TEAM COTTON'S PERFORMANCE TURBO BUICK ONLINE FORUMS  

Go Back   TEAM COTTON'S PERFORMANCE TURBO BUICK ONLINE FORUMS > Technical Forums > Suspensions, Street and Strip

Suspensions, Street and Strip This is where we talk about new and different suspension packages and what works best for your type of driving

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #11  
Old 08-25-2008, 07:17 PM
BrianHynes's Avatar
BrianHynes BrianHynes is offline
Nitro boy
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Northern New York
Posts: 732
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PaceCarTA View Post
not sub 1.4 but 1.41's
t-brake launches at 10psi (electronic boost controller)


stock springs
stock uppers
stock lower (bottoms boxed)
stock bushings
MT drag radials (#23psi)
and HR parts sway bar
That's a great 60ft with drag radials. What is your burn out proceedure? How do they hook for you on the street? My M/T's [ 265-60-15's ] spin like I'm on water.
__________________
'86 Gn with an RPE bullet. Almost everything else is from Cottons. 100% street car!
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 09-09-2008, 07:55 PM
trbochrgd1's Avatar
trbochrgd1 trbochrgd1 is offline
I can't drive 55!
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 518
Default

OK, since the last time at E-town we discovered a problem with the left rear tire on my car. Seems like @ 139.5 mph the tire starts to rub the front of the d/s wheel opening causing the tire to make smoke and a groove in the tire!

Here's is an older pic that I found(I don't have a fuel system like that anymore) but the suspension is the same. I think I have to move the bolt that is behind the orignal mounting bolt for the lower control arm. I just hope there is enough area to re-drill. I think I have to move the wheel back a 1/2 inch. I will get it down to my shop and put it on the lift hopefully this week.

__________________
87 GN, RPE built 109 stroked, RJC girdle, billet main caps, custom comp roller cam, Champion ported aluminum heads, Champion aluminum intake, T&D 1.65 rockers, 96 lb injectors, Accufab 70mm throttle body RJC pullies, RJC A/C bracket,GTK-850, ATR headers,Deeds electronic boost controller, Cotton’s 4 inch down pipe w/ Turbonetics RG 45 gate, XFI, Cotton’s front mount, Level 10 built 400 trans w/brake, Converter? ,33 spline Moser axles, Spool, HR bar.

New best 9.44 @ 143!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 09-10-2008, 02:42 AM
toofastforyou's Avatar
toofastforyou toofastforyou is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Saint-Eustache, QC Canada
Posts: 196
Arrow

Michael, a few years back I had the same problem (but not as severe to cut a groove in the tire though...). The tires had a tendency to rub slightly on the front of the wheel openings even after Eric at Dynotech (R.I.P.) replaced the lower control arms with H&R's. There was a hole that had been drilled (like on your car) to install some "relocation brackets" which changed the pinion angle, but after Eric installed adjustable uppers, they weren't needed anymore and he removed them.
But even after doing this, the rubbing problem was still there, so Eric spoke with Paul at H&R about the problem and eventually was able to get some lower bars that were almost 1/2" longer than the stock length (I think from H&R also, but not 100% sure...) which bolt in the original hole and did solve the tire rubbing problem...
Maybe you should give Paul @ H&R a call to ask about this...

Hope this helps!

Claude

P.S: The bolt which the arrow is pointing at in your picture is there to lock the plates in place preventing them to rotate under acceleration...DO NOT remove it!...but if you plan to keep these lower bars, then have the plates welded to the factory brackets for more safety...
__________________
1987 Buick Grand National 9.70 e.t. @ 139.35 mph
1971 Chevelle SS
2008 Ford F-350 Crew Cab Dually
2012 Lincoln MKX

Last edited by toofastforyou; 09-10-2008 at 02:52 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-10-2008, 10:07 AM
JCotton1's Avatar
JCotton1 JCotton1 is offline
Married Man
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,434
Default

Good idea Claude, but we have been using the double adjustable Wolfe Racecraft lower bars, that way we have the flexibilty to make minor adjustments either way on both sides without removing the control arms..
__________________
Jack Cotton
Cottons Performance
413-789-0531
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-10-2008, 01:04 PM
toofastforyou's Avatar
toofastforyou toofastforyou is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Saint-Eustache, QC Canada
Posts: 196
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JCotton1 View Post
Good idea Claude, but we have been using the double adjustable Wolfe Racecraft lower bars, that way we have the flexibilty to make minor adjustments either way on both sides without removing the control arms..
Ok I understand...but my reply was based on the lower control arms shown in the picture...they look like "fixed lenght" to me...

