Advice for dragstrip please

[moobster]

Hi all. I haven't been down the track with a door car in 30 years and it's been almost 20 years since my dragster days.
Tomorrow I'm taking the 62 Dart to the track. It's ready for tech but I'm not sure about some of the prep stuff.
New 29.5x9 slicks on an 8" rim, What pressure to start with?
28" inch ET front runners, /6 torsion bars. What air pressure for the front tires?
It's got Super stock springs and an adjustable pinion snubber. How far from the floor should the snubber be when the car is sitting static?

Any help will be greatly appreciated,
Mark

 

[33 IMP]

I would start with fifteen lbs in the slicks, i used 40lbs (or more) in my goodyear eagle frontrunners. Probably fine down to about eleven in the slicks, but it might Sashay a little. I ran eleven in my 10.5x28 on an 8.5 rim.
I still don't understand pinion snubbers. With my stock 62 springs the rear of the car would raise at least four inches at launch, with ss springs, still two inches. Even with the pinion snubber against the floor static, how does it help waving in the breeze? when it leaves?

 

[cdr]

1st with Super Stock springs you should not run a pinion snubber, front tire pressure read the side of the tire & set accordingly,, rear tires radial start @ 25,, bias 15

 

[33 IMP]

Cdr is right, i forgot about radial slicks. I never used any, i guess that's why.
I've got some new 315 et street radial pros for my new car that I'm going to start at 20 lbs. Ran 8lbs on the old bias et streets, but they were 18.5x31.

 

[moobster]

I'm not sure why a pinion snubber is used, the car is supposed to lift with the springs. The Direct connection bible shows how to build a pinion snubber, which I followed to a tee, and suggests using it with SS springs, I just don't understand why?

 

[moobster]

Cdr is right, i forgot about radial slicks. I never used any, i guess that's why.

The slicks are MT, bias ply, et drag slicks, so I'll start at 15psi and go from there. Thanks

 

[33 IMP]

I ve got a nice sturdy home-built one, much stronger than the one @biomedtechguy bent all up. Its been sitting on a shelf since 1993.
Edit: forgot to quote, referring to adjustable snubber.

 

[dvw]

The smaller the slick the heavier the car, the higher the pressure. Id start at 17-18psi. 11 is way to low. Even with my M/T bias 31x10.5 @3350lbs I run 13.5 psi (1.250 60ft). With M/T bias 9x28 on a friends 65 Belvedere he runs 17psi. Car is deadly consistent on Super Stock springs in the 11.30's.
Doug

 

[Lefty71]

I think the pinion snubber is supposed to keep things from getting crazy, just at the very start, and beyond that the tension applied once the car starts rolling with the gas on will prevent any wobble or shake. I think this is why the maxies had a preload, or at lease a zero clearance spec. Like you guys have said, the car body should rising up.....but if it has any shake or wobble starting off, then the spring action and resulting reaction back and forth will cause a loss of traction. the snubber simply prevents this problem from the get-go. That's the way I assumed they work anyway.

 

[moobster]

Everything is packed and ready for the track tomorrow.
Thanks for all the help guys, wish me luck!!!

 

[Dan64]

Have fun with it,go get 'em!

 

[383man]

I can say when I put the 3400 lb SS springs on my 63 I never put my pinion snubber back on and the car works great without it. I did put it on later and it made no difference at all on my car. So I don't run a pinion snubber as I just use the SS springs and the longer MP shocks. Myself I feel a snubber will help some if your springs are weak or don't work good. But with good working SS springs I don't think you will see any help with the snubber. Ron

 

[LemonWedge]

Hoping to see some good reports......

 

[Budnicks]

keep us all posted

good luck & have fun

have someone take photos or videos ever better
especially take good starting line shots
so you can see the effects of the springs
& what the tires are actually doing

keep track/notes of all the changes you make & what kind of
conditions you're dealing with for future references

 

[moobster]

13.38 @102mph Track was well prepped, Street Outlaws were also there on Sunday. No spin whatsoever, 1.89 60 foot, leaving @5800rpm side stepping the clutch. Deadhooking the car but not enough power to get off the line.
Sure was fun to go down the track again though.
This clutching and shifting is way different, then using a delay box with Glide and a transbrake...lol

 

[dvw]

13.38 @102 is real good ET for that mph.
Doug