soft front springs on monte carlo

[cyclone05]

has any one tried soft springs on the front of their metric cars? im thinking somewhere around 900lf 800rf?

[Dirtman29]

Depends on your entire setup, years ago in my old SS, I had a 1000# spring in the RF and car pushed like a dumptruck! Went to a 1300# and it fixed it. IMO, your rates would be a bit too soft in the front.

[Dirtrunner35]

In my front metric clip car I had 1050 lf and 900 rf. Depends on the rest of the car.

[ToddSmith16]

LF: 950 and RF: 1050

[racer96x]

you just need to learn to handle your car (seat time) you can have any spring you want and adjust your driving style to it.(i had stock springs and racing springs) i have raced on dirt and asphalt with the same set up and had the same results. tire stagger is the biggest thing to have correct. the more from left to right the better.

[Graff Spee]

Figure out your motion ratio as per the spring placement in the conrtol arm. Then figure out the wheel rate needed. Spring car accordingly. The rates of the springs mean nothing. You just have to achieve that wheel rate. Its all dependant on motion ratio.

[checkersorwreckers]

please explain what you mean graff

[dirty white boy]

please explain what you mean graff

its a books worth of explaining....an has been writin by several....good luck

[checkersorwreckers]

Well where can i find this information

[Moldymulldoon]

Find out how much shock travel you have. IF you have alot travel get a stiffer spring. Put ziptie on shock... simple deal really.
Obviously won't work on rough track.

[Graff Spee]

Find out how much shock travel you have. IF you have alot travel get a stiffer spring. Put ziptie on shock... simple deal really.
Obviously won't work on rough track.

Good answer!!! Use a shock travel indicator to get to about four inches of wheel travel. Wheel travel not shock travel. Spring car to achieve this.

[checkersorwreckers]

How would you measure wheel travel? I am currently getting about 3 inches of shock travel

[let-r-eat]

Take spring out/set car at ride height/measure shock/measure fender to axle centerline/collapse shock 3"/measure fender to axle centerline again.....There are ways to do it with the motion ratio/length of control arm-pivot points-spring location-math/but this is the way you can find out how much wheel travel per inch of shock travel. 4" is a good rule of thumb on dirt. More travel-more spring......less travel-less spring.

[dirttrackrocker]

The motion ratio on a stock Metric is 23%. Chevelle is 36%, Metric with Nova lowers is 30%. Meaning if you have a stock metric and put a 1000# spring in it, you have 230# at the ball joint. To get the same thing with a Chevelle you only need a 650# spring. I have to run at least a 1000# on the RF of my Metric clip mod or it bottoms out. I would say with a stock car with motor in relatively stock location, I wouldn't go under 1100 on the RF. Just my opinion..

[stock car driver]

The motion ratio on a stock Metric is 23%. Chevelle is 36%, Metric with Nova lowers is 30%. Meaning if you have a stock metric and put a 1000# spring in it, you have 230# at the ball joint. To get the same thing with a Chevelle you only need a 650# spring. I have to run at least a 1000# on the RF of my Metric clip mod or it bottoms out. I would say with a stock car with motor in relatively stock location, I wouldn't go under 1100 on the RF. Just my opinion..

Ive stiffened my front end this season to try and bottom out on the track less. Im all the way up to a 800/700 in my metric from a 650/630 the last two seasons. this is on a full body street stock that i race at 3050-3200.

If u need a 1000 in a mod your running your car way too low or driving thru holes the size of tires.

[dirttrackrocker]

Nope, fairly smooth track and I'm actually running my ride heights a little higher than recommended. You have to remember a 4 bar car transfers lots of weight to the right front. Had this explained to me by the guy that builds Lightning chassis. Even though mine isn't a lightning, he was helpful in explaining the difference in Motion ratios of the different clip and lower A arm combo's. He said he doesn't recommend any lower than 1100 on a metric mod.
I started with a 750 in the RF and it would push real bad in the center, I went up to 850 and it still didn't help. Took his advice and put a 1000 in it and it solved the problem. Played around with a few combinations and settled on a 1050 in RF and 800 LF.

[stock car driver]

Nope, fairly smooth track and I'm actually running my ride heights a little higher than recommended. You have to remember a 4 bar car transfers lots of weight to the right front. Had this explained to me by the guy that builds Lightning chassis. Even though mine isn't a lightning, he was helpful in explaining the difference in Motion ratios of the different clip and lower A arm combo's. He said he doesn't recommend any lower than 1100 on a metric mod.
I started with a 750 in the RF and it would push real bad in the center, I went up to 850 and it still didn't help. Took his advice and put a 1000 in it and it solved the problem. Played around with a few combinations and settled on a 1050 in RF and 800 LF.

oh so now your talking on the dirt stocks section about a 4 bar modified??

I know a few guys with metric chassis mods, they do not run anything over a 700 and their cars work fine.

Non metrics are as low as 450 and have been for a few years...

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

has any one tried soft springs on the front of their metric cars? im thinking somewhere around 900lf 800rf?

Been halfway there.

I had a very fast Monte that I put a 1400# in the lf and 1000# in the rf. That thing drove like a dream on a medium to slick track.

[dirttrackrocker]

oh so now your talking on the dirt stocks section about a 4 bar modified??

I know a few guys with metric chassis mods, they do not run anything over a 700 and their cars work fine.

Non metrics are as low as 450 and have been for a few years...

I would bet most of those guys are running on bump stops, but, if not then kudos to them. I know my car and several other guys I have talked to needs a 1000# in the RF to keep from bottoming out.

[stock car driver]

I would bet most of those guys are running on bump stops, but, if not then kudos to them. I know my car and several other guys I have talked to needs a 1000# in the RF to keep from bottoming out.

Bump stops are illegal in IMCA now. I was told that forced some back up to 500-550.

This is all a MODIFIED forum discussion, posting info in the dirt stocks which are typically street stocks about modifieds and their needs will only confuse the guys who really need the help or are willing to try something EVERYONE says wont work.

ie= 650/630 in a metric street stock like I ran all of 2009. or 720/680 that I ran in 09 in my 73 full sized full bodies Chevelle, lol..



Im not posting out of my a ss. I race big shows 90% of the time. Like last night 1500 to win Stock car shootout at oskaloosa iowa a huge half mile, I started 19th after a flat in the heat. got a flat on lap 1 went to tail, 23 or 24 started I think. was going for the lead on lap 14 of 30 was stuffed into a tire, was going for the lead again on lap 24 after tire incident put me back to 7th.. finished 4th 4-5 wide for the last 6 laps due to a few cars doing a lot of blocking etc.

jj