Slightly Overworked Pulling Truck

A Top-Quality, Limited Pro Stock Dodge Pulling Truck Packing Haisley Machine Power

Erik Hucke got into truck pulling back in 2004, is a good family friend of the folks at Haisley Machine, and has been building highly competitive pulling trucks for some time. However, up until 2021, he’d never had a chance to campaign a truck of his own. Despite having purchased a ’97 Dodge to do that very thing with back in 2009, the sun-up to sundown workload at his business, E and M Repair & Fabrication, left little time to make ample progress on his pulling dreams. “My customers always come before this, so there would be months (on end) where I wouldn’t touch it,” he said.

Haisley Machine Super B pro stock pulling engine — When you run around with one of the biggest names in truck pulling, it only makes sense to run one of their engines. The Haisley Machine Super B under the hood of Erik Hucke’s second-gen is a product from one of the most proven engine programs in all of diesel motorsports. Based on a cast-iron 6.7L Cummins block, it’s had its cylinders sleeved, its water jackets filled with concrete, and it’s been topped off with a 1-inch thick deck plate. A crankcase girdle and 14mm ARP main studs help secure an OEM-based crankshaft, which swings half a dozen billet rods topped off with forged pistons. A Haisley cam operates the valvetrain.

6.7L 24-valve cylinder head, 14mm ARP Custom Age 625+ studs — Like the block, the 6.7L 24-valve cylinder head was machined to accept 14mm head studs, and the ARP Custom Age 625+ studs in Erik’s engine can be seen here. To best seal combustion, both the head and block were fire-ringed as well. Haisley opened up head flow through port work and added stiffer valve springs (along with gracing the valvetrain with stronger, chromoly pushrods).

Eventually, Erik would give up his 7-day work weeks and find time to concentrate on his baby. Fittingly, the truck is coined “Slightly Overworked,” a title his wife can no doubt testify to. Throughout the long build, and in trying to keep up with constant rule changes, Erik struggled to decide which class to run in. At one point, he was on the cusp of turning his second-gen into a 3.6 smoothbore Pro Stock rig after the old 3.0 Pro Stock class was changed. Then Erik contemplated jumping into Super Stock before settling on the Limited Pro Stock (3.0 smoothbore) category roughly four years ago. Now, more than 11 years in the making, Erik Hucke’s second-gen Dodge pulling truck is finally on the scene—and it’s having no problem mixing it up with the heaviest hitters in a very busy Limited Pro Stock field.

Haisley Super B

The truck’s competitiveness starts with a rock-solid engine with a proven track record for both durability and horsepower potential: a Super B Cummins from Haisley Machine. Based on a cast-iron 6.7L Cummins block that’s been treated to concrete-filled water jackets, ductile iron cylinder sleeves, cut for fire-rings, and topped off with a 1-inch thick deck plate, the crankcase is about as bombproof as it gets. A crankcase girdle, billet connecting rods, forged-aluminum pistons, 14mm ARP head studs, and a Haisley-spec’d cam are also part of the hard-part combination. Up top, you’ll find a 24-valve cylinder head rather than a 12-valve piece—and it’s been fully worked over by the Haisleys.

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Mechanical Fuel, Wimer Air

At the heart of Erik’s mechanical monster sits a P-pump from Northeast Diesel Service. It’s been equipped with 13mm plungers and an Ag governor, which provides full fueling at any rpm. The 13mm pump receives its low-pressure fuel supply from a gear-driven Waterman lift pump, and then sends fuel to six top-feed style injectors from Monster Pump Mike. On the air side of the equation, you’ll find a 3.0-inch smooth bore turbocharger from Wimer Fuel Injection & Turbo hanging from a T6 foot exhaust manifold. Boost is forced through an air-to-water intercooler prior to making its way into the head via a ZZ Custom Fabrication individual runner intake manifold.

Wimer Turbo 76mm compressor T6 inlet — Part of Haisley Machine’s Super B engine package entailed a Wimer turbocharger feeding it boost. The sizable charger sports a smooth bore inducer with a Limited Pro Stock-legal 76mm compressor wheel along with a T6 turbine inlet. The Wimer unit mounts to an exhaust manifold with a T6 center section from Haisley, and outer sections from BD Diesel pieces. Erik runs 20W-50 Schaeffer’s oil through the turbo, whereas straight 50 weight circulates through the engine and injection pump.

Modified P-pump 13mm plungers Ag governor mechanical injectors — The P-pump hanging off the side of Erik’s Cummins definitely means business. Built by Northeast Diesel Service, it benefits from 13mm plungers and makes use of an Ag governor, which is to say it’s an open rpm pump with full fueling at any engine speed. Injection timing checks in higher than 40 degrees of advancement and the 13mm unit feeds fuel to top-feed style, mechanical injectors from Monster Pump Mike.

Haisley Machine billet front cover, Waterman Racing Components gear driven fuel supply pump, Peterson Fluid Systems R4 wet sump oil pump, — Also present in the Haisley Machine billet front cover is a gear-driven, Waterman Racing Components fuel supply pump. It keeps the 13mm P-pump supplied with ample fuel pressure at all times. Below it sits an R4 wet sump oil pump from Peterson Fluid Systems. The R4 pump provides for 80-100 psi worth of oil pressure at idle and 135 psi at 5,000 rpm.

