Track Results - Launching advice
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 994
Likes: 120
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
The trick springs should work well. You can always disconnect the front shocks and see how easily the front end moves. New rubber doesn't usually move well. It has to twist as the suspension moves. I like the poly solely for the ability to grease them up and they move easily. You should be able to bounce the front end up and down easily by hand. Same goes for the front sway bar if you have one, which I would recommend. I have fox mustang GT sway bar on the front of my Zephyr and it'll do 1.58 60's. No difference if removed or disconnected. Definitely 90/10 on the shocks. You can always tighten them up if she starts to top out quickly and unload the tires. I am unfamiliar with your rear spring set up. What bushings do the use?
The car needs to be able to bounce nice a smooth (and a lot) for the suspension to work correctly. Disconnect all four shocks and bounce the car from the front and the rear. If it binds at all (front or rear) find it and fix it. Next, put stands under the frame up front and let the front suspension hang. Now see if your front shocks are long enough. Then do the same with the rear. With the rearend hanging, measure your shock length needed. I'm guessing your way short. Compression isn't as important as extension on a CalTrac setup. I'd aim for a shock that gives you about 5" of extension from ride height. The last thing you want is to top out a shock at the hit. It unloads the car and you'll never get it to work. Radials need to be hit hard and kept planted. If you dont keep them planted, it's like dribbling a basketball because the sidewalls aren't very forgiving. Now think of it as dribbling a basketball, but following the ball down to the ground with your hand and not letting it bounce back up. That's what you want which could mean more power sooner. The top hole on the CalTracs is the hardest hit to the tire, but it needs to "stay hit." Start with everything (front and rear) loose on extension and see what happens. You can then start tightening the front extension from there. Then go the the rears if you feel it could use it. As I heard someone say before, the shocks are just as important as the cam you spent 3 months trying to decide on. Good luck.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 12
From: Visalia, California
I just wired my 2-step and T-Brake through a switch on my shifter handle, and wired that through an arming switch for safety. Works like a champ, but when I went out in the street tonight with a flashlight to look for rubber, it only laid down one side. This piece of **** ford differential is apparently worn out. What's weird is it'll leave black marks on both sides if I brake boost it and break them loose in the garage, but anywhere tacky is only spinning the right side. This is obviously going to need to be addressed before jacking around with the suspension, and now I really wonder if this was happening at the track.
My nova is equipped with the CalTrack setup.
Once I got the front working in harmony with the rear, it was a dead hooker every time.
That was with the big block. Which of course pounded the tire with a butt load of torque. Add a 150 shot and it went on the bumper.
In short, the car worked.
Fast forward to the turbo 5.3 and it became a disaster. It wandered off the line and blew the tires off when the boost hit. Purely a foot brake car btw.
I got more advice from all my buddies than I could stand......
My theory was that the more power I could throw at it on the hit, the better it would work. I didn't want a trans brake.
So I added a two step and began turning up the boost.
It's now in the low 1.4 60ft range leaving at 7 psi with more room for improvement. CalTracs are in the bottom hole now. Slightly preloaded.
For this year I have better rear brakes and new DA front shocks to test. If I ever get my engine back from the machinist......
Once I got the front working in harmony with the rear, it was a dead hooker every time.
That was with the big block. Which of course pounded the tire with a butt load of torque. Add a 150 shot and it went on the bumper.
In short, the car worked.
Fast forward to the turbo 5.3 and it became a disaster. It wandered off the line and blew the tires off when the boost hit. Purely a foot brake car btw.
I got more advice from all my buddies than I could stand......
My theory was that the more power I could throw at it on the hit, the better it would work. I didn't want a trans brake.
So I added a two step and began turning up the boost.
It's now in the low 1.4 60ft range leaving at 7 psi with more room for improvement. CalTracs are in the bottom hole now. Slightly preloaded.
For this year I have better rear brakes and new DA front shocks to test. If I ever get my engine back from the machinist......
TECH Resident
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 994
Likes: 120
From: Mechanicsburg, PA
One wheel peel, the arch nemesis of the traction-lok rears. Time for a rebuild with some carbon fiber Shelby clutches and big spring in there. Or go spool and forget it.
Good to see Ron is still around. Hope you get that Nova back together asap!
Good to see Ron is still around. Hope you get that Nova back together asap!
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 12
From: Visalia, California
Hell yeah, great to see you Ron! Glad to hear you're doing okay. Why in the heck do machinist take so freaking long?
Apache - Thanks bro, appreciate it. I've got a new aftermarket case and a grizzly locker already, so I guess those will be going in.
Apache - Thanks bro, appreciate it. I've got a new aftermarket case and a grizzly locker already, so I guess those will be going in.
Last edited by 67Firebird455; Jul 14, 2016 at 11:21 AM.
Ha! I'm not quite dead yet!
Get that diff fixed and keep us posted.
Ill post up when I get the engine back and installed.
And on the dyno.
See if I can beat all the frigging Mopars I'm tuning. :-)
Ron
Get that diff fixed and keep us posted.
Ill post up when I get the engine back and installed.
And on the dyno.
See if I can beat all the frigging Mopars I'm tuning. :-)
Ron
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,552
Likes: 12
From: Visalia, California
PS - Should my MPH have been higher you think? 14º timing, and the jackass boost controller at 9psi in first, 11psi in second, and just over 12psi in third was making it awful unpredictable, even more so going through the traps with 17.5% converter slip.
LS1 Tech Stories
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them
Pouria Savadkouei
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked
Pouria Savadkouei
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP
Verdad Gallardo
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes
Verdad Gallardo
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power
Verdad Gallardo
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy
