Help With Truck Traction

Hey,
I race a 1948 Ford F1 Pickup that is a hot rod in progress and im racing the summit High School Series with it this year and ever since iv started racing it iv had major issues with trying to keep traction (who would of thunk it with just a wooden board in the bottum of the bed? :)) iv tried everything that i know so far without switching types of rear suspension, right now it has a 390FE thats putting out roughly 450HP it has as a Beefed up C6 tranny with a 2800-3000 Custom Stall Converter and we have Radial T/A 's (305's) for tires, now i have a set of Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials (275/60-15's) that are to go on before the next race and my question is even though these are some sticky tires, im still not sure i will get enough traction to take off off the converter (tried it even in second gear and smoked the tires) we also have a 4 gallon fuel cell to put in the back over the rear axle, and in the next few weeks im planning on making a weight box im my welding class to put between 150-200lbs in the back if the frame and untill i have that done were going to hang the spare tires (behind the rear axle) full of water back up, im also working on getting some 90/10 drag shocks for the front end but cant find any for an F1, anyone know how to measure the shock to see if i can take some off of another car that may fit? Dose anyone have any other suggestions to try and get traction with my old F1? thanks for any help
Steven

Well I'm not a straight line expert but I know enough that adding weight is not the answer,the lighter the vehicle the faster the E.T.... Sounds to me like ya need to get the thing to transfer weight to the rear wheels on the launch, you don't tell us anything about your suspension set up, so heres some general guidlines, drag shocks on the front, raise the nose of the truck, ladder bars on the rear . softer rear springs, move ballast such as fuel tank,battery,etc. as far rearward as possible......hope some of this helps.

What type of rear suspension does it have? Is it leaf or coil? Sorry I am not real familiar with those early pickups

It sounds like you really need some softer springs in the rear and some drag shocks on the front for sure to keep the weight to the rear of the vehicle?

What size is the tire on the rear and what gears are you running!

ok this is my dads "golden years" truck to drive around so i cant put any drag only parts on, it has all stock suspension with a straight axle frontend with reverse eye top leaf in the front and it has stock rear leaf springs, we took the bottum two leafs out, it has stock replacment shocks because im not sure how to measure for the front drag shocks (no off the shelf shocks for an F1), i know it might slow me down to put the extra weight in the rear but even with the front end up it wont put enough weight to keep the rear tires planted, atm it has 305/50-15 Radial T/A's on it but there will be 275/60-15 Micky Thompson ET Street Radials for racing next friday and it has 4.10 rear end gears with a powertrax locker
Steven

Id move weight to the rear, battery(s), fuel cell etc. id out it behind the axle.Id consider a weight box to... I know I know adding weight isnt the best way...but if your not going to be replacing body panels & windows with light weight peices, Id say this is the best choice.
Seen a guy who rigged up a neat set up that allowed him to easily add & remove dumbell weights. he made a contraption bolted to the frame back by the tailgate with 2, foot long threaded bar stock pieces positioned vertically. he would slip th edumbell weights over the rods & had big wing nuts to secure them.

Here is a little help with your traction issues that can be purchased for under $400 or you can build your own..

Each of the two assemblies needed is comprised of three basic components:

1. Front Pivot

2. Force Transfer Link

3. Rear Mount

The combination of these components changes the pushing point on the car by redirecting the turning action (spring wrap-up) of the rear axle through the Force Transfer Link into the Front Pivot. The Front Pivot Spring Stop Bolt resists this turning motion and also controls the bending of the leaf spring at its thinnest section. The push into the Front Pivot helps the cars weight shift towards the rear of the car because of a new directed angle of force toward the front of the vehicle. (The "Instant Center" moves farther forward). This is where the system emulates a Four link system.
The pinion angle is also maintained. (See illustration)

1. The Front Pivot
Two steel plates sandwich the leaf spring sides. Two attach points in the plates provide the user with a selection in which the forward Force Transfer Link rod end can be located. A machined aluminum spring eye bushing and steel insert supports the front of the spring while allowing the plates to pivot. A spring stop bolt controls and restricts spring wrap-up. Spacers are provided for different vehicle applications that control clearances in the front spring eye pocket.

2. Force Transfer Link
This is a length of chromolly tubing with CNC machined threaded inserts TIG welded into each end. The front Insert is machined with right hand Threads and a HEX outer shape for Simple wrench adjustment of the Installed assembly. The rear insert is Left hand threaded. Opposite thread Styles at each end provide the means to easily lengthen or shorten the link for desired pre-load adjustment.


3. Rear Mount
A welded ¼" steel assembly replaces the original vehicles spring perch and incorporates the mounting provisions for the rear rod end of the Force Transfer Link.

For some reason it did not post the picture so email me and I will send it to you.
Cheers
Joe

hmm what your talkin about seems kinda like a non adjustable slid-a-link, i may be wrong though, im at school right now so i cant send you an email, but id love to see some pictures my email is Grey_Ghost_Racing6748@hotmail.com, thanks for the help, i think for this friday im gonna just try the drag radials and put the spare tire back up full of water since im so time limited, thanks for the help

Steven

I have sent you a photo and a note on how to measure for the correct shock length so that you cn measure yours and check to see if there are any available that are close enought to use.

Cheers
Joe