Part Time Pulling Truck Build

[6600DURAMAX]

Thought I would join the crowd and start a build thread, although it actually won’t be an entire build thread as I already have a good body and interior, more of a frame build for the rest the parts. I am in the process of building a sled pulling truck that I can still drive on the weekends. Any input from current or past pullers is more than welcome as this is all new to me.

Completed:

Axles:
Dana 60 front, 4.56 gears and a full spool, with crossover and high steer
14 bolt rear with 4.56 gears and a Detroit Locker

Suspension:
6’’ EZ Ride front springs with a 1’’ zero rate block and 6 degreee shim
6’’ Rear springs with rolled spring perches
Bilstein 7100 remote reservoir shocks at all four corners

Hitch:
Reese hitch with added 2’’ tubing for additional bracing


In Progress:

Traction Bars : 2’’ .25 wall DOM pipe with 1’’ heims on each end
(Have all the material just need to weld up)

Suspension Blocks: Need to come up with a design

Frame: In the process of boxing from the transfer case back

Motor Mounts: looking for an aftermarket crossmember???

Front hitch for weight bracket: Need a design

Goals are for all the welding on the frame to be completed by the end of Jan. so it can get powdercoated.

Want to have entire truck back on the road by April!!!

Have a lot more to add just not the time right now………..need to get back to work


The above was the thread I started in the general catagory but though I would move it to the 4x4 section, probably more interest in here, maybe....

any how attached are a couple updated pictures

[6600DURAMAX]

Pics of the front reciever, have a custom bumper that will slide in the tubes then I can add my wieght

[6600DURAMAX]

Well for some reason it wont let me upload pictures of the front reciever hitch, I will try again later

[Yukon Jack]

Will be fun to watch your progress - these trucks look very "at home" hooked up to a pulling sled.

[Burt4x4]

Looks like a tuff frame for sure!
Post up the pics as you getum

[crawdadfox]

Pullers are cool! Get with Jeff (hot trux) he had a puller "Ratsass" right in your area that won his class championship a couple times. I'm sure he can give you some great pointers!

[ERASER5]

Just curious about the weekend riving with a spool in the front. Won't that be tough on the tires as well as all the steering parts?

Cool truck though. I like the traction bars. The front hitch sound great too.

[1-tonmudder]

As long as he has a parttime case and lockout's (which he has in the pictures) the spool wont matter.Just unlock the hubs and put the case in 2wd.

[6600DURAMAX]

Like 1-ton said, with the lockouts a spool is no big deal, it will only be lock in 4wd during pulls.

Should get the front shock brackets completed this weekend and then it is off to get powdercoated! Still haven't decided on a color though, leaning toward gloss black but have thought about silver vein??? Truck is Irredescent Blue

[6600DURAMAX]

More Pictures, Talked ot my fabricator and he is not able to get me my front shock brackets by today so it looks like I will have to wait another week before she can go to the powder coaters

Here aer some pics of teh front reciever for the weight bracket/bumper

[6600DURAMAX]

Crawdadfox - Do you know how to get in touch with Jeff ( hot trux) ? Would love some pointers before this frame gets coated and I should have added something?

thanks

[Joey~AP]

I spy a Sprint Car wing!

Lookin good!

[6600DURAMAX]

Thanks, Still waiting for my front shock brackets before it can go to the powder-coaters!

[meansting04]

Looks good. I am going to subscribe. I work with a guy that pulls sleds. He has a new deisel. good luck to you.

[6600DURAMAX]

Well, as with any build the drama continues............ Brackets are still a couple days out, so I am going to start pulling the front clip off this weekend and hopefully will be able to get the motor mounts to the powdercoaters at the same time also. The biggest delima now is if I should have the Turbo 350 tranny rebuilt while it is out. Right before I pulled the truck into the shop to be tore down, massive amounts of tranny fluid were leaking out of what appeared to be the torque convertor........ No big deal ed a bigger stall anyway. Well after pulluing the tranny ans inspecting the torque convertor it doesn't appear to be split like I had hoped.

Now I don't really know what was leaking?? The front seal didn't show a lot of fluid on it? I am really confused. Could it be a hair line crakc in the torque convertor? What else could leak that bad? Front pump seal looks good???

No new pictures yet, although I did order my 17x12 ION wheels and they are arriving today I will post pics when I get them!!!

[DieselEater]

Couple pointers for you.......

- Don't pull from the rear bumper...FRONT END WILL BOUNCE! You'll need a custom hitch, but it can be removable for when on street.

- Make a removable block to limit or eliminate rear suspension flex...I used to use fake shocks. Beef up your rear shock mounts, and use solid pipe in place of shocks when you pull.

- A TH350 will not hold up for you!!!! Go with a SM465 4 speed.

- Not sure what engine you have, but High RPM and ground speed is better than torque in this game. Get your final gear ratio to about 30, then build a BBC to spin it to 7500 RPM.

- Rear tire air pressure should be around 30psi NO MORE! And front should be as low as possible....like 15psi.

Go to Reddogs pulling site, for more info.

