[InTeNsE98RT]

Ok, here is what's goin on... One of my friends just got a 99 Ford Ranger 4X4 4.0 V6 Auto and he wants to race against my 00 3.9 5-speed sport. Ive never raced anybody in a real drag race so Im not real up to speed on how to do some of this stuff. Im pretty sure he would beat me off the line because I cant keep mine from spinning so much... any suggestions??? What I was doing was just putting it in first and hold down the clutch with the gas goin and then pop the clutch so it takes off faster but still spins too much. Is that the wrong way to take off on a drag race or should I not give it any gas till the race starts??? Im sure I can take him once I get to about 2nd gear but its the starting off I have trouble with. I know some of you are prob ROFL at me but I gotta learn some time. Besides this race is just for fun, but I dont want to loose and I know my dak could take him. His is stock at about 160HP with mine a little modified with about 190HP. Also where is a good RPM too shift at because I was thinking at about 5000 it red lines at 5500 or is that 2 high? Anyway some info on this would help and it is on the street not a real track but more than long enough for a 1/4 mile and little to no traffic. Feel free to make fun of my newbie drag racing experience cause if I dont hear it here im sure ill here it if I loose on the street. This isnt gonna be right away cause we have to set up a good time to do it with no bad weather and safe conditions.

 

[PilotC150]

In a truck, with no weight in the back, you won't want to rev the engine at all really before you take off. The less spin the better. Practice a bit with letting out the clutch at different speeds and holding the revs at different levels and find out the highest you can hold the revs, and the fastest you can let out the clutch without the wheels spinning. That's gonna give you the best take off.

I don't know for sure, but I would recommend leaving it in 2-wheel (if it's a 4x4) so all the power would go to the back wheels. While you may get a bit more traction in 4x4, you'd probably lose some more power through the drive-line.

But like I said, the two factors that will determine the launch are the speed at which you release your clutch, and the revs the engine is at when you finally do engage the clutch. You'll have to figure out the best "setting" for each one.

You don't necessarily have to drop the clutch, feathering it is fine as long as you make sure it will still fully engage when your foot does get off the pedal. In my old car (96 Ford Probe GT) if I would drop the clutch at high RPM's, there was too much HP running through it and it wouldn't grab until I let off the gas a bit.

Hope my rambling was some help. Sorry it wasn't very organized. I was just typing as I was thinking.

 

[InTeNsE98RT]

Ive done take offs pretty good but not perfect and shifting the most ive went was 4500 RPM's and that did pretty good. I was just needing some opinions cause I dont want to loose this race. Thanks for the advice. Ill play around with it today when im out and try to improve.

 

[Ben]

He has more that 160hp he is any where between 180 and 207 depending what 4.0 he has, the SOHC4.0 was like 205 or 207 the reg 4.0 i think is like 180-185

 

[MoPaR DaK]

NEVER DUMP THE CLUTCH!!! To get a good launch you gotta take it up to a certain rpm start at 1800 or 2000 (maybe even higher) and feather out the clutch so wheel spin is minimal. Once you figure out what the best rpm and how fast to let the clutch out is the best way. But once again... never just give it some gas and pop the clutch because you will never hook up.

 

[InTeNsE98RT]

He has more that 160hp he is any where between 180 and 207 depending what 4.0 he has, the SOHC4.0 was like 205 or 207 the reg 4.0 i think is like 180-185

Where did you get that information? Because I was told for a reg 4.0 160 HP Torque 220 @ 3000 rpm