got a few questions to ask some experienced drag racers.

[Deadpool]

okies. i have a 2014 dart, before that i had several other FWD cars. and i plan to track the dart and maybe do a custom turbo set up some time later.

ok, here is my question. i was talking to a guy that races at the track and he stated that hardened transmission mounts and engine mounts will help keep the trans from moving while under hard acceleration and allows the shifter to find its mark without the movement of the components. will this actually help out with wheel hop? will this help my 1//4 mile time?

[turismolover22]

Poly filled mounts, or any kind of "race" style mounts are usually an improvement over stock mounts. Its not necessarily going to help with wheel hop as much, but it will help keep your motor and transmission in line. This keeps your transmission from twisting, which throws your axles out of place and eventually breaks them.As far as wheel hop is concerned, i would presume a better sway bar setup, tires, and other suspension related mods will help. These are the ramblings of a novice racer, so someone with more experience feel free to chime in.

[Tbird232ci]

They will help with wheel hop, but not prevent it. Help your 1/4 mile time? Probably not really.

If you're new to running a FWD car at the track, especially a turbo one, don't spend money on mods, and spend time in the car figuring out how to really drive it.

[cordes]

Welcome to the site!

[Deadpool]

Welcome to the site!

wow, thanx i actually been reading some things on here and completely forgot to post my first,lol.

thanx for the info. i thought be better to ask some more responsible adults about the racing stuff, seems like now a days most the new "Forums" are kids who think that they are suppose to go over 100 on the street.

[Keito]

Easiest way to eliminate wheel hop is slicks
Can you at least get a drag radial setup on the Dart? Steel wheels available?
It's way more fun drag racing when traction isn't a major issue when launching
Take it from someone with an SRT-4, it's hard not to spin and I always use drag radials
Now my GLH with slicks is fun, just mash it.

[Tbird232ci]

Easiest way to eliminate wheel hop is slicks
That and it's way more fun drag racing when traction isn't a major issue when launching
Take it from someone with an SRT-4, it's hard not to spin and I always use drag radials
Now my GLH with slicks is fun, just mash it.

I can't really agree with the traction factor making it less fun. Last I was at the track, which was the first time in a FWD turbo car, I had an absolute blast. I was on old street tires, and was struggling to get traction. My first run was a 2.9 60ft. Then it was a 2.6, then a 2.5. Each run, I was figuring something out, and seeing how it changed my MPH and my ET. I loved it, and it taught me a lot about the car.

[Deadpool]

well i know with slicks, too much grip on stock trans can end in a broke trans. i seen hondas drop trans at the track from slicks.

they have steelies for the dart, but i dont have any. i have the stock 18's im sure i could probably get some from someone on the dart site when they get rims.

[turbovanman²]

Wheel hop breaks parts more than traction. A stock Dart shouldn't break anything with traction. Street cars are brutal for causing wheel hop, so get some drag radials or slicks but an LSD is really needed to get both slicks warm.

STAY out of the waterbox with street tires.

[85boostbox]

Wheel hop breaks parts more than traction. A stock Dart shouldn't break anything with traction. Street cars are brutal for causing wheel hop, so get some drag radials or slicks but an LSD is really needed to get both slicks warm.

STAY out of the waterbox with street tires.

I cannot stress this enough. To many times have I seen people with street tires in the burnout box cooking them like slicks or drag radials. Most you're supposed to do is go around the box and spin then just enough to get the dirt off the tread.

Paul

[glhs875]

I cannot stress this enough. To many times have I seen people with street tires in the burnout box cooking them like slicks or drag radials. Most you're supposed to do is go around the box and spin then just enough to get the dirt off the tread.

Paul

That is all I ever did when running street tires. Was able to pull 1.9' s for 60' most all the time!!

[85boostbox]

Were you using the box?

[glhs875]

Were you using the box?

If you are asking me? No, I never used the burnout box with street tires. I would only spin the tires enough to clean them off, then I would stage the car.