A........

[6600DURAMAX]

DieselEater, I have attached some pics of the hitch, I reinforced the bottom of the frame with 1/4'' angle that was welded to the frame then bolted the hitch on. Boxed the frame and added the 2''x2''x1/4'' tube as seen. I think this should be enough. I hope! As for limiting block the other pic is of a bracket, I have to finish welding up the limit stop but they will be made out of 2''x2''x1/4'' tube with a 1'' nut welded to the bottom, I will then run a 1'' bolt up thru the bottom of the nut to get the suspension fully on the axle.

Up front I plan on running some sort of weight bracket that is the reason for the extensive hitch assembly, I hope to hang around 800+ pounds when said and done.

As for the motor I am running a 468BBC full roller motor with a cam that kicks in around 2800, I have only spun the motor to around 6500rpm but I am sure it could handle a tad more just trying to make it last.

Trannies, trannies, trannies...... I fully understand your point here, unfortunatly I am going to run my TH350........ I have a turbo 400 that I would like to bolt to the 205 but do not have an adapter and am not a real big fan of running a divorced case. I know that this will be my weak point, really weak point but I am hoping it can get me by for a few seasons. I only plan to pull 6-8 times per year.

I appriciate the tips and will check out RedDogs for sure

[6600DURAMAX]

New Wheels - These are the "Street Wheels" I am keeping the 689's for teh pull so I can run a different tire

Wheels are ION Forged Terminators 17x12

[DieselEater]

The don't pull from the bumper was not about strength.......Rather, about location. Your design is plenty stout, but still anchored from too far back. Think of it like a see-saw. You want to anchor your hitch from no further back than your rear axle.


A.......

[og350]

how would you go about mounting the hitch forward more? here in the midwest we have alot more rules about hitches and junk so i am curious on how to get around them. we also cant have traction/ladder bars or blocked suspension.
you had said you were going to run a different torque converter, what would be a good stall to run for pulling? great build so far it is cool to see others wanting a truck that can pull and still drive home after the pull!

[AJs72K5]

Originally Posted by 6600DURAMAX

Motor Mounts: looking for an aftermarket crossmember???

DIY4X makes a really nice engine crossmember for 69-72s. When I pull my engine out, a DIY4X crossmember will be going in.

So, uhhhh, how much weight you looking to be able to pull with this thing??

[jeffspower]

Nice work on boxing the frame. I like the "C channel inside a C channel". I used to pull my daily driver '72 alot years ago. I still have a similar weight bracket receiver under the front. I had slide in suspension blocks on the rear. Id' get done at the pull and spend all of 10 minutes putting it back in its street clothes for the drive home.

Some things I'd like to express my opinion on:

As said earlier, the hitch is way too far back. Unless you run a 6800 lb.+ class, your front tires won't be pulling anything. Do your rules dictate "bumper" hitch location?

While all the boxing & reinforcing is good, it adds a lot of weight. All that takes away from what you can hang up front. Unless you can gut the box & cab, it will probably end up weighing over 5500.

You want front springs with NO arch. A small amount of arch can be made to work, but it will be all but impossible to avoid axle wrap & wheel hop with what you have under there now.

4.56 gears, TH350 & 205 most likely won't be low enough for a mild 6,500 rpm mill. 5.13's might be just about right and easier on the trans too. The TH350 has a weak OE intermediate clutch outer race. It can blow apart easily. A good aftermarket HD race would be a good investment/ upgrade.

[6600DURAMAX]

Thanks Jeff,

It will definatley weigh alot but I have seen these years of truck bend the frame a couple times and I did not want that to happen, hopefully I have addressed the weakness of the frame. I understand the hitch should be further but I was under the assumption that most sanctions would require a stock location for the street class?? I also figured that with the suspension blocks that will help to keep the weight on the front.

I am going to run 33'' tires when I pull so my RPM should be pretty high.

I also agree with the comments about the TH350, but I am going to run a HD race.

Here are some pics of the motor coming out this weekend

[og350]

ok a few questions on your build....
did you make your own cross over and high steer or it is a kit? i am looking to do that soon. second what are you going to do with your shift linkage? i have a th400 with stock linkages and the last pull i did i was holding it down into first and the tranny wanted to shift up so bad when i bogged down at the end that it pushed the linkage off the side of the tranny. just wondering if that has happened to anyone else. i was looking at the direct bolt on lokar kits but didnt know if they will hold up..

[6600DURAMAX]

Front Crossover - I bought the two arms from BlueFab Tocrh Works or something like that. I then went to the local steel supplier and bought 2 pieces of 1 1/2'' x 1/4'' wall DOM tube, bought four threaded bungs (2left and 2 right handed) and welded everything up. Pretty simple all in all but I do have quite a bit in it, $200 for the arms, tube was $70 or $80 buck then the bungs were $10 a piece and the Tie rod ends. I am happy with it though.

Not sure what you are reffering to on the shift linkage, I am just going to run the stock linkage. Cant imagine it being a problem. Maybe someone else with more pulling experience than me might be able to shed some light on this for us.