Are my shocks and springs killing my 60 foot

**MountainSledder** · 07-02-2009, 10:20 AM

My car is dropped about as low as you can go and looks like it may have after market springs. And has really stiff after market shocks on it too. Would that kill my 60' times? And if so, what is everyones thoughts on how to fix this without spending a lot of money.

I'm new to the F-Body LS1 cars, and don't know a lot about car setup. Every time I start to think I know something about drag racing, I find myself not knowing much at all. So if you've been down the road of hard knocks, please help me out and getting the car to pull 1.7s like I should be.

**bills98ta** · 07-02-2009, 08:26 PM

Might need to get LCA relocation brackets, if you don't already have them.

**iwannagofast** · 07-04-2009, 10:08 PM

what all mods do you have done to your car?

**bills98ta** · 07-05-2009, 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by iwannagofast

what all mods do you have done to your car?

Moser rear w/ 4.10 gears, adjustable control arms, panhard bar, anti-roll bar that replaces the rear sway bar, LCA relocation brackets, 8 way adjustable rear shocks, stock rear coil springs, QA-1 8-way front shocks & coils, extreme duty torque arm, and wheelie wheels !!!
That's what's under the car !!! LOL
Look at your control arms, and they should be higher in the front, pointing towards the crankshaft of the motor. If they are pointing down towards the bottom of the front tires or road, you need the LCA brackets to lower the rear of them ( on the rear housing ) to get the correct angle.

**bills98ta** · 07-05-2009, 02:33 AM

Originally Posted by iwannagofast

what all mods do you have done to your car?

After I typed all that, I just noticed that it wasn't the origonal poster asking me a question... LOL !!!

**MountainSledder** · 07-05-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by iwannagofast

what all mods do you have done to your car?

M/T E.T. Streets, 3.73's A4, Comp Cam Programmer set to Firm Shift & HiPo shifting with Engine set to High Performance Mode #2, TB water by pass, Romoved MASS A/F screen, removed tube from intake openning, Ported TB, Bellow, LID, JAAM Full Ram Air Package, Expensive spark plugs, 160 stat, Y-Pipe, SLP Loud Mouth Cat Back.

Pretty much like everyone else minus a torque converter.

Me and the car weigh about 3800 and she can pull 109+ in 115 degree air.
I was pulling 2.0x when the car was stock with crap tires and pulling 102MPH in cool air.

Best ET with the M/T's and Gears is 13.25 with a 2.08 six at 109MPH. Traction in 1st and going into 2nd is non-exsistant. If I lower the pressure to much, she wheel hops too much.

I'll be ordering the LCA relocation brackets this week. That mod makes a ton of sense.

The car goes into a really bad fish tail shifting from 1st to 2nd, do you think these brackets will help out with that too.

**bills98ta** · 07-05-2009, 07:45 PM

It should help a lot. Sounds like you need more air in the tires too. Maybe around 14.5 - 16 lb's... I personally like the M/T Drag Radials, at 21 lb's... I average a 1.42-60' and my best was a 1.36 with cold air ! That's the one that needed wheelie wheels...

**bills98ta** · 07-05-2009, 07:49 PM

Another track advise, when you roll through the water, don't spin the tires. Just go through & get them wet, not slinging water into the wheel wells. 1'rst burn out, hard, then there after, moderate. And no dry hopping after the burnout. Just stage.

**HitManLs1** · 07-07-2009, 08:56 PM

Hey Bill I have a 98 stock z-28 Im wanting to do some suspension. What will I need to make me hook better. I kno I will need SFC's. I want to replace the shocks and struts because the car is 11 years old what would be a good set for street/strip? I will also drive the car daily.

**bills98ta** · 07-08-2009, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by HitManLs1

Hey Bill I have a 98 stock z-28 Im wanting to do some suspension. What will I need to make me hook better. I kno I will need SFC's. I want to replace the shocks and struts because the car is 11 years old what would be a good set for street/strip? I will also drive the car daily.