[85boostbox]

Ok. Just making sure that people were in agreeance with me Lol.

[Deadpool]

when i used the box, i only did a quick chirp to clean them.

well with the new info that was released from both Ralph gilles and ALLPAR. im gonna wait for the new 2.0 hurricanes to be released and not do a turbo set up on this car. i feel as it Ralph chose to now use the dart's current 2.4 because of the oil squirters/pressure set up.

[Tbird232ci]

A lot of guys would spin through the water box to clean the tires off. I would drive around the water box and then stage. I was probably one of 5 guys on street tires doing so.

[crusty shadow]

if you're running street tires all you need is just a quick spin in the box to expose fresh rubber. like 1 second of spinning the tires is plenty. also try experimenting with lowering your tire pressure. sometimes dropping down 10 -15 psi can make a noticeable difference.

[QwikEVO]

If you drive through the waterbox on street radials, you are the group of people that needs a swift kick in the nuts. Twice.

[ATaylorRacing]

Someone asking questions for experienced drag racers.....let me share.

With normal street tires I go around the water...or through it if they don't sweep all the way to the sides. Then do 2-3 dry hops to clean off the tires. I've seen too many drivers to count do water burn outs then complain that the track is crap because they cant hook...because water is dripping on to their tires from the fender wells or water is still in the tread of the tires.

Excessive burn outs also make slicks harder since the oils in the rubber get boiled out.

Top Fuel and Funny Cars used to due LONG burnouts years ago but have switched to much shorter ones....reason being, by the time they back to the starting line the heat has already dissipated.

On a low hp car (Matchbox and Cheapskate) solid or much stiffer mounts DO help lower ets. Power braking helps with an automatic because you are preloading the drivetrain, but better mounts work better yet. When you launch and your drivetrain moves before the car does it costs et. The mounts do also help out on wheel hop, but so does stiffer shocks, springs, and stickier tires. Putting a solid strut on the Neon in place of the bobble strut picked up about .25 in the quarter.

My experience has accumulated from 1983 to the present...mostly fwd cars with manual and automatics...11.8 second nitrous fed GLH turbo to a 19.9 second 3 banger Geo Metro....oh yeah, and 42 NHRA/IHRA championships.

[ATaylorRacing]

I can't really agree with the traction factor making it less fun. Last I was at the track, which was the first time in a FWD turbo car, I had an absolute blast. I was on old street tires, and was struggling to get traction. My first run was a 2.9 60ft. Then it was a 2.6, then a 2.5. Each run, I was figuring something out, and seeing how it changed my MPH and my ET. I loved it, and it taught me a lot about the car.

NO TRACTION SUCKS! Wed evening I took my newly acquired 99 Z28 to test and tune at Indy. I removed the bottle and had no slicks...I also don't have a fire jacket. The car has ran a 10.80 at 129 with nitrous and slicks, mid 11s without the bottle. It had been a couple of years since I went to one of these events and was shocked when they put pylon on the rubber when cars with street tires pulled up. There was no traction for this beast until I hit 4th gear. In all 5 passes the 60' times were slower than the 16 second Matchbox and twice the 330' was slower than the Box too! The best pass was garnered by leaving at 2000 rpm in second gear...still spinning...13.39 while the fresh off the street first pass was a 13.75. The trap speeds were nice...116-119 mph and I used 5th gear on every pass too! The only fun I had was that on 3 passes I beat a 2014 ZR1 Vette to the finish! One of the passes I flat out ran him while two of them I treed him. It was a BEAUTIFUL arrest me red supercharged piece rated at 638 hp! He said that he never hooked either...in ANY of his 6 passes, even while using a five setting traction control. My car was a bit over $11,000 with tax...I wonder what he spent!

- - - Updated - - -

Oh yeah....I just ordered a set of M/T DOT slicks since I was told that those would be allowed to run with the slick tired guys...in the groove. I have a certificate to buy one, get one free for being second in the United Manual Transmission Racers points series last wear.