Messages

1

Front Engine Dragsters / Re: New Guy love FED but clueless and scaried

« on: May 09, 2015, 02:35:31 PM »

the sooner you go make a pass in your new fed the sooner the bugs and worries go away and you find out how much fun they really are.My two cents would be to make sure you are running the same air pressure in your slicks cause if one is higher then the other on a hard launch you may find you drift hard the opposite way..not a big thing but if you aren't ready for it then it might be alittle unsettleing..once you have a good pass you will be hooked...yesterdays are gone so enjoy today and hope for tomorrow but don't wait to long cause lifes clock is a tickin....enjoy the ride!

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: FEDs on trailers

« on: November 19, 2014, 09:31:20 PM »

gotta say towing on a open trailer has some perks..showing the toy off and all..I towed a 55 chevy that way 3 years then got a enclosed trailer..ah alittle harder to strap down,harder to get out of the car,but perks are everything locked up,no problems with driving in rain,storage,full of lights so it is easyier loading at end of going rounds.The car is gone and now a 180inch fed now lives their..another great perk is I don't have to unload when I get home cause of the pine trees dripping sap in the driveway and no way would I leave it on the street overnight. My 24' weighs in around 3100pds and I pull it with a 3/4 ton van. You can find older trailers as cheap and beet up or newer for more $ but the pieace of mind of having everything safe and sound where you left it is priceless..and in the event major tie down issues arose where would your ride end up?Drawbacks,alittle more money and you cannt show and tell to fellow travelers..but hey that's what the track and a good run is all about..or part anyway..just my view..but hey..maybe I will look for a old boat trailer to convert so I can pull the fed behind my daily driver..66 el camino.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: dragster weight

« on: October 20, 2014, 05:22:09 PM »

Im reading the posts and crackn up...kinda afraid to say anything..lol..but roger I do like your ride it looks like it is really coming together and like one post said..it might b a long winter..waitn to pull the trigger on it..I feel that weight already..got in a handful of passes then bam season here done...and it was 79 and sunny today! good luck with the ride

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Car done truck died

« on: October 20, 2014, 05:08:45 PM »

the great thing about a van is everything is inside out of weather and locked up.My van has the bins and shelfs in it so its easy to have things tidy and you know where they are..I also leave my generator and tow dolly in there as well since what I have in the trailer I keep in cabnets so they don't bounce around and hurt the ride. I personally would rather put a couple grand a year into a older pull vehicule then 6 or more thousand for payments..its just me but I love the van and it pulls the trailer with no problems what so ever..besides ,the race isn't on the highway its at the track..that way I don't spill my pepsi on the way there.

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: Car done truck died

« on: October 19, 2014, 11:20:33 AM »

well here is my take..since I do not have a blossoming money tree in my back yard I have to decide where to spend the cash I do have..I have a 24' enclosed which I bought new last fall and of course the big money is in the fed inside. 4 or so years back I needed something to pull my trailer(at that time was running a 3400 pd 55 chevy on a flatbed)but wanted a place to get my spare parts,jacks,fuel,all the trimmings,and have it locked up..well if I got a truck I needed a shell..with a shell you have to empty the back out to get to the front..yuck..I was driving a van for work so I started looking at vans..didn't want to spend a lot of money cause the van is just a transport ride the money spent should be on the toys right..I found a 2001 ford(I am a chevy guy)that had the v8 trition it had a lot of miles but it was a heating/ac contractors so it not only have reg. maintance it also had all the shelving inside..perfect..got it for 1000 bucks..now my local track is only 20 miles away so it doesn't go far but in 4 years I have only put in another grand in it to keep it on the road..replaced two coils and two tires..it is a f250 and for the last year pulls the enclosed as good as any...it was great with the car,golf cart and trailer was about 7500 pds in all..my theary is it is better to spend alittle for repairs then that pesky monthly payment and that ways when things are good I got more to spend on what is really important..things that puts a smile on my face by going fast..I see a lot of vans pulling feds cause they r light so the bulk of your weight is in the trailer not the fed. Well that's my take..I'd love a new pickup but when the payment is due will be cursing it as I did years ago when I had one..buying something that gets you from point a to b then leaving it hooked up is a great way to go..oh,I have got over 15,000 miles I put on that van over 4 years with replacing two tires(when I got it)and two ignition coils(they wear out like anything else)the sting of repairs is less then the payment..A new truck is easy 500 month if you spend say half of that as average a month in repairs do you have more left for the toys?Just my take..good luck..if you do get a new truck don't tell me cause I might be jealous..lol

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: which compound is right for fed tire

« on: October 18, 2014, 10:58:49 AM »

I will do just that..thanks a lot bill

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: which compound is right for fed tire

« on: October 16, 2014, 08:43:18 PM »

why yes it is..lol..have you seen this run?the time slip I have is from june 27,2014..looks like a tune and test day..I couldn't see anything on Lebanon valleys web site but might not know where to look..if you know the guy I got it from and know the ride you know it has some awesome parts just got the new bugs to hammer out..I got my new jw bell on now,belt back from stroud(was expiring end of this month)is now back in ride and meziere just put my new certed flex plate in the mail to me today.Still haven't got my ring and pinion(was 390  now going to 430) hopefully all this is here mid next week then it will be back together and now the thought is possibly try to get to vegas for the thanksgiving deal..got see if I have any money left..ha ha..

