Black Jack: Fixing torque steer

gkomo · Apr 15, 2026

If you're not nervous you'll make it to you destination, are you really having a good time? Thats what I tell myself at least.

FastDriver · Apr 19, 2026

After skipping a year, I went to my first autocross, today. I placed 4th of 5 in CAM-T, just ahead of a Van, lol. It was my least competitive day, to date, but it really isn't about competition to me. I just enjoy driving the car.

This go-round, there were more cars than I'd ever seen, and we only got 4 runs in. So, I never got comfortable, and I never ran the course right. Due to that, I really never got a good feel for the car. So, really didn't make many adjustments. As down as that all reads, I'm sure, I really did enjoy putting ol' Jack through its paces, today.

Warhorse Racing · Apr 20, 2026

FastDriver said:
After skipping a year, I went to my first autocross, today. I placed 4th of 5 in CAM-T, just ahead of a Van, lol. It was my least competitive day, to date, but it really isn't about competition to me. I just enjoy driving the car.

This go-round, there were more cars than I'd ever seen, and we only got 4 runs in. So, I never got comfortable, and I never ran the course right. Due to that, I really never got a good feel for the car. So, really didn't make many adjustments. As down as that all reads, I'm sure, I really did enjoy putting ol' Jack through its paces, today.

It was great seeing you and Black Jack back at an autocross event. You drove extremely well for your first event in a long time. It was a tricky course, and there wasn't much grip out there because of the weather. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to jump into the car with you. We had a lot of novices the day after Novice School, and I couldn't get over to you during our run group. You held your own against some fast competition. Nice driving! Hopefully, you'll get to come to more events this season.

FastDriver · Apr 26, 2026

OCI:
94.8k: Oil change (Mobil 1 0W-40) in preparation for a 1.2k round trip to Fort Knox, this week, for work.

Corbeau fixt & reinstalled:
Also, I got the Corbeau GTS II back from the furniture shop with better padding in the knee bolster area, and Ahail also shaved 3/4 of an inch of material from the seat bottom. I installed and drove it around for 3-4 days, and it really made a big difference in seating position, and with the stiffler's low profile brack finally feels like I'm low enough for the first time since the stock seats. The knee bolster padding with these seats just pushes your legs too close together for clutch work during regular driving. Still want the Recaro LX style seats one day, but these will work until I get the house paid off.

Getting froggy on the dragstrip:
I'd like to find a rear 5-lug 15-16" wheel that will fit a slick in Black Jack's stock rear tubs. Thinking that since a 275 is already back there, a 26x10 slick might work. Sound right to you folks? If so, then I think a 9" or 10" wheel with the standard 6"-6.5" BS would work right. Need to reinforce the upper and lower torque boxes, install a D/S safety loop, and weld up the rear axle tubes while I'm at it.

Radiator repair needed:
The Ron Davis has developed a slow leak that I attribute to too rigidly bolting it in. I'm gonna take it to a guy in Charlotte who fixes 'em, but want to find a cheapo on bookface to carry me for a few weeks while the Ron Davis is repaired.

NXcoupe · Apr 27, 2026

15x10 weld, 6.5" bs, MT et drag 26x10x15. If you were closer, I have a set of the slicks sitting here I used on the Grench.

FastDriver · Apr 30, 2026

I'm just getting back into town from a 1.2k mi. round trip. Got 350.5 GPS-verified miles out of the last tank down to 1/8. Took 13.09 gallons for an avg of 26.8 mpg on 87 octane.

View: https://youtu.be/hHmq5J4zEuk?si=5tfzysRMNHpKB1Nu

91AOD5.0LX · Apr 30, 2026

Thanks for sharing that! Living the life my friend! Thank you for your sacrifice and service!

nicholase · May 1, 2026

I can't drive mine at all with work boots on. Get all jammed up on the dash when operating the clutch. Gotta take em off.

Thats a good distance! Good to see someone putting that kind of miles on!

FastDriver · May 29, 2026

I'm going to a 6-week school at Fort Lee and it's only about 3 hours away. I left last Sunday, stayed there for a week and returned today. 412 MI and 14.3 gallons used on this tank of gas. That works out to 28.8 miles per gallon, which is a new best. Now, I did deliberately took it easy, but I used plenty of air conditioning and even took an excursion into town one night for trivia at a bar with the other students. I will definitely hit my 30 mpg goal, one day. Just need a day where it's not over 85°, and I'm not in a hurry.

FastDriver · Jul 2, 2026

Back from school:
I'm back from what should be my last for-credit academic environment in the Army, and hopefully ever. If I never see the inside of a classroom again, it'll be too soon. Anyways, I traveled back & forth on the 400-mile round trip 4 times, and other than a minor coolant leak that forced me to top off the radiator once, Black Jack had no issues.

Wanna go fast, need stickier tires:
I've got a hankerin' to get Black Jack strip-ready, and so I've got some parts a welding fox-enthusiast near me will install, soon:
- Wild rides upper and lower "battle box" torque box reinforcements
- relocate my WBO2 sensors, which currently interfere with
- installing my stiffler's D/S safety loop

After that, I think Black Jack is ready to really take abuse. Subframe connectors, check. 31-Spline truetrac, check. Should I think about welding or reinforcing the 8.8 housing?

