Need help getting stang to hook

Wicked65 · May 12, 2008

I have had my 95 out a few times this year, and im trying to work out my 60ft traction stuff. So heres what i have, and then ill ask my questions.

95 GT 3500 w/driver
T-5
Spec 1
3:73 Gears
UPR Front Coil Over 14in 175lbs springs
Strange 10 way struts

Back-
UPR Lowers w/Solid Bushings
Stock uppers :-(
Strange 10 Way shocks
H&R Supersport springs (till probably after next race)

275/50/15 M/T drag radials

OK, So i was having a hell of a time saturday getting the car to hook at the redding drag strip, CA. Tire PSI is at 18 which is what M/T told me to do as well as a few other racers that i asked. Front struts i have set from 1-3 rear shocks I have set from 1-4. Best 60 foot was a 2.121 saturday night. Now, i know that i have pretty much stock power since i only have TFS1 Cam, K&N, and Exhaust. (no use in putting money into a motor im not going to keep) But am i expecting too much to get down to a 1.9 60ft?? It seemed like the tires just wouldnt hook the other night. So i guess what im asking, is where should i base line my settings? I think next time im at the track, im going to put the struts at 3-4 and the shocks at 2. I know my springs in the back are probably screwing me up too. Im am looking at the wolf adjustable spring mount with the 12/150s. And i really want to get some double adjustable uppers with sphirical bushings so i can set my pinion angle and get an anti roll bar. (how much will that help?) BASICALLY, if someone has a better suggestion, throw it out for me. This is a street car that see's the track a couple times a month and pretty much only see's street action on the weekend.

donkey_punch · May 12, 2008

i would think that a set of adjustable rear upper control arms would help out some.

Venom351R · May 12, 2008

18 PSI is to high, try them at 15PSI thats what I ran mine at and cut a 1.808 60 ft

what RPM are you lauching at? How long is your burn out? Its not your shock settings unless you have them set so its really hurting you. I dont even have adjustible shocks and have stock upper and lower control arms

SQUEEZE&STROKE · May 12, 2008

Are these the M/T ET Radials? If so, up the pressure to about 21 or 22 psi. Low pressure in these tires is a strong misconseption. You will gain traction, and pick up MPH on the big end because there will be less rolling resistance.

Slip the clutch around 3200-3600 depending on when it feels to be in the torque curve. You gotta SLIP it, not just dump it.

Adjust the coilovers so they are not all the way down (if they are). Coilovers are not meant (in drag racing) to lower the car. You want as much stored energy in the spring as possible. Raise the coilover perch as high as you can while still keeping ride height where you want it.
Adjust the front strut rebound higher, (to promote weight transfer)

Adjust rear compression (to allow shocks to compress, I'd say a little lower than half, maybe setting 4)

Adjust rear reabound a little lower too to keep the shock from snapping the weight of the rear end back up.

You basically want the front to act like a spring board...when the rear tires begin to hook, you want the front of the car to spring its weight onto the back wheels.

You want the back to accept the weight, and keep it as long as possible.

If the car is unloading the rear suspension, which it sounds like it is doing, it will spin the tires.

Does it make any sense?

SQUEEZE&STROKE · May 12, 2008

I have front coilovers, 175 springs, stock rear shocks and springs and with the 275 MT ET radials I was cutting 1.6X 60'

Venom351R · May 12, 2008

SQUEEZE&STROKE said:
I have front coilovers, 175 springs, stock rear shocks and springs and with the 275 MT ET radials I was cutting 1.6X 60'

Thats what Im looking to do, If I can I might get 11's if the rest of the run is good.

Wicked65 · May 12, 2008

SQUEEZE&STROKE said:
Are these the M/T ET Radials?

Yes, they are the et drag radials i will up the pressure

If so, up the pressure to about 21 or 22 psi. Low pressure in these tires is a strong misconseption. You will gain traction, and pick up MPH on the big end because there will be less rolling resistance.

Slip the clutch around 3200-3600 depending on when it feels to be in the torque curve. You gotta SLIP it, not just dump it.
I was launching around 3500, but since its a spec clutch, it really doesnt like to slip that much. Im planning on switchin to a auto later this year, but im stuck with the clutch for now.

Adjust the coilovers so they are not all the way down (if they are). Coilovers are not meant (in drag racing) to lower the car. You want as much stored energy in the spring as possible. Raise the coilover perch as high as you can while still keeping ride height where you want it.

I did raise the car as high as i thought i could tolerate. Because i knew i wanted to get the weight to trasfer to the back. So the front is up.

