If a rear shock is too stiff will it cause a drag radial not to hook?

Tried a car out this weekend, has stock rear shocks.....it would not hook at all.....I spun and smoked the tires to a 1.80 I was going to rec. a drag shock for the rear. But if it is too stiff will it be even worse?

I think it should plant the tire good but not much experience with the DR's

 

Stiff shocks are normally considered stiff on rebound (extension)

 

Man, there is so much about traction to know and I know very little of it! In very general terms, we are dealing with weight transfer and torque reaction. I think (and I am far from any kind of a guru about this) that as far as shocks go, the fronts have quite a bit to with weight transfer, more so than the rears. The classic "drag shock" on the front extends very easily and is fairly firm on compression. It's easy to see how this would influence weight transfer. At the rear, I think you want a fairly loose shock to allow the torque reaction to occur unimpeded.

Probably best to ignore me on this subject.

Rich

 

If its a stock shock, I'd say its junk and needs to be replaced.

Firm shock settings for better tracks (both comp and rebound). Watch some of the better hooking cars in the lanes, then go around and give them a quick push down on the car of the car while its at rest.

Watch the front of your car closely if your blowing off the tires, the problem may be from too loose a shock up front.

 

I ordered some for the rear.....

I keep mine right in the middle...qa1's....and I never had a problem before.

 

I am far from an expert and i have heard many different approches. Everything from make it squat like crazy to keep the rear stiff and the front loose.

IMHO
I have much more experiance with triangulated 4 links in g/b bodys.
I have always set my cars up with stiff + tall springs in the rear and stock soft+short springs in the front. I dont really get fancy with the shocks KYB monomax/agx or bilstein hd. I really think the pinion angle and rake of the car have alot more to do with weight transfer then anything else.
And if need be a airassist bag on the passenger side rear to keep it flat as it leaves.

Ive picked this setup up from my father and his friends and i see it being used with alot of other g/b bodys. How that translates to the 4gen is a good question thou.

 

I'm not an expert on drag radials and have never owned a set myself. However, I've seen some very fast cars at the track (mid, high 9s) with drag radials that had bad wheel-hop issues during the launch for no apparent reason. Conversely, other cars on the same day at the track with conventional slicks (bias belted) didn’t have any problems.

WD

 

yeah there is an art to drag radials.......and im no artist so they are going in the ****ing trash next week....

 

personally i have always liked the et streets, not only are they good on the street they really hook at the track

 

These Goodyears are working great for me 29" x 10.0. 1.48, 60ft times! New set for the 2008 season,

WD

 

What rpm are you trying to launch with?
What stall is your convertor?
Watch your front end travel, try to slow it down once fully extended.

A drag radial is not as forgiving as a biased ply tire is off the initial hit, so don't try to hit it with everything you have at the hit. Once the tire gets to the 60' i can handle any level of power.

Check your timing curve as well.

 

The front end isn't traveling much....I think that is the problem. I'm going to put some qa1 on the front in a few weeks. Got some drags shocks on the rear this week, try it out tommorow

 

You could try the Hoosier drag radials. At my level they are amazing. I put them on at the beginning of last season and never had a bad launch all year, not one. Can't say that about ET streets or Hoosier QTPs as I lost rounds on both due to spinning on the launch.

My 60s are in the mid to high 1.4s with the 275-60x15s on 15x8 Prostars.

 

Well got some cheap 3 way rears...set them on 50/50

Car cut good consistant 60' picked up mph and et in the 1/8. I mean she left good all day....

Went 7 rounds, made it in the semi's and took home a trophy. This was my brother driving....only his second time driving at the track ever......and last week was test and tune.

Next we are going with a 503 cam and qa1's in the next month or so.

Not bad for a stock motor with shorties.....cut 1.80 8.10@ 88.7 ran right on the number all day.

 

Sweet deal and congrats!!!!.