See-through Clearview Filtration oil canister — A see-through Clearview Filtration canister allows Erik to monitor base engine oil (note that the turbo and P-pump have separate oil systems), which can help spot a potential internal engine problem before it becomes anything catastrophic. Erik changes the engine oil every four passes (where he reuses the cleanable oil filter), along with adjusting the clutch at the same interval.

4-Disc Clutch & Reverser

All told, Erik’s Super B produces more than 1,300 hp at the crank. Thankfully, open driveline rules in Limited Pro Stock mean his clutch, transmission, transfer case, and axles have no problems harnessing that kind of power. Engine to transmission power transfer begins with a 4-disc Molinari clutch that lives inside a blow-proof steel bellhousing. From there, a ProFab Machine reverser transmission sends power to an accompanying ProFab drop box (i.e. quick change transfer case). It’s all up to the axles and ultimately the Trxus STS tires from there.

Sandridge Custom air-to-water intercooler, ice box, ZZ Custom Fabrication individual runner intake manifold — The cooler your intake air temp is the more horsepower you’re going to make, and this Sandridge Custom air-to-water intercooler certainly helps with that. Up ahead of the Sandridge unit within the weight box, you’ll find the icebox that gets topped off right before each hook. Once through the intercooler, the cool, dense, boosted air makes its way into the head via a ZZ Custom Fabrication individual runner intake manifold.

four-disc Molinari clutch, steel blow-proof bellhousing, ProFab one-speed Reverser transmission, Machine, ProFab quick change transfer case, — Getting the Cummins’ power to the ground begins with a four-disc Molinari clutch, which resides within a steel blow-proof bellhousing. A one-speed Reverser transmission from ProFab Machine takes over power-transfer duties from there, followed by a ProFab quick change transfer case (i.e. drop box), which sends power to the front and rear axles.

Hurst hand throttle, gauges, switches — Like most pulling trucks, Erik’s is all business in the cab. Half a dozen switches, a few gauges, and a Hurst hand throttle keep things simple. The tach on the dash usually shows 4,800 to 5,000 rpm as Erik creeps off the starting line, then maintains roughly 4,500 rpm heading down track.

Done-Up Dana 60 & Rear SQHD

Overbuilding in order to avoid breakage is what truck pulling is all about, and Erik has done arguably everything you can do to make a Dana 60 live under big horsepower. The front axle has been treated to a Yukon Gear & Axle free-spin hub kit, a Grizzly locker, 6.17 gears, and a custom girdle and truss. In the rear, the tried and true SQHD axle serves its purpose well. Concealed within a fabricated steel differential housing from Steve Barker Machine you’ll find 6.17 gears and a spool from SCS Gearbox. SCS gun-drilled axle shafts and aluminum hubs also made the cut.

SQHD rear axle, Steve Barker Machine-fabricated steel differential housing, SCS Gearbox aluminum hubs gun-drilled axle shafts, — Quite a bit more serious than the Dana 80 you might’ve expected to see, Erik’s Dodge sports an SQHD rear axle with a Steve Barker Machine-fabricated steel differential housing. The SQHD has been fitted with gun-drilled axle shafts and aluminum hubs from SCS Gearbox. It’s also graced with a 6.17 ratio ring and pinion and an SCS spool.

Competitive Pulling Truck Right Out Of The Gate

Of course, there is more to Erik’s second-gen pulling truck than meets the eye. Nearly two decades of experience in the sport has taught him how to build a hitch system that maximizes his truck’s performance in the dirt. “I try to run a longer draw bar, put some support in it, and I like to run a flat hook point with my adjusters going straight down,” he told us. “This gives me more drag at the big end of the track.” Whether it’s the hitch, his chassis, the bulletproof Cummins under the hood or a combination of all of the above that allows him to dig further than most competitors, Erik definitely made his mark in the Limited Pro Stock class in 2021.

Dana 60, SQHD rear 6.17 gears, Grizzly locker, Yukon Gear and Axle free spin hub kit, PSC hydraulic steering, — Up front, the Dana 60 remains, but not without significant upgrades. Like the SQHD in the rear, it sports 6.17 gears, but it also makes use of a Grizzly locker, a Yukon Gear and Axle free spin hub kit, and is equipped with a homemade girdle and truss system. A full PSC hydraulic steering arrangement also helps maneuver the straight-line puller around in the pits.

Double adjustable AFCO shocks and coil springs, control arms using rod ends — While the truck has no rear suspension, the same can’t be said up front. Double adjustable AFCO shocks and coil springs combine with Erik’s take on the factory four-link—where his own control arms using rod ends sit in place of the OEM bars and bushings. Having had a hand in plenty of second-gen pullers in his day, Erik tells us this arrangement works best for fine-tuning the chassis on any ’94-’02 Ram built for the dirt.

With three NTPA wins (the organization he spent most of his time competing in), a Second Place finish in regional NTPA points, and a Third Place at the Scheid Diesel Extravaganza, Erik’s Dodge made the rounds last year. On top of that, he hooked with the Central Ohio Truck Pull Circuit and Battle of the Bluegrass down in Kentucky. “I pull with so many organizations because I try to pull with my customers if I can,” he said. Whether it’s work, play, or a combination of the two, the “Slightly Overworked” name painted on the front weight box just seems to fit. Look for Erik’s bad blue second-gen pulling truck to continue to tear up the Midwest next summer.

“The pulling truck’s competitiveness starts with a rock-solid engine with a proven track record for both durability and horsepower potential: a Super B Cummins from Haisley Machine.”