Any truck pullers in here? Need ideas/review of my plans...

[Tractorman]

I plan on using my 2002 Ranger in truck pulls next year in the 5000 pound stock class. Here's what I'm planning on doing:

33x12.5 mud terrains on stock suspension. Should I be worried about rubbing? I don't plan on flexing it out, just 33's for the pull. I was thinking 33's to get maximum speed out of first gear, since I don't want my auto to shift into second gear.

Hitch set at highest height allowed, 26 inches.

Suitcase weights from the front of a tractor on the passenger side floor to maximize weight over right front tire, since both rears were spinning last time I did it, but only the right one in the front was spinning. Plus I believe its best to have the weight as far forward as possible.

Blocking the rear axle to stop it from squatting lower while under load.

I also just plan on doing small performance mods, along the lines of complete exhaust, intake, and some SCT tunes.

How about adding a switch that I can use to manually lock the torque converter?

Well, thanks for the help. I pulled 239 feet last year on crappy stock tires, and a way-too low hitch height, and the weight in the back of the bed. I think these changes should make "Truck Norris" more of a competitor.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

Well I don't do and have not seen tractor truck pull things but I have some experience towing...

With 33's you are going to lose alot of power especially in the torque area. Changing the tires also won't make your transmission stay in 1st and if it did I would imagine it would need replaced after a bit... A manual transmission can handle way more. If you wanna keep your stock trans I recommend a chip that will change the shift points and throw the gears quick reducing power loss due to slippage when shifting gears and it will increase the life of the clutches and gears. It shifts hard so you lose that smooth car like shift but yeah...

The reason both rears spin but only 1 front spins is because your rear end most likely has L/S and the front end doesn't so it is open. If you put weight on the righ t front it will gain the traction but then the left one will just start spinning. Unlike limited slip an open diff send the power to the tire with least resistance adding the weight to the right tire will increase the traction and cause the left one to spin with less traction. To get over this you have the option of a locker or welding the gears as I don't recall them making limited slip avalible yet. Since this is your DD (probably) and you have a live axle set up your going to wear out tires really fast up front. I recommend a selectable locker for the rear as its more reliable and the clutches for L/S will wear out fast if abused like that. and add weight to the rear over your axle or something.

Don't add another block to the rear. the springs will be under just as much if not more stress then they are now. plus your truck will look retarded with a jacked up rear. I would recommend the heavy duty leaf packs or tow leaf packs because they are ment for that kind of weight. There are also over load spring add ons you can probably get as well.

As for performance mods this is what I would do befor putting all your money into 5 Hp from an intake/exhaust combo. Start with gearing and wide tires the 12.50 part is the only part that will help you with those tires, Look into some 31x12.50 or 32x11.50 or a metric equivilent. For gearing I would probably go 4.88's in your case as you want lots of torque to get to the ground and speed isn't the issue. 4.56's would work too. Those two things are going to help you the most in a pull. More rubber to the dirt and more power to turn the rubbers. The tuner would also be a good idea as they generally give you the most bang for your bucks. Plus you can change up the settings.

Granted if you do drive this thing as a dd I don't recommend doing a tractor pull to begin with... Your gonna F up your nice truck doing what pulling weights? Unless this is something your into...

 

[Tractorman]

Well I don't do and have not seen tractor truck pull things but I have some experience towing...

With 33's you are going to lose alot of power especially in the torque area. Changing the tires also won't make your transmission stay in 1st and if it did I would imagine it would need replaced after a bit... A manual transmission can handle way more. If you wanna keep your stock trans I recommend a chip that will change the shift points and throw the gears quick reducing power loss due to slippage when shifting gears and it will increase the life of the clutches and gears. It shifts hard so you lose that smooth car like shift but yeah...

The reason both rears spin but only 1 front spins is because your rear end most likely has L/S and the front end doesn't so it is open. If you put weight on the righ t front it will gain the traction but then the left one will just start spinning. Unlike limited slip an open diff send the power to the tire with least resistance adding the weight to the right tire will increase the traction and cause the left one to spin with less traction. To get over this you have the option of a locker or welding the gears as I don't recall them making limited slip avalible yet. Since this is your DD (probably) and you have a live axle set up your going to wear out tires really fast up front. I recommend a selectable locker for the rear as its more reliable and the clutches for L/S will wear out fast if abused like that. and add weight to the rear over your axle or something.

Don't add another block to the rear. the springs will be under just as much if not more stress then they are now. plus your truck will look retarded with a jacked up rear. I would recommend the heavy duty leaf packs or tow leaf packs because they are ment for that kind of weight. There are also over load spring add ons you can probably get as well.

As for performance mods this is what I would do befor putting all your money into 5 Hp from an intake/exhaust combo. Start with gearing and wide tires the 12.50 part is the only part that will help you with those tires, Look into some 31x12.50 or 32x11.50 or a metric equivilent. For gearing I would probably go 4.88's in your case as you want lots of torque to get to the ground and speed isn't the issue. 4.56's would work too. Those two things are going to help you the most in a pull. More rubber to the dirt and more power to turn the rubbers. The tuner would also be a good idea as they generally give you the most bang for your bucks. Plus you can change up the settings.

