Thread: Kind Of A Drag

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I hit the nitrous after third gear. I tried once at launch and the tires went wild, the car wouldn't even get a grip, I had to practically stop.
As of now the tires break at launch, third gear and nitrous. By the time the tires grip is when the race is over.
Consensus is the tires hardened up during winter. That might be true but those tires never really griped anyway. Now that the carburetor works it's near impossible.
I'll try the softener and see how it goes. It might even be to the point of having to tub out the wheel wells and narrow the rear end but that's out of my league I think. I suppose if I can eek it into doing 8s then I'll be fine.

Sounds like your having a ball! Love the name "Full Monte" clever! Keep us posted on the tire traction and times!

Can you feed a little less Nitrous? But then use it earlier and longer? Gotta try to get the tires to connect & hook, other wise you're wasting energy...

Hiya,
Unfortunately the nitrous delivery is non adjustable I checked on that, It's a NOS Hot shot or something, I'd have to buy another nozzle plate. For now it's stuck at 125 hp. Good idea though! Might be worth the expense.
I was thinking of putting the battery in the trunk. I already have the cables and switch but just the cables seem to weigh a lot. Since it seems I maxed out the engine the only other thing I can do is drop the weight of the car and I'd be adding weight with the extra cables box and such.
Another thing I was thinking is changing the rear axle to align with the driveshaft angle. Specs say not to exceed 5 degrees and I'm sure I may be pushing that now with the overload springs I have on the car. The fix is adjustable top links but dang they're expensive! But I wonder if it would help traction or not. There's no adverse effects otherwise and no excessive wear or vibration. I have urethane bushings at the axle housing top sides and adjustable drag shocks on the back. Otherwise suspension at the rear is stock, oh except for the variable rate rear springs and 2 inch blocks.

I did notice the front end rising up at launch. Is it time to loosen the front sway bar end links now? In fact is seems the front end stays up until I decelerate at the end.

Any help on me getting a grip would be appreciated!

I'd say yes to disconnecting the sway bar at the track.. Some folks just like to remove them but I never enjoyed a car like that on the street later.

Are the rear shocks adjustable in both directions? Can you slow down compression AND rebound?

If you had adjustable top links you could do some experimentation.. it can be helpful but get it wrong and parts consumption goes up! Tires, driveshafts, u-joints and the launches can get crazy...

Overload springs usually stiffen up the spring so much they don't compress much...No spring compression, no weight transfer. No weight transfer, no traction.

What are you running for rear tires and how much air do you run in them at the track?

HiYall,

Sorry for answering this late but our internut has been running slower than a prissy Prius on dead batteries lately and I'm being timed out on this site. Hiya Dave good to see u here! Nothing like a drag racer to help one hook up!
The tires are; Southwest Speed Racing Tire Inc 26.0x8.0x 15 with Areo 15 rims at 16 Psi cold. No highway use and for dirt track racing. There's tread on the tires but not very deep at all. If I can figure out how to upload pictures I can send some.
The rear shocks are; Competition Engineering Adjustable Drag Shocks C2720 with three adjustments which are; 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50. I have them set to 70/30.
The springs are; Moog Cargo Control Coil Springs AMGCC507. Description says These springs are ideal upgrades for vehicles that carry heavy loads. They are variable rate springs that change resistance as they compress, and they become progressively stiffer as the load increases. These cargo coil springs automatically adjust to changing load conditions to maintain proper chassis height and smooth ride characteristics. I put em in so when I load up the tires and tools for drag night the rear end don't sit on the ground. Works pretty good too. Especially since the air shocks are gone.
On top of the springs I have;SPC Performance Coil Spring Spacers 1628 which are spring Spacer Thickness (in): 1.500 in. Frankly, I just put em on cause the stance of the car looks better. It seems like the rear end rides too low which is ridiculous if I got new springs but it just feels that way.
Only other rear suspension upgrade is ;UMI Performance Rear-End Housing Replacement Bushings 3000-R. But I think I need to add adjustable links for the top to correct the rear housing to driveshaft angle which if it isn't exceeding 5 degrees is awful dang close but, there's no adverse wear or vibration.
The bottom links are completely stock since the car has a rear sway bar bolted onto the links which I figure is strong enough not to flex.
The rear is a 10 bolt 8.5 integral rear end with c-clips and added to it is a Lok-Rite locker really designed for 4 wheel drive vehicles but it locks both tires still and the cheapest thing I could get short of replacing the carrier.
Only other upgrade to the rear are the 3.55 gears for obvious reasons.

I was thinking of putting the battery in the back for added weight transfer but when I got the cables and the switch it seemed they weigh a lot and since evidently the engine is maxed out the only other way I could go is loose weight and it seems you take a penalty on weight by doing the rear battery conversion.
Only thing in the trunk is the nitrous bottle when racing.

Of course If I can't make them tires stick is almost wasting money to go since my timeslips read like a nightmare. No consistency.
I am at a point of frustration that I am willing to change whatever it take to get the car to launch. I'm sure if I can fix this traction problem the car will do 8s on the 8th easily.
Thanks in advance!

I don't think you'll ever get it in the 8s unless you drop it from a great height!!!!!!!!!!!!!










That is just to egg you onnnnnnnnnnnnnnn---------------------------------

Couple thoughts.. Those springs wouldn't have been my first choice but that is small potatoes.. and those shims on top of the springs, how high are they picking the car up?

Right now you need to work on becoming consistant. Like a machine, you gotta hit the light each and every time, when the air and temp changes, you should know instantly what you'll run. And that takes time. Have you tried the launch with less rpm? What about tire pressure? Have you tried a different setting? And are you recording all these results?

I'm thinking maybe try a weekend without those shims above the springs and see how it reacts. I would definately set the battery in the back. The only thing you can do for free is set weight over the back tires, anything to plant the tires to the track.

Well, the rear of the car has to drop on the suspension to start the weight transfer process. Sounds to me like the rear suspension is way too stiff to get the tires to bite. Shocks would work better on the 50/50 setting, got to let them compress!!! The load control springs do exactly the opposite of what you want them to do, they get stiffer as they compress, which again won't allow weight transfer to the rear end and the weight just sits up there in the wind and the tires spin.... When picking springs and shocks for drag racing it's better to error on the side of too soft then too stiff!!!! Front shocks should be 90/10 and the front stabilizer (again) is limiting the weight transfer capability of the car.

Hey, Jerry Clayton!
I'll drop my car if you'll drop yours! We can start a whole new trend, Cliff Drag Racing, Hehehehehhe!

OK so, the stiff back end has got to go. I still have the old springs but they're mushey mushey. The spacers raised the car an inch and a half but whatever it takes I guess.

Ok here's a thought, How bout putting the air shocks back in? At the track I can just let out the air and going home I just fill em up again? But just a suggestion, Whatever it takes to get the tires to bite is what i'm gonna do.

Sounds to me like I coulda saved some money.

OK, so I put in the old dead springs, loose the spacers and set the shocks to 50/50 and loosen the front sway bar. Is that correct?

Stupid internet won't stinking work.

Hey, does anyone know how to upload and get your pictures? I tried it and it doesn't work.

I'm not a fan of huge changes all at once but, you're on the general path. If it isn't to hard to install those shims above the springs, try it one weekend with and another without.... With the air shocks in place, if you plumb them up separate, you can try holding pressure on the right rear to help ( or hurt ) traction....

Jerry says you go first! ROFL...