TRACTION HELP

[81elcamino]

hey guys im having horrible traction with my elco. it currently has a coan 350 trans and a 305 h/o outta a monte and its got ported heads, 442 lift cam, header, intake, and a 125 shot. will the 125 shot its gotta be making maybe a lil over 400 hp and the car just peels the tires like its on ice and still kinda squeels them without the spray. I have only had it on the street and not at the track yet so the tires have never been heated up like their soposed too. as far as suspension goes it has a 9inch with 3.70 gears, upper and lower umi non adjustible trailing arms, lakewood traction bars, CE 90/10 front and i think 70/30 rearand the tires are 245-60-15 quick times with an 8inch prostar rim(3.5 B/S). now i havent tried the air bag but im gunna once next year rolls around. another question i have is should i run adj upper arms and/or ditch the slapper/traction bars for the relocater brackets? aslo running a bigger tire is gunna help a lot so i was wondering if anybody knew if the hoosier quick time pro 27 x 11.50-15 tire would fit with my rim combo. the sectional width/tread with i know will fit but im no sure on a 27 inch tire tho. the reason im asking is because im building an alum headed 388 that should have about 550hp on spray and if im not hookin up now ill never with that motor. also will a roll bar or anti roll bar help my problem too? i know its loooong but thanks for reading/helping. joe

 

[jrm81bu]

You might want to try some adjustable uppers. The upper mounts on the 9" seems to be high enough to throw of the pinion angle and instant center. With the adjustable uppers you can correct the pinion angle. You might also want to try it without the lower arm relocation brackets, might help with the instant center and the higher mounting points of the uppers.

 

[monte olrac]

It's a el-camino so no matter what you do to it its going to spin those tires like no other, you can put the link bars and all that on, it but until you get some slicks in the back expect it not to hook, so do like jrm81bu said, but only expect results once you get some slicks in the back

 

[turbo78]

i installed southside machine bars and an ARB and i tell ya, before the arb, my 78 would do the g-body shuffle when i put the mash on it, but now it stays completely level and seems to really plant the rearend and go.

 

[81elcamino]

thanks guys, i dont have the relocater brackets , i have lakewood slapper bars, i was wondering if the relocater brackets would be better than the slapper bars. ill try new uppers then see if that size tire will fit and then go from there, thanks a lot guys. joe

 

[JESSE]

I have the relocator brackets and a arb.... i installed them in a effort to keep the front wheels on the ground
my car leaves straight and i get 1.64 60's....
the brackets change the I/C and i found out that the bottom hole hits the tires to hard so i use the second hole
here;s a pic of my set up

 

[81elcamino]

lol i have the exact oppisite problem jesse. thanks that pic really helps and when you say on the bottom holes the tires hit to hard you mean the rear grab too hard, please explain. also do you think the relocater brackets are better than the slapper bars? also do you guys think the tires i mentioned will fit? thanks a lot.

 

[shotgun]

here is a good, long read:
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=7038&start=75&hilit=hooking

I think you have too much gear with that short of a tire.

Front lower contorl arms should be level with the ground and about 5" of travel. 3 way front shocks can work.

What front springs?

Out back, lower control arms should also be level to the ground. 3 ways also can work.P/S air bag.

275/60 15 fit on every Gbody I have had. The Cutlass is wearing 30x9z.

I got 1.46 with a basic stock suspension, so it can be done.

 

[81elcamino]

thanks for the reply shotgun. i know the gearing is off for that tire but i got a good deal on the rims and tires so i was gunna burn them up then get a different size, what tire do you think that would fit would be best with those gears? the front suspension is all stock with v6 springs and comp 3 way drag shocks. so useing the rear lower control arms would work best with the relocater brackets right? thanks again

 

[shotgun]

Check Segs or Jummit for similar dimension slicks to a 275/60 15 tire. Taller is better.

If using drag radials, you need too invest in double adjustible rear shocks.

"so useing the rear lower control arms would work best with the relocater brackets right?"

Yes, no and maybe.

If you need brackets to get the rear LCA level to the ground, then yes.

If the are level now, then no.

Don't waste money on slapper bars. Get either a HR&stuff bolt in style or if mostly a ndrag car a weld in style.

Even boxing the stock lowers and adding a thick (even stock) rear sway bar is better then slappers.

How are the body bushings?

Also anything you can do to remove weight from the front by moving it back or removing it will help.

You are nose heavy so there is no magic bullet it's the whole combo that makes it work.