbo on either run. couldn't really get it up to 20psi on launch either time and the one go pro vid I have inside the cab showed my only hitting 3k rpm and about 50psi total. So I will be pulling the converter out this week and shipping it back to Hughes to have them go through it. Also going to ship my 13" converter back to Art Carr and have him rebuild his broken converter.

I am really leaning towards building the 47re now. Would I be better off with a full manual valve body or a race controller?

Class 3 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSDpoEk6RkQ

Class 4 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ebuLVD1vw

[CorneliusRox]

Originally Posted by NakeDiesel

Raced today and didn't place in either class. Truck would not get on top of the turbo on either run. couldn't really get it up to 20psi on launch either time and the one go pro vid I have inside the cab showed my only hitting 3k rpm and about 50psi total. So I will be pulling the converter out this week and shipping it back to Hughes to have them go through it. Also going to ship my 13" converter back to Art Carr and have him rebuild his broken converter.

I am really leaning towards building the 47re now. Would I be better off with a full manual valve body or a race controller?

Class 3 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSDpoEk6RkQ

Class 4 run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4ebuLVD1vw

I would think full manual so you can have control. A stand alone controller would be nice when you're on the drag strip to be very consistent, but the drag strip has pretty repeatable surface conditions, where as your mud is probably different day to day. If you go manual, you'll save money and have 100% control. You could even hook up an arduino to lock the converter as soon (or on a a delay) after you let off the brake pedal on launch.

[NakeDiesel]

Converter made it to Hughes, they cut it apart and couldn't find any damage. After talking with several people that know the engine and know how the truck usually runs over several years, I am having them make the converter as tight as they can make it. We think that it is just too loose. Wheel spin from last year to this year is way different, the wheels hardly sling mud this year. Should have it back end of next week and then I will start testing the change out in the pasture and find a race to go to and test it further.

[NakeDiesel]

Trans is back in the truck and put a new trans brake solenoid in it while I was doing it as the old one was getting a bit flaky. Took the truck to a local car show Friday morning, lots of people looking at it and asking questions about it.

Borrowed some cut tires for an upcoming race at Tulsa Raceway Park, the Mud down in T Town. They are running cut tires in with the dot classes, so I should hopefully be a bit more competitive running there this weekend.

Also stripped the drivers side finder off the truck, and waiting on the shipping gods to deliver my Haisley 5k gsk for the truck.

At the car show:



With the borrowed cuts installed: