Best suspension setup for drag racing?
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Le Mans Master
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Best suspension setup for drag racing?
After reading a few posts regarding suspension the past few days I have decided to show my ignorance and ask this question.
Do you want the rear suspension to be soft for drag racing? What about the front? I'm assuming then that it's not possible to have a decent suspension for both occasional drag racing and occasional autocross. If it is possible to compromise and have both, what would be a good compromise? I was originally planning on rebuilding the entire suspension to make the vette better for cornering but I would hate to slow it down for the straight line in the process.
Also, what's the reason for disconnecting sway bars for drag racing?
Sorry for all the questions, thanks for all the answers.
Edit: I currently have the stock FE-1 suspension (no rear sway bar, soft springs).
[Modified by sharklover, 8:37 PM 10/30/2001]
Do you want the rear suspension to be soft for drag racing? What about the front? I'm assuming then that it's not possible to have a decent suspension for both occasional drag racing and occasional autocross. If it is possible to compromise and have both, what would be a good compromise? I was originally planning on rebuilding the entire suspension to make the vette better for cornering but I would hate to slow it down for the straight line in the process.
Also, what's the reason for disconnecting sway bars for drag racing?
Sorry for all the questions, thanks for all the answers.
Edit: I currently have the stock FE-1 suspension (no rear sway bar, soft springs).
[Modified by sharklover, 8:37 PM 10/30/2001]
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From: Prineville Oregon
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
I'm currently using the 460-lb. front spring and the seven leaf steel rear spring both from Vette Brakes and Products. I have not disconnected the factory stock front sway bar...I believe the only reason a person would remove it for drag racing is to reduce front weight , other than weight reduction it wouldn't help traction. Because I had some slop in the rear suspension I also replaced the bushings with polys and replaced the lower rear struts with V-P's "Smart Struts" with the "racing" rod ends. I get no wheel hop and the car launches hard with an average 60' time of 1.63 (9" X 28" slicks). How this all relates to auto crossing...I haven't tried it. Have fun, Deen :cheers:
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
I have morosso drag springs in the front end. They are very soft with long travel. I also use 90-10 drag shocks. The sway bar stays. I don't know what the rear spring is. I was always changing it by adding or subtracting leaves and even rearching some. I just kept trying until I was happy.
With the increased front end travel it made bump steer a problem with about 2 inches toe in at 4 inches of lift.
It does make for a nice ride down the road without any hammering over railroad tracks or pot holes.
With the increased front end travel it made bump steer a problem with about 2 inches toe in at 4 inches of lift.
It does make for a nice ride down the road without any hammering over railroad tracks or pot holes.
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
Call up Vette Brakes and order 1 1/8 front sways and 460 or 550 spings replace all the ball joints and any loose steering parts. Go with poly A-Arm bushings. Use performance tires with aggressive alignment settings.
On the rear the 340 or 360 mono spring. I have since changed back to 420 pound steel but the 7 or 5 leaf rated at 396 inch pounds might be a good alternative. I use a 3/4 rear. With front and rear adjustable ends.
The best thing you can do is buy adjustable rear "Smart Struts" If nothing else just buy them. don't forget good gas shocks and poly everything.
I don't feel safe driving a stock C-3!
[Modified by gkull, 10:01 AM 10/31/2001]
On the rear the 340 or 360 mono spring. I have since changed back to 420 pound steel but the 7 or 5 leaf rated at 396 inch pounds might be a good alternative. I use a 3/4 rear. With front and rear adjustable ends.
The best thing you can do is buy adjustable rear "Smart Struts" If nothing else just buy them. don't forget good gas shocks and poly everything.
I don't feel safe driving a stock C-3!
[Modified by gkull, 10:01 AM 10/31/2001]
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Le Mans Master
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (gkull)
I already have the Smart Struts but sometime in the near future I was planning on upgrading the rest of the suspension so I figured I'd ask these questions now. I went with the poly ends on the Smart Struts and also used poly on the spring pads. I should have replaced the spring at the same time but since I need to replace the gasket on the rear diff, I figured I'd also go with the Heavy Duty diff cover. It was getting to be more money than I had at the time so I just replaced the spring pads, installed Smart Struts and stayed with the stock spring (for now). I currently have one lower ball joint that is bad so I plan on replacing them all at once when I do the rest of the suspension.
Thanks
Thanks
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
Norval and the 90/10 with weak long springs is right along with the remove front sway idea. It all causes max weight X-fer to the rear for traction. With good tires/sticky track, traction is not a problem with anything under 450 hp.
Norval's 800-900 hp makes for real launching and handling problems. Personally I like to watch how Trans-Am cars go around a race course. They don't have 3-4 inches of verticle nose height change from WOT banging gear shifts with big slick tires to full near lockup braking for a turn.
So I designed my car to not hardly move either. The dead give away to Mr. Policeman is when he is approaching a car and it does a massive nose dive from stomping on the brakes. I also determined that I was breaking far to many rearend parts and posi units. The answer comes right off of the race track. You have to limit yoke & half shaft travel
Norval's 800-900 hp makes for real launching and handling problems. Personally I like to watch how Trans-Am cars go around a race course. They don't have 3-4 inches of verticle nose height change from WOT banging gear shifts with big slick tires to full near lockup braking for a turn.
