Ken Keir wheelie bars

[1320racer]

Garret, you really want a wheelie bar?

You should be able to tune your wheelies by tightening the front shock extension and adding travel.

http://www.classracer.com/classforum...t=36346&page=3

[40Coupe]

Not really a want but more of a need at this point. The bars would offer a margin of safety which I don't currently have.

If the surface is well prepped I can do as you say and tighten things down and everything goes to plan.

In order to hook on a marginal track I've got to set the front shocks full loose and full travel, then it goes bumper. If I begin taking travel out or tightening the rebound it starts blowing them off.

I don't see an obvious downside to bars.

[Ian Hill]

i run Ken's bar. it works well. the installation is an obvious breeze as there is no welding required. i found that you have to make sure the spot welds holding the diff tubes in have to be ground smooth. i find that the higher the wheel stand, the quicker my run. As sson as i run the bar i lose .1. i set it so it just misses the rear valance (i know cause i have the dents to prove it!), for every inch i lower it i lose .06 to .1. i have run as quick as 1.33 60 ft and i am not having any spin or unloading issues through the launch.


last time i checked, he had some good photos on his site.

http://kenkeirracecars.com/


Ian
1968 Camaro
F/CM

[40Coupe]

Originally Posted by Ian Hill

i run Ken's bar. it works well. the installation is an obvious breeze as there is no welding required. i found that you have to make sure the spot welds holding the diff tubes in have to be ground smooth. i find that the higher the wheel stand, the quicker my run. As sson as i run the bar i lose .1. i set it so it just misses the rear valance (i know cause i have the dents to prove it!), for every inch i lower it i lose .06 to .1. i have run as quick as 1.33 60 ft and i am not having any spin or unloading issues through the launch.


last time i checked, he had some good photos on his site.

http://kenkeirracecars.com/


Ian
1968 Camaro
F/CM

I appreciate the info.

[1320racer]

my good friend with the green small block '69 Camaro could put it on the bumper every pass if he wanted. He doesn't though, rather he tunes the wheelie to weather and track conditions. He doesn't have any weight in the trunk just a chassis/suspension that works nor does he have a wheelie bar.

I'm just informing you that you CAN control/calm the wheelie with what you have as well you can swap in stiffer springs and/or ballast up front.

If you want a wheelie bar go for it.

[Ian Hill]

Originally Posted by 1320racer

my good friend with the green small block '69 Camaro could put it on the bumper every pass if he wanted. He doesn't though, rather he tunes the wheelie to weather and track conditions. He doesn't have any weight in the trunk just a chassis/suspension that works nor does he have a wheelie bar.

I'm just informing you that you CAN control/calm the wheelie with what you have as well you can swap in stiffer springs and/or ballast up front.

If you want a wheelie bar go for it.

I am sure when you have 14" of tire touching the track you can easily tune your front shocks, rear shocks, front and rear ballast - tie your car down, you could probabley sit in the passenger seat and it wouldn't make a differance to what your 60 ft would be. I am with 40 Coupe - i have been 38 runs in row on 4 different tracks in 5 different weeks and kept the never changed thedial in (running dead on to the hundredth - except the last run at st thomas -.003 which was a good thing!)...except for three runs. one blew the tires off like i was in the water box (first pass of the morning) and then the same day by-run into the finals same thing, then second qualifier at the next race, was still about an inch off the rear bumper at the 330 hoping that the car would stay straight....the wheelie bars when on the next run, right after i changed my drawers... and have not been off. i no longer wounder if i'll have to start evasive action 1 second after i launch, i can concentrate on the light. i will be installing Santauff 180 springs this spring and a set of their double adjustbale shocks. i am going to try to run this setup and my glide without the bars. i am hoping the car comes up a bit higher with the gluide with the new suspension setup. either way, the wheelie bracket is now permanently mounted to the diff, and the bars come to every race with me.

I am sure there are guys running quicker 60's than me with first gen camaro, 9" tires and are able to the control their wheel stands, i am just not there yet. the tires are normally dead hooked, but the track seems to dictate the amount of birds-eye-view i get!

40 Coupe, the car looks great!
Ian

[James Perrone]

Listen to race watcher .He Knows .
Usally charges for this info LOL
Hope to see you at a track soon racewatcher

[1320racer]

Originally Posted by 40Coupe

In order to hook on a marginal track I've got to set the front shocks full loose and full travel, then it goes bumper. I don't see an obvious downside to bars.

Does it really go on the bumper?

Whose shocks are you running?

FYI, I've run my Firebird without the wheelie bars using only the DA Afco's and travel limiters to control the wheelie.

You could always add ballast up front also

I just don't see the need on your car and I like relatively quick real street cars.

[40Coupe]

Afco DA's front and rear.

[1320racer]

looks perfect to me. and you've got the right shocks. So if you can't calm the wheelie down by tightening the extension and adjusting travel limiters, just put 30 lbs. on the nose and it's done.

Maybe put the stock battery back up front does the trick.