drag suspension advice

[oneslow2v]

I'm no suspension expert so I need some help on piecing the last little bit of my suspension. It's an 02 gt, I only drive it Friday's and Saturdays. It's mainly a street car but I'd to track it every once and a while.

I already have a team z kmember, strange coilovers for the front with lakewood 90/10 strut, cast and camber plates.

What I need help with is the rear...I've looked at panhard bars, torque arms, thicker sway bars, and upper and lowers. I don't know the best route. I know if I get the torque arm it eliminates the uppers, but I've read that's mainly for road racing.

I run a 28" tall tire with 373 gears. My budget is around 2,000 and noise isn't an issue. Thanks for the help and advice!

 

[blacksheep-1]

OK..IMO the stock triangulated 4 link is a disaster for any type of road racing, but it can be made to work for drag racing. I've installed several UPR units like this (http://www.uprproducts.com/mustang-chrome-moly-rear-suspension-kit.html) along with the appropriate shock package and floor bracing and they work well..BUT and this is a big "BUT" it will destroy the cars handling for anything else but drag racing. So the other option, really, is to go with a torque arm, this would be the best option for both street driving, handling and drag racing. Just keep in mind that whatever you go with, once you cross the line into
"drag" or "road course" suspension they are not mutually compatible, you will be giving something up on the other end of the spectrum. Do NOT use a panhard bar with the triangulated 4 link..ever. You have to decide what you use the car for, everything is a compromise. I'm thinking you need a set of 4.30-4.56 gears in there as well.

 

[02TrueBlueGT]

Do you have problems hooking? I have left my rear suspension alone besides lowering it and putting some aftermarket shocks in. Other than that everything else is stock and I can hook on a 245 drag radial. I'm auto just in case you were wondering.

 

[KLeech]

First off why in the world are you using a 28" tall tire with a 3.73? Unless your car is trapping between 120's and low 130's you are losing all kinds of time having a tire that tall. Drop down to a 26" tall tire for starters.

Do you have problems hooking? I have left my rear suspension alone besides lowering it and putting some aftermarket shocks in. Other than that everything else is stock and I can hook on a 245 drag radial. I'm auto just in case you were wondering.

On what a bolt on GT? Because I can tell you I still have a stock suspension other than lowering springs and my car wheel hopped like a mother effer when I launched it at 4k rpms at the track last week with a 26" tall Mickey Thompson drag radial. Still managed a 1.78 sixty foot, but it has tons left in it with suspension.

In for some good suggestions of suspension as well though, I know the basics and what you have to do to get it to hook, but I would love to hear some working combos people have.

 

[02TrueBlueGT]

I have a Vortech V1, 3.73s and a 3200 stall converter. That's it. Hooked on a Nitto 245/45/17 555r. Cut a best of 1.65 60'. Don't hook every single run, but does a good job.

Just in case you aren't believing...

 

[CalBoy101]

Your 60' time is about right for your ET, so when it hooks its hooking pretty good, you're already doing pretty well for 245 drag radials.

With the stock suspension geometry on these cars the rear tends to squat at the hit, unloading the tires, which could be giving you the inconsistency problems.

Going to stiffer rear springs and shocks helps as it gets the squat more under control, you need a shock that gets stiffer in compression.

Strange makes an adjustable rear shock for our cars that gets pretty stiff at full setting and isn't too bad price wise but they tend to rattle a little during around town driving.

If you haven't lowered the car already a cheap way to get stiffer springs while also dropping the rear down a little is to cut 1/2 turn off the top of the rear springs.

In addition to making the springs stiffer the lowering also helps improve the rear end geometry so it doesn't squat and unload the tires as much.

I'd try those things before anything more expensive.

But if you need more I'd look at parts that alter the geometry to not only eliminate the squat but make the rear plant the tires instead.

Baseline Suspension and Team Z Motorsports both make upper control arm kits that alter the rear geometry to make the rear plant instead of squat.

But I don't think these kits will improve your 60 that much, its already pretty good but they will make it more consistent.