Stock suspension tricks high HP cars

cutlass389

Frequent Racer
Feb 2, 2009
684
0
0
NC
LOVE that third pic! Tires are workin' and no g-body twist. EXCELLENT! When I grow up blah, blah, blah.
 

KEVINS

Amateur Racer
DB said:
I'm making between 1700-1800hp and I run on a 325/50 radial. Went 1.26 60' and 4.96 at 149. It's been a best of 1.23 60'.

What rear are you using? With the 8.5's you need the ride height really low to move the instant center down and to the rear. Moving the lower arm down on the rear housing will move the instant center back but it also moves it up and can hit the tire too hard. You'll know this if the car has to much seperation on launch.

You have to find that point where you get a little seperation but not hit the tire too hard. Once you get it to move 10-15 feet you gotta pour the power on to keep the weight transfered. If the nose settles and then you loose traction, you need more power or you'll have to lower the launch rpm. You have to bring the power on quickly. If the nose ever settles it will unload the tires. Keeping it working from track to track is the hard part. Too much power and it spins at the hit. Not enough power and you spin 30 feet out. But all this is no good if the suspension is not set up properly.

It's interesting to watch people learn over time what is required as their car gets faster. Most people think it's all in the suspension and that all they have to do is hit that right combination of settings but as you mentioned as the car gets faster they need to start playing with motor, transmission, converter, etc and to learn what it takes to keep it hooked.

Kewl Ride!
ks
 

87montess

Amateur Racer
Jul 10, 2007
169
0
0
PHILLY
NICE RIDE DB what rim size is on the back and how much did u take out of the frame i would love to get 325-50 on my monte ss
 

DB

Frequent Racer
Jan 20, 2006
363
0
0
Alabama
KEVINS said:
It's interesting to watch people learn over time what is required as their car gets faster. Most people think it's all in the suspension and that all they have to do is hit that right combination of settings but as you mentioned as the car gets faster they need to start playing with motor, transmission, converter, etc and to learn what it takes to keep it hooked.

Kewl Ride!
ks

Thanks Kevin. I have spoken to you before, probably 3 years ago about the instant center stuff. Even then it was hard to imagine just changing an angle of a bar by ride height adjustments could effect traction like it does. It took me at least a year of studying the suspension, watching my launch videos and moving stuff around to get a handle on it. People will look under my car and think there's no way this 9 second suspension would go 1.23 on a 325 radial turbo car at 3500#. It still isn't ideal, but it works. But the power management from the engine through the converter played just as large a role as the suspension. The converter was the missing piece to my puzzle.
 

DB

Frequent Racer
Jan 20, 2006
363
0
0
Alabama
87montess said:
NICE RIDE DB what rim size is on the back and how much did u take out of the frame i would love to get 325-50 on my monte ss

15x11 with 6 inch bs. I took a lot of the frame away. I left about 1/8 of the C channel of the frame in place and I put 1/8 plate back in place to box the frame back in. It's barely enough for the 325. If I do it again, I'll take it back to the rear rail.
 

DB

Frequent Racer
Jan 20, 2006
363
0
0
Alabama
ILLEGAL REGAL™ said:
Hey Dusty... do you fell that air dam helps any?

I can't say that it does for the mph or et but it sure makes the Regal look better. It don't have that Bart Simpson overbite anymore :mrgreen:
 

DB

Frequent Racer
Jan 20, 2006
363
0
0
Alabama
TRZ will have a new Fab 9" rear end coming down the pipe to help guys with these instant center issues. I've been fortunate enough to get to race with Todd and Mike and can say that what we all have learned and tested in the last year will now be available through TRZ to push all g-bodies to another level. Just the testing from the last 2 track outings has made a ton of progress.
 

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