I'm a bargain shopper !!! ( EBay )
As you look for control arms, and panhard bar, get the ones with the poly bushings. Mine are solid... You want to upgrade the torque arm also. I use to have to sets of rear wheels & tires. Strret / Strip

**big hammer** · 07-08-2009, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by MountainSledder

M/T E.T. Streets, 3.73's A4, Comp Cam Programmer set to Firm Shift & HiPo shifting with Engine set to High Performance Mode #2, TB water by pass, Romoved MASS A/F screen, removed tube from intake openning, Ported TB, Bellow, LID, JAAM Full Ram Air Package, Expensive spark plugs, 160 stat, Y-Pipe, SLP Loud Mouth Cat Back.

Pretty much like everyone else minus a torque converter.

Me and the car weigh about 3800 and she can pull 109+ in 115 degree air.
I was pulling 2.0x when the car was stock with crap tires and pulling 102MPH in cool air.

Best ET with the M/T's and Gears is 13.25 with a 2.08 six at 109MPH. Traction in 1st and going into 2nd is non-exsistant. If I lower the pressure to much, she wheel hops too much.

I'll be ordering the LCA relocation brackets this week. That mod makes a ton of sense.

The car goes into a really bad fish tail shifting from 1st to 2nd, do you think these brackets will help out with that too.

i'm surprisd you cant get traction with the e\t streets---- i put a set on my 02 ws6 6 speed and i almost cant even spin them. to quote a chinese friend of mine sum ting wong...

**tnthub** · 07-08-2009, 03:12 PM

I have pulled 1.5 sixty foot times consistently with the Eibach drag launch kit, plus 90/10s in the front and stock springs in the rear. I am on ET Streets running generally 14.5-15 pounds in them. I can hook on just about anything.

**MountainSledder** · 07-08-2009, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by big hammer

i'm surprisd you cant get traction with the e\t streets---- i put a set on my 02 ws6 6 speed and i almost cant even spin them. to quote a chinese friend of mine sum ting wong...

Your surprised? I was nearly heart broken. I though 12s would be a piece of cake with E.T.'s and gears. I've broken the torque arm bushing twice now. So I'm going to hold off dragging till I get the relocation brackets on. So something is definitely wrong. I hope I won't have to spend more money on springs, shocks and everything else. I'd be happy with a car that occationally pulled off an 11.95 once in a while. I don't have that kind of power yet, but probably by this time next year.

**bills98ta** · 07-08-2009, 04:25 PM

I use to get a violent wheel shake, then I did the LCA relo brackets, & never again !!!

**Zinergy** · 07-13-2009, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by big hammer

i'm surprisd you cant get traction with the e\t streets---- i put a set on my 02 ws6 6 speed and i almost cant even spin them. to quote a chinese friend of mine sum ting wong...

Yea, suspension tuning is needed to get a car with power to hook right. I remember the first night i had the supra to the track on the 517whp tune. I had 275 m/ts and once the turbo started to spool i would blow the tires right off, i had 2.5-2.8 60fts that whole night, trapping 130mph was fun though and made my night.

**blackbirdbrain89** · 07-13-2009, 02:35 PM

bill u know i have the lcas and stuff but i still have realy bad wheel hop lol... matter of fack it pushes me over the line at times....

**MountainSledder** · 07-16-2009, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by bills98ta

Look at your control arms, and they should be higher in the front, pointing towards the crankshaft of the motor. If they are pointing down towards the bottom of the front tires or road, you need the LCA brackets to lower the rear of them ( on the rear housing ) to get the correct angle.

bills98ta,

You nailed it right on the head. They are pointing at the bottom of the front tires. I'll put the brackets on this weekend and will go for the 12's next Wednesday. Thanks for steering me in the right direction. Found a lot of information on what's under the car as a result of this as well. Too bad all those goodies are going to cost money some day.

Also, I plan on putting some low cost air bags in the rear springs to lift and stiffen it up a bit more. Would that be heading down the right path? At least for the first stages till I save up some more money?

**bills98ta** · 07-16-2009, 02:59 PM

When you get the air bags, keep them seperate, with two valve stems. ( I mounted the stems in the bottom liscence plate holes ) At the track, I ran 8lb in the left, & 45lb in the right. Now I have a drag / anti roll bar !!!

**bills98ta** · 07-16-2009, 03:02 PM

Originally Posted by blackbirdbrain89

bill u know i have the lcas and stuff but i still have realy bad wheel hop lol... matter of fack it pushes me over the line at times....

I missed this reply... Mark was behind you when you launched & said your rear looked like it was jumping sideways ??? We might want to check your pan hard bar, or something is loose...