Claude

P.S: Jack, you're SURE I should keep that H&R sway bar on my car?...Maybe it's me who has not adjusted it right?.....I realize that everyone says nothing but good things about it and I seem to be the only one who's complaining... Anyways, here's a reply I wrote on Turbobuick.com about the sway bar:

"I currently have a similar setup on my GN (H&R sway bar + upper adjustable control arms + fixed lenght lower ca's...). H&R's parts fit and finish is excellent...BUT...since I've installed the sway bay, my car NEVER was able to launch as hard as it did before... My car used to leave the line with both wheels off the ground but now, it does but only an inch or so. I'm dissappointed of the end result. YES, it did leave the line crooked with one side of the car higher than the other, but it was FUN and gave a good show to friends and spectators ...but not anymore."
Claude.

---but don't worry Jack...I'm still going to follow your recommandations 'cause you're "THE" man!...
____________
__________________
1987 Buick Grand National 9.70 e.t. @ 139.35 mph
1971 Chevelle SS
2008 Ford F-350 Crew Cab Dually
2012 Lincoln MKX
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 09-10-2008, 02:59 PM
trbochrgd1's Avatar
trbochrgd1 trbochrgd1 is offline
I can't drive 55!
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 518
Default

Claude, thanks for the input! I was off when I drilled the bracket for the d/s. Now I don't think I have enough room to re-drill to make the bracket correct. The p/s side is good, d/s is not. The only way I could make it work with the HR bars is if I bought 1 1/2" longer one for the d/s. And is it a 1/2 longer than stock? Because the South Sides are longer than stock to begin with! AGHHHH!

Jack, can I bolt up those wolfe bars directly into my existing South Side brackets? That way I can measure the right side and make it identical to what it is now and adjust the d/s to where it is supposed to be, I think a 1/2 inch back.
__________________
87 GN, RPE built 109 stroked, RJC girdle, billet main caps, custom comp roller cam, Champion ported aluminum heads, Champion aluminum intake, T&D 1.65 rockers, 96 lb injectors, Accufab 70mm throttle body RJC pullies, RJC A/C bracket,GTK-850, ATR headers,Deeds electronic boost controller, Cotton’s 4 inch down pipe w/ Turbonetics RG 45 gate, XFI, Cotton’s front mount, Level 10 built 400 trans w/brake, Converter? ,33 spline Moser axles, Spool, HR bar.

New best 9.44 @ 143!
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 09-10-2008, 03:21 PM
waGoN's Avatar
waGoN waGoN is offline
Long Roofs are sexy!
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Messachusetts
Posts: 394
Default

toofastforyou: I'm with you Jack even accused me of trying to take out the tower once. Now, with the H&R bar, it shoots straight. Kinda boring if you ask me. Although, it is safer. But, my car launches just as good as before, just not much of a show any more. Although, with the car leaving straight, it won't break as much. My car twisted so much that the left rear tire left the ground a few times. And one of the times, when reconnecting, it blew up an axle, and busted the tranny. Yeah, it was an impressive launch, but I think the front went up more than it went forward, then I had to get pushed out of the water box, and towed back to the trailer. Ruined a weekend of racing, and my wallet to boot.
__________________
Brian

Keep it shiny side up, but show them your dirty side once in a while.

11.3@123mph on 195/75/14" whitewalls. Yes, 195s!
11.2 on the big giant slicks. What's the point? Maybe I'll go back to the whitewalls. They are lighter and have less rolling resistance.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 09-24-2008, 01:27 AM
trbochrgd1's Avatar
trbochrgd1 trbochrgd1 is offline
I can't drive 55!
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 518
Default This is going to be a long one!

