Bent LR lower bar.

[Cranky]

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on here about a set up for dry(greasy) slick on a Gen X car. Was told that I did not have enough drop and needed to remove the LRF shock. I removed the LRF shock, set drop to 13 3/4" and went to race. Car was tail happy and wanted to drive to the fence every lap. After checking the car over, I discovered the LR lower bar severely bent. Obviously, there was too much travel or a bind situation. Has anyone ever run into this before? With the LRF shock on, I can only get 13 1/4" of drop because the shock is fully extended. What am I doing wrong? The car has no side bite and just skates across the track. When I do get on the gas off the corner, it just lights the tires up. 54.4% LS, 54.5% Rear, 4 1/4" rear stagger 300lb rf, 500lf, 175 16" lr, 225rr, 350 5th coil in furthest hole out,

[lindsey97]

Does the car seem tight going in and doesn't want to rotate in the middle of the corner with out bumping the throttle even when it is slick?

[Kromulous]

If it bent the lower bar like that, it indexed the cage to much and bent against the birdcage. Like you said to much drop, might try 13.5"

Whats your J Bar set at, and length?

4 plus inches of stagger is alot i think if its dry slick.

300lb RF is abit soft, try a 350lb that or a stack 500 / 600 or a 600 / 600.

[Cranky]

Bent Bar

The cars entry was decent but yes, it would want to shove the nose on throttle in the middle and then jump loose. I could sometimes goose the throttle to make it turn but mostly i'd have to jab the brakes to make it turn!

[DEKconsulting]

Theres ur problem anytime u have to jab the brakes or goose the throttle to turn the car u are braking traction. And u wont get it back till the straightaway.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

Once you bent the bar, you dewedged the car statically. Possibly, quite a bit.

[riddle28]

if it were me i would stiffen the rf up some more to get the tightness out on entry. how much j bar split are you running?

[lindsey97]

Cranky,

I had fought what seems to be the same issue with my car. I know of another guy with a MasterSbilt that also did. Found out my rear ride heights were and inch too high. It just seemed to unload everything on the rear in the middle of the corner. only way I could ever make head way was a 450 RF spring. I think, and one of these other guys should know for sure, but on the RR lower bar, the hole in the center of the arc on your frame, with the RR lower bar in it at ride height, the bar should be a zero degree's.

[Cranky]

Does anyone else advocate that much right front spring? I know every driver is different. I am a more aggressive driver. Not really smooth but given the right feel, I adapt. However, this car was definitely in left field. I will get the jbar split and list it.

[Cranky]

I'm hearing guys running a 275 right front and a 200 right rear in the slick to pin the nose??

[rakracing]

i'm with ya cranky every car i've run I had to be 25 to 50# heavier on the rf and usually the same softer on the left front, tried the 350# spring two weeks ago with a bump and did nothing but bottom the frame and bend the bumper, back to the 400 and soften the lf, give it what it wants forget the setup box nobody any good is in it

[Aces&Eights]

The cars entry was decent but yes, it would want to shove the nose on throttle in the middle and then jump loose. I could sometimes goose the throttle to make it turn but mostly i'd have to jab the brakes to make it turn!

You answered your own question. Your braking the car loose because its too tight. You have whats called a, "Push-Loose" situation. Focus on getting the car to rotate the center without excessive braking or extra throttle, then you can accelerate off straighter and carry more speed thru the center.

[Matt49]

Tight entry/loose exit is probably the most common and misdiagnosed handling problem on late models. The car is glued to the track all the way through the center and then the driver has to do something to turn it which breaks traction. Then it's loose and wheel-spinning coming off the turn. All the driver reports is the loose corner exit condition and the crew goes to work on tightening it up which just makes the problem worse and worse.

[let-r-eat]

To extend on what Matt49 says:

Then you get the car good and free on entry and the driver tends to over drive entry or chase old habits. Takes a while to get use to a good entering car if you've been driving the too tight to turn car long.