Theoretically, what would be the ideal weight distribution between axles for mud bogging? Im building a 75 f-150 with a 460 and no box. The motor and axles are in the stock location. I have removed basically all of the accessories from the truck. No grill shell, lights, anything. I am adding weight over the rear axle in place of the bed, just wondering how much i need. I know on a stock truck they are heavier in the front, but would a 50/50 split be better? Heavier in the back to keep the nose up? any ideas?

 

you want as much weight in the rear as possible while still keeping overall weight as low as possible.

make sense?

 

right now the truck weighs 3800 lbs with no extra weight on the back. the front axle weighs about 2600 lbs and the rear about 1130. i know the numbers dont add up but thats what the scale i was using showed. Not 100% accurate but at least gives me a rough idea. I was going to weigh a stock f-150 for comparison but i didnt get around to it today.

 

have you taken the factory glass out and replaced it with Lexan or Plexiglass? That will save a couple hundred pounds - really.

you can gut the interior, remove the dash, swiss cheese the frame, take out the inner fenders, 16v battery setup and ditch the alternator.

The lighter the better.....

 

still has full glass for now. when it breaks or falls out ill replace it with lexan. the interior is basically gutted. no ac or heater or radio. i even stripped the extra wiring out of the truck. carpet and insulation is gone and has bucket seats instead of bench.

 

The ideal weight bias is probably a magic secret and probably different from combo to combo, but what I can say is that you dont want to add ballast.
You mentioned adding weight to the rear in place of the bed, and I question this.
Im sure this is not necessary.
For this application, I would be moving the stuff you have to carry around. What I mean is that you must have a battery right? So, relocate it. Move it to the rear of the truck. Batteries are fairly heavy, so since you have to have one, install it in a place that will serve a purpose.
Same is true for the gas tank or fuel cell. Some desert racers like central mounted locations, but mud guys like it behind the rear axle.
Probably the biggest and best solution for weight distribution is to change the wheel base and move the engine back.
While some move the cab backwards too, anything or any combo will help with weight distribution.
I personally like the bed, and I think it looks good. Not as modified as a truck with no bed.
However, you dont have to run a bed, you can cut the bedsides, and run the skins.

Mud guys like the weight way back:



Move the engine back:



Move the entire body back:

 

Just make sure to check your class rules before moving stuff.

Some times items like fuel cells, rear mounted battery or radiator, altered wheelbase or body and setting the engine back in the frame will put you in a different class.

Id hate for you to be running a bone stock 460 against guys with 1000hp and a kick *** suspension setup.

 

Like alpha/omega said, moving engine/axles/radiator would put me in a different class. I will also be running the stock fuel tank in the stock location between the rear framerails. I do possibly intend to move the battery into the cab against the rear panel. As for adding weight, i know you do not want it to be any heavier than necessary, im just trying to replace the weight lost from not running a bed, and thought i would try to help the balance in the process. I have removed everything i wanted to from the front of the truck to lighten it up, and i believe it will stay lighter than a stock truck.

I also like the look of a bed, but this truck did not have one on it when i got it and i really dont have one that i want to put on it. Also it will be much easier to wash without one.

 

Not sure if anyone said this yet, but you could always find a bed with a rotted out floor and use it to make some skins - run some tube around like the picture up there and then attach your skins to it. Maybe you could even find some fiberglass ones, though I'm not sure if anyone is making those. Front fiberglass fenders are available I believe.

 

That just looks plain sick man!! Bad Azzzzzz!!!

 

as i said before, i am not running a bed, and therefore need to add weight over the rear axle. As it is now, i cant even drive down a gravel road at normal speed without it getting squirrely. So theoretically, anything lighter than stock with a more rearward weight bias than stock SHOULD be an improvement, correct?

 

i own a 150 my father has a 78 f250 mud puppy, sounds like you have most of the important part done for a bed i suggest the lightest simplest flat bed you can come up with all you need is something to cover the gas tank so it doesn't rust out. being light in the back and being floaty is a trait of mud puppies it is caused through several reasons, first all trucks have light rears short beds are worse you remove the weight the problem gets worse then you lower its pounds per square inch by adding fat mud tires, mud tires with rain groves improve handling on road but could defeat the purpose as you want to stay on top of the mud not sink. a vehicle will start to hydroplane at 35 miles an hr which is exactly what you want to skip over the mud with the right tires your front end will lift right out weight and all. if it is a huge problem though get a tool box and bult it behind the cab they weigh enough plus out in the woods tools come in handy. the last suggestion i have is an over rev chip you will get more out of that little chip then any other mod(it is what is under the hood that counts)a truck with a rpm chip wont pop and leave you stranded it will just keep going full out

 

i don't know why i didn't say this when this thread was new, but i would look for a rear tank for the truck to add weight to the rear most part of it. ditch the mid tank. i know it doesn't sound like much, but it will be a cheap way to transfer some weight and keep it stockish. fuel is heavy depending on how much you put in the tank.

 

i did end up moving the battery inside between the seats against the back of the cab. And i added 2 8" pipes full of concrete. One directly over the rear axle and one over the divet in the top of the gas tank, almost directly above where the rear spring hangers mount to the frame. I dont remember now what the final weight of the truck is, or what the balance is, but i believe it is still lighter than stock with better balance. I am running 33x 10.5 super swamper boggers for max traction, anything less and it would just spin and not bite. I did not build it to be a trail truck, it is a purpose built mod bogger race truck. I have a pic of 2 of it in my gallery, I will change one to my avatar.

 

i tried to make my post relative, now that i know that it is a race truck i understand there are regulations and most of what i know isn't reg i been planning on removing the radiator right off of my fathers truck, it is funny you are runnin a larger motor with smaller tires and no lift where we are runnin 16"rim 38"x i believe 12" on dana 60s with 4"block lifts ours is strait line acceleration, short drag powerbraking out of the mud truck basically levitates that is why rev chip is important.(i forgot you said radiator changes class)
78ford250carb&gmc1500carb
83ford250 302v8carb2w 1ton
85ford250 4.9carb4x4 3/4ton 96ford150 4.9fuelinjected4x4(now parts for 85)
plus we have a jeep(chevy v6 3.0carb) and two subaru(stock)
i like your collection what i really want is a second jeep so i can take it and a truck and make one rig that way i can keep the parts stock but still have a mean rig

i got a question how you keeping everything from rusting out without a bedbody(we have a flatbed made of a f750 tailgate)

& our you running leafs or coils in the front