car setting 1'' higher on right side,

Old 02-08-2010, 07:27 PM
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andybyrd
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Default car setting 1'' higher on right side,

I wan't to thank everyone that has been replyen to all my questions, I've had a lot. and now another, I haven't worked for a year now so I just have a lot of time on my hands and I can't get the chassis guy to call me back for the scaling. so I've been doing a lot of reading. some I understand some I don't but I read a post in here today that got my attention. it was a 2007 post from my edvanceengines about a man that had his car comming off the line with the right side up 4'' higher than the left side and he said he had only seen that happen on 2 cars in his life and those 2 cars were ones that he was just making crazy experimental type adjustments on and that he no dought had to work them out, now my car does the very same thing, right side up everytime 4'' higher than the left. wether its 2' off the ground or 4' off the ground the right side is allways higher. now as I stated in another post with my 5.14 gear and the wheelie bars it comes out and went to the right 3 times then it started going to the left. so I went home and checked everything out the only thing I found wrong was my panhard bar brakett was about to fall off so I tightened it up put a 5.67 gear in it to bring my rpms up to 6900 in the 1/8 from 6200 and man you could not drive the car. it's 60' foot braking with the 5.67 was 1.35 and with the 5.14 foot braking was 1.42 comming out with the 5.14 on the Trans brake @4000 it would go 60' @1.36 and I drove the car with pleasure untill I put the 5.67 in it. so what I have come up with is that now I want to learn how to do all these adjustments myself. Now I'm not stupid I'm just Ignorant about this part of the game. so I have a simple question. when your car pulls right hard out of the box do you need more or less preload on the right rear tire, now if it pulls you hard to the left what would be your first thought. now in the title I wrote my car sets 1'' higher on the right than the left all the way from front to back. it is a 85 camaro it has strange struts in the front and Alden eagle coilovers in the rear and the front is stiff as a brick you can set on it and it don't move. is this 1'' higher thing the preload thats in the car on the right. I allways just thought it was built that way but the more I read the stupider I feal. so I know this is a long post but I had no other way of asking. I know I could put the 5.14 back in it and it would be ok but I know this 5.67 is going to make this thing get right and I may have to go back down to a 5.43 but I at least need to try the 5.67 being I've already put it in. Thanks for any help
Andy
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Old 02-08-2010, 07:39 PM
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TheYellaBrick
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STIFF as a brick ????!!!!!
Man, you need to make sure your front suspension is absolutely free of binding and loosen up those springs! It sounds to me that you are waaaayy too tight up front ! Gotta let it work a bit. Pull the springs and check for complete free movement throughout the suspension travel.
How old are the front struts ? Could they be binding ?
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Old 02-09-2010, 08:58 AM
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Put jack stands or blocks under the frame before You do this and a floor jack under the rear end.Remove the front bolt from 1 ladder bar.let the car down on all 4 wheels and roll it back and forth a few times.If it's still high on the right side it's binding someware or the springs need adjusted. If it goes level the ladder bars need adjusted.Bill.
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Old 02-09-2010, 10:42 AM
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andybyrd
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Thanks guys I just came in from taking the rear end out and puting it back in. it all looks perfect. it was set up in the middle hole on the ladder bar front bracket and I moved it down one. I was told that would keep it from comming up so high in the front and I was also told that by moving it down 1 hole that it would not change pinion angle is this true, I hope because this was not a real easy job by myself, and as far as the front end I allways thought it was a little tight. the struts are 5 years old. I may need to loosen up the springs some. I bought the car like this it handles fine going down the track. I'm just trying to get it to leave straight and not real high. after lowering it one hole now the right side set uo 1.5'' on the right side I'm gonna go out now and check the right side preload and see if it's picking it up.
Thanks Andy
1 hour after this reply I have it now perfectly level by taking the preload off the right side. the car now sets level in the back and the front, the rear is 2'' higher than the front and it also loosened up the front end dramaticly I guess with the preload it had on it it made the front end stiff. well now I have to ask would it be wise to go to the track and start at equal or should I put some preload on the right side. so you will know the set up.it is a 2500# 85 camaro back half 2x3 frame ladder bar car 14 x 32 tires 434 sbc 670 h/p - 1.76 P/G right now it's best time 1.35 60ft -6.09 1/8 @112 mph going through the trap @6200rpm w/5.14 thats why I'm trying the 5.67 gear I need it to go at least 6900 rpm @ the 1/8 --my H/P peak doesnt come in untill 6700 rpm and all I run is 1/8 mile tracks
Thanks guys yall are really helping alot.
Andy
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Old 02-09-2010, 03:40 PM
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wmeabates
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Moving the front of the bar will change the pinion angle,but so will taking 1.5 inches or pre load out.When I had a ladder bar car 15 years ago I know I had pre in the right side.I think I set the front rod end hole .5 in down on the right side with the left side bolted up then raised the right side of the car to get the bolt in.Double adj. bars make it easier.Should be a fun car when You get it right,or good enough like I end up most times.Good luck.Bill.
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Old 02-09-2010, 04:36 PM
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The rod end would be set .5 in higher not lower like I just said,so that when the frame is raised up the mounting hole and the rod end would line up.Bill.
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Old 02-09-2010, 06:35 PM
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andybyrd
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Thank you Bill, I've been reading for the last few hours on this and and I think I'm getting close to understanding it a lot better. It will be fun as soon as I can get it comming straight out of the Hole. Man when I put that 5.67 gear in it I did'nt put my wheelie bars back on because I was just gonna foot brake it and I had no Idea there would be that much difference in a 5.14 to a 5.67 WOW I couldnt drive it it went straight up to the left wall and came down about a foot from it. Thanks for helping and I'm still working on it and plan on testing this weekend. And you know you get so many different people saying so may things I guess it will be all trial and error I just don't wont to wreck it trying it out. I've read probably 60 different articles to day on ladder bar cars and set ups and it's about a 50 percent split 1/2 say what you said 1/2 a hole on the right side to the positive and the other half says they never use any pre load so I guess it all depends on the car and the power it's putting to the tires. I just needed a good starting point and you all have helped greatly.
Thanks Again Andy
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Old 02-09-2010, 08:53 PM
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Andy,
Use this point as a baseline. EVERY change you make from this point on put down on paper. KEEP RECORDS of WHAT you do and what EFFECT that change had. ONLY make ONE change/adjustment at a time. This is CRITICAL !! You start making multiple adjustments and you can get totally lost. With your baseline recorded you'll have a place to go back to if/when you get too far lost. This will also educate yourself on what cause and effect each adjustment will have on the performance of your car. HAVE FUN !!
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Old 02-10-2010, 07:13 AM
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andybyrd
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Thanks msDD That is one fine looking Cordoba you have there, Have you ever had that thing to 200mph, WOW now that looks like that would be fun and scarey, I don't know if I could go 200 mph unless it was just for a coulple of seconds, well thanks and I'll keep in touch.
Andy
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Old 02-10-2010, 08:11 AM
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Thanks, Andy. We're headed to Mojave,Ca in March for the first Mojave Mile top speed event. www.MojaveMile.com
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