Drag suspension tips?

Musturd

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I had the mm Panhard bar it's a great piece ... But back on topic , solid bushings work great and double adjustablea rule for straight line
 

MustangChris

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what adjustment options does the upper double-adjustable units give? like, pinion angle?
 

MadStang

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so.... I'm a MM nut-hugger and they suggest sticking with the OEM rubber bushings.... now that MadStang has posted pictures of his, i'm starting to second guess that advice.

is that advice targeted towards road-racing, or drag racing, or both, or neither (street car only) ??

if you're keeping the stock 4-link suspension for corner carving you MUST run rubber bushings in the UCA. Why? Because the UCA's will work against themselves and you're going to have severe axle bind. This is why ford used rubber in the bushings because it can deflect some of the load without binding.

This being said, there's an easy way to reduce axle bind, but I do not recommend it for drag racers because even with welding I still think you'd rip the hell out of the torque boxes. It's call a PM3L (poor mans 3 link). Basically you eliminate the driver side UCA, get 1 double adjustable UCA with spherical rod end and a spherical axle bushing and run that on the passenger side. This will locate the axle forward and aft. Then you MUST add either a Panhard bar or Watts Link to control the side to side, because without the driver side UCA the axle is going to fly all over the place without something to locate it laterally. This is the setup I run and I gotta say it's an awesome improvement over the stock 4 link design. I have grip for days now...

This pic was before I put in the Battle Box Reinforcement...

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MustangChris

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interesting. What are your suggestions on hitting the straight line with an occasional turn? I love the 1/4 mile, but I dont want to install a through-trunk set up that will limit future options if my interests change.
 

MadStang

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eliminating the upper control arms would be the best way. Torque arm and watts link would be what I would do, but most people go for a torque arm and panhard bar because it's cheaper.
 

MustangChris

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a TQ arm and Watts are totally reversible if, say, i grow a pair of balls and decide to hit a corner at some point?
 

MadStang

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a TQ arm and Watts are totally reversible if, say, i grow a pair of balls and decide to hit a corner at some point?
torque arm and watts link are good for both drag and corner carving. the torque arm will help promote traction and the watts link will control the lateral movement of the axle down the track.

Torque arms get welded into the subframe connectors, so they're not really reversible. Watts links are reversible depending on who you buy from.

Fays2 = Reversible. Bolt on kit, attaches to the frame and axle with bolts.
Cortex = Not Reversible without breaking welds
Griggs = Farthest from reversible, you have to cut a hole in the trunk for clearance.
 

MustangChris

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thanks brotha for the education. I just replaced my upper bushings and put in my lower control arms and called it good..... didnt have a lot of money to throw at it.
 

SVT CAMR

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Try tightening up your rear shocks to start out. You may also need to lower the rear of the car also. All cars like different things. Try this have a friend sit in your car at race weight with tires and everything as if it was staged at the starting line. Next you need a tape measure.

Measure the front and rear bolts of the lower control arms from the ground to the center of the bolt.

I like the front bolt about 1/8" to a 1/4" lower than the back.

Lowering or raising your car (Front Bolts on control arms) can be done by cutting springs or using weight jackers.

Think of your lower control arms as your hands pushing a refrigerator. if you push to high the refrigerator tips over, if you push to low your feet slip on the floor, then there is that sweet spot where you push and get maximum efficiency to push the frig forward.

This will be a good read for you.
http://www.baselinesuspensions.com/info/Launching_A_Drag_Car.htm
http://www.baselinesuspensions.com/instant-center.php
 

twovalveterror

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that PM3L is sweet! never heard of it before. any plans for a TA down the road? which watts link do you have, and why does it have to be the passenger side UCA that is retained?
 

MadStang

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that PM3L is sweet! never heard of it before. any plans for a TA down the road? which watts link do you have, and why does it have to be the passenger side UCA that is retained?

No need for a TA. Does the exact same thing but weighs less. I'm running a Fays2 Watts. Passenger UCA is retained for mainly for PHB setups since the chassis mount is on the passenger side and the axle mount is on the driver side. keeps the UCA from binding from twist that way since any articulation will occur to learns the driver side. versus a watts link which has a very stable movement where no binding is possible regardless.
 

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