Launching tips.

[zwrangler]

hi all,
okay, tomorrow theres drag races happening at the local track. I'm thinking of running my car just to get an idea of its potential with me as the driver. So, what are some good launching tips any of you experts have?? I've practised launches many times during races and stuff. I've read that many of yuo guys say that traction is really bad but i find that when i launch to the max and my wheels are spinning all the way that i go faster than if i pump the pedal like some guys suggest.

anyway, any tips on launching??
oh, also, what can i do to lighten my car EASILY. I don't want to take off the AC or anything crazy like that. just basics for this one day if i run my car. I've already taken out all the spare tyre stuff and i'll be taking out my sound system of course and taking out the back seats. anything else i could do really easy to weigh less?

Thanks for the help guys.

[KnightFire]

M6 or A4? Modifications? Type of Tires? C'mon need some info here...


KnightFire

[JeffM]

also, I wouldn't reccomend stripping everything out.. When you're on the street, is your stereo and backseat stripped out? I never understood why people try to make it lighter than it is everyday.. That kind of gives you "false hope" IMO.

If you do though, make a couple runs at your regular weight too. See if there's any difference.

[N20LT4Bird]

Originally posted by JeffM
also, I wouldn't reccomend stripping everything out.. When you're on the street, is your stereo and backseat stripped out? I never understood why people try to make it lighter than it is everyday.. That kind of gives you "false hope" IMO.

If you do though, make a couple runs at your regular weight too. See if there's any difference.

I agree, I run with everything. CD's, junk in the backseat. Extra person in the passenger seat etc. -

[TraceZ]

There was a thread on another board a while back.

Some gus took a Nissan that ran in the 16s stock and stripped it down to the bare chasis and engine. no doors, fenders, trunk, hood....nothing. They even sawzall'd the entire rear off from the back wheels back and put spacesaver spares on the rear. They sawzall'd the roof aff also.

It ran in the 12s.

What is the point? It is not like they can put it back together and brag it is a 12 second car!

The same thing applys to your car. If you strip a street car down to make it faster, it is not really faster. You are just fooling yourself.

[KnightFire]

Personally I don't see anything wrong with removing the spare and jack to race...removing the end links for better weight transfer, things of nature.

Gut it? No, I agree thats silly, I mean if its a full out race car, then great! But, if its a street/strip car...keep it real.


I also race in full street trim (Including the sound system), but I do run the Bogarts and QTPs.






KnightFire

[casey02ws6]

Actually that was my question as well. I will be taking my car to the strip in the spring and I am not quite sure how to go about getting off the line. I have a terrible time getting any traction in 1st - rarely if ever can get it to hook up at full throttle through first. From the street I think it gets off the line quickest with ~2K launch and working the clutch to maintain at least some traction and as little wheelspin as possible. I can go all out after I am out of first.

[fastTa]

Re: Launching tips.

Originally posted by zwrangler
hi all,
okay, tomorrow theres drag races happening at the local track. I'm thinking of running my car just to get an idea of its potential with me as the driver. So, what are some good launching tips any of you experts have?? I've practised launches many times during races and stuff. I've read that many of yuo guys say that traction is really bad but i find that when i launch to the max and my wheels are spinning all the way that i go faster than if i pump the pedal like some guys suggest.

anyway, any tips on launching??
oh, also, what can i do to lighten my car EASILY. I don't want to take off the AC or anything crazy like that. just basics for this one day if i run my car. I've already taken out all the spare tyre stuff and i'll be taking out my sound system of course and taking out the back seats. anything else i could do really easy to weigh less?

Thanks for the help guys.

If you have an M6 you are going to just have to practice and see what rpm and how hard you dump the clutch works for you. Start at 3k dumping the clutch and keep increasing the rpm on each consecutive launch until you can break the tires loose and then on the next launch decrease the rpm's you launch at just sligthly say 300rpm.

If you have an auto with the stock converter, DO NOT "brake torque" the converter. Let the engine sit at idle, when you are ready to "go" punch it. Some people will disagree with this but whatever they say, do not brake torque the stock converter. By using the launch from idle technique you give the motor a chance to buildup momentum before the converter clutch begins to transfer torque to your drivetrain. Trust me, your ET will thank you!

This technique will take little practice as far as timing when you smash the gas pedal between the last yellow and the green light on the tree.

I can sit here all day and give you little pointers but considering all cars and all drivers will perform differently, the only true way that you are going to learn is to practice.

Time to stop typing, I suddenly feel like my DAD

[N20LT4Bird]

Im gonna be one of those guys who disagrees . I havent raced an auto for a while, but when I did, I always revved the engine against the convertor. Thats one of the advantages of a higher stall convertor - you can get more revs off of the line. If you launch from idle you are taking that much longer to build the rpm that the torque convertor needs for maximum multiplication. If you rev against the convertor, the rpm is there when the light turns green - you just go!

[fastTa]

Originally posted by N20LT4Bird
Im gonna be one of those guys who disagrees . I havent raced an auto for a while, but when I did, I always revved the engine against the convertor. Thats one of the advantages of a higher stall convertor - you can get more revs off of the line. If you launch from idle you are taking that much longer to build the rpm that the torque convertor needs for maximum multiplication. If you rev against the convertor, the rpm is there when the light turns green - you just go!

This absolutely holds true for a higher stall converter , however the FACTORY stock converter which flashes at about 1200 rpm is better used by not torquing it up.

We tried this all day on a test and tune friday with two of my friends cars. Both A4 '00 SS's both with completely stock drivetrains. We tried over 40 times both ways and found that by not torquing the STOCK converter and allowing the motor to build that 400-450 rpms of momentum before the torque converter clutch "hitting" the 60ft times were always about 0.15 - 0.2 less. All of the other guys I have talked to at the track running STOCK converters have tried this and also had the exact same results.

I guess I just find it hard to disagree with track proven results. IMHO

[zwrangler]

thanks for all the help. by the way, yeah my cars an auto and when i've raced in the past by revving the engine and then punching it in D it normally spun the tyres too much and it takes too long to grip, so i guess i'll just punch it all the way. anyway, thanks for all the help.

[zwrangler]

I've also decided that you guys are right and i should run the car just the way it is. I mean theres no point in saying its a 14second or whatever car if it can't do it all day everyday. I think the only thing i'll take out though is the subs in the back. I don't think my two 15" subs would be too comfortable launching hard, not to mention that they're pretty heavy. anyway, cheers for everything.

[AmericanZ28]

Originally posted by TraceZ
There was a thread on another board a while back.

Some gus took a Nissan that ran in the 16s stock and stripped it down to the bare chasis and engine. no doors, fenders, trunk, hood....nothing. They even sawzall'd the entire rear off from the back wheels back and put spacesaver spares on the rear. They sawzall'd the roof aff also.

It ran in the 12s.

What is the point? It is not like they can put it back together and brag it is a 12 second car!

The same thing applys to your car. If you strip a street car down to make it faster, it is not really faster. You are just fooling yourself.

I remember that one too! But it ran 14's and not 12's after all the gutting! The point remains the same however.....

[Detroit_Bird]

by the way, yeah my cars an auto and when i've raced in the past by revving the engine and then punching it in D it normally spun the tyres too much

I hope you don't mean you Neutral slammed it- revved it in neutral then dropped it into Drive with the engine screaming
- That will lead to trans failure in a hurry not to mention broken drivetrain parts. Always race in gear if you want your trans to last more than a month.