... sounds like i'll be giving you a call! 
hooking up with stock power (auto) ...
hooking up with stock power (auto) ... hello ... in my bone stock 2000 auto trans am, i have zero traction on the street at a 1500 brake torque (& obviously anything higher). so, before i head out to the strip coming up in mid-late feb., i wanna be sure i can hook up great or at least decently. i'm looking to purchase either BFG g-Force T/A Drag Radial 2's, toyo Proxes TQ, OR NITTO 555'S (something i can drive to the track & home on & i do have a spare set of 2 wheels) ... UMI subframe connector, panhard rod, & new shocks & springs as i will be lowering about an inch. not much into big power right now ... just looking to have some fun stock but obviously don't wanna be wasting my time only to spin for 3 seconds off the line ! willing to pay good $$$ for quality street-able/strip-able shock & spring setup - any suggestions will be appreciated along with maybe something i'm missing to help me hookup better at the track when i go.
For rear shocks and springs in your application the viking rear coilover kit would suite you well. It's fully adjustable ride height and compression and rebound so you can change the shock valving on the fly.
The only other thing I would recommend is Lower control arms and relocation brackets. For factory cars experiencing wheel hop or traction issues, we find the LCA and LCA Relo Brackets make a huge difference!
Shoot me an email or call the shop and I'd be happy to help as much as possible!
The only other thing I would recommend is Lower control arms and relocation brackets. For factory cars experiencing wheel hop or traction issues, we find the LCA and LCA Relo Brackets make a huge difference!
Shoot me an email or call the shop and I'd be happy to help as much as possible!
where you already have a pair of spare wheels and are an A4 I would go with MT ET streets or Hoosier QTP's , it only takes 5 min to swap them on at the track and they could be driven there also just a bit dicey if it should rain unexpectedly.
There was alot of flex in my stock torque arm. Went with the UMI short arm along with viking coilovers and it made a world of difference as far as 60ft times and weight transfer. My car is close to stock power wise.
thanks for the input guys. i'm totally agreeing with you on the MT's or the Hoosiers ... from what i understand noticeably better traction on these 2 than either of the drag radials i mentioned, & yup just swap em at the track! ... but, is it common to have pretty much zero traction with street tires & no suspension upgrades when trying to launch with any decent power vs. slowly accelerating in order not to spin off the line?
what size et streets for the stock 16" trans am wheels? i see the et street RADIALS have the perfect size of 255/50R16, but a little confused on the et streets ... or will the radials hook just as good ?
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Verdad Gallardo that's the size I have on stock 16"z28 5 spokes (ET street drag radials)
traction is harder to find on asphalt vs prepped concrete, at the track you will be fine.
I also do not like to preload like your describing but rather flash the convertor from idle with the front sway bar removed which transfers weight to the rear more quickly planting the tires so they can hook
that's the size I have on stock 16"z28 5 spokes (ET street drag radials)
traction is harder to find on asphalt vs prepped concrete, at the track you will be fine.
I also do not like to preload like your describing but rather flash the convertor from idle with the front sway bar removed which transfers weight to the rear more quickly planting the tires so they can hook
traction is harder to find on asphalt vs prepped concrete, at the track you will be fine.
I also do not like to preload like your describing but rather flash the convertor from idle with the front sway bar removed which transfers weight to the rear more quickly planting the tires so they can hook
ok ... i'm new to rwd lol ... been taking my acura tl to the track all last season haha a whopping 14.9 is the fastest i've gone! ... but this is a new , obviously way more powerful experience ... i am not sure how to "flash" as opposed to just brake torquing ... please explain?
with an auto car on a tire/suspension capable of dead hooking the car the higher you can get the convertor in rpm's as abruptly as possible the higher in rpms it will be able to achieve before the drivetrain is all loaded and the convertor is done doing its job.
if you are up at 1500 rpm against the brakes on a stock convertor which I assume is what you have theres no room left in the rpm window of that convertor for it to do what a convertor is designed to do "flash" up in rpms closer to where the engine makes good power . By quickly/abruptly getting rpms to go up you can get the convertor to achieve higher rpms than if the rise in rpms were less abrupt.
The other benefit of doing it this way is all that extra rpm's you achieve through flashing can shock the suspension and abruptly push the weight bias to the rear tires which is where you want all the weight to plant the rear tires and hook up well , as you get into more power and higher stall convertors you may need to change from what I am describing to be able to find traction , on a stockish setup on a quality drag radial on a decently prepped track it should full on hook allowing you to use this artificially high launch prm for current convertor "flashing".....
between purchasing the right tires the first time and getting this method down you will likely find yourself beating ls1 cars with more mods than you at the track , learn to couple a good 60 foot with a good reaction time and most people you race will be playing catch up , if they have more power and marginal traction instinct is to push down harder on the gas likely causing excessive wheelspin - the race is over usually at that point lol
Murph pretty much nailed it. Even in my 02 camaro with a 4000 stall my best 60' times come from staging around 1400 rpm. I just take the slack out of the drivetrain and let the converter do the rest.
