BBNovaRacing.com

This is for you guys who know these answers, ready?

I have a 72 A-body chassis, Elcamino to be exact, almost identical to the Chevelle platform, my side frame rails are boxed and I think Chevelles are not, correct me if I am wrong though.

Here is the sinerio up and coming. I have retained the suspension design but not the stock parts. I have made chrome moly lower adjustable trailing bars and upper adj. bars with the no-hop brackets added, tubes welded to the center section,(12 bolt) yeah, I know, spool, c-clip elimns, 4:10 gearset, new upper support bars for the frame to axle hsg.

I have added this new drag race sway bar kit, doesn't matter what kit, I just need this answer correct or my car will no longer be.
Do I pre-load the chassis suspension first after being squared corner to corner front to rear, and then set any preload on the sway bar? Or do I go to the track with pre-load on the pass-side only and leave the sway bar nuetral to launch and get a feel and video of the reactions, then adj. the sway bar after reviews of the runs?
I need everyones input if possible that may have gone thru this already, who is going thru it now, and maybe someone who plans on using it in the future, it may keep you safer next to me some day!!!, and I hate doing paint and body work too, but I'll do it when needed, hopefully none of us will need it this year, right guys, sunny side up everyday.

So, any help may or maynot keep the gaurd rails straight where we all go racing @, and thanks for any replys.
Great site too Kevin, again!!!!!

John
O/C 9900
Black Hole Enterprises

Man, stock suspension???? I know with the 4-link stuff, we scale the car and try and make the rear tires weigh the same, adding positive or negative preload. This is done with the sway bar removed on one side. Then we connect the sway bar back up and lengthen the pass side just a tad. Lets see if anyone else has anything to add to this??

Yeah, I must crawl before I can do wheelies
Thanks for the input and I am sure you know this, the pricipal is the same as any 4 link or ladder bar, positioning is everything. Gm didn't do too bad with my setup I have and it has already proved itself on 8 sec. cars so I'll give it a try and upgrade when I hit the lottery, or win a few races, which ever comes first!
Lets see what happens next???/
Thanks Kevin.
John

Different chassis/engine (power) combinations are going to want different preloads. Most high horsepower 4 link setups are neutral or maybe just a touch of preload added. 3 link setups will usually want a bit more. You're best bet would be to put just a little preload in the suspension. When setting preload, remove the passenger side anti-roll connection. Always do this, otherwise you're preload setting/change will be screwed up because you will be preloading the anti-roll bar as well.

There are some guys that setup the suspension neutral and preload the anti-roll. I, personally think that is a bit backwards but it will work.

I don't think you have to worry about hitting the wall on your first pass though. If you have everything square, you should be in the ballpark. You'll be able to let off before things get crazy.

Thanks for the replys on the suspension loading Q. I had pretty much the same thought but needed experienced racers input to conclude my thoughts on this subject. I intendid to pre-set the rear susp. slightly, then see what the car does, or wants, then sneek up on the sway bar adj. and this, like you said Marc1166, shot put me right in the ball park as not to hit anything. My next step is to get this chassis square, find my cg/heighth, and reset the pinion angle accordingly. -2 is the most I will go below zero to so I am pretty safe here on pinion angle.
Thanks for the reply guys, this really is a great sport we have to race in huh?
Good luck to all.
John
O/C 9900

And another suspension question, who does good work on level bedplates with chassis's and suspensions? I could use a good helper here to assist this setup correctly. I am not rich, and I do not work for food, well maybe on Tuesdays,but a person who could work with me on this infinite adjustable rear suspension.

I need to perform these checks & measures because if we didn't know this info, how can we adj. accordingly? Yeah, a lot of setup work but it all pays off.
I would like to re-weigh the car now since the cage is in it and the glass is out of it, I need to know my cg/heighth for weight ballast, remember, a 72 Elky has little weight in the bed so I need to compensate for this with weight as I am nose heavy now. I also need to square the chassis up and then get the front end aligned, double check my bump steer for minimal change and move some weight around for better balance.
The car weighed 3260 before the cage and lexan were added, plus my 200 lbs. should put me right around 3600 again.
I am in Royal Oak, and will travel a little to a well know source.

Any help on who is a flexable worker in this area would really help keep me off the walls and the paint too, May is coming quickly!!!
Thanks guys.
John
O/C 9900