I Broke my car at the strip !!
 

I launched at 4000 rpm (wanted to really show up Mercury), and I heard the pinion snubber hit under the car. After that, every time I would shift, and when I put the clutch in at the end of the run, the back of the car would wobble :eek: . I didnt find anything obvious wrong, and it would only do the wobble when declutching under full throttle above 5500 rpm. By the way that was thursday.

Friday at work, I put the car on the lift, and found the left lower torque box (which the control arms are bolted to)cracked and the spot welds tearing:eek: . Saturday, I welded the torque boxes down the seams (no more weak *** spot welds for me!), and noticed the bushings were moving on the left lower control arm only. Saturday night after cruising I was on my way home and the car was dog tracking BAD. If I were to have put my hands at 10 and 2 they would have been at 12 and 4 if you know what I mean. Sunday (today) I pulled the left lower control arm off, and found both polyeurethane bushings busted (I have Lakewood LCA and UCAs). Now I'm cruising with the stock left LCA and after market UCA and right LCA the steering wheel is straight again, but it still wobbles from the rubber bushings.

Im going to get the Wild Rides Battle Boxes welded in soon, and my car is now know as the Wobblestang :D

Tim

Man, that sucks. Sorry to hear that.

I Just got my Steeda aluminum lower control arms. Did you notice any dramatic improvement in traction or handling with the addition of the control arms. I'm gonna put em im once I get the upper ones and a rear sway bar. Will it knock my socks off or should I not get my hopes up?

Dont get your hopes up too much. They definately make the car feel more solid in the rear when lauching, and help some as far as launch goes, but the thing that helps me the most with the launch are the front struts and no front swaybar. That lets the front lift quicker to put weight on the rear. I also put a bigger rear swaybar on the car to keep both rears planted evenly. I already fixed the torque box, but I'm going to get that kit to really strengthen it. Im waiting to see if I can get just replacement bushings or If I need new LCAs.

Im building my car for the strip, so I'm setting the suspension up for the launch. My friend has a bullitt mustang, and he is setting his up for maximum autocrossing, therefor better cornering, but were both getting aftermarket control arms to keep the rear in the right spot.

Tim

Thanks.

Tim C - What tires were you running on the launch that busted your torque box and control arm? I guess I better check mine next time I'm down there - my car pulls such good G's in the corners now that I'm afraid it's going to rip mine too if I don't reinforce them soon and get a panhard bar.

Believe it or not
 

I was running street tires Kelly Charger 245/45 HR 17s to be exact. Im not getting my Nitto Drags until wednesday :).

Ive had my suspension set up since last December, and Ive put 27 miles on the car from the dragstrip just this year (over 100 passes), on Thursday Test and Tune, plus all my launches on the street (Im usually right in there when Mercury is doing something stupid :D ). I usually launch between 2000 and 4000 rpms.

The Right lower and both upper boxes are ok still, but the left one is trying to twist kind of. Its hard to describe, and it had a 1/2 in long crack in the metal that I welded a plate over. The left lower box is trying to pull from the spot welds. I believe its from not having an air bag or antiroll bar yet, cause when I launch, the right rear squats, giving the right LCA a straight shot, but the left rear lifts, causing the LCA on that side to be pushed up and forward.

The chassis mods in the near future are battle boxes, subframes (I can hear the door glass creaking when I launch also), and an airbag or antiroll bar, plus my 50/50 shocks and maybe after the battle boxes some SSM Lift Bars :D.

Tim

I have never seen anyone more proud of Braking there car.:D Hey, the runs were much much closer this time between us.. If it wasnt for the damn 102 degree weather with 100 percent humidity I would of broke into the 13's..Well I think (I ran several 14 flats..Me and Tim C were the fastest Lightly modded cars out there)

Cant wait to get my gears in..hehehehe..

Tim C, please post your opinions on the 555R's when you use them. How much better are they from reg tires?, What RPM can you dump the clutch at, etc. Thanks.

All Ive got to say about the Nittos are they could probably hook in a mud hole. They hook noticably better on the street, so I cant wait to get to the track thursday.

Tim C