Adjust the front strut rebound higher, (to promote weight transfer)

Adjust rear compression (to allow shocks to compress, I'd say a little lower than half, maybe setting 4)

Adjust rear reabound a little lower too to keep the shock from snapping the weight of the rear end back up.

These are the single adjustable shocks and struts, (sorry forgot to put that)

You basically want the front to act like a spring board...when the rear tires begin to hook, you want the front of the car to spring its weight onto the back wheels.

You want the back to accept the weight, and keep it as long as possible.

If the car is unloading the rear suspension, which it sounds like it is doing, it will spin the tires.

Yeah, im pretty sure it was unloading. It was the first time out with the mostly adjustable stuff, so its a pretty steap learning curve for me. But you did maybe give me a couple more tricks that i will try. Thanks a ton man.

Does it make any sense?

yep!!

Wicked65 · May 12, 2008

Redline_351R said:
18 PSI is to high, try them at 15PSI thats what I ran mine at and cut a 1.808 60 ft

what RPM are you lauching at? How long is your burn out? Its not your shock settings unless you have them set so its really hurting you. I dont even have adjustible shocks and have stock upper and lower control arms

I cut the exact same 60ft at 18psi as i did at 15. And both mickey thompson as well as racers running 8.XX on the same tires, told me not to go lower then 18. Doing a pretty good burn out. I wait to get decent smoke, let off the line lock and feather the gas down till i feel the car catch.

Wicked65 · May 12, 2008

donkey_punch said:
i would think that a set of adjustable rear upper control arms would help out some.

Im sure they will help, especially since you run I think its 3 degrees less pinion angle on rubber bushings compared to solid.

Venom351R · May 12, 2008

wickedcobra96 said:
I cut the exact same 60ft at 18psi as i did at 15. And both mickey thompson as well as racers running 8.XX on the same tires, told me not to go lower then 18. Doing a pretty good burn out. I wait to get decent smoke, let off the line lock and feather the gas down till i feel the car catch.

I'll try them at 18 as well, Im still trying to find their sweet spot. Ive been everywhere from 13 to 15 PSI, but my best 60" was at the 15 PSI so perhaps I need to up it even more.

SQUEEZE&STROKE · May 12, 2008

wickedcobra96 said:
... I wait to get decent smoke, let off the line lock and feather the gas down till i feel the car catch.

Out of trial and error, I have found that doing this is WORSE for traction...Feathering the gas until it catches kinda glazes the tire.

I would (and used to do this) get the tires pretty wet, do your burnout until you get decent smoke, then push the clutch in. Then put it in first and slowly drive to the line. It keeps the heat in the tires and doesnt glaze them over.

Wicked65 · May 12, 2008

SQUEEZE&STROKE said:
Out of trial and error, I have found that doing this is WORSE for traction...Feathering the gas until it catches kinda glazes the tire.

I would (and used to do this) get the tires pretty wet, do your burnout until you get decent smoke, then push the clutch in. Then put it in first and slowly drive to the line. It keeps the heat in the tires and doesnt glaze them over.

I will give that a try when im at the track this weekend.

Venom351R · May 13, 2008

wickedcobra96 said:
I will give that a try when im at the track this weekend.

Let us know how you do with the tire pressure at 18 and not feathering the clutch for the burn out. I know these tires have more in them that what I cut with them before.

Also a set of Maximum Motorsports lower control arms will help out w/ your 60ft time. I only say MM b/c they are top quality when it comes to suspension parts.

JJ95GTID · May 13, 2008

I have the Strange 10 ways front and rear. After many trips out to the track (up to 104 runs now ) I have found that having the front on the softest setting and the rears on the stiffest I get my best 60' times. I also run FRPP UCAs and Lakewood LCA out back using FRPP "B" springs front and rear.

I run BFG DRs 275/40R17 on Cobra R 17x9 wheels @ 18psi. I light them up and get them hot for a count of five or so. Yeah, I get lots of smoke out of them but, they hook and my car books

You don't want to lose power to the rear suspension compression.
The hardest you can setup the rear without losing traction is what its about.
Get those tires to bite hard and jerk your car off the line.

Also, learning to get off the line can only be done with lots of PRACTICE!
This is more true with a manual tranny. My car has a T5.

First time I broke into the 13s:

R/T 60' 330' 1/8 Mile 1/8 MPH 1000' 1/4 Mile 1/4 MPH
0.145 1.958 5.721 8.906 77.61 11.642 13.999 93.75

The low trap speed tells you I have a ton of "get off the line" with little topend pull at the far side of the track.
This is fun when racing against Corvettes. They suck off the line but usually catch up to me just after the 1000' mark.

