Need some serious traction advice
 

Last night at the local street scene, I couldn't keep my rear end straight at all for the first 60 ft or so. I had to pull out of a race against a 98 cobra because I almost got completely sideways out of the hole. I'm easing on the launch and riding the clutch out, and waiting until I get a good footprint on the pavement, but as soon as I get to 3/4 throttle, my rear just completely breaks loose. I am going to get some drag radials hopefully soon and I've got some KYB shocks and struts that are going on the car today, but other than that, the suspension is stock. What else should I be looking into? Upper and lower control arms come to mind, but which ones? Are the MAC's any good? I can get a decent deal on those.


Basically I've got three questions that I'd like your opinions on:

1. Which drag radials should I choose? It never rains here so that's not an issue, and I would need them to last as long as they could before replacing them because my mustang budget isn't too healthy right now.

2. Which control arms do you suggest?

3. What other options should I be looking at that I haven't mentioned to help with my traction / hole shot problem?

The car is a daily driver and does far more street duty than track duty. Check sig for details on the car.

Thanks for any input,
Dave

take out your front sway and get some dunlop 8000sp rites..this can net us with 1.7 60 ft at track..thats it..o and practice practice practice

my advise is not to get granatelli lower control arms, i had one break in half while shifting into 3rd on a 12 second pass.

Get some 26x10.5 m/t e.t streets, or mcreary 26x8.5's, since it doesnt rain, they are pricey for the m/t's but i daily drove around forever on them, they are just plain dangerous in the rain though, as im sure you know, also you might still go sideway(torueing), but you'll hook, with stock control arms my car's rearend got into a bind, and torqued the front end one way or the other, thats when you start steering and drive:D it beats the rearend coming around on you.

I highly recomend welded subframe connectors with any wrinkle wall tire. good luck.

yea subs are a must..i ran mac control arms on my notch ..the uppers were adjustable but i find them to be unnessasary.. just get the solid ones up top

i you wanna go crazy then rid the control arms and run 4 banger springs with lakewood drag shocks and some conrtol arms..i ran that in my notch and people said i did lil wheelsies when i was just geting on it..i doubt know if the fronts ever came off the ground on the street but they were damn close..

i had this setup in my 89lx and the damn thing couldnt spin the tires it hooked soo good

90/10 struts
3 way adj. rear drag shocks
welded subframes
ssm lift bars
eibach drag launch spring kit
welded (stock boxed) uppers
8 pt. roll cage

the car ran a best of 11.80 and even on a street tire it would spin first, then nothing into second gear. it had a 4.10 w/ tremec 3550

I have a auburn diff in my car and it grips like nothing... I stomp, it goes... No side spinning or anything. Good for the daily driver too... You have factory posi in your diff eh?

1. Good tires
2. Posi
3. No sway bars
4. 90/10s
5. 4/6 cyl lowers round bushing, not oval, boxed
6. New uppers, Stock replacement, Jegs
7. 4 cyl front coils
8. Air bags in rear coils
9. Link on left side of motor to stop to torque
10. Batt in rear
11. Remove front bumpers and mounts
12. Fiberglass hood, 2 1/2" lift
13. Alum clutch quad
14. Soild seat, up right, not layed back in the pimpen position
15. DRIVE THE CRAP OUT OF IT.

thanks for the tips. I've got my battery in the hatch, and MM full length welded subframe connectors with the seat braces under the car.

What will pulling the sway bars do for handling? Is this just to save weight or is there another reason people pull these off?

Removing the front sway bar will drop some weight and allow for better weight transfer to the rear tires... this benefit is offset by the front end diving into corners at high speed (think sharp turn at 50 mph). I wouldn't remove the rear unless you have an air bag or an anti-roll bar setup... otherwise I'd leave it there.

Hey, what's new Dave? How's life treating you? How do you like Az? I have the nitto's and the MAC upper and lowers. My best on those is a 2.15 60ft time so far. I went to carlsbad this Sat. and ran a 12.87 @ 113.43 I'm getting it down there slowly but surely. Take it easy man. -Chris

yea torque links are good, i need one, leave the rear sway on, lol, i never thought about the "pimpin" seating position, heh, i have to sit back since im 6'3.