I am curious. Has anyone had the opportunity to hook-up their Triton power to one of the GM 4.8L or 5.3L powered trucks?

I became acquainted with a Bronco owner, about five years ago that became tired of new Z71 owners (who he worked with) making fun of his old 15 year old Bronco.

Bronco hooked to new Z71, bumper to bumper--pulled new Z71 all over the parking lot. Another Guy with a new Z71 seen this happen. "bet you can't pull two new Z71's with your Bronco".

Low and behold, Bronco pulled both Z71's all over the parking lot! That day--people at that workplace quit making fun of the old Bronco and many sold their Z71's.

Only known modification to the Bronco, factory 9" diff. and rear springs had been replaced with Dana 60 out of an F-250.

 

Hook to anything and away you go. Seriously though, so do you know what year and engine it was. I am assuming a fullsize Bronco with more than likely a 302 or 351. As most know though the Bronco is a tug-of-war master. With it's stout V8's, strong drivetrain (good old C4's and C6's) and short wheelbase.

We have an 73 with a completly worn out 302/C4 combo and it can still jerk a fullsize pickup bed full of wood out of the steep hills of Kentucky. If I had garage, I had one serious 4x4 projest goign on.

Anyhow mark one up for Ford.

 

i have a 85 bronco and these are great tug of truck masters
these broncos weight more then u think, mine is about 200 pound heavier then my friends 2001 F150 supercrew 4x4 with a 5.4L. i also have a friend with a 460 powered 1 ton bronco running on 38's weighting in 6600lbs . he had a tog-of-war with his friends 77 250 460 powered with 39's boogers and wasted him, both trucks with rear lockers. the secret to the broncos is all that weight in the rear to give it more traction.

 

I haven't pulled against the 4.8 or the 5.3's yet but I pulled a 97 1500 z-71 w/ a 350. Bumper to bumper against my lil' ol 4.6 he got pulled backwards and couldn't beleive it!!! This guy is also my roommate so I naturally had to rub it i for the next week or so.

 

Just proves it in real life higher hp and torque at lower rpm (plus of course traction) is better.. to get the higher horsepower Chevy to peak hp, you gotta have that sucker spinning, both the motor and thus the tires..... torque, torque torque wins........

 

my dad has a bronco with a 351 and i know that sucker can pull much better than the new z71's but ths guy pulled 2 trucks at the same time? that sounds kinda hard to believe

 

It has been about five or six years, since these trucks pulled; however, I think the Bronco had a 351 Windsor (stock).

 

Broncos may be good pullers but there is just no way that it could pull around two chevy's. The laws of physics just dont allow it. As far as the 4.6 outpulling the 5.7 I have reason to doubt that too although it would put up a fight. Those old 350's had tons of power with alot of it being down low. These are good pulling engines...we have a 93 K1500, 350 auto with 3.73's and 165,000 miles. I was pulling around fertilizer tank trailer this summer that weighed close to 11,000 lbs full. Starting from a dead stop that truck doesnt have a problem getting it moving. In fact if you hit the throttle too hard it will break the tires loose and smoke em.

And that truck was a TBI with two injectors on top of the throttle body...not a multi port Vortec like that 97. The Vortec's will walk all over the TBI's. Now if you hooked up a 5.4 and a 5.3 the Triton will win. The new LS-1 Chevy's dont have much down low, they need to get the revs up to make power which in my opinion is a bad choice to put into a truck. I would bet that a 4.6 ford would give a 5.3 Chevy a heck of a fight too.

Just one note...if you are going to attempt a tug of war. Be sure and hook up to the frame or receiver hitch. If you hook to the bumper there is a very good chance of pulling it off.

Just my .02

 

I have no doubt that my 5.4L would out pull the 5.3L from GM. I had a '99 GMC Sierra 2WD with the 5.3L and it didn't seem to have very much pulling power. It would kick in an out of over drive when pulling hills with my 4 wheeler. I traded it a year later (as soon as it got out of the shop) for about the 15th time for a 2000 5.4L 2WD XLT. The 5.4L would not even kick down when hauling my 4 wheeler at the same place. I have just traded the 2000 truck for a 2001 SuperCrew 4WD. I really liked my 2000 but the SuperCrew's are just plan awesome. By the way I got the 5.4L agian. And I won't buy another GM product agian absolutly the worst vehicle I have ever owned.

 

breaking loose the tires could also mean lack of traction

does that 11000 lbs fertilizer tank trailer has tires b/c if it does then of course it can be moved.
if it didnt have tires and u can move it with out breaking loose the tires then u got something

 

It was not because of lack of traction. The truck had BRAND NEW tires at the time and it would break them loose on perfectly dry and clean pavement when hitting the throttle too hard. Dont knock something that you havent tried. I have driven Fords, both the 4.6 and the 5.4 and they are great trucks. But in terms of torque and power down low a 350 Chevy has a clear advantage. I know for a fact that if you eliminated all of the variables such as traction, gear ratio, and driver skill then there is no way that a 4.6 could out pull a 350. And no way that a 351 bronco could pull two 350's. It just isnt possible.

 

I was wondering, for general knowledge, what's the best way to do a tug of war? I mean, do you floor it on the count of three or or put the gas down slowly? If I were to floor it, even with my 4.2L and 3.05 gears, I'll still start spinning the tires (Michelin LTX M/S 265/75/16"s). So, how do you guys do it?

 

I used to have an 1998 Chevy ExtendedCab with a Vortec 305 that would beat earlier model RegularCab's with the 350 TBI that you were referring to on a regular basis. Although that truck was a heavier extended cab and the truck I have now is a regular cab with a 4.6, in a race I'd emagine the two trucks would be very close. However in lowend pulling power, the 4.6 feels a considerbly stonger down low. I understand we're not quite comparing apples to apples, but I don't think in terms of torque that the 350 would have much of an advantage at all, and that's with almost a 70 cubic inch advantage (a 25% larger motor.)

 

MN4x4,
That fertilizer trailer that you are refering to is a 4 wheel trailer w/ a steering device on the front axle. What I am saying is the 11,000lbs. of fertizer in the trailer was not on the truck at all. The trailer supports all the weight. So when you hook up that bad cheby to it of coarse it will spin the tires!!! I think that I could probably do the same w/ a bicycle.

 

No it is not a trailer like that. It is a tandem axle trailer with both axles being under the back half. That trailer puts down ALOT of tongue weight...so much that I wouldnt want to pull it with my half ton without overload springs. So yes there was weight on the truck.

STX/98: Yes but the competition to which I was referring to is a 4.6 vs a 350 Vortec. IMO the 305 is a pooch...especially when compared to the 350, particularly in terms of pulling power. He very well could have beat it with the 4.6. But he probably was a better driver and had better traction. Just my .02

As far as how to conduct a tug of war. Very very carefully. Just make sure you get hooked up safely. I would use a tow strap...one with loops in each end. Use a heavy duty clevis and hitch pin to hook it up to the receiver hitch. Put the pin through where the ball goes. Dont use cable unless it is VERY heavy and for sure dont use chain. You dont want to be around when those things break. Years ago my dad was trying to pull out a stuck combine with a tractor and heavy chain. The chain snapped under full load sending it up and through the back window and then through the front window. If it would have gone 10 inches to the right my dad would have been dead and I wouldnt be here. If the strap snaps then no one will get hurt. Take the slack out slowly and mash the gas at the signal of a third person. But I think alot of it will stil boil down to driver skill and reaction time.