Rear shock advice needed.

[Ralph A Powell]

It’s not the ladder bars, both Glidden, Gapp and Dino won a lot of races with ladder bar cars. It’s all about the shocks, rear springs and weight distribution!

[Mike Pearson]

Not sure what the issues with your car are. I race a ladder bar car. I have Santhuff doubles on the front and QA1 singles on the rear. 110 lb spring rate on the rear. I felt that the front shocks were more important than the rear. At some point I will make the switch to the double adjustable shocks on the rear. My car is similar weight but runs low 10's. We typically run on well prepped tracks and my 60 ft times will vary .01-.02 on a typical day. track and air conditions can effect the 60 ft times as well. my car usually has 1.31 60 ft times and has been as fast as 1.29.
I see you race bracket car. My guess is it is more of a track issue than a car issue. Stick cars can also vary on 60 ft times due to clutch adjustment. for your car to be consistent in the 60 ft times it has to dead hook and limit clutch slip

What shocks are you running o the front of the car?

[James Hensler]

It seems like in my class A/H 8.40’s @3200 lbs people go super expensive but I love my Santuffs! I had Yancy rebuild them and put them on his dyno and my car 1.22 on a bad track and 1.18 on a good one damn near everytime with a Pro Trans. I am hoping 1.20 with the G-Force

[NHRA1926]

Catman, call Marty Rinehart. He is the man when it comes down to suspension fixes. He helped me out with my shocks and springs, and I can not say enough about the improvements I've seen after working with him. I agree, you get what you pay for. No regrets purchasing the Santhuff shocks and Landrum springs from him. Improved my 60 foot times by 5-7 hundredths (not a misprint) consistently, and now it can carry the front wheels past the 60 foot timer, and then land like it's on a fluffy pillow. No regrets at all spending the money with Marty, I highly recommend him.

[Catman]

Mike Pearson, In the back of my mine I was a where of the difference between tracks & their way of prepping them, but your comment woke me up & I opened my logbook, got out a pen & calculator & tried to do some averaging & figured my car may not be as bad as I thought. In 48 runs & 6 different tracks the diff. was .069 Low was 1.285 High was 1.354
1 track in 7 runs was .025 diff. Low 1.292 High 1.317 another track in 7 runs was .027 diff. Low 1.312 High 1.339. Looks in line with what your car does.

Car has 2 way adjustable coilover VariShocks on the front, I keep them fairly tight & wheelie bars fairly low to keep front end from coming up to high.

I do believe the car dead hooks, but I may still be off in the clutch area, don't have a real good handle on that yet.

Would like to know more about how you set your ladder bars up. If you don't mind sharing, I know how much time & effort the S/SS guys put into their cars & don't want everything to be public knowledge.

Maurice, Engine is 413 cu.in. alcohol fuel injected sbc. G-Force 2400 trans. Ram single disc. clutch, 9 1/2 in. 4:86 M/W rear, 31.25/12.2W M/T tires, last time on scales 3038 lbs. 1647 frt. 1391 rear. Best run 9.04 1.285 147 mph.

James, I think you will like your G-Force trans. they are very smooth shifting & you will appreciate the service you get from Leanord & Mike Long, I have seen them work on transmissions at the track, not saying that will happen all of the time, but I have seen it on several occasions.

NHRA 1926 thanks for your encouragement to call Marty, I will do that.

Thanks to all of the S/SS guys for helping a bracket racer. Danny

[ban617]

Why not have the Afco shocks revalved by Menscer Motorsports ???

[CMcAllister]

Originally Posted by ban617

Why not have the Afco shocks revalved by Menscer Motorsports ???

This.

Most of the custom shops I'm aware of use AFCO components. Might be cost effective, depending on how much internals will be replaced.