The Maximum Motorsports setup for a drag car that different from road and track?

[StreetDreamsGT]

Hey guys, I'm looking to be able to make some passes at the drag strip but also use it as a track car on occasion.

Maximum Motorsports :: The Leader In Mustang Performance Suspension

This is the package I wanted to get. Would I still be able to see an improvement at the drag strip? (I've already got subframe connectors and intend to get a k member brace and strut tower brace along with it)

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

I just realized the link doesn't work... my apologies.

I'm looking at the Starter Box

1990-93 Mustang Starter Box includes:

* MM Road & Track Springs
* MM Caster/Camber Plates (select Black or Chrome finish option)
* 2 Bilstein Struts
* 2 Bilstein Shocks
* Front and Rear Urethane Spring Isolators
* MM Urethane Pinion Snubber

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

The biggest differences between drag and road racing setups are how weight is transfered or prevented from transferring...

On a drag car, you want the front end to be allowed to raise and roll back on the rear wheels, which typcally means a soft rear spring/shock setup and a front setup that allows the nose to raise quick and easy but not drop down as quick, which also benefits from removing the swaybar since that prevents the front from raising as much.

By comparison, a road race setup is more stiff all around and focuses on preventing lateral body roll. The same action of lifting the nose and rolling weight to the rear wheels when you're trying to corner on a road course will result in poor handling, and the same setup isn't going to brake as well into the corners.


So...how do you get the best of both worlds? What i would do is get some typical springs that don't SLAM the car down...too low will hinder weight transfer for drag racing. Too high or not enough lowering will raise your center of gravity and hinder cornering/handling on a road coarse. So something middle ground as far as ride height (unless you can afford coil overs and THEN you get whatever you set it up for). Then you want 5 way adjustable shocks and struts. This way you can stiffen them up for the road course and soften them up for drag.

Your control arms are basically the same for either application with the exception of some of the different bushings you can get for drag. Basic poly bushing will be the best all around option. If you go all the way and get a tubular K member, there are differences in road racing and drag K's...as the drag options are typically lighter and won't stand up to the abuse of road racing.

Basically you have to sacrifice something for both styles of driving or lean one way or another to be better set up for the style of driving you do more often.

 

[Saleen8786]

like stated above,two different types on animals,maximum motorsports handling package isnt really gonna transfer weight that well but it will hook,muscle mustangs 93 teal cobra had the mm handling grip package and wasn't doing that well at the track when they ran it and they said its because of its non race inspired suspension,look it up on muscle mustangs website and read the article.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

To put it plainly, if it can't squat in the rear and raise in the front, it won't hook at the track. On the flipside, those are two things you don't want on the road course. There are no 5k clutch drops in road racing and there's no turning in drag racing.

 

[LiquidGT]

On a side note, if you're going to do any drag launches on sticky tires with MM LCA's get the Extreme Duty ones; the HD control arms won't stand up to long term abuse of a drag launch.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

Wow, I can't remember the last time I learned so much from a thread I started.... maybe i'm not asking the right questions lol. Thanks guys, that was a lot of help. I didn't realize that was the reason to remove the front sway bar at the track. I think what i'll do is see if I can get some used drag springs from the classifieds then use the mm stuff when i'm not at the strip. Adjustable shocks really give the best of both worlds don't they? Or is there some trade off I don't know about?

 

[Saleen8786]

i just bought fully adjustable 10 way strange shocks for my gt,so she'll hook,had my chassis guy dial my suspension in and now she'll hook in the snow,i can easily pull wheels at the track now.

 

[lang williams]

I was thinking this over when I started my car. I decided to make it a fun street car. Firm but not punishing ride, poly bushings to make the twisties fun. When I go to the track my usual one or two times a year I'll take a socket to take the front sway bar nuts off to allow a little more xfer.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Both setups have their downfalls. A serious road race setup is going to be pretty rough over bumps and speed bumps and it'll shake your teeth loose hitting potholes. A serious drag setup on the street without a sway bar will push in the corners (understeer) and be really vague feeling when you're turning. Also, if you build a serious drag suspension you'll probably have an anti-rollbar in the rear which prevents the axle from coming out of parallel with the body of the car, which in drag racing makes the car launch level and straight (instead of rolling over on the passenger rear tire). This on the street is gonna be rough as hell in the rear since the axle isn't prevented to twist when you go over uneven pavement.


There are ways to get close to a real 50/50 setup if you can afford coil overs. Some things are going to benefit both setups, like dropping as much weight as you can and trunk mounting the battery to balance out weight distribution. If you have the cash and are serious, i would just call MM and tell them what you want and i'm sure they'll give you good advice...i'm sure you aren't the first person wanting the best of both worlds.

 

[StreetDreamsGT]

Both setups have their downfalls. A serious road race setup is going to be pretty rough over bumps and speed bumps and it'll shake your teeth loose hitting potholes. A serious drag setup on the street without a sway bar will push in the corners (understeer) and be really vague feeling when you're turning. Also, if you build a serious drag suspension you'll probably have an anti-rollbar in the rear which prevents the axle from coming out of parallel with the body of the car, which in drag racing makes the car launch level and straight (instead of rolling over on the passenger rear tire). This on the street is gonna be rough as hell in the rear since the axle isn't prevented to twist when you go over uneven pavement.


There are ways to get close to a real 50/50 setup if you can afford coil overs. Some things are going to benefit both setups, like dropping as much weight as you can and trunk mounting the battery to balance out weight distribution. If you have the cash and are serious, i would just call MM and tell them what you want and i'm sure they'll give you good advice...i'm sure you aren't the first person wanting the best of both worlds.

Well first off, I'm planning on doing major weight reduction... i'm the guy going after the 12 second zone without touching the engine . I don't mind having to turn a wrench when track day comes around... so that sway bar will end up being put on and taken back off a few times a month lol. I wonder if my suspension feel wont improve though... I have the stock shocks and springs and the ride feeling sucks! I feel every single bump in the road... some of them I can't even see but I feel , it's time for new shocks....