Lower front end better for racing?
Lower front end better for racing? my front shocks are QA1 12 way coil overs. I left them at stock heigth but have been trying to decide if lowering the front (for looks) would help or hurt my cars short times.
Thanks
Austin
Thanks
Austin
It can help and hurt. If you are spinning at the hit, adding front travel can help stop that, as more weight can transfer. Also helps give the front end more sprung energy in the springs to release at the launch too. If you are having issues with the front coming up too much, raising it may help that as it will act as a travel limiter, less downtravel to help spring the front end up.
Travel limiters can also do the same thing on both sides as well.
Lower ride height, if the car does come up will give you less shock spring to absorb the return back down, and can make for some smashed headers, etc.
I usually have the front of these cars in the 26 inch range, when measuring from the ground to the fender lip thru the center of the tire. This is a little lower then stock, but not so much that it bottom's out on everything and not so much that it makes the car want to stand up more.
Travel limiters can also do the same thing on both sides as well.
Lower ride height, if the car does come up will give you less shock spring to absorb the return back down, and can make for some smashed headers, etc.
I usually have the front of these cars in the 26 inch range, when measuring from the ground to the fender lip thru the center of the tire. This is a little lower then stock, but not so much that it bottom's out on everything and not so much that it makes the car want to stand up more.
sounds good, thanks for the info. My car usually 60fts in the 1.58-1.6 range. And usually hooks good then when the suspension suddenly comes back down it breaks loose again. I wish I could find away to keep the weight back longer.
Double adjustable shocks are probably something that you should consider, if you want to hold the weight when it transferr's.
For now I would stiffen the front shocks a click or 2, see if that helps. It should slow the raise in the front and keep the tires planted from the hit better, and when it comes back down it shouldn't unload as bad.
What springs are on the front of the car too?
For now I would stiffen the front shocks a click or 2, see if that helps. It should slow the raise in the front and keep the tires planted from the hit better, and when it comes back down it shouldn't unload as bad.
What springs are on the front of the car too?
I dont know what springs are on the front, I purchased/traded for them used from a friend. there wasnt a tag on the spring, and he was unsure, they look to be stock springs.
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 876
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From: Catlettsburg, Ky
So the more "up travel" you have (ride height set lower, with most of the shock shaft inside the body of the shock) the more the frontend comes up?
At what point does lowering the front tend to transfer more, umm... "static" weight to the front? Effectively taking weight off the rear? Or am I totally missing the concept here?
At what point does lowering the front tend to transfer more, umm... "static" weight to the front? Effectively taking weight off the rear? Or am I totally missing the concept here?
It will put more static weight on the front. But in order to transfer more weight, you have to have more there to transfer...
Generally I don't like a ton of rake in these cars. They need a little bit, but not alot. I like a 26 inch measurment (done as explained above) on the front, and the rear I like to try to have about 27, depending on the car, tire being used, etc.
Generally I don't like a ton of rake in these cars. They need a little bit, but not alot. I like a 26 inch measurment (done as explained above) on the front, and the rear I like to try to have about 27, depending on the car, tire being used, etc.
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with a properly setup suspension and provided you have enough ground clearance, your not going to hurt anything lowering the front end. If the front end comes up to high get a set of travel limiters if you cant control it by stiffing up the valving in extension. You are lowering the crank centerline when you do this which makes it harder to pull the front end up so you may not have to adjust anything.
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Verdad Gallardo I should have also noted that lowering the whole car and lowering just the nose are 2 different things. If you can lower the whole car, and still have it hook the same you are better off, for the reasons that Robbie stated.
I'm going to slam my sled when it's done, I don't plan on having any more then 24.5 from the fender lip to the ground in the front with a 27 inch front tire, and the rear will be about 25, with a 33 inch tall tire on it. We have to build the exhaust out of oval tubing, and I think the exhaust collectors are going to have to be a 4 wide 1 tall deal to make it fit under the car and not be dragging all over... have to see when it's done though, not sure if a collector like that will work/make any power.