I have ran a few sets of the MT ET street radial on a 72 nova that I bracket race. (255/60-15"). The tires do great at the track but I can still spin them easily on the street. I don't street race so it is the perfect tire for me. If you do a lot of street driving something with a harder compound may be better for you.
Last season I ran the Nitto 555r on my camaro. And while I have hit low 1.6's it is more of a street tire than drag radial. And it does great for what it is understanding it's limitations. Drives great on the street even in rain, long lasting, but just when you need it most it will let you down at the track. Well it does me. (Disclaimer - my front suspension is stock and after the initial weight transfer the front will fall back down. On a marginal track I blow the tires off). This coming season I hope to switch to the MT street radials.
Good luck, and the bottom line is to have fun.
I have ran a few sets of the MT ET street radial on a 72 nova that I bracket race. (255/60-15"). The tires do great at the track but I can still spin them easily on the street. I don't street race so it is the perfect tire for me. If you do a lot of street driving something with a harder compound may be better for you.
Last season I ran the Nitto 555r on my camaro. And while I have hit low 1.6's it is more of a street tire than drag radial. And it does great for what it is understanding it's limitations. Drives great on the street even in rain, long lasting, but just when you need it most it will let you down at the track. Well it does me. (Disclaimer - my front suspension is stock and after the initial weight transfer the front will fall back down. On a marginal track I blow the tires off). This coming season I hope to switch to the MT street radials.
Good luck, and the bottom line is to have fun.
ok ... i believe i understand ... basically, revving at lower rpm as opposed to as high as the tc will allow (say 12-1300) & then mashing the gas once ready to leave? or easing into the gas?
ok .... so basically, wait til in between 1st & 2nd yellow, "flash" say up to 1300, then at launch (basically .5 secs later) let go of brake & accelerate from the 1300 ? sorry all ... it's so simple yet so confusing haha!
As far as foot braking or flasing the converter gos, you will need to experiment with your car. Everybodys car is a little different. As for mods, I like Toyo TQ they hook good and wear good. I think you could squeeze on a set of 275/45-16. As far as mods go I would remove the front sway bar and go with the adjustable viking shocks with front coilovers. If you're on a limited budget you can keep the factory rear spring and remove the rubber isolator get the viking rear shocks too. If your running a 10 bolt still I would wait until you replace the rear before spending the money on relocation brackets. A set of adjustable lower control arms would be next then a panhard bar. I'd wait on a torque arm until you decide on replacing the rear.
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My vote is for M/T drag radials since you're auto, and drive to the track with them on. The less things you have to do at the track, the more fun it is.
Plus, I am a firm believer that DR's need heat cycled the first time. I carried a new set to the track one time, it was the worst traction I have ever had, while everyone else was hooking decent.
Al
Plus, I am a firm believer that DR's need heat cycled the first time. I carried a new set to the track one time, it was the worst traction I have ever had, while everyone else was hooking decent.
Al
If you have two spare wheels, put a set of MT ET Street radials on them. You can drive to the track on them, and take them off when you're going back to daily duties when you get home. You don't need to spend a boat load, or anything on suspension, imo for a stock power auto car. My car went 1.5 with the tires in the air back when it still had BONE STOCK rear suspension and a worn out 5.3 in it. Stock stamped steel torque arm and all.
Leaving just above idle like stated above is where I had best results with the stock stall and boltons. I was very pleased with the 255 toyo tq's.. They wear good and have a soft compound for a DR that's everyday streetable. Also they are light compared to the mickeys which in my opinion plays a big role in rotating weight that most ppl don't consider. The price tag is pretty sweet too
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I ran 12.89 yesterday in my 2000 Z with a stock auto and 2.73 stock rear and stock tires. I got a 1.99 60' after experimenting with tire pressure and launching.
I tried several tire pressure settings but the rears did best at 22 psi.
I staged and loaded to around 1100 rpm.
When I launched I didn't punch it to the floor, I just quickly put the pedal to the floor.
For the burnout I heated the tires up slightly and did a 1 or 2 dry launches before staging.
This track was very well prepped so that plays into it too. As far as the street my car smokes the tires with no hopes of hooking.
My car has kooks headers and duals, slp cold air, tune, bmr Panhard, tunnel brace, and lcas. So not a lot of $$$ in mods.
I tried several tire pressure settings but the rears did best at 22 psi.
I staged and loaded to around 1100 rpm.
When I launched I didn't punch it to the floor, I just quickly put the pedal to the floor.
For the burnout I heated the tires up slightly and did a 1 or 2 dry launches before staging.
This track was very well prepped so that plays into it too. As far as the street my car smokes the tires with no hopes of hooking.
My car has kooks headers and duals, slp cold air, tune, bmr Panhard, tunnel brace, and lcas. So not a lot of $$$ in mods.