Advice for low 10's (shocks/tires) needed

[racerxrick]

Back into Buick's after 15 years off. Intro in the intro section.

I want to update the GN I just bought and have been reading your combos.

The car I bought ran 10.73@129 ten years ago for the previous owner. It came with the ten year old bias ply 28x10.5's and 26x4.5 MT fronts. Also has a basic passenger car set of KYB's. Already has a brand new modern turbo and a lot of supporting mods. I want to drop kick it into low 10's.

I'm thinking MT ET Street Radial Pro's (275/60)...thoughts? (my buddies LS/nitrous powered Mercury Zephyr wagon runs 5.70 1/8 mile times on these!)
http://www.mickeythompsontires.com/strip.php?item=ETStreetRadialPro

What tire for my front skinnies though (if going with a radial rear tire)??

And for updating the shocks...I've been reading about the AFCO's and of course QA1's. Also see that Qa1 has a new pro coilover system. Thoughts on shocks???

AND last, it has a Wolfe Racecraft system on the rear but I was thinking about adding the Baseline Suspension adjustable "Pro-launch Gold" upper control arms?
http://www.baselinesuspensions.com/kits/chevy.htm

 

[Chuck Leeper]

Viking has a kit of 4 dble adjustable shocks for the Regal. I have a set. They didn't break the bank. I haven't put the HP to them, yet.
I also have the Spohn uppers/lowers w/ the trik spherical ends. Allows for much more launch misalignment w/o binding.
I also have the Wolfe arb. Nice piece.
Kevin makes some nice stuff, too.
Tires. The M/T's are a good choice. As for the fts, I'd use a radial, and put enough tread there, to avoid hi speed slide.
A Wilwood adj prop valve can help.
The car does not have the Powermaster on it, right?? {I have 2 of them, under my work bench}
I've used several HB conversions from Elliott Sydnam, at Custom Power Brake. They are new, and so far, are flawless in operation!

GLW/ the project!

 

[racerxrick]

Thanks Chuck...I'll review and research this info later, good stuff! Currently the car still has the Powermaster though I have new in boxes everything I need to convert to Hydroboost.

Viking has a kit of 4 dble adjustable shocks for the Regal. I have a set. They didn't break the bank. I haven't put the HP to them, yet.
I also have the Spohn uppers/lowers w/ the trik spherical ends. Allows for much more launch misalignment w/o binding.
I also have the Wolfe arb. Nice piece.
Kevin makes some nice stuff, too.
Tires. The M/T's are a good choice. As for the fts, I'd use a radial, and put enough tread there, to avoid hi speed slide.
A Wilwood adj prop valve can help.
The car does not have the Powermaster on it, right?? {I have 2 of them, under my work bench}
I've used several HB conversions from Elliott Sydnam, at Custom Power Brake. They are new, and so far, are flawless in operation!

GLW/ the project!

 

[forcefed3.8's]

The radial pros are a very good choice. As far as shocks, stock replacemant monroes work very well, these cars dont need the weight transfer like a big block car. Your car will probably benefit from a modern torque converter swap as well.

 

[Boost231]

Really like the Radial Pros for traction but they are a very soft tire and not good for rain. I also really like the single adjustable qa1's.

 

[racerxrick]

The radial pros are a very good choice. As far as shocks, stock replacemant monroes work very well, these cars dont need the weight transfer like a big block car. Your car will probably benefit from a modern torque converter swap as well.

thanks forcefed3 for your response...I guess it is a g body which makes a great drag car. I ran 11.17 15 years ago with nothing but an air bag in the right rear on 8x26 slicks. Maybe I'm overthinking it.

 

[racerxrick]

Really like the Radial Pros for traction but they are a very soft tire and not good for rain. I also really like the single adjustable qa1's.

yeah planning to avoid rain ;-)

thanks for the suggestion on the Qa1's.

 

[Boost231]

Also I have single adjustables on my 9sec car and also my 15k original mike car. Like them for both setups. You can really dial them in

 

[racerxrick]

Also I have single adjustables on my 9sec car and also my 15k original mike car. Like them for both setups. You can really dial them in

I really appreciate the replies...thanks!

 

[murphster]

Double adj shocks are recommended for the rears on drag radials. Loose on the extension to help them plant and tight on the compression to keep them planted. Need to dead hook drag radials as they don't recover well.

Single adj should be enough for the fronts unless you are carrying the tires, then a dbl adj will help control the bounce.

The Baseline Suspension kit def helps fix some geometry issues if you plot out everything. You can use the tool on their website to see where you are now.

