Track conditions questions and tire selection and more

[stimo]

I have a local pull coming up next wednesday and have a few questions. I've watch the pulls for the last few years but I have never pulled yet. The track is a VERY HARD packed track of clay. I've main times of the guys pulling a start spinning tires enough to create smoke off tires like doing a burnout. My truck right now is not really setup to pull but I'm slowly working on it. I have 3 different tires combos I could try but not sure which ones would be best. I have some 33x12.5x16 dick cepek fc II's on 16x10s and some 33x10.5x16 boggers on 16x8s and some 35x12.5x17 nitto dune grapplers on 17x10s. Which should I use and what air pressure should I try. As for truck setup so far the bed of the truck is completly gutted and it is a 99 ext cab short box. I think its to light in rear and should add some weight. Dry weight its around 5700lbs and will try pulling in 7000-8000lbs class. I dont have a weight rack yet to put on front so I will probably put weight in cab. The cab has been gutted also. I will be adding some leaf springs in rear to stiffen it up and for now I have some rancho 9000 shocks on the rear but just stock shocks on front. I was thinking off clamping the springs together but not sure if its worth it or not. If I were to clamp springs together would you clamp them with no load on them or put a load on rear then clamp? Clamping is what I want to know before I set my hitch height. I have a long set of traction bars and also have a set of cal tracs but i plan on using the long bars. Truck right now is whats in my sig minus the monster pump. I dynoed here recently at 460hp to rear wheels. I think thats everything for now. Anyone care to give me any other pointers or suggestions. I'm not planning on this being a all out pulling truck but just something to pull locally.

 

[ryanihw350]

I would go with the Cepeks since they are 33s and boggers might bite too hard even on a hard track. Air pressure I would try 20lbs up front and 60+ in the rear since you don't want to loose hitch height with weight the sled putting a load on the tires.

You don't want to put any weight in the rear since the sled will load your truck down with the box coming up. If you can build a weight bar if not put the weight in the cab and in the bed as far to the front.

Would not do spring clamps since you have traction bars, make some suspension stops so you won't have to worry about adding another leaf spring. you can make some that can be taken out fairly simple.

 

[hamlin]

^^ What he said

 

[stimo]

I would go with the Cepeks since they are 33s and boggers might bite too hard even on a hard track. Air pressure I would try 20lbs up front and 60+ in the rear since you don't want to loose hitch height with weight the sled putting a load on the tires.

You don't want to put any weight in the rear since the sled will load your truck down with the box coming up. If you can build a weight bar if not put the weight in the cab and in the bed as far to the front.

Would not do spring clamps since you have traction bars, make some suspension stops so you won't have to worry about adding another leaf spring. you can make some that can be taken out fairly simple.

Sounds like a plan I will shoot for then. Run the cepeks at 60lbs rear and 20lbs front. I'll load the extra weight in cab because won't have time to make weight bar yet. Also will put on the stops to give the suspension 1 inch of travel before hitting the stop.

My guess also would be to run the truck in 4low? It still just has stock gearing at 3.54s. I have another set of axles with 4.88s that I'll probably throw in this winter.

Main reason I'm asking about this is I went and tried pulling once at this place 3 years ago and it was a joke for me. I ran in the 6000lbs class but pretty much just spun tires and could not get the sled to get moving down the track. I was running the cepeks also but had front and back tires at 45psi. I also had the monster pump back then and was running the 650hp. I tried just easing into the throttle not to break the tires loose and get sled going but no luck. Finally I just got ticked off and let her loose and spun like crazy and went so far and that was it. Smoke was rolling from the tires because track was so hard. Needless to say I took home last place that day and decided I didn't want to pull anymore. I've been getting razed ever since for my poor performance and now looking to get a step on these guys.

 

[hamlin]

put that weight as far front as possible, air the front tires down, 4lo should get you moving good, must be a heavy sled