Hi Guys

From famous pros to weekend warriors, our friendly members will help answer your tech questions.
User avatar
dnewnova
Posts:105
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:55 am
Location:Seattle WA
Hi Guys

Postby dnewnova » Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:12 pm

A drag racing newbee here with a question
My car is a 3rd gen Nova
and I am trying to figure out the spring rate I need for the front end
car weight is 3100# with driver and a 51/49% split to the front
I have a koni coil spring conversion on the front with rack and pinion steering, at present I have 12" 350# springs in there and its rock solid so how do I get a spring rate that will support the front end yet give me some energy to raise when I leave the start line.
hope that s not too dumb a question to start off with
Thanks

User avatar
draglist
Site Admin
Posts:13792
Joined:Wed Feb 22, 2006 7:23 pm
Location:Waldorf MD
Contact:

Postby draglist » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:34 pm

I will leave the tech up to the other guys, but welcome to the board. bp
Bill Pratt
Draglist.com - Crowdsourced drag racing history.
Headlines and Results: http://www.draglist.com/
Drag Lists: http://www.draglist.com/draglist/draglist.php

User avatar
dnewnova
Posts:105
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:55 am
Location:Seattle WA

Thanks

Postby dnewnova » Fri Aug 03, 2007 9:46 pm

Thanks Bill
I hope to be a regular user and hope I can gain some knowledge i have always been into drag racing and raced a bike back in UK some 20years ago but this is my first attempt at building a car for Drag Racing.
I love drag racing, guns, rock and roll, my new 5"Dynomax Bullets.blower whine and the quiet life.
sorry you have to speak up
http://users.glowfoto.com/dnewnova

User avatar
jim sanders
Posts:8740
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:54 am
Location:St.Louis Mo.
Contact:

Postby jim sanders » Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:01 pm

8) WELCOME
GOOD TO GO !!
Uncle Curt Wasson album
[url=http://www.glowfoto.com/users2/gatorgumbo][img]http://www.glowfoto.com/siteimages/linktogallery.gif[/img][/url]

Maritime Drag Racing

Postby Maritime Drag Racing » Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:59 am

350 lb springs are way too stiff. But how to figure out the right ones? Saw this method used many many years ago by a guy with a small block 1972 Camaro - he removed the springs from the coilovers, put a bottle jack on a scale under the centerline of the spindles and crawled under with a tape measure. He got me to raise and lower the jack a little bit a half dozen times then emerged with a number of 220 lbs/inch. How ever he came up with that number I don't know but the car always hooked good afterwards. Car was basically stock in the front end with a 'glass hood and the coilovers. Maybe something in that range 200 - 250 might be close for you.

User avatar
Eric David Bru
Posts:505
Joined:Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:32 pm
Location:The Skunk Works
Contact:

Postby Eric David Bru » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:55 am

I wonder if he was calculating the difference between the sprung and unsprung weight of the front of the car... ?

EDB
Outlaw Eric :cool:

User avatar
pro70z28
Posts:11682
Joined:Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:17 pm

Postby pro70z28 » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:07 pm

Or playin' Russian Roulette with the jacks. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
15th Annual DRAGLIST Nationals Sometime in 2020. Somewhere in the USA.

User avatar
dnewnova
Posts:105
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:55 am
Location:Seattle WA

spring rate

Postby dnewnova » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:38 pm

Thanks Guys
I sat down last night and read my "DOORSLAMMERS" book again and re did the calculations from the diagram thereafter rechecking twice I came up with 225# so Thats what I will order but I am going with a slightly taller spring as well so as to crank some energy into them hopefully I appreciate your help.
Thanks
ps:Dave Morgan is a moderator over on www.Dragstuff.com with Dave Lemmond
I love drag racing, guns, rock and roll, my new 5"Dynomax Bullets.blower whine and the quiet life.
sorry you have to speak up
http://users.glowfoto.com/dnewnova

User avatar
dnewnova
Posts:105
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:55 am
Location:Seattle WA

Maritime

Postby dnewnova » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:43 pm

350 lb springs are way too stiff. But how to figure out the right ones? Saw this method used many many years ago by a guy with a small block 1972 Camaro - he removed the springs from the coilovers, put a bottle jack on a scale under the centerline of the spindles and crawled under with a tape measure. He got me to raise and lower the jack a little bit a half dozen times then emerged with a number of 220 lbs/inch. How ever he came up with that number I don't know but the car always hooked good afterwards. Car was basically stock in the front end with a 'glass hood and the coilovers. Maybe something in that range 200 - 250 might be close for you.

Looking back you were right on with your range
so my other 10,000 questions on setting my car up are !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P :P :P :P :P
I love drag racing, guns, rock and roll, my new 5"Dynomax Bullets.blower whine and the quiet life.
sorry you have to speak up
http://users.glowfoto.com/dnewnova

User avatar
Eric David Bru
Posts:505
Joined:Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:32 pm
Location:The Skunk Works
Contact:

Postby Eric David Bru » Sat Aug 04, 2007 12:56 pm

Or playin' Russian Roulette with the jacks. :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:
One would hope that they had some jackstands under there as well... :oops:

EDB
Outlaw Eric :cool:


Return to “Tech Questions”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 5 guests