Car Craft Magazine Homepage Car Craft

 

Jeff Smith's Blog

Chassis Tuning a Chevelle for a Better Launch

Posted August 13 2009 05:00 AM by CarCraft 
Filed under: Editorials

Last blog, I talked about tuning my Chevelle to improve e.t. and the launch without working on the engine.

 


Many car crafters don’t pay attention to the rear suspension and especially how critical shock absorbers are to even a drag race car. When the car launches, the rear suspension does not take a static set. Instead, it’s constantly changing the dynamic location of the instant center as well as dynamic changes in rear tire load. The key is to find an instant center location that hits the tire that will help the car launch while also not negatively affecting the car throughout the rest of the run down the quarter-mile. One way this can be tuned is with adjustable shocks. Ideally, a double-adjustable shock is a great way to fine-tune the rear suspension because compression valving can be adjusted separately from rebound. For example, a stiffer compression adjustment may help slow the rate at which the rear tires are planted, while a softer rebound change would allow the rear suspension to move freely. Each car will be different, but by making single changes and evaluating the results, the car should begin to improve its 60-foot times. One thing always worth mentioning is that if you make more than one change at a time, you will not be able to truly evaluate the actual results of each change.

 

Share This Share This

Add a Comment:   (Must Be Registered)
User Name
Password
Comment
Chevrolet Camaro Research
Chevrolet Camaro When purchasing a new car it is important to be prepared and know all the information in order to make a good decision. Research the Chevrolet Camaro and find reviews and information on fuel economy, features, options, specs, reviews and more. The 2010 Camaro goes for a suggested retail price of $22,245.00, and has drivers side crash test ratings of 6 stars and passengers side crash test ratings of 6 stars. The Pontiac G6 and the Dodge Charger are other vehicles that might interest you.
  • RSS Feed
    • Add to My Yahoo!
    • Add to Google
    • Subscribe on Bloglines
    • Subscribe on NewsGator
    • MyMSN
    • My AOL
    • Add to NetVibes
    • Add to Rojo
    • Add to NEWSBURST
    • Add to Technorati
    SUBSCRIBE TO OUR BLOGS


Get Adobe Flash player