VariSprings features a very high strength steel that allows the spring to be wound more coarse then traditional springs, which makes the spring travel farther before coil bind. If you preload a spring, it is imperative that you verify that the spring has enough travel to not coil bind before the shock bottoms out. This is the very simple theory behind stored energy front drag-race springs. Compressing the spring to achieve proper ride height will store energy in it. When using lighter rate springs, preload must be added by screwing the lower spring seat upward. If you are having trouble getting the front end to rise, you can soften shock rebound valving or change to a softer spring. A stiffer rate makes the front harder to rise during acceleration. A softer rate makes the front easier to rise during acceleration. As a general guideline, lighter springs allow the car to easily transfer weight, and settle faster down track.Ĭhanging spring rate affects ride height and the rate at which weight is transferred to the rear tires. However, too much weight transfer can hurt your ET by causing excessive wheel stands and lost forward motion.Ī drag race car should run the lightest front spring rate possible, without letting the shocks bottom out when making a pass. And, it will rise higher, transferring more weight as the center of gravity rises, further assisting traction. The front end will move faster and farther because less force is required to initially extend the spring. The lighter 250-lb/in rate benefits a drag car in two ways. With 250-lb/in front springs, the same 1000 pound weight transfer will lift the front end a total of two inches. If you have 500-lb/in front springs and the acceleration force transfers 1000 pounds of front end weight to the rear (500 from each front spring) the front end lifts one inch. Why? Because a heavier rate front spring will take more force to lift the front end a fixed vertical distance than a lighter spring will. If the car has a softer front spring, the front suspension also will lift more easily. As the rebound valving of the shocks is softened it will be easier for the front end to lift. The speed at which the front end rises is largely controlled by the spring rate and front shock force. You give it some gas, the front of the car comes up as weight is transferred to the rear tires to aid traction. Once you have completed the following procedures, only fine adjustments may be needed to tune for specific track conditions. Watch your ET’s and if your times start to get slower return to the prior adjustment. Due to differences in weight distribution, wheel base, tire size, and horsepower, not all vehicles leave the starting line in the same manner once their suspension has been optimized. Figure out the results you want to achieve on the vehicle you have.Ī few notes as we proceed: it is generally better to tune suspension according to improvements in ET’s (Elapsed Times) rather than for specific occurrences such as the amount of wheel stand. So how can suspension tuning do that? The rest of this article will explain how suspension tuning works and how you can apply it to your own vehicle.įirst, required settings for drag racing applications vary greatly depending upon vehicle weight, weight distribution, suspension geometry and travel, horsepower, and available traction. The launch is critical, and it makes sense to create an optimal environment for a solid start. We all want to get the best performance out of our drag vehicle, and a properly tuned drag race suspension enables the vehicle to launch straight while transferring weight to the rear tires in an efficient, controlled manner. This is the first of a three part series from Chris Alston’s Chassisworks on tuning and calibrating for better drag race performance. A-Arm Suspension System for Chassisworks 4×2″ Crossmembers and Front Clips
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