How To Launch A Stang Correctly

i droped the cluch at 2000 rpm ! and hit a 0-60: 2.16 , but i just got a 2v with 3:73's and 285 back tires, so it hooked good , yours might not......

MikeZ28 said:

yeah i am going too get them soon i hear they add 600 hp... so before i put them on i need a honda civic tanny too handle that powar

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Also remember the 195 20zr 13s. You will need rubber like that to keep you from wheel hopping of the line.

With an auto is it better to begin to powerbrake and launch or just punch it from the begining?

joshheat25 said:

With an auto is it better to begin to powerbrake and launch or just punch it from the begining?

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powerbrake.

ALLAN_M said:

another thing..........how do u powershift exactly thats my last question guys uve been a great help

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shifting without taking your foot off the gas.

I usually launch at 2200 or 2k, in my last 98GT (auto w/ 4.10 gears) I launched a bit lower @ about 1600-1800 RPMS because i didn't want to lose traction.

And with an auto what you want to do is stand on the brake, and rev the car a bit to like 1500-1800. You'll hear the engine, but the wheels will not break loose from the breaks yet, so the car is still holding strong. Then when u launch accelerate on the gas and quickly remove ur foot from the brake. You should take off with little to no traction issues. It worked for me, and I had crap tires on my 98GT. Although I DID have 10.5" cobra wheels on the back. So that might not work on stock wheels...

Roger_4.6_96 said:

Burn out a tiny bit so your tires get sticky. Then Rev to 2000 - 2500 rpms dump the clutch.

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A burn out will only help if you are using tyres that work in a higher temp range, ie:

-Slicks
-Semi - slicks
-drag radials

If you have regular rubber then a burn out will just be wearing your tyres out with little to no gain and more likely damaging and reducing the grip of them. It may be worth to spin them over a few times to clear and grit/stones from them but not too much because if they start to get hot (which is what a burnout is designed for) regular road rubber will start to disintigrate.

As for powershifting, this is the fastest way to change gear, but it is also can be expensive if it goes wrong, so way up whether the risk is worth it.

Gains - satisfaction of powershifting and upto .5 second better ET, maybe more.

Risks - worse case would be blown clutch and gearbox causing the engine to over rev and blow that too. OR as already mentioned lighting up on the 1st - 2nd change and stacking the car in the wall due to a spin.

If you are going to powershift you must be confident and comitted. DON'T half try. To practice maybe rent a car or buy a cheap reck that you cn scrap after if you don't want to run the risk of breaking your Stang.

Keep your foot flat on the accelarator and a hand on the gear stick (hand position is crucial - whether your hand is in front, behind or to the side of the shifter. Learn which direction the stick moves to go up and down the box. So if going from 2nd - 3rd the gear stick has to move up and out (towards the front of the car and towards the passenger door). If you cup your hand so your palm is facing the front right corner of the car while holding the back of the gear stick. If you push forward the natural movement of your arm will also move it out to the right. If you had your hand cupped around the front of the gear stick and did the same thing the natural movement of your arm would be to pull the stick to the left, ie 1st not 3rd). When you reach the shift point stamp on the clutch pedal and yank the lever - these need to be done exactly together else the synchro won't be alinged - powershift achieved.

If you like you can also apply a bit of force to the gear stick in the direction of the next wanted gear as you accelarate - with load on the transmission it shouldn't pop out of gear, this then allows you to react quicker when you stamp on the clutch, because once the load is removed the gear stick should pop straight out of the gate and be heading for the next gear (HAND POSITION BEING CORRECT!!). The only other downside is this can cause additional wear on the thrust bearings in the gearbox.

JonJon said:

I just launch at idle and give as much gas as I can without spinning Just takes practice to get a feel for it.

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Funny, I do the same. The 1st time I went to the track with all-season radials I cut a 2.19 this way.

i dunno, i was cutting consistent 2.0 60's using my method on street tires, and ran 13.6 in a minimally modded GT...so i think i'll stick with it.