Need some serious traction advice

DRASTiK · 07-20-2002, 05:03 PM

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

LX XLR8R · 07-20-2002, 06:10 PM

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

sn95gt19 · 07-20-2002, 07:38 PM

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.

Coupe5oh · 07-20-2002, 08:43 PM

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

it beats the rearend coming around on you.

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

LX XLR8R · 07-20-2002, 08:51 PM

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..

sn95gt19 · 07-21-2002, 12:56 AM

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

5P0INT0 · 07-21-2002, 05:01 AM

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?

88workcar · 07-21-2002, 07:00 AM

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.

DRASTiK · 07-21-2002, 02:01 PM

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?

ultraflo · 07-21-2002, 03:02 PM

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.

byrnech · 07-21-2002, 06:55 PM

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

Coupe5oh · 07-21-2002, 09:04 PM

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.

07-20-2002, 05:03 PM	#1
DRASTiK Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Yuma, AZ Posts: 536	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 __________________ Dave 88 GT - 13.4@106 on street tires (2.2 60ft) My Stang RHC member #75 My stang is FOR SALE!!

07-20-2002, 06:10 PM	#2
LX XLR8R Dirk Diggler Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: SLOATSBURG, NY Posts: 1,931	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 __________________ 95 undecided cubes, AFR 185s,undecided cam, undecided intake, and a 150 hit 89 "turbonotch" 2.3T You might want to hold on..i saw this on a cartoon once

07-20-2002, 07:38 PM	#3
sn95gt19 motors done......woohooo Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 799	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. __________________ 95gt lazer red (98 cobra clone) Rice Haters Club Member #116

07-20-2002, 08:43 PM	#4
Coupe5oh Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 734	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 it beats the rearend coming around on you. I highly recomend welded subframe connectors with any wrinkle wall tire. good luck. __________________ Police package 5spd 90 Lx, Stock original motor, 3.27grs, BM fan, fms 10.5 clutch, D&D quadrant, and adjuster, ADS chip, 180 stat, mac cai, mac h-pipe, mac subframe connectors, ASP crank pulley, ripper shifter, 26x10.5 M/T sport pros welds. 246 hp according to analyzer Race weight: 3,120 E.t-13.57 with 26x10.50's e.t. streets. 1.88 60' mph- 99.92 mph

07-20-2002, 08:51 PM	#5
LX XLR8R Dirk Diggler Join Date: Feb 1999 Location: SLOATSBURG, NY Posts: 1,931	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.. __________________ 95 undecided cubes, AFR 185s,undecided cam, undecided intake, and a 150 hit 89 "turbonotch" 2.3T You might want to hold on..i saw this on a cartoon once

07-21-2002, 12:56 AM	#6
sn95gt19 motors done......woohooo Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 799	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 __________________ 95gt lazer red (98 cobra clone) Rice Haters Club Member #116

07-21-2002, 05:01 AM	#7
5P0INT0 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Calgary Alberta Posts: 15	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? __________________ 94 AOD GT 4.10 gears and Auburn posi, 3000 stall with a shift kit. Lower control arms, subframe connecters, Under drive pullies, Procharger running 9lbs of boost, 24lb inj, custom chip, Saleen rims running 295 on the rear, Bassani X pipe and Cat back.

07-21-2002, 07:00 AM	#8
88workcar Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Pierre Part, La. U.S.A. Posts: 1,850	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. __________________ 88workcar 1988 Mustang LX 342. 417rwhp @ 6800. 28 X 10 ET Drag, 4.30s, 10.69 @ 126.43 1.42 60ft. 11.13 @ 127.7 on BFGs 1.72 60ft Rice Hater # 42 To be old and wise, You must first be young and stupid I'm somewhere in tthe middle.

07-21-2002, 02:01 PM	#9
DRASTiK Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Yuma, AZ Posts: 536	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?

07-21-2002, 03:02 PM	#10
ultraflo NX dealer-man Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Peoria, Illinois Posts: 977	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. __________________ RLS Racing! 93 LX 9.20 @ 147mph 03 Mach 1 12.39 @ 116mph

07-21-2002, 06:55 PM	#11
byrnech Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Anderson, TX. Posts: 166	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 __________________ 331 10:1, AFR 185's, TFS-R intake

07-21-2002, 09:04 PM	#12
Coupe5oh Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 734	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. __________________ Police package 5spd 90 Lx, Stock original motor, 3.27grs, BM fan, fms 10.5 clutch, D&D quadrant, and adjuster, ADS chip, 180 stat, mac cai, mac h-pipe, mac subframe connectors, ASP crank pulley, ripper shifter, 26x10.5 M/T sport pros welds. 246 hp according to analyzer Race weight: 3,120 E.t-13.57 with 26x10.50's e.t. streets. 1.88 60' mph- 99.92 mph

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