I'm going to slam my sled when it's done, I don't plan on having any more then 24.5 from the fender lip to the ground in the front with a 27 inch front tire, and the rear will be about 25, with a 33 inch tall tire on it. We have to build the exhaust out of oval tubing, and I think the exhaust collectors are going to have to be a 4 wide 1 tall deal to make it fit under the car and not be dragging all over... have to see when it's done though, not sure if a collector like that will work/make any power.
unless you have to run an exhaust system, build a set of headers and have the collector come out the bottom of the fender. Building a camaro right now and the rear fender lip is 24" off the ground, the chassis is 3" off the ground.
Your not going to be able to run any sort of exhaust system unless you open up the driveshaft tunnel and run it down that. Might be possible that way. Ive ran 2 3" pipes down the factory tunnel and it just barely hung below the oem frame rails.
Your not going to be able to run any sort of exhaust system unless you open up the driveshaft tunnel and run it down that. Might be possible that way. Ive ran 2 3" pipes down the factory tunnel and it just barely hung below the oem frame rails.
Problem is that I have to run an exhaust, with a muffler too.. englishtown muffled exhuast rules. And, the car's likly going to get a 598 bbc in it.. so I think it's also going to need 4 inch piping.
I may get stuck just having to run the car a little higher then I want to. Kind of sucks, but it is what it is. When the cage gets done we'll try to figure something out. I was under the car the other day looking at it.. I think the rear 2 primary's can go out thru the fender and wrap around the frame rail, front 2 down next to the motor, and have all 4 come together there, length won't be equeal, but I've already seen that not make any real difference. If they came together 4 in a line, maybe we can make a flat collector, and get that into some of the oval piping.. and try to get it back to a pair of super 44 mufflers.
Car is getting a 4 link/back 1/2 so I may have some more room, and with the 25.x chassis, I'll have support down the center of the car, I could open the tunnel up a little, as long as there's still room for me in the car... I'm not quite small enough to go to a 15 inch wide seat, at least not yet. But, if I can get another 25 lbs off I think it would be doable, and that would make it a little easier.
Pita, the exhuast rule... that and the needed 2 chamber muffler. I was going to use super 44's again as they're only 4 inches thick, and make it a little easier to get in there. Just cut the ends off and weld the oval tubing right to it and then a oval dump off the back of them... have to see what I have for room...
I may get stuck just having to run the car a little higher then I want to. Kind of sucks, but it is what it is. When the cage gets done we'll try to figure something out. I was under the car the other day looking at it.. I think the rear 2 primary's can go out thru the fender and wrap around the frame rail, front 2 down next to the motor, and have all 4 come together there, length won't be equeal, but I've already seen that not make any real difference. If they came together 4 in a line, maybe we can make a flat collector, and get that into some of the oval piping.. and try to get it back to a pair of super 44 mufflers.
Car is getting a 4 link/back 1/2 so I may have some more room, and with the 25.x chassis, I'll have support down the center of the car, I could open the tunnel up a little, as long as there's still room for me in the car... I'm not quite small enough to go to a 15 inch wide seat, at least not yet. But, if I can get another 25 lbs off I think it would be doable, and that would make it a little easier.
Pita, the exhuast rule... that and the needed 2 chamber muffler. I was going to use super 44's again as they're only 4 inches thick, and make it a little easier to get in there. Just cut the ends off and weld the oval tubing right to it and then a oval dump off the back of them... have to see what I have for room...
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Tampa, FL
JL, I haven't done much (if any) testing with the F-body chassis but you think no more than a 2-2.5" rake is adequete?
To the OP, you have to remember the higher you set the nose, the more you reduce your strut travel. And of course lowering the car will increase strut travel. Try and shoot for around 4-5" of useable travel and see where the fender is in relation to the rear. Larger or smaller fron tires is another way to raise or lower the car without touching your travel....food for thought.
-Mark
To the OP, you have to remember the higher you set the nose, the more you reduce your strut travel. And of course lowering the car will increase strut travel. Try and shoot for around 4-5" of useable travel and see where the fender is in relation to the rear. Larger or smaller fron tires is another way to raise or lower the car without touching your travel....food for thought.
-Mark
Well.. I put my car on the bumper with the front measuring at 26.25 and the rear measuring at 27.5, so that's about 1.25 inches of rake.... 
So yeah, any more then 2 to 2.5 inches, I don't really see any reason to have.
So yeah, any more then 2 to 2.5 inches, I don't really see any reason to have.