Ok, I think we have it figured out. The rear was actually a 1/2 forward on the d/s tire! That's why it was launching and veering to the right and why the tire was rubbing at the top end of the track. We measured everything. I thought maybe the axle tube was bent, or maybe even the frame. I looked at the upper control arms and they were both equally adjusted. I didn't think that was the problem, but I started to adjust the d/s side arm and the d/s tire was backing away from the quater! So I continued to adjust it all the way out. I had plenty of clearance at this point. We looked at the gaps on both sides of the quaters and measured again! We had it! Then we walked around the back of the car and noticed the p/s tire was sticking out of the wheel well and the d/s side was sucked in beneath the lip of the quater! AHHHH! So, back underneath and I started backing off the d/s arm and countered with the p/s arm loosening that up turn for turn. I got them both equal and it was perfect. We got out and looked at the clearance, measured again, it was all good! Even the tires were right where they were supposed to be in the wheel wells.... Then I check the pinion angle... There was none! No matter how much I tried to adjust the arms I couldn't get the angle back without bringing in the d/s tire to the quater. At this point I had it and thought about it the whole night. The next moring we measured where the stock lower control arms would bolt in and then measured where the south sided machine bars were. We decided to move the S/S bars to where the stock postion would be and it then pointed the rear downward. At this point we check measurments and it was equal distance from the wheel opening on either side! I looked underneath and measured the pinion angle and it was at -3 degrees without me even touching the uppers!

Well, tomorrow I will tighten everything down and re-adjust the HR bar. I can't believe the car was leaving that hard, 60' 1.39 and the d/s tire camber was off that much! Hopefully we can make it to the track soon to test it out!

I told you it was a long one!

I'll post pics tomorrow.
__________________
87 GN, RPE built 109 stroked, RJC girdle, billet main caps, custom comp roller cam, Champion ported aluminum heads, Champion aluminum intake, T&D 1.65 rockers, 96 lb injectors, Accufab 70mm throttle body RJC pullies, RJC A/C bracket,GTK-850, ATR headers,Deeds electronic boost controller, Cotton’s 4 inch down pipe w/ Turbonetics RG 45 gate, XFI, Cotton’s front mount, Level 10 built 400 trans w/brake, Converter? ,33 spline Moser axles, Spool, HR bar.

New best 9.44 @ 143!
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 09-24-2008, 11:07 AM
JCotton1's Avatar
JCotton1 JCotton1 is offline
Married Man
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,434
Default

Nice Mike, I knew you could do it.... setting these up can be fun. Seeing you launch straight will be different...
__________________
Jack Cotton
Cottons Performance
413-789-0531
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 09-24-2008, 02:07 PM
PaceCarTA's Avatar
PaceCarTA PaceCarTA is offline
Da Big Cheese
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: central NJ
Posts: 50
Default

had similar issue with hoopers car with the rear that he put in the #2
it had southside bars on it and the relocate brackets were welded in place , car would pull dead right at launch , uppers were stock , and he had an atr bar but replaced with an HR bar
i noticed one day that the tires werent even spaced in the wheel wells and after some quick measuring with a fist and some fingers it surely was off , big time ...three fingers on passenger side to rocker and a fist on drivers

the fix was he cut the welds loose with a whizzer wheel and used a ratchet straps to pull the rear into alignment measured carefully to points on the frame then rewelded the brackets
hes been going straight out of the hole since
__________________
Paul... NJ rep MAGNABUICK.com
the 86 3450lbs ...1.44 6.19@112 9.72@138 ,
109 234cu stock mains and bolts , irons,
the 87 ttop ,1.37 6.0@ 114 9.45 @ 141.9 25 psi !!
109 235cu .gn1 alum, certified roll cage .
the 87gnx'd FAST B2B TA49 ..back to all stock original #s 109 and trans hipro w stagerite
the 87 GN ttop ..all stock with vac brakes
86 WH1 mini tubbed roll caged 109, extreme 2004r
all on pump 93 and alkycontrol
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 08:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.