I've been toying with the idea of trying the pulling thing at our few local events we have around here. I was just wondering if anyone has pulled with air bags. I have a set of rear airbags and was wondering if I would hurt anything while pulling? I'm planning on clamping the springs so I thought I would just lower the air to min pressure, 5 psi and see how it does. Anyone see a problem with this?

I have and it worked great. I put 100 psi in them and clamped the springs. Absolutely no wheel hop.

What brand of bags? i have the firestones i am pullin for the first time today actually. did you air up the bags then clamp? thats what i am planning on doing

I run air bags. Work good for me. I also run solid stops so they just really only there to set hitch height for me.

I have limiting straps hooking the frame to the axle. Then air them up. Works great for me

worked great 75lbs and clamped the springs got some hop but it was my first pull ever. my problem was that i didnt get on it hard enough out of the hole so i was able to stop the hop but lost my momentum 266 put me in 7th place out of 15 trucks

What brand of bags? i have the firestones i am pullin for the first time today actually. did you air up the bags then clamp? thats what i am planning on doing

They are Air Lift brand bags, but basically the same thing as Firestone I think. I'm building some sping clamps so I'll probly just air up to 100 psi, clamp the spings and give it a try. Thanks

I have limiting straps hooking the frame to the axle. Then air them up. Works great for me

LB how much are you airing them up to?
I was using blocks (solid), but had to install airbags for a tow trip out to Merchant's. I might try using them for pulling as they installed in the same place I had my blocks (instead of constantly swapping). I can easily make a couple limiting straps and air up the bags, I just wasn't sure if I should max them out or not? My Air Rite bags are rated from 5-100PSI FWIW.

Thanks.

I run 75psi. tip - make your "straps" out of chain. I broke several straps.

make your "straps" out of chain. I broke several straps.

Good advice.

Thanks :ro)

If you're getting tons of grip, your hopping is probably from axle wrap.

Get a set of traction bars to plant the rear axle. When I hooked for the first time, the 35" BFGs burned off the FRONT of the rear wheel fender flare. That's at least 1.5" of axle motion if not more.

On looser tracks you won't notice it as much, but the axle moves way more than most would think.

Also, try not to goof around with the front end setup as far as trying to limit the noe up-travel. You can get some really nasty results. Turn your torsion bars all the way down, strap your centerlink, and otherwise leave it alone.

I have limiting straps hooking the frame to the axle. Then air them up. Works great for me

How close is that coming to being rigid? Do you get much squat at all?

You and I both know a guy who has been running bags for a while and at one pull he got some grief over it. He doesn't run blocks, and that throws some techs off. I think he's accomplishing the same thing via the characteristics of airbag travel. First little bit is easy, then gets real stiff after that. Not sure 2" of travel is actually possible with that setup - ?

If you're getting tons of grip, your hopping is probably from axle wrap.

Get a set of traction bars to plant the rear axle. When I hooked for the first time, the 35" BFGs burned off the FRONT of the rear wheel fender flare. That's at least 1.5" of axle motion if not more.

On looser tracks you won't notice it as much, but the axle moves way more than most would think.

Also, try not to goof around with the front end setup as far as trying to limit the noe up-travel. You can get some really nasty results. Turn your torsion bars all the way down, strap your centerlink, and otherwise leave it alone.

So limiting straps on the FRONT END is not recommended to help tame "nose lift"? whats it cause to happen?


C-ya
Mitch

Pogo stick I would guess...

Boing Boing Boing! Bad juju!

Don't worry about the front end lifting. There are methods for soft-strapping the front, but I can't say how much it helps.

Your time is better spent working on a heavy duty fabbed hitch that gets the hitch ring sucked up as far forward as allowed. While you're at it, fab it so that the centerline of the receiver tube is very near the centerline of the hitch ring. This makes the whole setup much more mechanically sound.

For serious pullers, the low centerline hitch with a big riser just ain't good. It puts some high torque loads on the components, for no good reason.

I also highly recommend threaded rear travel stops so that when you get all the weights in and settled, so at the track where you're teched, you can adjust things right to the very limit of the law. Don't give 'em an inch, like most blocks I see. Keep the rear squat controlled, use a good custom hitch, and you'll be in good shape.

