calming the car down on the starting line

[wideopen231]

Talking about OP I know Jons car can not run bigger tire.Also pretty sure Jon's is a all out motor with almost nothing left on the table power wise.

[tire wiper]

Section 5
Junior Fuel Eliminator
DESIGNATION
Class designation (below) preceded by car number. Three classes – front-engine methanol-burning dragsters.
Handicap starts, using .4 Pro Tree. Handicaps based on recognized class records at time of event.
CLASSES
A/ND: 3.50 pounds per cubic inch, 1,300-pound minimum weight (refer to NHRA A/ND rules)
B/ND: 3.50 pounds per cubic inch, 1,300-pound minimum weight. Limited to OEM cast-iron Hemi; 23-degree small-block Chevy, big-block Chevy and Ford may use aftermarket cast-iron cylinder head, but stock valve angles must be retained. Raised runner 23-degree small-block Chevy cast-iron heads permitted (refer to NHRA B/ND rules)
C/ND: 3.50 pounds per cubic inch, 1,350-pound minimum weight. 23-degree Chevy (no raised runner) OEM or aftermarket replacement style, OEM Ford or aftermarket replacement style heads. Other makes fall under same category as above. Plus or minus (+ or -) 3 degrees maximum allowance for milling of heads (refer to NHRA B/ND rules)
TIRES
Maximum width 12 inches as measured across tread surface or indicated by manufacturer on the sidewall. See General Regulations 5:1.

[wideopen231]

Any runs lately Crider?

[crider]

No, between being busy and the lousy weather, I haven't been able to get back out to the track

[crider]

Well I had a little free time, and with the rainy weather today, it was time to get out in the garage and do a little checking on the dragster. I got it up on stands and stripped the wheels and tin off of it so I could pull a string on the centerline and check where the wheelie bars where hitting. Looks like I was about 1/2 off from center. Any thoughts to if that would be enough to drive the car hard in one direction or another? Also found some slop in one of the upper mounting tabs. It seems the whole had wallowed out, I'm thinking that could have been a part of my problem, letting the bars move. So I drilled it out and welded a hardened insert in the hole. I also checked my tire diameter, they are less than 1/8 different, so shouldn't be any problems there. Anything else I should check while I have the car stripped down? Hoping to take it over to elk creek nostalgia event at the and of the month.

[dusterdave173]

That is a mile off  It would have giant  effect--- Glad you discovered it--try for almost zero slop

[Curly1]

Please let us know how it works and if it resolves the issue. Good Luck.

[jeff/21]

A better way to measure is the circumference

[JrFuel Hayden]

Yes I agree. check the circumference, at the tire pressure you race at. The dia is too inacurate.
Use a thin tape measure so it bends anough to go around the tire, or a cloth tape measure.

Good Luck.
Jon

[wideopen231]

I have not found a seamstress tape long enough but a surveyor tape from Lowes works great. I think you are going to find out the wheelie bars is big part of your problem,but what do I know.

[BK]

Well I had a little free time, and with the rainy weather today, it was time to get out in the garage and do a little checking on the dragster. I got it up on stands and stripped the wheels and tin off of it so I could pull a string on the centerline and check where the wheelie bars where hitting. Looks like I was about 1/2 off from center. Any thoughts to if that would be enough to drive the car hard in one direction or another? Also found some slop in one of the upper mounting tabs. It seems the whole had wallowed out, I'm thinking that could have been a part of my problem, letting the bars move. So I drilled it out and welded a hardened insert in the hole. I also checked my tire diameter, they are less than 1/8 different, so shouldn't be any problems there. Anything else I should check while I have the car stripped down? Hoping to take it over to elk creek nostalgia event at the and of the month.

When I had two wheels on my bars I would raise the right side about an inch and it would steer the car to the left. When I switched to a single wheel I would but the wheel about in inch to the left and it would steer it left.
So yes having the wheel off center will steer it by shifting weight. Wheel to left weight goes to the right steers left, Wheel to right weight goes left steers right.

[crider]

Well, I took the car to the nostalgia event at Elk Creek Dragway last weekend. After getting the wheelie bar adjusted to dead center and lowering it back down to 1 3/4" off the ground, the car is at least predictable. The problem is it is turning right about 30 Ft out. I've tried adding air to the right tire and seemed to just make it worse. Can't figure out what is going on with this car. It used to go straight as a string, this summer I have only managed to make one pass that I didn't have to get out of it to keep it in the lane

[masracingtd1167]

Sounds like you are making more power with the timing change ! If you could change the rear gear to a 3.89 I think this would help ! You need wheel speed at the hit so I would say less air pressure start at about 5.5 ! Put some weight in the front like 40 lbs ! You can allways take a little out later ! If you can get the car to go from a to b you can make small changes at a time ! One last thing how is the track it self ? And do you have some one to help you back up in the groove ? A lot of people think that they have to be in there tire tracks from there burn out but is more important to be in the groove on the track ! I hope this will help you !

[crider]

Still fighting right turns. Would adjusting the wheelie bar slightly to the left possibly help? I've tried just about every other thing I can come up with, with air pressure and launch rpm and nothing seems to be helping.

[Curly1]

Thirty feet out it turns to the Right?  Are the front wheels in the air when it does it?
If they are not then I would think chassis is not square and or rear end not straight in car. It does not take much at all.

If they are in the air when it does it then that would tell me left rear tire is planting and hitting harder or wheelie bar steering it. Or as someone said one tire larger diameter than the other.