Granted if you do drive this thing as a dd I don't recommend doing a tractor pull to begin with... Your gonna F up your nice truck doing what pulling weights? Unless this is something your into...

I can keep the trans in 1st by placing the lever into 1st.

I don't want it to shift, I feel that shifting under that much load will kill my speed I have going, and my trans too.

I have an open rear. The front spins the right tire because of the unequal drive shaft length between the left and right tires up front. I figure shifting the weight to that right side would give it more grip, possibly equaling out the pull on the front. That's something I'll "tune" by shifting the weights after I have a couple of pulls done.

I don't mean to add a block to raise the rear up, but rather between the rear axle and the frame to stop it from squatting down lower.

Thanks for the insight, though.

 

[bobbywalter]

track conditions dictate tire.


usually a ste/at type tire works best....siped snow tires real good. thats for clay base.


traction bars. long links far forward as possible


custom hitch setup for events that hooks to the rails forward of the axle with the reciever tube out back, hitch pintle in the up position. this could hurt the frame, but pulls down hard.


years ago i made 288 feet as best, front tires were across the line. lemme tell ya, alot of guys were pissed and i had problems because of it.....nobody said anything in the drivers meetings as the other v8 rangers years prior were hardly getting 200 feet. it was pissy after that run.

generally with a normal hitch with it up high i was getting 260's or so iirc.


back then i was light and in the 5250 down class, now i am about 6 k....with no turbo it isnt worth the time to go thru tech and run. the diesel class is seperate at the events near me so i am screwed....a 6.5 isnt gonna pull 24 k from dead dig

 

[bobbywalter]

oh...dont ever lock that convertor.....and dont count on it staying in 1st either

 

[bobbywalter]

the half shafts are close in the front compared to ttb or a straight axle....you need a locker.


with my ttb d35 i exploded a few front gearsets from it being open and peg leggin.

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I can keep the trans in 1st by placing the lever into 1st.

I don't want it to shift, I feel that shifting under that much load will kill my speed I have going, and my trans too.

I have an open rear. The front spins the right tire because of the unequal drive shaft length between the left and right tires up front. I figure shifting the weight to that right side would give it more grip, possibly equaling out the pull on the front. That's something I'll "tune" by shifting the weights after I have a couple of pulls done.

I don't mean to add a block to raise the rear up, but rather between the rear axle and the frame to stop it from squatting down lower.

Thanks for the insight, though.

I still don't think its a good idea to run it in first like that. One reason is once you reach a certain RPM you wanna keep it there because that would be your peak torque anything above that and its wasted gas and energy. Thats why i like the shift kit you lose little to no speed, it saves your transmission (hopefully) and makes your slush box customizable even for regular street driving. You can change shift point and how fast it shifts.

Are you positive you have an open rear? because only one tire should spin... I know my open diff only one tire spins no matter what but on my other truck with L/S you get on the gas and both lock up. Doesn't matter if you "tune' the front. the tire that gets the least amount of traction is going to get all the power with an open diff.

Oh ok... I thooght you were gonna stack another block under the spring... well I still think overload springs would be a good Idea too...

 

[scotts90ranger]

blocking the suspension can bump you up a class in some cases (in the one I run in), but so can a header (I ended up in the lowest class with my turbo, because I didn't have competition other than a 4.0 jeep... that friggin beat me... (I have bald tires, didn't help me out).

 

[JohnnyO]

A body lift will clear 33's. I wouldn't use a suspension lift if you're pulling.
I used to have an 02 Ranger with a 4.0 and 4.10's. It was a beast off-road, great power, but you'll need at least 4.56 gears with 33" tires and that's to keep the rpm vs. speed the same as stock. For a while 4.56 was as high as you could get for the front axle but I think someone is making 4.88's now.
If you have open front and rear diffs you're not going to get too far pulling. Detroit Locker for the rear and Powertrax makes a No-Slip and Lock-Right for the front. Consider an Explorer or FX4 Level II rear axle, it has 31 spline axles instead of 28, or just wait and see if the stock axles breaks.
It is possible to adapt James Duff traction bars.
Your truck already has a separate transmission cooler but I'd suggest getting a bigger one.

 

[wrecking-crew]

is your truck going to be a dd too? if not, i'd suggest lockers(rear and front if using 4wd) and the 4.56 or 4.88 gears. i dont know much about pulling, but i do know that you would want a rear locker atleast and higher ratio gears.

as for the engine, i'd reccomend a STOCK air filter as a k&n+dusty conditions=dirty intake. chip it too.

33's sound good and would reccomend the 3" bl with them so theres no rubbing.

 

[Hopman]

Make us Ranger owners pround bro!