Now, I will say this:

Most places don't allow rigid suspension. Most people interpret that to mean "rear suspension."

As such, we tried limiting straps that had about an inch of travel (so that we couldn't be called "rigid") and as soon as the straps caught the lower control arms, bad bounching ensued and led to a horrible 10th place pull that looked like Tigger, at a track we had won at a few months earlier. Needless to say, the straps on the front were never used again.

I have also seen people using bolts/blocks/etc. in the factory limiter on the upper control arm, all with bad results. These also had some travel before engaging. Same thing, guys took 'em off and things got way more stable.

The "slam" that happens when you have a bit of travel then *bang-stop* is what upsets the apple cart.

Now, I have never tried going totally rigid on the front. If someone is doing that, I'd like to hear of their experience.

I have heard people say that Dale Calendar's DHRA championship-winning dually Dmax "lifts the front driver's side tire off the ground when he takes off." I have not talked to Dale about it and I have no video of it that's good enough to say one way or another, but have always thought that the only way to do such a thing would be to go totally rigid in the front.

This is just an observation, so if I'm wrong, I'll be glad to stand corrected.

Now your getting it. the 2" of travel is actually there, you just have to push real hard ):h . Like it has been said " just read the rules, don't read into them" It's a good setup. plus the truck rides better on the road and on the track. One of the FFP techs last year wanted me to take off my chains. He said it "limited my downward travel" the chain limits upward travel. That is not in the rules.

How close is that coming to being rigid? Do you get much squat at all?

You and I both know a guy who has been running bags for a while and at one pull he got some grief over it. He doesn't run blocks, and that throws some techs off. I think he's accomplishing the same thing via the characteristics of airbag travel. First little bit is easy, then gets real stiff after that. Not sure 2" of travel is actually possible with that setup - ?

The "slam" that happens when you have a bit of travel then *bang-stop* is what upsets the apple cart.

Now, I have never tried going totally rigid on the front.

The bang is gone with air bags. They might work good in the front also. There are some pulling trucks with air bags up there.

A rigid front end, i think, would be very bad.

Now your getting it. the 2" of travel is actually there, you just have to push real hard ):h . Like it has been said " just read the rules, don't read into them" It's a good setup. plus the truck rides better on the road and on the track. One of the FFP techs last year wanted me to take off my chains. He said it "limited my downward travel" the chain limits upward travel. That is not in the rules.

Everyone take heed, LB is a puller's puller :)

Yup, they never specify spring rate, just "no blocks that would limit the 2" travel."

I tried to get them to understand this and get some kind of standard to use...like putting a sled weight in the truck to make sure it drops 2" or so. They totally didn't get it. They said, "hey, it's a street class, let's keep this simple, just jump on the bumper or something." My point was, unless you specify a spring rate, then you can run stiff bags or welded spring packs and meet the letter of the rule, but probably not the intent of the rule.

So whatever! I like your thinking, LB.

Everyone take heed, LB is a puller's puller :)

Yup, they never specify spring rate, just "no blocks that would limit the 2" travel."

I tried to get them to understand this and get some kind of standard to use...like putting a sled weight in the truck to make sure it drops 2" or so. They totally didn't get it. They said, "hey, it's a street class, let's keep this simple, just jump on the bumper or something." My point was, unless you specify a spring rate, then you can run stiff bags or welded spring packs and meet the letter of the rule, but probably not the intent of the rule.

So whatever! I like your thinking, LB.


That is why I have them! I used a strap at the drag strip to limit rear end up travel. Pumped the bags up and it launched way better. No hoping and the front stayed low. Strap broke after about 6 launchs. I never got to try it that way pulling. I have chains now.:)

Lawnboy Rocks!:D

Lawnboy Rocks!:D


I can't argue with that:rockit: . Up next...........


The NWPADMAX & Lawnboy Tour

cool deal. thanks for the info.

On the solid front end. I don't think that even the mod trucks with full tube chassis are completely solid. At least not from what I remember seeing.


C-ya