Anybody have any 60ft launch data with Launch control? In the video they say the Launch control allows a consistent 3.65 sec 0-60 but they never say what the 60ft was looking like. I'm thinking high 1.9X's.

Has anyone tried out the factory launch control with better tires and had any luck?

 

Nothing huh? I figured somebody by now has tested it out at the track.

 

Try asking your question in the Z06 forum, although Z06 owners do frequent this forum.

 

Wondering this same thing... also wondering how well it works with drag radials

 

From the wheel spin graphs that the GM engineers presented, their launch control was allowing more wheel spin than the "expert driver" that was able to beat the launch control's time.

So I'd have to say from that info that 2 things are holding the car back. First, the speed of the factory launch control be it the ABS sensors(resolution) or the actual processors speed. And secondly the car needs more tire(for 4.5K rpm clutch drops).

I'm guessing that with a good sticky DR like the 345/30-19 NT05R that the traction control will have a better chance at handling the 4.5K rpm launches and make up for the speed/capablility of the factory LC. For example, Ranger only leaves at 3600 rpms max on DR's. I think the big Nittos can take a higher RPM launch than the old DR's Ranger is/was using(295/35-18 BFG's on C5Z rears?).

The fact that the factory launch control can net a 3.65 second 0-60 time from a 4.5K side step launch on runcraps is quite a feat. How many people can mondulate the throttle fast enough to recover from that agressive of a launch and still get within a 1/2 a tenth of a very good driver. Nobody. So I say the Stock system is competent but it needs some tweeking. Either run a stickier tire from the factory (not likely) or reduce the starting RPMs to a more resonable 3K from 4.5K. <---This might be as simple as adjusting the LC with HP tuners or EFI live.

 

I've experimented at the drag strip with five different drag radials, seeking the best combo that accommodates the finicky LS7 clutch, which is the car's limiting factor. When you raise the launch rpm, the torque force the clutch must deal with goes up too.

My current choice is BFG 315.35.17. I've never run on the tires you mentioned. And no one I know who's running 345 DRs has been able to make them work well on the drag strip with a stock clutch. The tires produce a big bog at launch. Too much footprint for the clutch.

Corvette Launch control, in its current form, may be fine for the street (irrelevant to me since I don't street race), but it does not produce ETs on the drag strip in stock (untuned) cars that are comparable to those of most decent drivers, let alone good ones.

Ranger

 

I met a gentleman last evening at Palm Beach Int'l Raceway on his first visit with his new 2011 Grand Sport convertible. He did not have a lot of drag race experience and was on stock tires. Track prep was not stellar.

He tried using launch control a couple of times and I watched him spin his tires I'd estimate 330 feet to a 2.4x 60 and a few high 13 second runs. It was really not working at all. In fact he said one of the runs the car essentially shut down because it couldn't control the spin.

He then tried it on his own but was bogging the car to low 13's.

I spent a bit of time with him and explained the nuances of launching, and he achieved a 1.9 and 12.7 @ 120 run as his best.

It was clear to me that launch control doesn't hold a candle to a bit of instruction or experience on how to launch.

 

Yeah I didn't really know what you were using for a tire I just new it looked smaller than stock. What is that 315/35-17 tire, about 25.9" tall? That is like a small pickup in gearing.

Anyways, yes a dedicated driver could put forth the effort to learn how to launch their car better. I was just curious as to how the *NEW* system was working.

This answers my first question. But now with drag radials. Could a good set of DR's like what Ranger is using give the Traction control the help it needs to run consistenly at the track?

 

It's a good question. My gut tells me that like traction control on, it will be more intrusive to maintain traction and prevent breakage so that an experienced driver will still do better.

I also find my best 60 foots come from accelerating into the clutch release rather than holding it steady and releasing. RobZ taught me that.

Finally my best launches occur when I keep the rpm above 4500 throughout the launch process....now with the stock cam I would think optimal lowest rpm would be lower.

I will try to scan a new car with launch control if I get a chance.