Just some drag race questions

[blue66tang]

I have a 66 and will be doing a little racing this summer. I need to get some ideas on suspension set up. I curently have 620 coils, 1" sway and kyb's up front. In back I have 5 leaf springs with some old crapy air shocks(dont work) and poly bushings all around. I was thinking of getting some variable rate front springs to get the front up on launch, and some drag shocks. Where could i get some though. Would taking out the sway bar help. Also about the back, It has standard eye springs in it right now with 2" lowring blocks. Is there anyway i can get teh springs de-arked or something. It would look rediculous with them out, and with slicks I know it wouldnt be a good i dea to leave them in. Any body want to trade springs. So any help would be great.

 

[kslushy]

a cheap way to get a drag like front end has always been to take out the front swaybar to lighten the front some, as it's quite useless while drag racing. Another thing to do is to get a set of 6cyl front springs. The 6 cyl springs will make the front sit lower (think more potential energy). When you launch, they will allow the front to rise and transfer weight to the back. Drag shocks are always a plus, you can get them from summit or a similar store.

I'd venture a guess that you could get the springs de-arched by a spring shop, however that's just a guess. I've always heard you want a "lowish" ride height in the back, with a very high spring rate to get optimum weight transfer. Some other drag racers may want to elaborate or give their own opinion on this, as my background is mostly with handling.

Good luck!

 

[vobraman]

a cheap way to get a drag like front end has always been to take out the front swaybar to lighten the front some, as it's quite useless while drag racing. Another thing to do is to get a set of 6cyl front springs. The 6 cyl springs will make the front sit lower (think more potential energy). When you launch, they will allow the front to rise and transfer weight to the back. Drag shocks are always a plus, you can get them from summit or a similar store.

I'd venture a guess that you could get the springs de-arched by a spring shop, however that's just a guess. I've always heard you want a "lowish" ride height in the back, with a very high spring rate to get optimum weight transfer. Some other drag racers may want to elaborate or give their own opinion on this, as my background is mostly with handling.

Good luck!

blue66 sent you a pm

 

[zookeeper]

If I were considering racing my car, I would probably approach it a little differently. I don't believe in changing things right off the bat simply because that's what everyone else does. I do believe in paying attention to YOUR car and see what it wants, trust me, it'll tell you. For instance, run your car about three times with no changes from street trim. Try to be as consistent as you can with your driving each time. Once back in the pits after each run, sit by yourself and think about the run you just made. What RPM did you launch at? Did the car spin the tires excessively? What RPM did you shift at? Street cars that run 14.50 sec or slower generally don't benefit a whole lot from chassis tweaks. However you could try the basics to free up any horespower you can by doing things like taking off the power steering belt, removing the fan (at the track only) and over-inflating your front tires to about 35 lbs or so to increase rollout and decrease rolling resistance. Stiff suspension that works nicely on a spirited run thru the twisties doesn't always work on the strip. Before I had my rear leaves de-arched (permanent) I would simply remove the second longest leaf to soften the whole thing up to allow the rear to bite. But if your car doesn't spin too much to start with, why mess with it? Also, be very, very careful when at the drag strip, it's extremley addicting!

 

[blue66tang]

If I were considering racing my car, I would probably approach it a little differently. I don't believe in changing things right off the bat simply because that's what everyone else does. I do believe in paying attention to YOUR car and see what it wants, trust me, it'll tell you. For instance, run your car about three times with no changes from street trim. Try to be as consistent as you can with your driving each time. Once back in the pits after each run, sit by yourself and think about the run you just made. What RPM did you launch at? Did the car spin the tires excessively? What RPM did you shift at? Street cars that run 14.50 sec or slower generally don't benefit a whole lot from chassis tweaks. However you could try the basics to free up any horespower you can by doing things like taking off the power steering belt, removing the fan (at the track only) and over-inflating your front tires to about 35 lbs or so to increase rollout and decrease rolling resistance. Stiff suspension that works nicely on a spirited run thru the twisties doesn't always work on the strip. Before I had my rear leaves de-arched (permanent) I would simply remove the second longest leaf to soften the whole thing up to allow the rear to bite. But if your car doesn't spin too much to start with, why mess with it? Also, be very, very careful when at the drag strip, it's extremley addicting!

