The tech/mechanic at the tranny shop told me about a challenger he drag raced at one time.
He told me that I would get better traction if I took the leaf spring clamps off the rear leaf sections. He said it would allow the back end of the car to squat down during acceleration and enhance weight transfer.
Can I get you guys thoughts on this?
2 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Better Traction?
by dave-r » 30 Nov 2001 17:51
Well. I am no expert but this is the way I would figure it.
Weight transfer to the rear of the car does try to push the back of the car down but should you let it? Is letting the rear of the car drop putting more pressure on the rear wheels or less?
What happens when the back of the car drops? The axle is moving up into the wheel wells yes?
Well try to turn this around in your head. What is the difference between the car dropping down at the back or the axle trying to move up off the road?
If the axle is really lifting up into the car it is in fact putting less pressure onto the track. Not more.
Now think of this. If you were holding a soft spring against your chest and I pushed against that spring to try and push you backwards. When would you start to move? As soon as I start pushing? No. Because the spring is absorbing that energy so you do not feel the pressure until the spring has collapsed to the point where it becomes stiff. Now if you hold a strong spring and I push it what happens? You feel the pressure much sooner and the spring pushes you backwards.
Mopar performance sell springs for Drag racing. They have had a lot of experiance with this sort of thing. So why are their Super Stock springs so strong and not soft?
Because weight transfer has nothing to do with the back of the car dropping. You get the weight transfer anyway no matter what angle the car is sitting at. What you need is for the springs not to give under this weight and to push as hard as possible against the track.
But there is a school of thought that would say yes but if you let the back drop to a point and then the spring gets tough you will have even more weight on the rear wheels.
Which is right I don't know for sure. Maybe both in some ways. But I hold with the stiff rear school of thought. I also believe a strong rear sway bar helps a lot to control the axle and helps to launch the car straight without the need of a stronger spring on the right side. But that goes against what most drag racers will tell you. But then again most drag racers just do what everyone else does. Thats why they use Chevys.
Weight transfer to the rear of the car does try to push the back of the car down but should you let it? Is letting the rear of the car drop putting more pressure on the rear wheels or less?
What happens when the back of the car drops? The axle is moving up into the wheel wells yes?
Well try to turn this around in your head. What is the difference between the car dropping down at the back or the axle trying to move up off the road?
If the axle is really lifting up into the car it is in fact putting less pressure onto the track. Not more.
Now think of this. If you were holding a soft spring against your chest and I pushed against that spring to try and push you backwards. When would you start to move? As soon as I start pushing? No. Because the spring is absorbing that energy so you do not feel the pressure until the spring has collapsed to the point where it becomes stiff. Now if you hold a strong spring and I push it what happens? You feel the pressure much sooner and the spring pushes you backwards.
Mopar performance sell springs for Drag racing. They have had a lot of experiance with this sort of thing. So why are their Super Stock springs so strong and not soft?
Because weight transfer has nothing to do with the back of the car dropping. You get the weight transfer anyway no matter what angle the car is sitting at. What you need is for the springs not to give under this weight and to push as hard as possible against the track.
But there is a school of thought that would say yes but if you let the back drop to a point and then the spring gets tough you will have even more weight on the rear wheels.
Which is right I don't know for sure. Maybe both in some ways. But I hold with the stiff rear school of thought. I also believe a strong rear sway bar helps a lot to control the axle and helps to launch the car straight without the need of a stronger spring on the right side. But that goes against what most drag racers will tell you. But then again most drag racers just do what everyone else does. Thats why they use Chevys.
- dave-r
2 posts
• Page 1 of 1