So I designed my car to not hardly move either. The dead give away to Mr. Policeman is when he is approaching a car and it does a massive nose dive from stomping on the brakes. I also determined that I was breaking far to many rearend parts and posi units. The answer comes right off of the race track. You have to limit yoke & half shaft travel
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From: San Pedro, Ca. USA
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (gkull)
gkull, you kinda got to this question before I did. In Norvals case (In a drag racing situation) doesn't leaving the sway bar connected defeat the purpose of the longer travel suspension up front? The connected sway bar will limit the travel. Right? For the street it makes sense to leave it connected. I'm assuming that's what Norval was getting at.
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
When the front end rises evenly on both side the sway bar should have no effect. It just rotates in it's bushings. I am having handling problems on launch and have many a time considered going George's route with a stiffer suspension but when I fly over railroad tracks with hardly a pump I like the soft suspension. I agree with George also about a stock suspension being dangerous. Mine is dangerous. I just haven't made up my mind if I want that rough ride. I get 2 inches of toe in change on launch. That is dangerous.
Drifting
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From: Honolulu Hawaii
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (norvalwilhelm)
This is a little off the topic from drag racing, but, I rode in George's Vette and it rode smooooth. I tried pushing down on the fenders and couldn't budge the springs. I'm now convinced that stiff springs doesn't necessarily equal rough ride. Compared to the handling of his Vette, my stock setup IS dangerous. I'm looking at doing a similar setup like George's as an upcoming project.
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Le Mans Master
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (gkull)
Call up Vette Brakes and order 1 1/8 front sways and 460 or 550 spings replace all the ball joints and any loose steering parts. Go with poly A-Arm bushings. Use performance tires with aggressive alignment settings.
On the rear the 340 or 360 mono spring. I have since changed back to 420 pound steel but the 7 or 5 leaf rated at 396 inch pounds might be a good alternative. I use a 3/4 rear. With front and rear adjustable ends.
The best thing you can do is buy adjustable rear "Smart Struts" If nothing else just buy them. don't forget good gas shocks and poly everything.
I don't feel safe driving a stock C-3!
[Modified by gkull, 10:01 AM 10/31/2001]
On the rear the 340 or 360 mono spring. I have since changed back to 420 pound steel but the 7 or 5 leaf rated at 396 inch pounds might be a good alternative. I use a 3/4 rear. With front and rear adjustable ends.
The best thing you can do is buy adjustable rear "Smart Struts" If nothing else just buy them. don't forget good gas shocks and poly everything.
I don't feel safe driving a stock C-3!
[Modified by gkull, 10:01 AM 10/31/2001]
This is the exact setup I have been considering (550 front, 360 rear). I already have the Smart Struts so I just need to order the other parts. What shocks would you recommend for this setup? I see that VB&P sells the Bilsteins with their Street and Slalom system (this setup minus Smart Struts) but I don't know if they would be best or not. I have also been debating heavily over whether to use a steel rear spring or the fiberglass monospring. While $$ is somewhat of a factor, I still want the best rear spring; the price difference between leaf and mono isn't tremendous.
Thanks to everyone for their advice.
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
I can't tell you what is best for you. I don't know your front end weight/tires/how agressive your car turns in. I have tried all kinds even rear coil over shocks.
For the Rear Bilstien VB&P 1010 for $110 each Then on the front depending on how heavy your car is you have to pay attention to the max compression height of the spring. the 460/550 are 1 inch shorter that stock. So shock bottoming out is a consideration. On the front I like 40/60 easy to compress but then it forces you tire right back down.
_______
For the Rear Bilstien VB&P 1010 for $110 each Then on the front depending on how heavy your car is you have to pay attention to the max compression height of the spring. the 460/550 are 1 inch shorter that stock. So shock bottoming out is a consideration. On the front I like 40/60 easy to compress but then it forces you tire right back down.
_______
Safety Car
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From: Regina Saskatchewan, Canada.
Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (gkull)
Isn't there somew kinna linked up rear suspension for 63-79 cars that keeps the diff in one piece and eliminates camber change for the ultimate in rear traction ;) Hmmmm....
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Le Mans Master
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From: Westfield Indiana
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (Stingy74)
I'm guessing that would be the 6 link IRS you have listed in your sig?? The last thing I saw similar to that was Guldstrand's and I don't really feel like spending $2000 on the rear suspension alone.
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (sharklover)
Corvette's have an independent rear suspension which puts them at an advantage over a solid axle car but the one fault is the camber change. But it hasn't stopped people from mounting up slicks to a stock IRS and getting complete hook. The other advantage of the six link is that it takes the side load off the differential and you know there's gonna be side load when you run big hp and slicks. So it helps keep your diff in one piece too. I don't want to say much more for I fear the subject will become exhausted and turn into one of those "oh, not that again" threads, but it really does it's job.
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Re: Best suspension setup for drag racing? (Stingy74)
I appreciate the info. Since I'm not putting out very much horsepower, I doubt I would really need the 6 link. I have installed the Smart Struts and they are supposed to help decrease camber change during suspension travel. I imagine they'll work fine for my setup but I also imagine the 6 link would work better for yours.
Thanks again,
Thanks again,
