Well, it's all over...the wife let me hook for the first time, and it's definitely not going to be the last time either!
ran my 97, as it sits now, in the Clinton county fair sled pull, in workstock.
only mod I did to it was to chain down the rear axle, to help with axle hop, and pulled a 242 with it. I weighed in at 7490, and hitch height was waaay under max! . here's a quick video though.

 

good pull bud.

 

My eyes are playing a trick on me I though the thread said 1st hooker

 

Bwahahahahahahahahah!

 

was that the ox sled

 

Yeah it was. I think thy started out a bit heavy, but got the weight issue worked out by the time 2.6 started hooking.