Suspension and Chassis Questions about your suspension? Need chassis advice?

Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-11-2014, 12:48 PM
  #1  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Kyle86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Georgia, USA!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z28
Engine: 4.8 LS 68mm turbo
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 bolt
Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

At a few of the no-prep races I have been to, people have suggested I put weight in the trunk. About 300 lbs. Does this work in third gens? My raceweight is 3600 lbs and 275 tire and 1/8th mile asphalt surface. Around 450-550 RWHP
Old 08-11-2014, 12:53 PM
  #2  
Supreme Member

 
midias's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Henrietta NY
Posts: 4,370
Received 189 Likes on 149 Posts
Car: 1984 Trans Am L69
Engine: Sniper EFI Powered 355
Transmission: WC T5 w/ Steel Support Plate
Axle/Gears: 3.42 10 Bolt Posi
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Not sure about your application but a few hundred lbs in the trunk really helped my friends 3rd gen V6 in the snow
Old 08-11-2014, 05:31 PM
  #3  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Kyle86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Georgia, USA!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z28
Engine: 4.8 LS 68mm turbo
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 bolt
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

hmm interesting.
Old 08-11-2014, 08:36 PM
  #4  
Moderator

 
AlkyIROC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Posts: 17,108
Likes: 0
Received 120 Likes on 101 Posts
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Adding weight no matter where you put it means the engine will still need to move that extra weight to get the car moving and down the track. You will slow down.

Playing with suspension or shock settings can get better traction but if you have nothing to adjust, add the weight and prepare to run slower. The downside of adding weight is that it needs to be secure or tech will fail you.

If you're making that much HP then you need to invest in adjustable suspension.

My car has 4-link suspension and even though it's still very nose heavy, I have no problem carrying the front end past the 60' mark with a poor track or putting it on the bumper if the wheelie bars are not installed. The 16" wide slicks doesn't hurt.
Old 08-11-2014, 09:48 PM
  #5  
Supreme Member

 
DeltaElite121's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: St.Louis, IL
Posts: 1,366
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Car: 1988 Camaro
Engine: 377
Transmission: TH350; Circle D 4200 converter
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Pretty large difference between 450-and 550 RWHP, lol.. sounds to me like you need to get your suspension in check and put a good tire underneath. Adding weight like mentioned before is not fixing the problem properly and will hurt more than it will help.
Old 08-11-2014, 10:24 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (8)
 
TTOP350's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Il
Posts: 11,689
Received 745 Likes on 505 Posts
Car: 1989-92 FORMULA350 305 92 Hawkclone
Engine: 4++,350 & 305 CIs
Transmission: 700R4 4800 vig 18th700R4 t56 ZF6 T5
Axle/Gears: 3.70 9"ford alum chunk,dana44,9bolt
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

I used to put 100-150 lbs of lead shot in the rear bumper area for street duty.
The car worked well with it and a suspension set up for that on the street. I had a bunch removed from the front (300lbs or so)
Old 08-12-2014, 12:54 PM
  #7  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Kyle86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Georgia, USA!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z28
Engine: 4.8 LS 68mm turbo
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 bolt
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

450-550 hp depending on what boost is set at and just an estimate really. There is no tech inspection but I was planning on securing it anyway. Basically everyone in my power level is spinning tires the first 1/2 of the track and some all the way down. There is no way for me to not spin on this slick of a surface. What is happening is i pedal it off the line the hoss it after the 60' but it spins bad. The issue is not dead hook traction but rolling traction?

This is the type of race

Old 08-21-2014, 12:55 PM
  #8  
Junior Member
 
87 Camaro Dude's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 1987 Camaro SC
Engine: 2.8L V6
Transmission: 700R4
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

300 lbs is a lot. Adding weight would be more of a bandaid fix than actually solving your problem. What brand tires are you running?
Old 08-22-2014, 04:55 PM
  #9  
Supreme Member

iTrader: (24)
 
Pocket's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 7,883
Likes: 0
Received 58 Likes on 42 Posts
Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: Supercharged 6.0
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 3.73
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

I tried 300lbs of sand in the trunk for a quick fix for traction at 625rwhp. Still spun, ran slower

Dive into the suspension
Old 08-22-2014, 11:25 PM
  #10  
Member

iTrader: (3)
 
t-top89's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: midwest
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

I run a larger diameter tire and 140lbs of sand in the trunk on the street. I also have all the suspension goodies.

Last edited by t-top89; 08-28-2014 at 02:36 PM.
Old 08-23-2014, 04:27 PM
  #11  
Supreme Member

 
plum92_camaro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Iowa
Posts: 1,051
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Car: 92 Camaro RS
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 10bolt w3.42 Torsen
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Did the guy in the GT500 you beat tell you to add the 300lbs?
Old 08-23-2014, 04:40 PM
  #12  
Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
Kyle86's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Georgia, USA!
Posts: 172
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 86 Camaro IROC-Z28
Engine: 4.8 LS 68mm turbo
Transmission: Turbo 350
Axle/Gears: 3.08 10 bolt
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

LOL, no the guy who won the whole thing mentioned it. He had 300lbs of tractor weights in his trunk, I saw them.

I am running a 275/45/16 Toyo TQ on stock IROC wheel. What do I need to do to the suspension to get it to hook? I've got warn out 5 year old monroe cheapies all the way around and only suspension mod is LCAs.
Old 08-25-2014, 08:06 AM
  #13  
Banned
 
UMI Sales's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 745
Likes: 0
Received 29 Likes on 23 Posts
Re: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?

Originally Posted by Kyle86
LOL, no the guy who won the whole thing mentioned it. He had 300lbs of tractor weights in his trunk, I saw them.

I am running a 275/45/16 Toyo TQ on stock IROC wheel. What do I need to do to the suspension to get it to hook? I've got warn out 5 year old monroe cheapies all the way around and only suspension mod is LCAs.
Leave the Monroe's up front, put a set of Viking's on the rear so you can crank the rebound up. Then add some UMI lower control arm relocation brackets.

ramey
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
customblackbird
Suspension and Chassis
4
08-15-2021 10:16 PM
NORTz89
Suspension and Chassis
32
05-20-2020 03:51 PM
AussiePr0nCar
Engine Swap
20
03-06-2020 04:04 PM
CarGuyDennis
Organized Drag Racing and Autocross
137
12-06-2016 11:02 PM
AmorgetRS
Convertibles
8
08-31-2015 11:55 AM



Quick Reply: Weight in the trunk for traction, how do third gens respond?



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:25 PM.