Drag race rear suspension advice needed!

RussC

Well Known Member
I agree if you don't have a logger leave the clutch on the tight side...that being said...there is probably a .10 left.

You can get close by backing the base down a quarter turn at a time...until it doesn't lock up in high gear...abort the last pass in high gear...add a quarter turn.

Slipping the clutch will require more bellhousing work
 

de31168

Well Known Member
I agree if you don't have a logger leave the clutch on the tight side...that being said...there is probably a .10 left.

You can get close by backing the base down a quarter turn at a time...until it doesn't lock up in high gear...abort the last pass in high gear...add a quarter turn.

Slipping the clutch will require more bellhousing work

If that were the case I could add counterweight to add more pressure in high gear right?
 

de31168

Well Known Member
Dave & Dan I think your rears are more backed haved ? Then the rest of us ware we are hooked at stock upper & lower locations of the control arms. Steve helped me out on my 62 instant center and was spot on! My best has been 1.39 60ft I took those same locations and used them on my 61 with a Best
60 ft of 1.28 so far on 10.5 stiff side wall it can be done !!

Yes it is a full 4 link setup but I bet if you did some measurements they aren't that far off of each other. In the end the math and physics don't change, but that's why I said there are a lot of different ways to accomplish the same thing. I know yours is set right the way that thing launches!
 

RussC

Well Known Member
If that were the case I could add counterweight to add more pressure in high gear right?

Yes...I like to get the counter weights in the ball park...and use the base to adjust to current track conditions. It is easier to adjust base in the clutch can than to add weight We look for .32-6 of separation in a gear change. If the graph shows the desired separation...but fails to go to 1 to 1 in high gear I add counter weight
 

chevytaylor

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
https://www.totalexposure.com.au/DR...180630-/2200-DRA-CHICAGO-SHOOTOUT-2/i-CJJWRZp A few photos from last weekend 1/8th mile race. 4200lb T400 street/strip car. Stock rear arm location on chassis, no rear torque bar, Hellwig rear sway bar, 3" higher than stock upper arms on diff, 2" front ball joint extensions, air bag in right rear spring and right rear air shock. A conservative 1.50 60', .025 RT, low 6.80's 1/8th @ 101+mph, hope this helps.:cheers
 
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425/409ER

Well Known Member
From what I remember back in the 70's there was a traction bar I had on a 64 Impala that looked like a lower control bar that bolted on the side of the original control arm and it had a big u-bolt that went around the rear axle to tighten it up. I am not sure who mad it or nor do I have any pictures. I just know that the guy who raced the car said they worked great at the drag strip. I know that they were painted Blue.
 

BSL409

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 6
From what I remember back in the 70's there was a traction bar I had on a 64 Impala that looked like a lower control bar that bolted on the side of the original control arm and it had a big u-bolt that went around the rear axle to tighten it up. I am not sure who mad it or nor do I have any pictures. I just know that the guy who raced the car said they worked great at the drag strip. I know that they were painted Blue.
You might be thinking of the Lakewood traction bars they were a weld on type I had some on my 64 back in the 80S
 

chevytaylor

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 2
John, lucky for us there is a huge amount of knowledge on this site.:beerI've learnt a lot of stuff over the years from all the great people on here:bow. For your stick car and an automatic car with a trans brake, I think the IC location would work in around the same spot. As the others have pointed out there are many things to consider and many variables involved, like how much power does your 09 make, how heavy is the car, springs, shocks, clutch set up, gear ratio's, launch rpm, how quick does the car react, do you want the right front tire to pop straight up out of the beam, do you want it to stay down in the beam longer, etc,etc. I think if you can get the instant centre aft, below the centre of gravity and above the line of force (100% anti squat line), that would be a good starting point.:browJim's post # 4 with the diagrams is a great explanation.
 
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johnnyriviera

Well Known Member
Welllllllll.......Good news and bad news. Got the QA1 adjustable front shocks in to compliment my QA1 rears, adjusted them to slow the extension down a bit and hold it once up. Also made an air pressure adjustment from 15 to 14 psi, and it hooked.....GOOD! But I wasn't ready for it and it bogged the engine down. So next run I hit it with more launch RPM dreaming of a mid 11.60 (best so far is an 11.69)....and BANG! My Muncie went from a nice 4 speed to a very noisy 2 speed! Sooooooo looks like I solved one problem, but....

On a high note, the guy I broke against, fellow forum member Paul C (Garbageman) went on to win the Nostalgia Stick Shift class yesterday at Woodburn. He red 409 powered '62 was running strong all day.
 

boxerdog

Well Known Member
Supporting Member 5
Welllllllll.......Good news and bad news. Got the QA1 adjustable front shocks in to compliment my QA1 rears, adjusted them to slow the extension down a bit and hold it once up. Also made an air pressure adjustment from 15 to 14 psi, and it hooked.....GOOD! But I wasn't ready for it and it bogged the engine down. So next run I hit it with more launch RPM dreaming of a mid 11.60 (best so far is an 11.69)....and BANG! My Muncie went from a nice 4 speed to a very noisy 2 speed! Sooooooo looks like I solved one problem, but....

On a high note, the guy I broke against, fellow forum member Paul C (Garbageman) went on to win the Nostalgia Stick Shift class yesterday at Woodburn. He red 409 powered '62 was running strong all day.

Sorry to hear about that Muncie, but I'm glad to hear Paul is doing well. I sure wish we were having another shootout this year because it's always fun to get together with the rest of the group.
 

johnnyriviera

Well Known Member
Yeah, that was a good time in Eureka!
I am bummed about the trans, traction always finds your next weak link. I have beat on it pretty good for the past three years so I'm not shocked. It is an Auto Gear caused trans with the iron mid plate. Now the question is do I see if I can beef it up further, or bite the bullet and get a Jerico?
 

425/409ER

Well Known Member
Welllllllll.......Good news and bad news. Got the QA1 adjustable front shocks in to compliment my QA1 rears, adjusted them to slow the extension down a bit and hold it once up. Also made an air pressure adjustment from 15 to 14 psi, and it hooked.....GOOD! But I wasn't ready for it and it bogged the engine down. So next run I hit it with more launch RPM dreaming of a mid 11.60 (best so far is an 11.69)....and BANG! My Muncie went from a nice 4 speed to a very noisy 2 speed! Sooooooo looks like I solved one problem, but....

On a high note, the guy I broke against, fellow forum member Paul C (Garbageman) went on to win the Nostalgia Stick Shift class yesterday at Woodburn. He red 409 powered '62 was running strong all day.

That's why I stopped using mincie's or munchies as we called them and went with super T-10's, they just held up better plus the fact that you could get one with a 2.88 first gear to really launch a car without bogging it. My street car has a T56 out of an 05 GTO with a 2.97 low gear, man that car with drag radials just jump out of the hole and it's really nice on the freeway with the .5 overdrive.
 
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