Spin Control Question

[Alan Roehrich]

That car does not "work" at all. The car barely rotates on the launch, and it immediately falls back down.

Either it doesn't make hardly any torque, the converter is not working, or the suspension is bound up.

It looks as though the rear may be bound up, or it is too stiff. There's no separation in the rear when the car leaves.

It also appears that once the car is "loaded up" on the starting line, it only has about 1" or so of travel before the suspension tops out. Or at least before the front suspension stops working, due to a bind, or other problem.

Taller ball joints may help, they'll at least allow you to keep decent alignment.

[Ron Gusack]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

That car does not "work" at all. The car barely rotates on the launch, and it immediately falls back down.

Either it doesn't make hardly any torque, the converter is not working, or the suspension is bound up.

It looks as though the rear may be bound up, or it is too stiff. There's no separation in the rear when the car leaves.

It also appears that once the car is "loaded up" on the starting line, it only has about 1" or so of travel before the suspension tops out. Or at least before the front suspension stops working, due to a bind, or other problem.

Taller ball joints may help, they'll at least allow you to keep decent alignment.

Okay, I need bushings, offset shafts and long upper joints, right? I hate messing with the spring. It scares me to death. Do you still like the Moog or TRW upper? I saw a post that said the Del A Lum's were not easy to install. Are the Afco's as good and easier to put in?

[MAURICE BLENDHEIM]

Ron... The coil spring is the most important factor in your problem, what you have doesn't appear to be holding up the front end of the car. Honestly, stock coil springs would probably net you better results. It is easier to change coil springs then the trick bushings and cheaper. You don't necessarily need the trick bushings yet, use what you have in the car for now. What you have can be tweaked to get you going. For starters we need to know what have you done so far. How tight are the bolts that retain your upper and lower control arms? Are the rubber snubbers still in the upper control arms? In the rear, how tight are your leaf spring bolts? Like Alan mentioned it appears the rear is bound up. Do the leaf springs have centering pins? If so, do the lower rear end retaining plates have slots? How much clearance in the sliders?(you did say leaf spring, ladder bars and slider) My smaller carburetor comment refers to torque, heck I'd even try a good 780 vacuum. One more question, 1/4 or 1/8th mile? We will probably start asking engine questions soon. Just trying to help.

[Ron Gusack]

Originally Posted by MAURICE BLENDHEIM

Ron... The coil spring is the most important factor in your problem, what you have doesn't appear to be holding up the front end of the car. Honestly, stock coil springs would probably net you better results. It is easier to change coil springs then the trick bushings and cheaper. You don't necessarily need the trick bushings yet, use what you have in the car for now. What you have can be tweaked to get you going. For starters we need to know what have you done so far. How tight are the bolts that retain your upper and lower control arms? Are the rubber snubbers still in the upper control arms? In the rear, how tight are your leaf spring bolts? Like Alan mentioned it appears the rear is bound up. Do the leaf springs have centering pins? If so, do the lower rear end retaining plates have slots? How much clearance in the sliders?(you did say leaf spring, ladder bars and slider) My smaller carburetor comment refers to torque, heck I'd even try a good 780 vacuum. One more question, 1/4 or 1/8th mile? We will probably start asking engine questions soon. Just trying to help.

I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make the car work on marginal tracks. I started looking at Global's control arms and then I thought about calling Kenny Keir to see what it would cost to make it right. The Santhuffs and Calverts made it leave better and the front end is much looser.

The a-arm bolts are loose and the snubbers are gone. There are no pins in the springs. The bolts in the front and rear of the springs are tight. The rear of the spring has the box, but there's a worn spot in the bottom plate of the box that the bolt bushing rides on. So it has to overcome that indent. I hope you understand what I'm saying. This is an old SRD set-up. Coil overs are on the list as soon as my guy can get me in. I've never measured the clearance in the slider. Are you talking about the gap between the spring and the plate that rides against the spring? I race both 1/8 and 1/4, but the 9" tire thing is 1/8.

[Ron Gusack]

Advance this to 31 seconds. To me this is much better....Maybe not good, but better.

[Alan Roehrich]

You do not need aftermarket control arms. Save your money. They're only a deal if they are very close to the price of the bushings, shafts, and ball joints.

Honestly, we run stock small block Moog or TRW springs in the front. The key in the front, and they are not cheap, is Santhuff shocks.

If you're going to change the rear suspension, then leave it for now, don't just put coil over shocks on it, wait, save your money, put a four link under it. Otherwise, take the ladder bars and the stock springs off, and buy the springs, bars, and shocks from CalTrac. CalTrac springs, bars, and shocks will get a mid 9 second Stock Eliminator car down the track on a 9" tire. I'd rather have the CalTrac stuff than ladder bars for a small tire car.

[MAURICE BLENDHEIM]

Front springs... Moroso 47195 Summit $119.95 or Jegs $119.99 ... Moog 6314 Rockauto $69.99 or AC Delco 45H00054 Rockauto $73.79 all sold in pairs. The choice is yours, make it and invite your biggest strongest friend over to help you install them. Buy him dinner for helping, then find yourself a set of 27" or 28". tall front tires. Charge your video camera battery get your same buddy to record your next 2-3 passes at the closest 1/8th track compare your starting line to 300ft. results from what would normally have (we are trying to move the car to that point quicker) Let us know how you make out.

[Ron Gusack]

Originally Posted by Alan Roehrich

You do not need aftermarket control arms. Save your money. They're only a deal if they are very close to the price of the bushings, shafts, and ball joints.

Honestly, we run stock small block Moog or TRW springs in the front. The key in the front, and they are not cheap, is Santhuff shocks.

If you're going to change the rear suspension, then leave it for now, don't just put coil over shocks on it, wait, save your money, put a four link under it. Otherwise, take the ladder bars and the stock springs off, and buy the springs, bars, and shocks from CalTrac. CalTrac springs, bars, and shocks will get a mid 9 second Stock Eliminator car down the track on a 9" tire. I'd rather have the CalTrac stuff than ladder bars for a small tire car.

What about for a 14" tire? I run them when I'm not running the 9" class. The 14's are on the car in the second video, at MIR.

[Alan Roehrich]

I'm not sure you're going to find a suspension system that will work correctly with two radically different tire sizes. Can you not run the 9" tires where the 14" tires are acceptable? Or maybe a set of 10" tires?

I think once you get it right, you probably will not need the 14" tires.

[Bob Pagano]

Alan is right, besides the 14s will slow you down.