My best so far is a 13.4 and the tires are spinning like mad. The best 60' i could muster was a 2.25 I believe( dont have the timeslip with me). I will be running slicks this summer and the reason i want to do something with the rear leafs is because of the lowering blocks. Think of all that extra torc the rear is putting on the springs and u-bolts. Its going to weel hope like crazy like that. The reason i want to change the front is because it hardly comes up at all as it is right now. Im sure i could shave off a little time by just getting the front to shift some weight back.

My goal is to make a 12.6. I think it is very possible with tuning(havent done any yet, new engine still), shifter, slicks, and some suspension changes. What do you guys think

 

[kslushy]

what are you trapping at?

edit: what may be more helpful is posting the numbers of an average timeslip.

 

[blue66tang]

Here it is.

60' 2.258
330' 5.884
1/8 et 8.847
1/8 mph 83.95
1000'et 11.345
1/4et 13.485
1/4mph 105.65

 

[rbohm]

sounds like there is more in the car. start by getting you 60' times down into the 1.60-1.80 range. next disconnect the front anti-roll bar when at the track as that will aid weight transfer. soft shocks on the front ans stiffer ones out back, and softer springs in front also. consider using a good traction or lift bar in the rear rather than change leaf springs. you also need a stickey set of tires, the nitto 555 drag radial is a good one to use, to get maximum traction. these recomendations along with the tuning tips zookeeper gave you, should get you into the mid 12's, perhaps even the low 12's.

 

[speedy66]

What size back tires are you running..
What rpm are you launching at?
also.. IF i remember right.. its hard to think at 3 am.. but I have notice a little bit of a difference with a nice rake to the suspesion.. My back end sits up a little high.. It seems to have a greater weight transfer.. I think most dragsters do as well.

try first before completly redoing your suspension

#1 bigger back tires
#2. deflate back tires a little
#3. traction bars
#4. different launch rpms.
#4a. try not doing a completely full throttle launch.. gradually get into it.(I had to until I got some big ol tires out back)causes less tire spin

Also mustangs are fairly light in the rear.. try putting a little wait over the axle..

 

[billy]

My set up

6 cyl front springs
koni drag shocks front and rear
no sway bar at all
Rear springs that cal-trac recomended
Caltracs
Also an 8 point roll bar to stiffen the chassis....
Micky Thompson E.T. Streets and pizza cutters up front....

Car hooks hard and straight....

1.56 60 foot/ best of [email protected] all motor/no bottle


Cal-tracs are totally awsome... Had a set of slapper bars in the past... Get the Cal-tracs for sure....


Just remember though.... One thing everyone seems to forget... Speed costs $$$$$$$$.... Most people seem to sink all there money into there motors just to go faster.... Speed can kill also.... Make sure the whole vehicle is up to par... Check everything over and might even want to upgrade the braking system... What good is all the speed if you cant stop?????

Billy

 

[zookeeper]

I didn't realize you'd already been to the track in the past, and it sounds like you've already got a pretty stout ride. Another cheap and very effective way of maximizing bite with minumum bucks is to adjust your pinion angle on the rear axle. Street cars are generally set up so that the pinion angle matches the angle of the trans yoke. By moving this up or down a few degrees you can either make it bite more or less, depending on track conditions. Any place that sells lowering blocks will be able to get you some angled shims that fit in between your axle housing and the leaf springs, simply install them one way to raise the pinion, turn them around to lower it. The ones I've used are available in two degree increments. If you can't find them locally, try Truckin' magazines advertisers or have a machine shop make some out of aluminum.

