http://www.criticalbench.com/chart.htm
this chart has been dead accurate for me the entire time I've been lifting so 500x4 =555 roughly, so I think I'm right on track. =)
My warm up for Deadlift day (which is every other backday, so every 10 days) is to do 2 sets of lunges and 3-4 sets of ~10-14 pullups.
Generally I have 3 different deadlift days I will do:
1. Attempting a new max lift.
I will start with something low like 315 and do a few reps, increase to 405 and do 2 reps, then do 1 rep at 495. Then I will try the new max.
2. Singles of heavy.
I start with 315x8ish, move up to 405x4, 495 for a single, 515, 535, 555, then drop down to 495 for a few singles, then 405.
3. Reps (this is new, don't do reps often on deads).
315x12, 405x10, 495x4-5.
My failure depends on many factors. My current max is EXACTLY 555. I am very good at knowing my max. If I had attempted 556 today it would have been a failure.
Generally speaking if my absolute max is 555 that means I need to have had 2 days of good rest and no work outs the previous days, had 4-5,000 cals and plenty of sleep/water the previous day and have had a good solid pre work out meal 1 hour prior and 100mg of caffeine 30 minutes before starting to workout. This is for ABSOLUTE max. I will manage to pull it but it will be the struggle of my life. If I'm RIGHT at my max I will liftoff just fine but will have difficulty at the last 4-6 inches of the lift. I never hitch it but I will have VERY slow upward movement if I am very close to failure.
If I am ~5 lbs over my max I will fail at knee level or higher
If I am ~10 lbs over my max I will fail to initiate the lift (about 6 inches off the floor).
Overall my form, approach, initiation, psyching up, and everything is right on point. I am very good at knowing when I begin a dead session what my capacity is for that session and hitting it. If I DO fail its generally by a couple pounds. I hate having a serious failure where I was 10-20 lbs over my ability level. I don't like to try unreasonable shit, its dangerous.
The thing I am working on right now is firing every muscle simultaneously. Deadlifts are about initiating a LOT of motion with a LOT of power all in 1 moment to get maximum vertical momentum going. If you stall out and you are working within 3% of your max, you are going to fail the lift.
Anyway that's a ton of shit but I love deadlifting haha!