ls2 bait

iTrader: (11)

i say u pick up a tenth and maybe a half a mph.

Caveman

iTrader: (2)

That is not correct about the rear shocks , if you get the rear shocks too soft the car will transfer weight very fast off the line and then put no pressure(no weight) on the rear tires, because the shocks are too soft and this will rebound the car back off of the rear tires and you lose traction just after the launch. Also if the front shocks are too soft it can cause the car to weight transfer too quickly off the line and also make the car rebound the weight and hurt traction as you are moving away from the line.
The shock settings could be much different on a 3000lb car and a 3600lb car, 1 up front and 2 rear may work on a 3000lb car running 10s or 11s on a very, very well prepped track but when I run my 3000lb 8sec Purple Formula I only run QA1s about 1 to 2 settings stiffer(3 or 4 front, 4 to 6 rear , Purple car) then my 3700lb Red Formula.

Jon@BruteSpeed

iTrader: (3)

Not to throw a battle, but this is what QA1 recommends. He is running 11.70's, not 8s. You don't have to worry about the front ending up too high at that et. The rear is soft so the body can rebound off the rear end quicker and plant the tires. If he had double adjustables in the rear, then you would want the compression stiff. A good hooking car will have the front in the air and the body away from the tires in the back.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Going from the Yank SS3600 to the PT4000 got me a 1.1 better ET on my first run with it ... that's just stalling to 1800-2000 rpm. If I stall it to 2500 rpm and stomp it, it should come off the tree like a beast if the MT DR's stick. I'm hoping to get at least a high 1.5 60' and a tenth in ET. More would just tickle the hell out of me.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Went back to the track on Friday. The 1st run was a 'better' 60' time (my best to date) ... and I forgot to put the car in 3rd after my 1st gear burnout ... cut a 1.61 on a fairly hard launch and hit the rev limiter multiple times before I realized I had forgotten to take it out of 1st gear ... got beat by a 11.97 Honda ... LOL!!!

2nd run, after a hard 5-6 sec burnout, I stomped it and spun through 1st and 2nd ... 12.0 flat. 3rd run ... long burnout again and I didn't stomp it quite as hard ... spun partially through 1st and then hooked ... another 12.0 flat with a little better MPH.

Summary: When I first got to the track, I realized I only had 17 psi (cold) in the rears. The track was NOT working very well for me and I noticed most other cars weren't hooking up, as well ... even some of the big slick cars were spinning. Realized that 17" drag radials on low psi, PT4000 converter, and a heavy-*** car equals disaster on a track that didn't seem to be prep'd very well. Driver mod could still use some work, I'm sure.

Next few times out, I'l lwork on nothing but tire pressure until I find what the car likes. Once I get the right psi for the car, I'll start working on relo bracket LCA position and pinion angle ... can't afford 15" drag wheels/tires right now ... just gotta' work with what I have.

Thanks for all the good advice everyone has given. I'm trying it all out.

FASTFATBOY

iTrader: (23)

With a short sidewall radial tire(17-18 inch) the tire will like MORE air. Less air tends to cup the center of the tire. More air pushes the center of the tire down.

I forget, do you have adjustable front shocks?

David

ls2 bait

iTrader: (11)

beat me to it. i used to run 24psi hot in my dr's and that was my best. id say start around 20. and do the burnout in 2nd gear. also dont need to hold it that long all it does is waste tire. just enough to clean them up and put a little heat in them. thats why 2nd gear is better as u get more tire revs while doing the burnout.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

I have the old style Bilstein HD's ... not the SLP Bilsteins. The ones which Sam Strano says are the better ones ... probably better for road racing, but, pretty stiff for drag racing, so, I know they're hurting me.

About the tires: ... since most everybody was recommending 20-22 psi with the MT DR's, my intention was to start at 22 psi and work my way down 1lb per run until I found what the car likes. I normally come back from the track and air the tires back up to 24-25 psi for street driving. After I got to the track Friday night, I realized what a knucklehead I was by forgetting to air the rears back up after the last track outing.