I've read that the QA1s are not very consistent so I went with Strange instead. Not as good as AFCOs but a step above the QA1s. No experience with the Vikings.

The Wolfe rear anti roll bar is good, just go with solid heim bushings on whatever rear controls arms you use so there is no slop including the ones mounted on the rear. You can use linear rate coil springs in the rear with the perch adjusters to dial in the height.

For the front I'm using lowering springs and they worked a lot better than drag springs. Just make sure the front end is free and no binding on the control arms, can use Del-A-Lum bushings or tubular arms with better bushings. I have the TRZ pro arms that have heim ends on the uppers along with travel limiters. For now the limiter just stops the arm before the shock tops out. Gives a ton of suspension travel because of the arm shape, but it also hit my downpipe so I had to adj the angle of the downpipe.

The MT ET pros are awesome. They seem to have decent life on the street too. Plus they tuck in well with no rubbing if your car is lowered with the right backspace.

Just my two cents.

 

[racerxrick]

great reply, thanks! Years ago I set up a Nova street car with all the typical "super stock" tricks to the front end and it helped the car lift the wheels even on old (back then) Hoosier Quick Times.

I fell into a set of Comp Engineering adjutable drag shocks that I will run for now as well as pulling the front swaybar. We plan to go through the front end and inspect/service as needed. And yes the rear already has all solid rod ends and the Baseline upper control arm kit I bought is the race version with solids!

I struggle with DR's on my 700whp 10' Corvette partly cause it's a manual and of course doesn't weight transfer well. I run the new Street R's though in a 17" to clear brakes, problem is I either hook too hard and bog, or spin and yeah no recovery. Should have went with a bias ply slick for that car.

Looking forward to familiarity of the G body and auto combo! Though I have to admit I haven't ever experienced a transbrake even though I've had a number of really quick cars., should be a real rush. I remember my last turbo Buick was a bitch to stage and launch off the foot brake. (I wound up running a 75 shot of juice which then made it easy to launch...four pounds boost on the line and then hit the button for "insta-boost!").

Future plans could certainly include swapping to coil overs if not just for the weight...plus would clean things up. Love the thought of adjusting the ride height. On second thought that will be a future plan! Tubular A arms have been discussed too...

Again thanks for the detailed response murphster.

Double adj shocks are recommended for the rears on drag radials. Loose on the extension to help them plant and tight on the compression to keep them planted. Need to dead hook drag radials as they don't recover well.

Single adj should be enough for the fronts unless you are carrying the tires, then a dbl adj will help control the bounce.

The Baseline Suspension kit def helps fix some geometry issues if you plot out everything. You can use the tool on their website to see where you are now.

I've read that the QA1s are not very consistent so I went with Strange instead. Not as good as AFCOs but a step above the QA1s. No experience with the Vikings.

The Wolfe rear anti roll bar is good, just go with solid heim bushings on whatever rear controls arms you use so there is no slop including the ones mounted on the rear. You can use linear rate coil springs in the rear with the perch adjusters to dial in the height.

For the front I'm using lowering springs and they worked a lot better than drag springs. Just make sure the front end is free and no binding on the control arms, can use Del-A-Lum bushings or tubular arms with better bushings. I have the TRZ pro arms that have heim ends on the uppers along with travel limiters. For now the limiter just stops the arm before the shock tops out. Gives a ton of suspension travel because of the arm shape, but it also hit my downpipe so I had to adj the angle of the downpipe.

The MT ET pros are awesome. They seem to have decent life on the street too. Plus they tuck in well with no rubbing if your car is lowered with the right backspace.

Just my two cents.

 

[forcefed3.8's]

Run the comps at the tightest setting. 90/10 doesnt work well on these cars with a radial. I am running comps, they go full extension too fast.

 

[racerxrick]

Run the comps at the tightest setting. 90/10 doesnt work well on these cars with a radial. I am running comps, they go full extension too fast.

wow I would have assumed 90/10's would help plant the rear tires (was planning to run the rears on the tightest compression setting).

Thanks for the advice, I'll baseline the fronts on the tightest setting.

In your previous response you had suggested a modern torque convertor swap, the car has a TH400 swap with transbrake. I checked the PN# on the PTC and it's a PTC-9-TH02 (may have been a SL I need to double check). Called PTC and Tim said it hasn't been updated and I should be good to go. In fact I think it's a spragless convertor (from driving it) and it does have the the steel stator per PTC. I'll plan to data log for slippage (the car has an early FAST system).

I really(!) appreciate the responses!!

