What's it take to lift the front wheel(s)

[Grumpy]

What size of tires are on the back of Melissa's car? Can't tell from the pic, but it looks like the rims are Drag Lite's or something? What backspacing? Man I've spent hours reading about tires sizes and bs - very confusing.
Thanks

wellll... I have tried 3.5" ... to me it looks like a redneck car and it hits the wheel well.. we use a 15x8x4.5" backspace with a 5/16 spacer (we also have 1/2"x 3" wheel studs) tires are mickey T 275/60/15 drag radials

 

[JimP]

can't even hold boost at the line with mine but I think I have stock piled all of the parts to do so, at least help me launch with boost. Stainless steel brake flex hoses, manual S10 wheel cylinders, very soft large brake shoes).

I too have wondered what it would take to lift the front of the car. My best run 11.48 @ 118 mph, with zero boost at launch just because my car won't hold any. It pulls like crazy after the first 60 feet. I get rubber in third with drag radials. I'd love to be able to leave with boost and pull the front.

So there is hope it I apply some of the tips listed above. Excellent!

If your not bored here is a vid leaving with no boost(cause I can't hold any). The local track here is terrible in terms of prep though. I'm new to turbo buicks so still going through growing pains.

I love the pics above!

Playing with the 87 Buick GN - Video

 

[johnnyttype]

The first thing i thought of when i read that was someone is going to suggest a jack to raise the front end. :biggrin:

u mean like this

 

[whitehot1]

u mean like this

Yep,that's exactly how i saw it in my mind.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

A couple more items..

u mean like this

missing from this foto..
1. Hood is not up.
2. No engine hoist.

 

[toofastforyou]

Or like this??...


Claude

 

[PaCemkr86]

transbrake, and traction..

 

[PaCemkr86]

any more wheelie pics?

 

[rodruckus]

29.5x10.5 W Mickey Thompson, off the foot brake with 20lbs at 4,500 rpm, and hp to spare.

Mike Fujita's 3,600 lbs, twin turbo, street car lifting and carrying the front wheels. I believe the pic is from '04. He just about tripped the 60' with the rears. In Vegas, he ended up going 8.57 @159 mph. The following year at BG, he went 8.31 @165 mph. Actually, he picked up later in the day and ran an all time best of 8.27 @169 mph in 100° heat on a weeping/oozing track. But unfortunately, he only has video of his 8.31 pass.

 

[rodruckus]

From BG, here's Fujita's 8.31 @165 mph pass. The way his GN lifts, carries, and smoothly touches back down the front wheels is a thing of beauty. I've got a pic from BG of him lifting the front wheels, but I haven't been able to find it.

 

[Scarab]

like this?

 

[rodruckus]

^^^ needs wheelie bars

That looks awesome in a pic and the crowd'll always go wild. But when you come violently crashing back down, it's a good way to lose an engine and/or bust front suspension. If your front suspension's tubular, good night.

 

[RUQWKNF]

I'll chime in.

This is one of my favorite videos. It really shows the body twist when making good power.
Some of you might recognize this car and the owner.

R.I.P. Steve Grebeck... Gone, but never forgotten.

And here are some pics that show power management and setups really well.

This was me and RU at BG, trans brake launch on 12#, running M/T 28x10.5 slicks on a 15x10 Pro Stars with 4.5" back spacing. It had basic, no frills, bolt on suspension stuff. SSM rear lower control arms, boxed rear uppers, dual air bags 7psi driver side 25psi pass side, 1" Metco rear sway bar, 50/50 C/E rear shocks with 90/10's C/E front shocks and no front sway bar. 10.07 @ 135 pass with a 1.46 shorty.

RU circa 2006, when Avon was running mid 9's. Same suspension, bigger slicks and more power.

Dave's first 9.90 pass on slicks, circa 1999.
This was launching hard, aka lotta boost with basic suspension work. Notice the body twist.

Dave's car. Mid 8 second pass on slicks.
Still launching hard with the trans brake, but on better suspension and no more body twist.

Dave making a high 7 second pass on M/T drag radials, trans brake, boost controller and current suspension. However, this was before M/T drag radial Pro's existed. This is power management at it's finest. Aka NHRA Pro Stock style launches.

Foot braking wheelies take lot's of boost, 8-14psi, with a decent track and typically bias ply tires, in order to really carry the tires. Popping them vs carrying them can be the difference of an 11.90 car and a 10 flat car.

A trans brake severely shocks the suspension. Depending on power levels, I've seen a low 12 second TB pop the tires with a trans brake. I prefer foot braking up to around the low 10 level. At that point, switching to a TH400 with a trans brake makes the car more consistent and reliable, as far as the trans is concerned.
Ahh the good old days...


-Patrick-

 

[SpeedRacerX]

I'll chime in.

This is one of my favorite videos. It really shows the body twist when making good power.
Some of you might recognize this car and the owner.

R.I.P. Steve Grebeck... Gone, but never forgotten.

And here are some pics that show power management and setups really well.

This was me and RU at BG, trans brake launch on 12#, running M/T 28x10.5 slicks on a 15x10 Pro Stars with 4.5" back spacing. It had basic, no frills, bolt on suspension stuff. SSM rear lower control arms, boxed rear uppers, dual air bags 7psi driver side 25psi pass side, 1" Metco rear sway bar, 50/50 C/E rear shocks with 90/10's C/E front shocks and no front sway bar. 10.07 @ 135 pass with a 1.46 shorty.
View attachment 326524


RU circa 2006, when Avon was running mid 9's. Same suspension, bigger slicks and more power.
View attachment 326527


Dave's first 9.90 pass on slicks, circa 1999.
This was launching hard, aka lotta boost with basic suspension work. Notice the body twist.

View attachment 326523



Dave's car. Mid 8 second pass on slicks.
Still launching hard with the trans brake, but on better suspension and no more body twist.
View attachment 326513


Dave making a high 7 second pass on M/T drag radials, trans brake, boost controller and current suspension. However, this was before M/T drag radial Pro's existed. This is power management at it's finest. Aka NHRA Pro Stock style launches.



View attachment 326521

Foot braking wheelies take lot's of boost, 8-14psi, with a decent track and typically bias ply tires, in order to really carry the tires. Popping them vs carrying them can be the difference of an 11.90 car and a 10 flat car.

A trans brake severely shocks the suspension. Depending on power levels, I've seen a low 12 second TB pop the tires with a trans brake. I prefer foot braking up to around the low 10 level. At that point, switching to a TH400 with a trans brake makes the car more consistent and reliable, as far as the trans is concerned.
Ahh the good old days...


-Patrick-

Were any of these cars running the HRParts bar in the rear?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[RUQWKNF]

Were any of these cars running the HRParts bar in the rear?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Dave's yes. Actually, his car had one of the first tested prototype bars, when it was being developed. I'm not sure if Avon ever went with an HR bar, or someone else's anti roll bar setup. And I'm pretty sure it didn't exist when Lance was racing his back in the mid to late 90's.

 

[williambavila]

Like that?