Picked these up today for $375. 15x10, 6.5" BS. Ain't pretty, but should fit after a little banjo bolt clearancing. I've heard stiff wall slicks are best for Manual Transmissions. True?

91AOD5.0LX · Jul 2, 2026

FastDriver said:
I'm back from what should be my last for-credit academic environment in the Army, and hopefully ever.

FastDriver said:
I traveled back & forth on the 400-mile round trip 4 times, and other than a minor coolant leak that forced me to top off the radiator once, Black Jack had no issues.

Congrats to both you and Black Jack. Your academic accomplishment and Black Jacks performance! Good stuff all around!

FastDriver · Jul 3, 2026

NXcoupe said:
15x10 weld, 6.5" bs, MT et drag 26x10x15. If you were closer, I have a set of the slicks sitting here I used on the Grench.

M/T recommends a stiff wall slick for stick cars, heavier cars, and high powered cars. That's what I got for Father Time, because it'll make 1100 rwhp. On Black Jack, I'm actually thinking soft sidewall is the way to go. Black Jack may eventually push 500 rwhp, but right now it's making well less than 400rwhp. And its starting line ratio is very tall; 2.66 * 3.73 = 9.92.

That tall, I think winding the RPM way up and very aggressively releasing or even dumping the clutch is preferred. Soft walls absorb shock, and recover better from hazing/spin. Plus, the softwall is a true 15x26, whereas the stiff wall is 15x26 but has a reported OD of 26.5". So, the shorter tire is slightly better gearing in my application.

Thoughts?

Softwall:

Mickey Thompson ET Drag Tire 26.0/10.0-15 L8 - 3053

highhorseperformance.com

AeroCoupe · Jul 3, 2026

Weld the axle tubes to the third member. Easy to do and if you are installing the Battle Boxes you should have all the access to weld them up.

FastDriver · Monday at 10:28 PM

Torque Steer:
I noticed last week that black jack's rear is torque steering. When on the throttle, I have to correct the steer by maybe 5 degrees in the steering wheel, and when I get back out of it, I have to go back the other way. So, I climbed under the car and looked at everything in the suspension. The only obvious issue was that the LCA bushings are shot, and some casual readings tonight have confirmed this as a cause of the rear steer. Furthermore, I can see essentially witness marks that the bushings are moving around in there.

So, instead of just ordering bushings, I decided on an upgrade. BJ sits either dead even or with a slight reverse rake. So, I ordered the height adjustable MM Extreme-Duty LCAs.

They're apparently good for 600hp drag slick launches, MM claims that the spherical bushings are easier on torque boxes because they allow better articulation, and they provide the height adjustability I need to help clear expanding slicks and even for corner balancing for autocross. Plus, with the extra space back there, I plan to soften the compression on the Konis to improve ride while the extra height should keep me off the bump stops.

Noobz347 · Monday at 10:56 PM

Looking forward to your take on these as your sole upgrade.

Remind me: What power level is this car at?

FastDriver · Tuesday at 12:04 AM

Made ~340rwhp on the dyno on a smaller shot and ran 12.02@114mph. Changed the pills since then. So, ~370+ rwhp on spray now, as it sits, but I think theres another 20 rwhp in tuning. And, 450 - 500 rwhp somewhere in the future on the next build.

FastDriver · 2026-07-25T11:30:59-0500

Canceled my order on the MM LCAs for the time being. I thought I'd be able to swap them in place of the Lakewood LCAs while keeping the brackets that drop the LCA to axle mounting bolt hole. That's not so, however, as I was able to confirm that the stock bolt is a 12mm bolt, and the lakewoods are a 1/2" bolt. I don't want to drill on brand new $500 MM LCAs. There's also the matter of whether the MMs would be the same width as the brackets.

I like the improvement in traction the dropped mounts provide both in a straight line & in autocross, and I attribute my 1.83 60' on stock sized all season goodyear tires to them. Going back to the stock mounts with the MMs and cranking up the height might achieve the same IC & AS result, but there's no guarantee it'd work out the same with the rear end up higher.

So, I'm opting instead to just attemot to find the right Bushings, Lakewood PN 20538, which have been discontinued.

I got a set off of ebay, and need 1 more set. Alternatively, I'm already having the rear axle tubes welded up, and I could get Team-Z's relocation brackets welded up at the same time, then do the MM LCAs, but at that point, I'll probably be in for a grand, instead of just another $40 set of bushings.

I don't suppose any of you have a set of these bushings?

AeroCoupe · 2026-07-25T12:32:12-0500

I would contact Prothane and see if they have some that are the same dimensions. Holley has the drawing for them here on their website:

https://www.holley.com/products/discontinued_product/parts/20538

You know Lakewood did not make them so it’s probably Prothane or Energy Suspension that made them.

FastDriver · 2026-07-25T14:14:27-0500

Thanks, man. I sent prothane an email.

Black Jack: Fixing torque steer

gkomo

now i can hopefully expect to receive the shaft

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Warhorse Racing

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

NXcoupe

Active Member

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

91AOD5.0LX

I have a slight sag in my rear

nicholase

I lubed and pushed, until it was all the way in

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

91AOD5.0LX

I have a slight sag in my rear

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Mickey Thompson ET Drag Tire 26.0/10.0-15 L8 - 3053

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

Noobz347

Stangnet Facilities Maint Tech... Er... Janitor

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

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