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: which compound is right for fed tire

« on: October 15, 2014, 09:11:57 PM »

great thoughts guys thanks..I have felt in my 9 passes with these tires that I perhaps had some hook..grab..ect..I have had some monsterous shake as well but have found tires/wheels to be out of balance,perhaps to tall of gear also added to that..I am waitn for new ring and pinion to see what that does..I was a 390 now got 4.29 coming(Richmond pro gears)..figure if I go to lower elevation I can take some timing out if need be..I really hate taking these tires off since they r more/less new but I am concerened about having shake again(they r balanced now)and perhaps hurtn something else..thanks for all advice

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Front Engine Dragsters / which compound is right for fed tire

« on: October 14, 2014, 04:40:36 PM »

I got a fed that weighs 1360 pds without my big belly it came with new hooisers 32x13x15 is do5 compound..i talked to a guy named steve at hooiser he thought I should be running c07..perhaps mine are to sticky for weight of ride..so whats everyones take on this..I have had gremlins I have been sorting out and wondering if this also adds to it all..thanks

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: bracing under dragster in trailer during transport

« on: October 09, 2014, 09:44:31 AM »

glenn that looks like the same set up I have plus I have those rubber boots on front wheels where they sit in those..not sure what they call them..I too put more air in tires to help keep them from bouncing around as much..thanks

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: bracing under dragster in trailer during transport

« on: October 09, 2014, 08:47:41 AM »

ok the wood idea sounds common and I think Im gettn the idea...we are simply adding a support(solid)under the frame so when slicks are tightened down it won't let the car flex rather the trailer will bounce and car is firm with trailer..I run a double row strap on rear tires and mac's bonnets on front..call me parainod but I hate a loose ride in the trailer. thanks for ideas

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: violent shake middle of pass

« on: October 09, 2014, 08:38:05 AM »

I believe it is a worm chassis..it does have lower mount tabs as well..on the driver side the vertical frame support is about 2 inchs on the tranny side of tab..on the passenger side the vertical is about 4 inches on the tranny side..the converter looks to be 10 1/2 inches..I was told it is a 5500 stall custom made by a guy named neil chance..I just looked at it the marking on it says  the guys last name who I got the ride from and some letters that make no sence at all..to me anyway  The only tabs that broke were the top two all other mounts good...Ok I just got off phone with parks..he said I should try a 430 gear for here..also said sometimes U can have a floating rear engine tab on motor..like what is on front with clamps..however that can creat stress on trans.so if its not perfectly alined it can cause damage there.Well more to think about ..also said my tires are way to big for this elevation..I figured that it just hurts having to fork out a lot more cash for what I need to run correctly..live and learn.

13

Front Engine Dragsters / bracing under dragster in trailer during transport

« on: October 08, 2014, 10:24:07 PM »

Ok this may have been addressed somewhere before but I cannt see it..so being new to dragsters..I have a 200 inch fed..I have a 24' trailer that has the dovetail in it..when I transported this ride from Indiana to Utah I simply loaded and hit the highway.When I got to Utah and unloaded I noticed I had floor damage from the ribs in the tranny pan bouncing around off the floor on this trip. Now I know it is a very bad thing to let this happen which can lead to damage..perhaps part of my frame gremlins..so I have heard of inflatable things but they pop..so what is a good thing to support this while in transport and where do you find it..also I heard it is best to support chassis where rear engine mount is..is that correct. thanks alot

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: violent shake middle of pass

« on: October 08, 2014, 09:40:55 PM »

one pic

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Front Engine Dragsters / Re: violent shake middle of pass

« on: October 08, 2014, 09:30:24 PM »

ok more update..first..jeff I am trying to figure out how to size and post..I went to the sizing site as was given here a couple posts back just don't know how to get them to come up..i will work on it..ok so Tuesday I got motor and tranny out..it kicked my butt but it is out..one thing that really took time was the three bolts that hold the convertor to flex plate..I got the nuts off easy enough but convertor didn't just come off like normal..so as to make sure I don't hurt anything..like convertor or flex plate(billit Meziere) Ifind out they are threaded in convertor as well..being how there is a alum. mount/firewall between flex plate and block it is dang near impossible to get a wrench in there to back them out..is this a common thing with high hp or is this just a fluke..I have never delt with this threaded before. well 2 1/2 hours later it is apart and motor is happy in the cradle,well as happy as a heart from the body that is..lol. So early this morning I call jw transmissions in florida to see how much to recert the bell housing..trans is good for two more years..62.78 and about a three day turn around..cool..I head to my local ups store..we box it up like a new born baby I get hit for 17 dollars and some cents for the box then want another 70 some bucks to ship it...woooo...so I start adding up..more/less 100 bucks to get it there..63 bucks cert..guessn 60-70 bucks back..heck there is 200-250...well I did what I thought was the right thing to do..call summit got one coming be here Friday ..free shipping..290 bucks..alittle more but its new..i am hoping to sell my old out of date housing for 75-100 bucks then I will be ahead right..ha ha..so my flex is due also..is the meziere  worth recerting or go with a new summit flexplate..I ordered a summit..will it hold up? As far as more damage I cannt find any just broke top two tabs and that ballast brace..tomorrow I will call parks guy to see what he has to say far as gears..convertor..and if he thinks tire shake broke my tabs..well I will try to post pictures soon as I figure it all out.