Radial Wabble Problem
 

Question for all you super stock guys and gals. Im new to this whole super stock thing and i am driving for a cpl great guys outta northern indiana. and i made a few passes in the car this yr and we have come to conclude we have a radial wabble issue. the question i have is if we go to dbl adjustable front struts will this cure the problem?? right now the car has single adjustable strange struts. with dbl adjustables on the rear. This car supposively never did this with byass tires just with the radials. If the struts are the problem whats the best bang for there buck? any input will be greatly appriciated. Thanks
Some young hillbilly bracket racer
Aaron Disinger
327y ss

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

well my thinking here is that it doesn't do it going down the track, its after i lift at the finish line. then it looks like the westcott's. and its really really bad. if you don't have a death grip on the wheel it will snap the wheel right out of your hands.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Aaron,

What kind of tires were they ? I know several other racers who had the same problems with M/T
radials last year.. But, I think the problem was corrected by M/T...I never heard of this problem with Hoosiers...... Maybe its the tires and not the car, you might want to try another set of radials....Good Luck,

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Sounds like too much caster in the alignment. Try checking the caster curve at different points of the suspension travel.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

I have only heard of the bigger radials doing this. The smaller(9-10") dont do it. I think the tire pressures have an effect on the severity of the wobble.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Put the old tires back on, If it still does it.
Check the rear shocks...
It really sounds like a rear shock.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

After checking the rear shocks, (your hand is not a shock dyno) You need to really look over your rear end, brackets, gussets, welds everything with a fine tooth comb, something in your car is probably flexing, or maybe cracked, I had the same problem. Also which radials and on what size rim? I found that a 13.25inch radial wants a 14" rim and the 14" wants a 15" rim. Email me @ venjr@aol.com and I can tell you all of my troubles, which by the way are gone now.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

rear shock adjustment issue as told from those who have had this problem with their radials

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Honestly i don't have the car right here in my view. (its and hour away from me) so im just gonna guess that they are 14X32 Hoosier Radial. We are gonna end up putting new struts and shocks on it for the simple reasoning of not knowing how long they have been on the car.(Whats the best bang for the buck on the shocks and struts?) I have checked all the brackets 4 link bars the rear chassis itself with a fine tooth comb i honestly don't see anything wrong but there is obviously something there that isn't happy.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

I agree with the shocks. If they are adjustable, they are set too loose-or worn out.

I had the same problem with 2 of my cars. My 81 Malibu front end would wiggle around as I let off at the top end. It got downright scary. Tightened up the front shocks to fix it.

My 64 Chevelle would bounce the back end down track, then got real bad as I applied the brakes at the top end. People said the back tires looked like ping-pong balls bouncing. Rear shocks were toast. Replaced them and it fixed it.

Don't skimp on shocks. Get a good (read expensive) set of double adjustables and they will last through many passes and adjustments.

Good luck!

Jeff

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Put some snubbers on the front end so the front end can only go down so far. You will be amazed at how much that will help.

Greg

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

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Put some snubbers on the front end so the front end can only go down so far. You will be amazed at how much that will help.

Greg

Greg, i do believe the car has snuggers on the front. Any other suggestions??

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

I had heard the radials should only be used on automatic cars but I just had to try them on my stick car. Wow! the tire shake was incredible I thought I was in a fuel car. It didn't settle down until I put it into third gear.The announcer at Norwalk said it looked like basketball going down the track More air pressure did not help Two passes were enough for me to see the light. They just do not have enough sidewall. As for your problems I have observed wobbles similar to what you are experiencung on My buddies sperstock hemi car. I do know he has double adjustable shocks front and rear.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

We have M/T radials on all 3 of our cars and have no problems. For sure a radial tire will bring out any problems in your suspension and also the track. The only time my car tends to roll or pitch is on a uneven surface. I would recommend no less than 16lbs air pressure. Also make sure both tires are the same roll out and the correct direction.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Thanks for all your post guys. Ya'll are teaching me here since im a rookie at this kinda stuff. i do know the circumfrance of the tires are the same to and 1/8 inch. and they are all heading the right direction. i just dont wanna crunch up there car or anyone elses for that matter. i just wanna get it fixed. Thanks again for all your guys help. and if you have any other suggestions please don't hesitate there is still alot of winter left and i get bored pretty easy lol. thanks
aaron disinger
327y
gt/ha

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

along with the front snubbers, if you're having problems with wobble at the top end in the shutdown make sure the front snubbers hit at the same time...ie push down on the front of the car and be sure that one side does not go down farther than the other. When you're slowing down, the front end usually bottoms down and uneveness can cause oscillation that is magnified in the radials. Might be part of the problem, but shocks are likely to contribute too. Good luck finding the cause.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Sounds to me like you don't have any (or not enough) toe in.
This will also scrub off mph

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

Only times I ever had it happen was too little air, when I didn't have them on wide enough wheels. Hoosier's catalog list wheels not wide enough. For instance, they show 10" wheels for a 10.5 X 30 radial, 12' wheels make a whole new car of it. Hooks much harder and more stable. I've yet to have as good a result if the wheels was not wider than the tread area by at least an inch.

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

I've seen it several times on two different cars, mid 9 sec 68 Camaro with cal tracks and a high 9 sec 69 GS with ladder bar and Alf Wiebes upper wish bone, both cars using C07 Hoosier's. It is for sure a wabble, not a shake or vibration and at part track. It is someting to watch, it is a side to side thing. I have been using MT's for years and love them. Chris

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

I had MT 14/32's on 14" rims on a SG 68 camaro with ladder bars and single adjustable shocks front and rear. I ran 12.5 psi. Never had the wabble effect just found out how quickly the tire wear away. You can use radials succesfully in a car with a clutchless trans.
'

Re: Radial Wabble Problem
 

In your description of the problem you left out many of the possible contributing factors. What is happening to the vehicle is the suspension is unloading upon deceleration and finding weak points in the structure or geometry. The radials are a major contributor to the reaction of the suspension, but not the initiater. If you have a four-link suspension, you may have a problem with your wishbone flexing, bending, or just loose in the mounting.Check to ensure that all connecting points of bars are sufficiently secured and not allowed to "wobble", thus keeping the car in a straight line until the suspension collects itself.
Additionally, make sure the front suspension reacts equally in separation and compression and is totally fluid in movement.