keeping front end too tight?

[72Malibu]

Have you tried a stiff sidewall slick or a radial slick? Wadded up tires eat up e.t.

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by 72Malibu

Have you tried a stiff sidewall slick or a radial slick? Wadded up tires eat up e.t.

Yea , that picture is with a hoosier slick. I think the side walls were killed. I now have a 295 drag radial on it.

[72Malibu]

I run a Hoosier radial slick or a MT drag radial, the MT drag radials are 1 tenth slower due to weight.

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by Darrin Christen

Put a lower gear in the rear and let her eat! You may be suprised, the mph may pick along with the 60' with a lower rearend gear. Its cheaper than a new trans low gear if you can afford a few more rpm's through the lights..

I was thinking of going to a 4.88 That is about as low as I could go in good air with a 29 to 30 inch tire.

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by 72Malibu

I run a Hoosier radial slick or a MT drag radial, the MT drag radials are 1 tenth slower due to weight.

I might go back to the hoosier slick. every time I see your 60' I want to throw up LOL!! You have a T400 right?

[Adger Smith]

You might want to take a look at the converter because the way I'm figuring it it miight have some problems with slippage. Or your numbers could be wrong because the high RPM and high MPH slipage doesn't match the low RPM and low MPH. one way it is about right with 6.5 % the other goes up to about 9%... Something doesn't compute there..
If you go from 4.56 to 4.86 that is a 6% increase in ratio. That would increase your trap RPM 6 % if the MPH stays the same. Say 7100 goes to 7525 and 7400 goes to 7844.
The over all gear in low gear goes from 1.80 X 4.56 = 8.20 to 1.80 X 4.86 = 8.74
The 1.98 X 4.56 = 9.02 overall low gear with no change at the finishline.
That is a 10 % increase in low gear. That is much better than the 6% increase in rear gear change. You might even be able to run a turbo 350 in it. The 3 speed would make it run quicker at mid track, if it hooked.Keep in mind the 350 has a better gear spread and less weight than the T400.

[72Malibu]

Originally Posted by L79racer

I might go back to the hoosier slick. every time I see your 60' I want to throw up LOL!! You have a T400 right?

Yes a th400 with a 8" ATI converter My best is 1.319, just didnt happen on my quickest pass.

[Jeff Lee]

I'm no expert on 4-links but from other 97-98 WB cars I know of that run similar MPH's as yours, I would try a 46"-47" IC keeping your 8". That's free to try and if it doesn't work, no $$ loss.
And yes, you want the front end as free and loose as possible including the shocks. Again, it's free. Tightening the shocks comes when you have a 60' problem...opposite of your current situation.

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by Adger Smith

You might want to take a look at the converter because the way I'm figuring it it miight have some problems with slippage. Or your numbers could be wrong because the high RPM and high MPH slipage doesn't match the low RPM and low MPH. one way it is about right with 6.5 % the other goes up to about 9%... Something doesn't compute there..
If you go from 4.56 to 4.86 that is a 6% increase in ratio. That would increase your trap RPM 6 % if the MPH stays the same. Say 7100 goes to 7525 and 7400 goes to 7844.
The over all gear in low gear goes from 1.80 X 4.56 = 8.20 to 1.80 X 4.86 = 8.74
The 1.98 X 4.56 = 9.02 overall low gear with no change at the finishline.
That is a 10 % increase in low gear. That is much better than the 6% increase in rear gear change. You might even be able to run a turbo 350 in it. The 3 speed would make it run quicker at mid track, if it hooked.Keep in mind the 350 has a better gear spread and less weight than the T400.

The best it ran was 10.05 - 10.09 @133-134 with a 29" slick in good air crossing the line around 7400. No recorder on tach so Its by my eye which could be off a little. Now I put on a 295 drag radial to see how it works after seeing the tire wading up. Now the air is terrible 95 degrees and 90 plus humidity. Its running in the 10.30's 130 -132 with a 295 radial which is about 30" and its crossing around 7100. Again it by my eye. Does this seem right now?

[L79racer]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

I'm no expert on 4-links but from other 97-98 WB cars I know of that run similar MPH's as yours, I would try a 46"-47" IC keeping your 8". That's free to try and if it doesn't work, no $$ loss.
And yes, you want the front end as free and loose as possible including the shocks. Again, it's free. Tightening the shocks comes when you have a 60' problem...opposite of your current situation.

Jeff, I can get a 47" long but I dont think I can get it down to 8. it goes to 11" high.