Tested different front shocks today
#646514
03/20/10 09:54 PM
03/20/10 09:54 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,928
NC
440Jim
OP
I Live Here
|
OP
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,928
NC
|
This was my first day at the track this season. It was a beautiful day and I had some fun and it is always good to run the car again. From this post about ideas for improvement: What would you change in my combo? One of the ideas was to use different front shocks to better control the front end "bounce" after the wheel stand. I had been running Koni SPA-1 shocks, and I borrowed a set of the single adjustable QA1 shocks to try. Part number TC1538P for '62-'76 Darts, Dusters, etc. They have 12 click settings. After doing a compression/rebound by hand comparison to the setting that was working with my Koni's, I started the day 2 clicks from softest; ie 12 positions and this was 3. The car was running great, even though the air was not "great" for this time of year. The good thing was the air didn't change much at all for most of the day. I made 7 passes (including the gambler's race) this was about it for all but maybe the 1st one at 11am. 77ºF, 23% RH (dry), 29.96"Hg; or about 1200 ft Density Altitude. The time slips were very consistant at: 1.24 sixty foot 9.25 ET 141 mph The results of changing the shock settings. At "3", the car acted very close to my Koni's. Good launch and sixty foot, and about 2 front end up/down after the wheel stand. I did 3 runs this way, then increased the damping to "4". Well, that was too much extension damping and the car started to spin the tires (not enough weight transfer at the hit). I went back to a setting of "3" and it was normal again. So, these shocks are not going to help. Thanks to Micheal Johnson for letting me borrow them for the test.  In the gambler's race, I did have a good time beating a full electronics dragster with my footbrake backhalf door car. I cut a 0.005 light, and ran dead-on with an 8 (9.258) touching the brakes to take 0.02 stripe at the finish line. From the 1000 ft time, I calculated it would have run dead-on with a 1 (9.251)  That was my most enjoyable run of the day. The car ran a little faster than I expected (ET) for the weather. But the very dry air tends to do that. Also, I was running open headers; no collector extensions (4") with turnouts, and no 4" bullet mufflers with turnouts either. That is what I ran all last year. On the 3rd pass, I richened the E85 slightly and it went 0.02 quicker; so I stayed with that tune the rest of the day.
|
|
|
Re: Tested different front shocks today
[Re: 440Jim]
#646520
03/20/10 10:36 PM
03/20/10 10:36 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
BradH
Taking time off to work on my car
|
Taking time off to work on my car
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
|
Quote:
... it still takes a few pogos to completely settle out.
And that is exactly why I suggested trying something w/ really stiff compression damping, thinking it could help that problem. I don't think you had the right shocks for a true "proof of concept" test. However, short of me ponying up the $$$ for a set of the "right" shocks just to satisfy my own curiosity about how they'd work on your car, today's test will have to do... 
|
|
|
Re: Tested different front shocks today
[Re: 440Jim]
#646522
03/20/10 11:33 PM
03/20/10 11:33 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,486
SoCal
Brian Hafliger
master
|
master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,486
SoCal
|
I like testing things too, but if your looking for a sizable gain...I still stand by my first post..."I would go with an 8" trans brake converter from A1, a nice solid roller cam with around .750 lift, rub the heads a little bit more to work with new combo, and go with 1.7 TD rockers. Then do a brake and 2 step...fun fun!!" I know it's not cheap, but IMO you would see very good gains by doing most if not all of these things based on your info. You could also keep testing things...I found alot in my chassis with a little here and a little there. At least your racing... 
Brian Hafliger
|
|
|
Re: Tested different front shocks today
[Re: Brian Hafliger]
#646527
03/21/10 02:47 PM
03/21/10 02:47 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,119
sc
tjmarcus1
top fuel
|
top fuel
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 2,119
sc
|
Quote:
I like testing things too, but if your looking for a sizable gain...I still stand by my first post..."I would go with an 8" trans brake converter from A1, a nice solid roller cam with around .750 lift, rub the heads a little bit more to work with new combo, and go with 1.7 TD rockers.
Then do a brake and 2 step...fun fun!!"
I know it's not cheap, but IMO you would see very good gains by doing most if not all of these things based on your info.
You could also keep testing things...I found alot in my chassis with a little here and a little there.
At least your racing...
the only thing i would say is IF you go a t-brake the car will probably want to cut a flip backwards. some cars will be a lot quicker on the t-brake, some will be slower. with the awesome torque have and the ladder bar set up it will be hard to tune it out. and if you have to "tune it out" then what's the point?
|
|
|
Re: Tested different front shocks today
[Re: Brian Hafliger]
#646530
03/21/10 04:39 PM
03/21/10 04:39 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,928
NC
440Jim
OP
I Live Here
|
OP
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,928
NC
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I like testing things too, but if your looking for a sizable gain...I still stand by my first post..."I would go with an 8" trans brake converter from A1, a nice solid roller cam with around .750 lift, rub the heads a little bit more to work with new combo, and go with 1.7 TD rockers.
Then do a brake and 2 step...fun fun!!"
I know it's not cheap, but IMO you would see very good gains by doing most if not all of these things based on your info.
You could also keep testing things...I found alot in my chassis with a little here and a little there.
At least your racing...
the only thing i would say is IF you go a t-brake the car will probably want to cut a flip backwards. some cars will be a lot quicker on the t-brake, some will be slower. with the awesome torque have and the ladder bar set up it will be hard to tune it out. and if you have to "tune it out" then what's the point?
Most cars pick up with a brake and 2 step and are easier to race with.
Just my  that may be worth less...
The brake is illegal in the class I run. This is footbrake country, not no-box. So that change is not an option.
|
|
|
|
|
Randy