Well in what seems like to be the spirit of the forum lately, I got to thinking the other day about building an IDI pulling truck that could put the whooping on a new hopped up cummins or dmax. I found a truck for sale that I think would be perfect for the job and thought Id see what you guys think.

The truck is a 1988 Fsuperduty with a 7.3 and a 5 spd. I figure I could buy the truck and rob the 5 spd for my F250 and stick in a T18 4spd. The truck has I believe 5.13 gears with stock size tires. Now just imagine those 5.13s with that T18 in granny low. Now theres some pulling power! The biggest factor, I think, would be actually getting traction to put that power to the ground. I think momentum plays alot into these truck pulls too, which is something that this rig would NOT have a lot of in 1st gear riding the governor. So what do you guys think? Would she do good set up like that or no?

 

No chance. Momentum is the key. And as much as it hurts to say, in the pulling world, the cummins is king. Yes there are a couple of fords with 7.3's that give them a run for the money, but the fords require a ton more work and $$$$ to make comparable HP.

 

Damn thats what I was afraid of. Oh well, it was a good idea in theory lol

 

Also, for a pulling truck, I would think an auto trans is pretty much the norm. It allows you up/downshift as needed, without loosing any boost, along with the whole transbrake thing for launch control/building prelaunch boost.

 

Being a topic I know something about. Your only chance is to have an open class and you run 2 wheel drive and they stay 4x4. Then there is a slight maybe. I would play that and see what happened.

 

For pulling you want 4x4 and an auto, wheel speed is sometimes over 20mph so deep gears in the rear end and let the trans shift, then when it loads it can kick down.

 

how is momentum key? the truck pulls i see the chain is pulled tight between both trucks and then they go.... whoever has the most traction wins.... you don't see 2 trucks close together with 100ft chain and then they go and whoever doesn't rip there receiver off wins......

 

Totally different type of pulling. This type only proves who has better traction and throttle control.
We're dicussing the old school truck/tractor type pulling. Dragging a heavy sled for as far as possible, or the end of the track, whichever comes first.

 

I was talking about sled pulling. Are you thinking tug-o-war?

 

oh yea when they said truck pulling i was thinking 2 trucks pulling each other.... in my mind truck pull and tractor pull are to different things lol

 

I'm not talking about those hooking chains to the bumpers but an actual truck pull. Pulling a sled.

Momentum is everything and 20 mph tire speed is nothing. You want allot more then that.

On most tracks 2 wheel drives will smoke 4x4's. You are pulling on a hard packed dirt track 250 to 350 ft. Pulling on these tracks isn't all about power. You don't have to the most you just have to have enough.

example of the pulling I am talking about

YouTube - Badger diesel truck pulling Helenville, WI

 

I disagree with you about 2wd pulling more than 4wd. Also, HP does matter.......a lot.

Tell any puller they will go further if they de-tune their engine or lower their boost and they will laugh.

 

I never said HP didn't matter, just said you don't have to have the most.

Take two comparable trucks. Like this class in the youtube video. One 4x2 and one 4x4. Been to allot of pulls that ran an open "run what you brung" class. We have won several with a 4x2 5800 lb super stock truck. You can, for example, take a 500 hp engine and turn two tires allot faster then a 650 hp engine can turn 4. Which means when those two tires bite your track speed is faster if your truck is built right. Another thing I can play with weight so my front end floats and I am getting more weight on those two tires. Another plus. 4x4's have to throw all their weight on the front to try to get the front to bite and with a class like on the video the rear tires are running on the loose dirt from the front.

Most of pulling is the driver. You have to understand tracks. They can be choking tracks when the pull starts and go away towards the end of the night or it can be backwards. Where to much power or not knowing how to handle it is not knowing track conditions. Sometimes you don't want to slam it because you can spin out.

Two wheel drive trucks are harder to operate then 4x4's but don't think a 2 wheel drive can't out pull a 4x4 on a track. Most of the time they do. I am not talking about a 5800 lb super stocker running BF Goodrich all terrains and the 4x4 6200 open running Cepeks, that is two different things

 

a pulling idi would be cool but the time and money to get were u would want it , i might consider a 2wd fummins ford parts with a cummins heart

 

Dude I would keep F450 over F250. Try deal with twist frame, front end mess up, and weak parts.


F450 is like BEAST compare to F250. 15K GVWR.

F450 with 1 gear on 5.13 you be roll real SLOW but it will pull stump if you have traction