What are your go-to adjustments at the track ?

[RacerX10]

I've been out of it for a while, looking to start racing again this summer. Everything is different then what it was last time I was racing a lot.

Just curious what everybody's most common adjustments are at the track ?

Seems like people talk about the Left Rear Upper radius rod a lot, and of course right front spring rate adjustments.

Also, do you make bar / spring / radius rod changes, or shock changes ? Maybe both ?

If you don't mind sharing, I'd love to hear what you change at the track, and why you change it.


Thanks !!

[7uptruckracer]

Bite, Tilt, Front Rebound, RF Compression, and RS Bar Length, RR Spring for sidebite. All minor tweaks but that is it.

[RacerX10]

Bite, Tilt, Front Rebound, RF Compression, and RS Bar Length, RR Spring for sidebite. All minor tweaks but that is it.

No bar angle changes ?

[7uptruckracer]

Not as much as we use to. Take good notes track to track. If you go to a quarter mile bullring then a 1/2 mile sweeper then probably. Same track nope. You're mostly accounting for travel changes as the track slows down and doing small things to change a little weight transfer and taking some dynamic rear steer out with the RS Bar Length. These newer cars utilize the front so much more then they use to so keeping them sealed off is key. You don't have to do as much in the rear to get them to turn like you use to. This is just my opinion get as many as you can and think through what we all say and decide for your own what you want to test.

No bar angle changes ?

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

7up is giving very good advise here.

[PushinTheLimit]

Small changes, I make rebound and compression changes, minor rear bar changes, and play with the bite. Bigger changes I'll change a spring rate or j-bar or weights. Pretty rare that I move weights... once I found what the car likes with my driving style, I really don't change much during the night.

[phenom08]

Lr wheel spacer, shock adjustment,

[King1]

rear end lead, rr spring, stack lock out nut or bump stop height (whichever one you run)

[RacerX10]

These newer cars utilize the front so much more then they use to so keeping them sealed off is key.

What does "keeping them sealed off" mean ?

Thanks for your comments !

[RacerX10]

rear end lead, rr spring, stack lock out nut or bump stop height (whichever one you run)

Had a slight laugh about this. Isn't anybody NOT running a stack or bump stop these days ? I got the impression it was terribly complicated to get the setup right running either.

[7uptruckracer]

What does "keeping them sealed off" mean ?

Thanks for your comments !

Aerodynamic nose all the way across as close to the track without hitting and right side skirts all the way to the ground as close as it can get without hitting. Sealed to the track. Keeps air from getting under the car and creating lift. This is why they have body deck drop rules now, fender rake rules roof rake rules filler panel rules etc aero is king lol

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Had a slight laugh about this. Isn't anybody NOT running a stack or bump stop these days ? I got the impression it was terribly complicated to get the setup right running either.

People who hope to separate you from your cash will tell you that it is terribly difficult. They will tell you that it is impossible to race without a spring smasher.

[TheJet-09]

@RacerX10, I was in your position three years ago..hadn't raced in over ten years and a lot had changed when I decided to try it again. At first I messed with the RF spring often but it just screwed me up worse in the end. You'll probably do just fine with a 350# or 325# on the RF. Any bar adjustments for me are typically RR lower (entry) and LR upper (exit). Maybe lowering the J-Bar on the pinion side a little (about 1/2") for the feature. Shock adjustments for me are just the recommendations from the manufacturer/shock guy. Your biggest obstacle will probably be knocking the rust off your driving skills. From what I saw of the pictures you posted in another thread, looks like you found a nice car. We need more people coming back to racing...too many are leaving. Good luck!

[7uptruckracer]

The smashers are nice though but nothing you can't do in the shop using some extra work and time, but time is money to the big guys i don't have the money so i just spend the extra time lol

People who hope to separate you from your cash will tell you that it is terribly difficult. They will tell you that it is impossible to race without a spring smasher.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

The smashers are nice though but nothing you can't do in the shop using some extra work and time, but time is money to the big guys i don't have the money so i just spend the extra time lol

They are putting a lot of importance on one data point on the track.

[RacerX10]

@RacerX10, I was in your position three years ago..hadn't raced in over ten years and a lot had changed when I decided to try it again. At first I messed with the RF spring often but it just screwed me up worse in the end. You'll probably do just fine with a 350# or 325# on the RF. Any bar adjustments for me are typically RR lower (entry) and LR upper (exit). Maybe lowering the J-Bar on the pinion side a little (about 1/2") for the feature. Shock adjustments for me are just the recommendations from the manufacturer/shock guy. Your biggest obstacle will probably be knocking the rust off your driving skills. From what I saw of the pictures you posted in another post, looks like you found a nice car. We need more people coming back to racing...too many are leaving. Good luck!

Thanks a lot ! I really appreciate that. I'm not trying to light the world on fire, I just wanna go drive around in circles fast and have a good time

I think I'll leave the bump-stop and stack stuff to the pros and just try and get where I'm not embarrassing myself out there .. which in itself is probably about all I can handle. Age has taught me to try and keep reasonable expectations.

[RacerX10]

The smashers are nice though but nothing you can't do in the shop using some extra work and time

When I first saw that machine, this was my exact thought. "Can't I do the same thing while the car is on the scales with a tape measure (or just counting turns on the adjuster ring) ?"

[A ron]

How about adjustments on a typical night from hot laps to qualifying to heat race to feature? (with the car driving like you want it to in the previous session, even though this is seldom the case) I realize there may not be an answer because of the million variables, but the other teams I've watched always seem to be working on the same areas of the car after the each session, week after week.

[King1]

The stack isn't complicated at all. Just gotta set the lockout nut in the right place and that's where a smasher comes in. I bought a rebel pulse real cheap from Vic hill. It actually made things simple once I got it lined out because really all I had to adjust was my lock out nut and that was my loose and tight adjustment without messing with static ride height and was really successful. I don't use my spring rater like most people do, I change springs with a tape measure. But I do check my wheel load when setting the lockout nut. And it's not impossible to go without the smasher, I ran two seasons without one and ran stack 5th and rf. But I did have some really good help from really good people.

[7uptruckracer]

I'm assuming you ran the Digressive stack on the 5th? How did you like it? I had someone try to set me up on it but I didn't bite he wanted to valve a "special shock" to sell with it....

The stack isn't complicated at all. Just gotta set the lockout nut in the right place and that's where a smasher comes in. I bought a rebel pulse real cheap from Vic hill. It actually made things simple once I got it lined out because really all I had to adjust was my lock out nut and that was my loose and tight adjustment without messing with static ride height and was really successful. I don't use my spring rater like most people do, I change springs with a tape measure. But I do check my wheel load when setting the lockout nut. And it's not impossible to go without the smasher, I ran two seasons without one and ran stack 5th and rf. But I did have some really good help from really good people.