The Nitto's (that I used to have) cupped really bad below 18 psi. I don't think the MT DR's cup like the Nitto's, though ... but, for the life of me, I can't figure why their website says to start at 16 psi and work your way up ... weird. Their website also says to heat them just enough to feel them start to pull down, which is only like about 2 seconds. I guess I just have to find what the car likes.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

first, why are you doing your burnout in first gear only? put the car in drive for the burnout and leave it to race in. then drive home in that same gear! its an automatic electronic tranny. dont mess with it.

second, dont mess with the shocks. you will be wasting your money and time. they are fine. stock or oem style shocks and springs are just fine for drag racing. once you get into the low 1.4 60' then start looking at shocks.

third, you need the right tire. if you want to go drag racing, but a drag racing tire. those m/t radials in 17" are great for a strip/street if the track prep is outstanding or you have low power or small converter. you have neither. it obviously hits the tires really hard. now you need to put a tire that will take some shock.

fourth, i ran my car at 20 psi and it hooked. i ran it at 15-17 psi and it hopped. keep them high. its not like you are relying on sidewall flex on a 17" combo.

last, short burnouts are all thats needed. they hook great barely smoking. besides, the only thing that will happen with big burnouts are a lighter wallet when you buy radials every 25 passes.

good luck.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

John, thanks again. I'm going to get a plan together to buy some Aerospace Pro Street brakes and drag wheels/tires. It's a lot of money. Probably gonna' cost me around $2,500+ for everything. Gotta' do the front and rear brake kits first ($1,500.00). I wish I had more money ... just have to take it one step at a time, I guess.

gator's 99TA

iTrader: (2)

i dont have any money. i worked around that lol. i took a grinder to my calipers back in 2000. never had an issue.

ls2 bait

iTrader: (11)

amen to that. all hail the grinder.

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

dude heat those suckers up! barely load the suspension on the line and smash it on the last yellow... straight to the floor! u should hook. if ur not hooking adjust tire pressure on the next run.... eventually u will hook and u will kno it and be smiles for the rest of the night!

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Well, I've been exploring the grinding option. Maybe I'll just try and do the rear brake kit and leave the fronts alone for now. This is my daily driver, but, I only have 2 miles of driving to get to work. The only time I drive it any distance is 30 miles to the track about twice a month.

I'll look around and try to find a good deal on some drag wheels I can use on the street.

I could do that when I had the SS3600 converter on these same tires with 18-19 psi (cold). However ,the new PT4000 converter hit a lot harder (even with a lesser STR rating than the SS3600) and blows the tires off. Like you and others have said, I have to play with the tire presuure until I find what works for my setup. If I can get them to hook, I still need to find some 15" wheels and start grinding. I'm not stopping 'til I hit 10's on motor. The car is full weight (minus jack, spare, rear seats, front sway bar, etc.) makes even more traction problems, but, I'm taking weight off this spring.

I'm running a 7.5 in the 1/8 at 93 mph ... launching easy ... and in a full wieght car. I really need some lightweight, but strong 15" drag wheels.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

I'd do the front QA1 R shocks as suggested to you a while ago, and then don't change anything else on the car until you get get the car run to in the 1.5's, shouldn't be hard.

JEB99TA

iTrader: (32)

Well, I've explored that option. I'd have to buy a spring compressor tool and do it off jackstands in my garage. Before doing anything at all, I'm going to work with the tire pressure ('cause it's free) and then see if that will get me in to the 1.5x's. I didn't launch as hard as the car is capable of Friday night (but, harder than I was previously launching). I wanted to ensure I wouldn't spin. I pulled a 1.61 60' time. Driver mod + air presuure = 1.5x.

Even though I stomped it on the last 2 runs and spun bad, I did clearly see the car has easy 1.5's in it (based on the easier 1st run launch sixty'ing at 1.61). If I can get it to hook with more air, I'm hoping for low 1.5's, but, I know that's asking a lot from a near-full-weight-car with 17" DR's.

After I get the psi the car likes, then, I will have decided on shocks, skinnies/drag wheels, or Aerospace Pro Street Brakes and weight reduction. Just gotta' make a list and prioritize what is best to do first.

A lot to consider for sure. Anything I do is going to help out if I can just hook from a violent launch. If I can't get it down with tire pressure, I'll definitely think about doing the front QA1-R's. What do you think about Strange adjustable shocks which come with the package at the link below ... was thinking about buying when the money's right in about another month.

http://www.bmrfabrication.com/PKG/LW004.jpg

JL ws-6

iTrader: (50)

You don't have to buy a spring compressor, you can rent one for free from autozone, I've done that probably a 1/2 dozen times.

Whate you tried for air pressure so far? You may just be at a point that air pressure isn't gonna get you the change needed to get the car to leave hard.

CamaroRacing12

iTrader: (5)

it kinda sounds like ur track prep is pretty bad also...

Razor_Blade

iTrader: (8)

I have some 15 x 10 drag lites with M/T 275-50-15s. If you have long studs, I'd be willing to let you try them out on a few test passes. My car is down, so I won't be using them for a little while.

Jon@BruteSpeed

iTrader: (3)

Have you taken the front sway bar off yet?