Spring Clamp Question

NRA223

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May 20, 2015
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After doing my research i decided to run spring clamps instead of traction bars. The consensus was run front and back for pulling and just front for racing. I don't pull so i am only running clamps in the front. It seemed to help, but i am testing on the street so i don't know for sure. If i launch at 10 psi the truck doesn't spin and pulls pretty good. At 12 psi it spins and falls on it's face. I think the issue is it transfers weight and unloads the front tires. My question is would running clamps in the back also like the pullers do help fight weight transfer?
 

NRA223

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Bilstein 5100s. I know QA1s or Rancho 9000s are better but i drive my truck in the winter and have heard of them corroding badly.
 

TheBac

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Bilsteins are not very good for racing applications. Been there, done that. If you decide to run QA1s, just keep your Bilsteins for winter.

What rpm do you launch at? Tire type/make/size?
 

NRA223

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I'm not 100% sure on the RPM, I have been letting it build some heat up and then leaving at 10 psi. I am running 285/75/16 DuraTracs on PYOs with 45 psi in the front and 40 in the rear. This tire has a soft sidewall so that PSI gives a good flat contact patch. Passenger T-bar is at stock heigh, driver side is down 2 turns form stock. I have sleeves, PISK, Bilstein stabilizer, and spring clamps.
 

OregonDMAX

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Apr 28, 2013
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I run clamps and traction bars they compliment each other well.

Billstein are too stiff. You want the rear to squat a little to get weight on the rear end but you don't want the front to lift either.

I haven't been to a real track bu when I'm playing on the street I turn my ranchos up on the front to 9 and the rears down to 3 or 4. I run them all at 6 for dd.
 

DaJokr

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Mar 7, 2013
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I'm still looking for ways to hold the front down. I keep meaning to throw my gopro under the truck and see just how much the front is lifting off the line. I know it's a decent amount. To bad you can't clamp the front down :(
 

OregonDMAX

NOT IN OREGON, NO DURAMAX
Apr 28, 2013
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I'm still looking for ways to hold the front down. I keep meaning to throw my gopro under the truck and see just how much the front is lifting off the line. I know it's a decent amount. To bad you can't clamp the front down :(

Limit straps
 

gmduramax

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Jun 12, 2008
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Limit straps will not work. Suspension stops will not work. You need the rear of the truck to rise. The front you want to keep down but you don't not want it to stiff to where it pulls the tires off the ground.
 

DaJokr

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Limit straps will not work. Suspension stops will not work. You need the rear of the truck to rise. The front you want to keep down but you don't not want it to stiff to where it pulls the tires off the ground.

Can you explain why the rear should be soft? I'm guessing it absorbs energy and limits how much the front actually lifts, but that would make Trac bar devices counter productive would it not?
 

gmduramax

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Can you explain why the rear should be soft? I'm guessing it absorbs energy and limits how much the front actually lifts, but that would make Trac bar devices counter productive would it not?

You want the rear end to lift not squat. You want shocks with soft rebound so the axle can be forced into the ground.
 

DaJokr

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I thought the only way to fight squat was to make the rear stiffer. I'm not quite wrapping my brain around how a softer rear keeps the front down I guess. In my mind a softer rear allows the front to come up even further.
 

JoshH

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I thought the only way to fight squat was to make the rear stiffer. I'm not quite wrapping my brain around how a softer rear keeps the front down I guess. In my mind a softer rear allows the front to come up even further.

Nobody said anything about making the rear soft.
 

Chevy1925

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After doing my research i decided to run spring clamps instead of traction bars. The consensus was run front and back for pulling and just front for racing. I don't pull so i am only running clamps in the front. It seemed to help, but i am testing on the street so i don't know for sure. If i launch at 10 psi the truck doesn't spin and pulls pretty good. At 12 psi it spins and falls on it's face. I think the issue is it transfers weight and unloads the front tires. My question is would running clamps in the back also like the pullers do help fight weight transfer?

i would have someone stand outside the truck and video it launching. that will give you the best starting point
 

NRA223

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Has anybody had problems with the adjustment corroding up on the Ranchos or is that just the QA1s?
 

TheBac

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Thats nothing a little PB blaster wont fix.

Wish all you guys would get yourselves to start using a consistent starting line procedure and watch the tach instead of watching the boost gauge. Its a lot easier to figure out starting line issues by varying rpm. 2000rpm seems to always be the number that we come back to for a consistent launch and to minimize/remove wheel hop.

I taught myself to "two stage" it, where I would bring the truck up to around 1200-1400 rpm to just bump into the lights, then brought it up to 2000 just before the tree fell. That way if the truck wanted to burst thru the brakes (often), I had some room to work with.
Worked well for me, but may not work in all situations though.

On my QA1s, I set the front to the highest setting, which slowed rebound (extension) down so the front didnt rise so fast, and slowed compression so the front didnt "drop" quickly after launch. With the driver's Tbar down on the stop, and the passenger's a 1/4" preloaded, the front did not noticably "pop" up in any of the video I have.
On the rear, I stayed with my Bilsteins, and at first ran spring clamps on the front, then switched to Caltracs.
Adjusting Caltracs is an art, letmetellyou. I would usually adjust them so when in a static position, they just touched the leaf---which I come to find out was incorrect---but it worked on my truck.
That setup usually netted me 1.6x - 60ft times. I would get a little wheel spin, which IMO was fine for street tires. On my regular track, I had no issue with wheel hop. At two other tracks, I did...so I had to play with the setup to figure the fix. Slightly lower rpm, play with pressure, etc.

Just remember that every track is different, every setup is different, every truck is different, every racer is different.
 
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NRA223

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Thanks for the tips Bac. Not new to drag racing but always had rwd and it's a totally different animal. Maybe I'll keep my rear shocks then and just switch the front to the Ranchos. How much difference did you see between clamps and caltracs?