The car is just set up SO different from how I would do it, that I would hate to make suggestions, because it would likely require starting over on everything.
I would have the shocks tighter all around, tires down to around 5.5, wheelie bars lower and try to make it stay on the tire
I am committed to going the direction you and Al are pointing. How well it will work is going to be based on the parts I have and how I go about it. I understand the domino theory; Change one thing and you need to evaluate every thing that change may affect.
Would you start tuning the rear first, leaving the front loose?
The front of this car will NEVER need hardly any travel, nor will it need anything approaching lose on shock settings. You should be able to totally lock your front end down with a good shock, meaning on full tight they won't even extend, but sadly most shocks won't do it.
To me, most shock companies are behind the times on valving. Tracks, tires and ability has evolved at a rapid pace in the last few years. I have had to send shocks back from several cars to have "Pro-Mod" valving they call it installed in shocks from cars that certainly don't qualify as near a Pro-Mod level. But they do need much stiffer shock valving than what is considered the norm.
So in your case Greg, I have no idea what front shocks you have, but unless they are fairly new, I am guessing they are too soft, toast, or both. On the rears, ladder bar cars with power are violent. If your shocks don't have Afco's "big gun" valving, they probably need it. If the shocks won't control the housing and the front rate of rise, nothing else matters as far as settings to car. So shocks are first thing to address
I have mentioned before about a front shock test I do on some cars. With car on a floor jack, shock full tight and tires touching ground...........you should be able to quickly raise car with jack and actually get tires off ground. If shocks extend as fast as jack goes up and tires stay on ground.......shocks are toast or valved too light.