 

[brianj5600]

I agree with someone up in the thread. Get the tires on there and see if it needs more. Slicks do wonders for weight transfer. De-arching the springs is common for a spring shop. I had some done in Nashville, and most cities of any size should have a shop that can do it. If you have some worn out shocks they will do fine in the front. You will most likely end up with some type of traction devise on the rear, but you never know. Oh and good luck with the T5, they don't get along with slicks so well.

 

[blue66tang]

What size back tires are you running..
What rpm are you launching at?
also.. IF i remember right.. its hard to think at 3 am.. but I have notice a little bit of a difference with a nice rake to the suspesion.. My back end sits up a little high.. It seems to have a greater weight transfer.. I think most dragsters do as well.

try first before completly redoing your suspension

#1 bigger back tires
#2. deflate back tires a little
#3. traction bars
#4. different launch rpms.
#4a. try not doing a completely full throttle launch.. gradually get into it.(I had to until I got some big ol tires out back)causes less tire spin

Also mustangs are fairly light in the rear.. try putting a little wait over the axle..[/QUOTE/]
On the back right now I have 15x8 rims with 225/60/15 tires. I am going to use my brothers slicks which are 26" tall( have no clue what kind they are, there old but work good.) Sorry but i dont remember what rpm i was launching at. It was last july when i went to teh drags. I was only able to go one night. I am a wildland fire fighter and am not home a lot during the summer. I dont want to raise the back. No offence but i hate the rake look. Thanks for the tips.s

Thanks guys I cant wait to start doing some more tinkering with it.

 

[speedy66]

yeah those 225s are way too small..

 

[blue66tang]

yeah those 225s are way too small..

Its the biggest i can get back there. Everything els will just rub. My car is low and the tires are just coverd by the q-panal.

 

[billy]

yeah those 225s are way too small..

A slick in equivalant size will get you into the 11's no problems.... 225 is enough with the right tire..... I run Mickey Thompson 26x10.5x15 E.T. Streets... Those are equivalant to an 225/60/15.... I am using Weld Prostar 15x8 for rim size....

Car comes off the line WHEELS UP and hooks hard a straight.... 1.56 60 foot/ best of [email protected] ........

A 26x10.5x15 E.T. street slick is equivalant to an 8 inch M/T E.T. Drag in actual measurements......

Billy

 

[speedy66]

I was refering to street tires.. Slicks no problem heat up good enough and they wil hook.. but street tires.. I had 235/60/15s and would smoke them through second gear.. would run 26X10.5 slicks and no prob hooked like a champ.. but if he is running streets thats a small tire..

I run 275/60/15s street tire and they hook nice minimal tire slip when doing a 3k launch.

 

[SadbutTrue]

I was refering to street tires.. Slicks no problem heat up good enough and they wil hook.. but street tires.. I had 235/60/15s and would smoke them through second gear.. would run 26X10.5 slicks and no prob hooked like a champ.. but if he is running streets thats a small tire..

I run 275/60/15s street tire and they hook nice minimal tire slip when doing a 3k launch.

what did you have to do to get 275s under your rear in that 66?

 

[blue66tang]

A slick in equivalant size will get you into the 11's no problems.... 225 is enough with the right tire..... I run Mickey Thompson 26x10.5x15 E.T. Streets... Those are equivalant to an 225/60/15.... I am using Weld Prostar 15x8 for rim size....

Car comes off the line WHEELS UP and hooks hard a straight.... 1.56 60 foot/ best of [email protected] ........

A 26x10.5x15 E.T. street slick is equivalant to an 8 inch M/T E.T. Drag in actual measurements......

Billy

Whoa, 11's!! I think that is a bit optimistic. I am hopping slicks will get me into te 12's, but 11's. I can only dream for that i think.

 

[12sec67]

with a good set of slicks you should be able to get 12's with a 1.90 60' or lower - my best is still with stock rear leafs w/2" lowerering blocks and 720 fronts coils with a shelby drop with drag radials in the rear.