My current best ET run:

R/T 60' 330' 1/8 Mile 1/8 MPH 1000' 1/4 Mile 1/4 MPH
0.012 1.991 5.739 8.857 79.46 11.529 13.824 97.86

Wicked65 · May 13, 2008

Redline_351R said:
Let us know how you do with the tire pressure at 18 and not feathering the clutch for the burn out. I know these tires have more in them that what I cut with them before.

Also a set of Maximum Motorsports lower control arms will help out w/ your 60ft time. I only say MM b/c they are top quality when it comes to suspension parts.

Yeah, ill post up some numbers probably monday along with the variables. I know they have more in them because my brother was racing his 98 right next to me with the same tires, and was pullling 1.9's every run. I like UPR mostly because of the chrome moly stuff. M/M is mostly a road race company. They have drag parts, but its not their primary market. So thats why the rear of my car will be UPR. Im going Team Z for the front K and arms since they have the tow bar and tie down loops welded to it, along with short a arms.

Wicked65 · May 13, 2008

JJ95GTID said:
I have the Strange 10 ways front and rear. After many trips out to the track (up to 104 runs now ) I have found that having the front on the softest setting and the rears on the stiffest I get my best 60' times. I also run FRPP UCAs and Lakewood LCA out back using FRPP "B" springs front and rear.

I run BFG DRs 275/40R17 on Cobra R 17x9 wheels @ 18psi. I light them up and get them hot for a count of five or so. Yeah, I get lots of smoke out of them but, they hook and my car books

You don't want to lose power to the rear suspension compression.
The hardest you can setup the rear without losing traction is what its about.
Get those tires to bite hard and jerk your car off the line.

Also, learning to get off the line can only be done with lots of PRACTICE!
This is more true with a manual tranny. My car has a T5.

First time I broke into the 13s:

R/T 60' 330' 1/8 Mile 1/8 MPH 1000' 1/4 Mile 1/4 MPH
0.145 1.958 5.721 8.906 77.61 11.642 13.999 93.75

The low trap speed tells you I have a ton of "get off the line" with little topend pull at the far side of the track.
This is fun when racing against Corvettes. They suck off the line but usually catch up to me just after the 1000' mark.

My current best ET run:

R/T 60' 330' 1/8 Mile 1/8 MPH 1000' 1/4 Mile 1/4 MPH
0.012 1.991 5.739 8.857 79.46 11.529 13.824 97.86

When i had the car in Fontana,CA it was bogging off the line (with stock gears now i have 3:73) launching at 3500. But redding doesnt do as good of track prep. Could have been part of the problem. But tracks wont always be perfect, so i have to find out what works for different conditions. lol I did try the shocks higher with the struts set at 1. But the front end was unloading almost instantly. My friend said the front would come up, drop and then go back up. So i put the struts at 3, and he said they came up and stayed up. This weekend my friend will have his video camera there too, so i should be able to see what the car is doing.

SQUEEZE&STROKE · May 13, 2008

wickedcobra96 said:
... I did try the shocks higher with the struts set at 1. But the front end was unloading almost instantly. My friend said the front would come up, drop and then go back up. So i put the struts at 3, and he said they came up and stayed up. This weekend my friend will have his video camera there too, so i should be able to see what the car is doing.

The next question is did the rear tires stay planted?

Wicked65 · May 13, 2008

No, its still broke loose, maybe not quiet as bad, but still did.

rio95 · May 15, 2008

Its the springs. I have the same ones and my car doesn't hook at all. Too bad they look and handle so well. I think I'm just going to get a really sticky tire and keep the springs. I'm thinking about going with 26x10.5 et streets on my cobra r's. It should be better than my nittos, but I'm still not expeccting much. I'll be getting 10.5 et drags at some point most likely.

yellowclone · May 16, 2008

Ok, when I had similar mods to you along time ago (f-cam, 4.10 gear and a couple bolt-ons), I cut 1.90 60ft time alot with Eibach Sportline springs and 18" street radials, not drag radials. It just takes practice. I still have, to this day, stock shocks and struts also. I have my front sway bar removed also (this got my 60ft time from a 2.0 to a 1.90).

First of all, what gear are you doing your burnout in? I got best results doing a second gear burnout (of coarse on street radials, I didn't hold it there doing a burnout, I just dropped the clutch and spun the water out of the tread). On the launch, bring your rpms up to about 2,000 to 2,500 and feather the throttle while slipping the clutch until it grabs and then mash it. I used this same procedure with my bone stock Dakota with the factory Goodyears and pulled a 2.01 60ft time.

Need help getting stang to hook

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