TM needs your launch technique and setup

[Frank]

Post away with info for others on the best methods and setup for drag racing...

Please list body type, weight, engine size, approx hp/tq, approx 60ft times, slicks or radials, trans, etc.


Frank

[Mario]

Was the best advice I'd received from anyone, MoparBoyy AKA Alex.

From my PM archives of 2 or 3 Years ago.

1.63 60 Foot in a GLHS

bone stock A555 trans.. had Mickey Thompson 22x8x15 slicks and skinny rears..


but as for 60' times.. its all driver man.. you just got to get a good feel for the car.. my car was light and suspension was blown in the front, and i had rock hard Koni's in the rear.. but i would flare the throttle so that it would make boost when i dumped the clutch.. only like 1 or 2 psi.. but soon as i would dump it .. it would go to 25psi.. i also found that going into the burnout box.. and just use 2nd gear only.. get in the box.. throw her in 2nd and just dump the clutch would get the tires ALOT hotter...i would also ride the clutch depending on wheel spin durning the lauch.. then when you shift second.. push the clutch all the way in.. slam second and go.. i think the #1 thing is just practice... also helps to have the car sitting on the best part of the track.. cause you don't want a 1 tire fire.. LOL..

Feel free to edit this however you'd like. I figured I'd just directly quote it from him.

[turbovanman]

89 Minivan, 3600 lbs, 22 inch MT slicks on 6.5 crabs, auto with histall converter, 2.5L with T3/T4 turbo, 50 trim cold, stage III and .63 housing, OBX.

I would do a nice burnout, the track man would roll me thru the water and stop me right at the end, I would hold the brake down with my left foot and plant the gas, boost would build and it would start spinning, then it would spin and pull forward, then I would let it go and release the brake. Free rev the engine to clear it, stage, hold brake down with left foot, hold about 10-15 psi of boost then release the brake on green, and hammer the gas but not go to wot or it would spin and then lay down. After you get moving, then I would hammer it. I tried different boost levels and thats why the generic 10-15 psi, I stopped looking at just listened to my engine and developed a feel for it.

I tried tiny burnouts, medium burnouts, long burnouts and found the long ones for these tires gave me the best bite otherwise the tires would be too cold and just spin.

Best of 1.9 60 ft times and consistantly. Trying M@H 24.5 slicks this summer.

[Dave]

89 Spirit ES auto full trim, 3,030lbs with me in it. Garrett, T2 intercooler, +20's, built tranny on the stock TC, 18psi, Roughly 235 WHP. I was on 22x7.5" MT's with a stock front suspension and heavy duty rear shocks in the back.

I would boost it up in the box then quickly pull back 2nd and just let them spin for about 2 seconds then continue to burn it out of the box to get any water off.

At the line I would boost it up to about 14psi (3,400 RPMs) and gradually get in it. I would stay in it just enough to spin the tires a little, stay in the boost, not bog, and continue the motion. I was able to cut a 1.87 60' like this.

Now on my van, 3,400lbs without me in it. I cut a 2.19 60' on dead---- street tires. I just did a quick burnout, then at the line I boosted it up to 3,500 RPMs (weird how I can come out harder than my Spirit did ;)) and stay in it just like I did with my other car... enough to continue spinning the tires a tad and stay in the boost. If I didn't keep the turbo spinning I'd lose the 60' and the entire race.

I've found the trick is to keep the tires spinning a bit. Any less, than you're not coming out hard enough. You'll feel it if you're spinning them too hard. You can also note the difference in sound. The noise is much higher pitched if you're hooking rather than absolutely anhilating the tires.

[4cfed]

ok so i have yet to have this car to the track but i can tell you what works for it and what works for this car has worked with all of my 5 speed turbo dodges
i only run street tires.. as in al seasons... give them a little spin to clean them off....

now i got two launch styles here.. street and strip

#1 street... line up.. rev around 3-3500 when you take off slip the clutch untell you get about 5 psi on the boost gauge (or learn the feel of your car) then let clutch all the way out, car wil start to spin... get off the gas and right back on it as fast as you can, car should hook up hard then ( did this lastnight when it was 25 degrees out and it hooked hard enough to pul me a ful are out off the launch on a car with a better tire)
#2 strip burnout box.. avoid it if you can and if not.. spin tires long enough to get them cleaer of water.. should be cleanerd out enough 5 feet out of the box....
Stage rev to around 4500 slip it slightly then slap it off the rest of the way and hold on!!! this launch works good for up to 15 psi of boost.. mitzu or garret turbo.. (well works good in heavy daytonas and shadow es and spirit es all 5 speeds.... have gotten 2.0 60 foots on all season tires withthis launch.... it all comes down to what works for you and your car..

[silversrt4]

on g-force drag radials rev 3000 ease off 3/4 throttle, shift feather the gas untill i catch traction, shift and stay in it untill the the 1/8

[t3rse]

1.80s with 23x8.5 M&H, OBX 3.50 in GLH 5k stutter box dump leaving at 8#

[briceturbosports]

86 l body 2600 lbs with fat driver 24.5/15 m&h, 523 trans 2.2. e brake get tires smoke-in leave e brake drop roll out tires smoke-in , stage leave line at 5700 rpm drop clutch low 1.7 60 fts :nod:

[t3rse]

also, get behind the gnarliest rwd car you can in staging lanes with the biggest slicks and line up right on the tire marks, street tire cars lay down rubber which hurts slick performance

[ShelGame]

89 Daytona, 2930lb race weight (ie, w/driver), 2.5 T1 non-IC, @16psi (calculated ~200hp). I have a ballast box on the RH side (where the canister used to be) with ~85 lbs in it to balance the weight on the front tires (very effective). I do a "good" burnout 1st pass each outing - just to clean up the tires. Then I just do a quick "dry hop" each pass after that. To stage, I brake torque it just to stall (~3k rpm; only about half throttle). I setup the boost control to limit boost to 5psi at zero speed. Above that it ramps up to 10 psi below 15mph. Above 15mph, I get 16psi. I leave on the bottom yellow and get pretty consistent 0.0x reaction times. I got a 0.004 once - that was too close. I get consistent 1.9sec 60' times on 22x8 MT slicks mounted on 6.5" crabs @19psi tire pressure. Depending on the track, I can alter the front tire pressure +/- 2 psi to change the reaction time without affecting my 60' times.