Why no grass dragging of our Deeres?

[jdxrobin]

Hey everyone,
I just got home from the Outlaw Grass Drags tonight. I have gone there for the last few years and have yet to see any (yes ...zero) Deere's racing in them. Does anybody have a guess as to why they would not be competitive...at all
I know my boys Cyclone seems to be quite a bit heavier than my JDX4 special, so I got to believe you could lighten up one of the X's and really have some fun. They were running old stock Scorpions and Sno-Jets in the 500 feet at 26 to 34 MPH through the traps. That doesn't sound too hard to me.
Is there anybody out there who has tried it with a JD sled?
What are your thoughts?

Robin

[400brian]

The 295/S is probably the most famous for grass dragging.

Put a dual carb intake on a /22, along with an exhaust off a '75 X8 or 800. Put a Comet 102-C on it and start playing with the gearing and clutching.

[Matt]

There are a couple people here that have grass dragged mid-mounts, but true it's not very common. I feel like the '75 X8 or 800 would be a great candidate.

[sledder670]

If i ever get around to it my 80 liquifire is going to be a grass dragger. The dealer ship i got my dator's from grass dragged a 295/s and the mechanic told me they were competive against 400cc sleds with it.

[jdxrobin]

I noticed in the pictures that Matt posted, the suspension of the 295/s almost seems completely disconnected...does anybody know if the grass draggers with these sleds changed out the suspension to some specialized suspension design, or what was it?
By the way, when I left the guys racing Vintage last night were running close to 70mph in 500 feet :o . I went back today and I heard one announcement that a new sled ran 107mph in 500 feet
In looking at the way the racers were positioning their bodies so far back on the seat, I got to believe that a sled with the engine set further back is the way to go.

[liquidatorkid]

i have seen 1 john deere @ the grass drags ive been to in whitesville ny this spring there was a 78? spitfire with a 440 eltigre or a 500cc pantera engine in it with dual stingers, it was impressed on how good it ran, i didnt get a chance to look at it closely, but thats one of the few that ive seen grass dragging, im planning on running my 77 lf 440 in the future @ the local grass drags, and im building a jdx4 to play in the grass with as well

heres that spitfire i was talking about

[jdxrobin]

That's kind of what I am thinking, modifying my X4 and running that. I picked up a 440/22 from DA and am redoing it as we speak. I realize that rebuilding the 440, and then checking the rules is putting the cart before the horse, but it does sound fun. Although, I would hate to end up racing in a class that has 1000cc yammies in it (one of the class winners last night had a two cylinder 634 yamaha that they welded on another cylinder...these guys are very serious) just because I didn't checks the rules.

[Matt]

I noticed in the pictures that Matt posted, the suspension of the 295/s almost seems completely disconnected...does anybody know if the grass draggers with these sleds changed out the suspension to some specialized suspension design, or what was it?

It was a MOD class, and hey ran specialized grass drag track & suspensions. There is some info about it in one of the "JDsleds.com News" posts from earlier this year.

[Matt]

Here's some grass drag action:
http://vintagesleds.com/bs/index.php/topic,59516.0.html

[Cabindweller]

I have been pondering the idea of building a JDX4 for grass or Ice drags. 340/5 motor coverted to CDI with dual Mikuni carbs and a tuned pipe out of a JD 800. I am wondering witch suspension would be best suited for the task, Boggie or Slide? There is a local raidar run put on near here in the winter. Also a group of from my home town are talking about starting an event of our own, with side by side vintage drag raceing and a swap meet. I think it would be fun.

Jerry

[lwb140]

sounds like fun !!

[jdxrobin]

Sounds like there's sufficient interest...maybe we should start a JDsleds.com Drag Team!

[lwb140]

sweeet lets do it !! so this thread had generated some great questions ibogies vs slides i always thought bogies would roll easier but the comments about weight transfer make sence too any ideas ? wade

[liquidatorkid]

that sounds like a great idea to me a well, i am really looking on grass dragging my jdx mod @ the end of this month, sept 25th if i can get it ready buy then, if not they are starting up a new place to grass drag vintage sleds here in the southerntier, in Andover ny the drags strt oct. 8th and theres one drg a month all the way till martch. i am curious to see how well the bogies in the grass and trasfer the weigh back,need aloota studds im thinking like @least 96 if not 144, word has it a correctly set up grass drag sled will lift the skis About 2 " from take off and hold them off the ground 1-2' till the end of the run or when you let of of course, but with Ed Kruel's photo's on the 295/s its more life 2 feet off the ground, that is simply awesome looking as it is pulling away from the thunderjets !

i always thought the same thing 'why don't you ever see many john deeres @ vintage grass drags?" and thats kinda what imspired me to build a jdx mod to run in the vintage 440 mod class,

wade i've been drawling up some idea's for a light weight alum rear suspenion for the jdx chassis, gonna be maybe next season before its done prolly

[Matt]

In Liquidatorkids other topic, Ed Kruel/Wildfire II suggested bogies would be the way to go, but keep the weight down up front. He's done it, so I'd take his advice to start out, and go from there.