 

[murphster]

You're welcome. You seem like you want to do it the right way so thats why I offered my experience.

With 90/10s up front on radials what will happen on a higher HP car is that the front end will rise quick, top out and unload the radials that were dead hooked and cause them to spin. You can fix this by tightening up the front shocks and/or increasing front end travel.

Now when you fix the rear geometry with the baseline kit and get the instant center dialed in, rather then squatting the rear and lifting the front the car will want to move out more level. So then the front end is not quite as important but you still may need to loosen it up some on a crappy track for more weight transfer.

Also, with the ET Radial Pros if you run too little air you'll get tire shake. Something like 17-18psi is a good starting point.

Here are some good links I kept to remember what to do:

http://www.cachassisworks.com/Attachments/Instructions/899-031-214.pdf

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278748&highlight=shock+adjustment

http://www.raceglides.com.au/files/fourlink-ladderbar-tips.pdf

http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/tuning-4-link.html

http://www.onallcylinders.com/2013/...setup-for-double-adjustable-drag-race-shocks/

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=582861

 

[Boost231]

1.3* 60 foots here with hr parts rear uppers and lowers, hr bar, and qa1s on ET pros not even trying

 

[forcefed3.8's]

I would run the converter and get some data on it, or see what Dusty Bradford has to say, he specs the PTC converters for turbo v6 applications very well.
I have my comps set at 60/40 and the front travel set to 1". The car 60' in the low 1.3s off 3psi, but now putting more power to it, it needs better shocks. But this is an 8 sec car. I ran 9s with yellow monroes and they worked great. I was bullheaded and cheap when it came to shocks, and now realize when trying to run a radial, shocks are very important.

 

[racerxrick]

Awesome, got some reading to do! Also sent this info to my friend Turbo Don who's shop the car is at, without his help I'd be very limited. Really looking forward to digging into the car tomorrow morning! I bought it without driving it and then only drove around the block. really do want to go through it and make sure she's right and tight.

You're welcome. You seem like you want to do it the right way so thats why I offered my experience.

With 90/10s up front on radials what will happen on a higher HP car is that the front end will rise quick, top out and unload the radials that were dead hooked and cause them to spin. You can fix this by tightening up the front shocks and/or increasing front end travel.

Now when you fix the rear geometry with the baseline kit and get the instant center dialed in, rather then squatting the rear and lifting the front the car will want to move out more level. So then the front end is not quite as important but you still may need to loosen it up some on a crappy track for more weight transfer.

Also, with the ET Radial Pros if you run too little air you'll get tire shake. Something like 17-18psi is a good starting point.

Here are some good links I kept to remember what to do:

http://www.cachassisworks.com/Attachments/Instructions/899-031-214.pdf

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=278748&highlight=shock+adjustment

http://www.raceglides.com.au/files/fourlink-ladderbar-tips.pdf

http://www.how-to-build-hotrods.com/tuning-4-link.html

http://www.onallcylinders.com/2013/...setup-for-double-adjustable-drag-race-shocks/

http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=582861

 

[racerxrick]

1.3* 60 foots here with hr parts rear uppers and lowers, hr bar, and qa1s on ET pros not even trying

yeah I know these cars can really "work" and am happy to get back into a G body car that I can launch hard!

 

[racerxrick]

I would run the converter and get some data on it, or see what Dusty Bradford has to say, he specs the PTC converters for turbo v6 applications very well.
I have my comps set at 60/40 and the front travel set to 1". The car 60' in the low 1.3s off 3psi, but now putting more power to it, it needs better shocks. But this is an 8 sec car. I ran 9s with yellow monroes and they worked great. I was bullheaded and cheap when it came to shocks, and now realize when trying to run a radial, shocks are very important.

Yeah my friend John Nguyen down in San Antonio mentioned the same name in order to spec the PTC. I'll have it on the lift tomorrow and will confirm the part number. If its obvious this isn't the way to go I'd rather start with the right fit otherwise we will have to tune twice.

And again thanks to you and the other great replies, I'll share it all with Turbo Don as we dig into the car starting tomorrow bright and early!

 

[Dusty Bradford]

You can get away with a single adjustable on the front at that power level but a dbl adjustable is best for the rear like has been said. You want a looser extension and tighter compression IF the instant center is right. You want to plant the tire and avoid it rebounding off the ground.

For the front your at the level where you can benefit from something better than comp engineering. You need the extension tighter to avoid it rising to fast and bouncing off the bump stops. If the car moves about 10-20 ft then spins you know your front end is loose. You want to run full travel and let the shock control front end rise rate.


Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app