I was sitting there at work the other day (slow day) and decided to poke around a little on the forums and compile dyno verified HP numbers and the 1/4 mile times those folks are running from the users that have both posted. We don’t have a dyno in the state anywhere and I was curious as to what kind of power I am putting to the ground, roughly.

I noticed pretty quick that most of the 2nd Gens that are putting out roughly 510hp or more are able to run the 1/4 mile in 12.9's easily. On the other hand, all of the 3rd Gens that are posting HP numbers in the 570hp to 580hp range are only able to run the quarter in mid to high 13's. I only ran across a few 3rd Gens that had 12.9's posted and they had dyno numbers in the 620hp+ range.

Anyone know what the problem is here? The 2nd Gens can't be that much lighter. Any guesses as to why it is taking almost 100hp more to get a 3rd Gen into the 12s? That is a pretty significant difference. I know my rig is heavy at 8,000lbs and the big tires don’t help, but most of the 3rd Gen rigs I was looking at in the 570hp range had stock tires on and no add-ons that would indicate it was extremely heavy. Has to be something else…..

 

It's not just the heavier weight of the trucks!

It's also the ECM programming of the HPCR trucks that limits max rate of tq rise (3rd gen Catcher, anyone?).

Then there's the fact that 3rd gens have bigger, heavier wheels and tires, and that's ROTATIONAL INERTIA.

There's a reason the drag racers run the skinnies up front-- less intertia means less resistance to turning and faster acceleration.

Anyway, that's all i can think of.

 

I use a RAD that totally disables Torque Management, which makes a huge difference by the way.

Some good points. That still doesn't seem like enough to need an extra 100hp to overcome though. What does the average 2nd Gen weigh?

 

Maybe because the front of a 3rd gen catches more air then a 2nd gen?

Weight 30HP
tires/wheels 25HP
frontal surface 20 HP
ECM 25 HP

Oh yeah most of the 3rd gens are towing something too.

 

Scotty, Not everyone tows a box trailer full of Twinkies and Ding Dongs around with them every where they go

 

TOP, the twinkies are towed, the ding dongs in the cab

 

Bone stock, my '97 weighed 7k flat. Weighs around 7280 right now. Has been up to 7920, before the alum. flatbed went on, along with removing the transfer fuel tank. Add 225# for me.

 

Did torque rating fall into your comparison? A ballence of the two are equall in importance. Secondly we should compare the rpm range of each. Seems like I see a lot of newer trucks add horsepower at a faster rate than they add torque.

just my .002

 

AK Ram

You need to look what Chris at "Relentless Diesel" had done with some of his customers. One of the trucks he built ran a 12.23 @110mph at Thuner in Indy, Which was the quickest 3 rd Gens.

 

Yeah, But how much hp is he making to run that. I'm betting its a bunch more than a equally as fast 2nd gen truck.