Got traction?

[driller]

I do!

The '93 was released from the exhaust shop today with new 2-1/2" cat back system with DynoMax UltraFlows and...

the 4.10s and traction lock I installed this past weekend!

What a difference! Anyone contemplating this will have no regrets, for sure. :L

 

[Joeychgo]

Kool -- what did it cost?

 

[driller]

I have about $600 in the exhaust including $76 labor. That's using Dan's 2-1/2" cat back setup, a pair of UltraFlows and 2-1/2" chrome turndown tips.

I have about $700 in the gears. I bought a used stock center section and a used traction lock separately. Then I got a deluxe install kit, traction lock rebuild kit and a new Ford Racing 4.10 ring and pinion gear set from Max at Five Star. A friend helped me build the rear end and do the swap over a couple of Sundays, but I paid him $100 for his much appreciated help.

I may be poorer, but I'm definitely happy! :L

 

[BlackIceLSC]

Way to go Driller! I thought when I clicked on this thread, you had found a neat way to improve traction. I cant even come cose to hooking up on the drag strip with my stock 3.08 open rear. I guess I need to bite the bullet, and go 4.10 with trac-loc, and some DR's. The motor makes good power with the few goodies it has, and my JMOD is awesome. But my killer Michelin's are toast at our garbage drag strip. I know it isnt me. even my Mustang buddy's with DR's cant get decent 60 ft times, compared to other tracks.

Glad you are happy with the new speed parts. Gotta love that speadfreak stuff, huh?

 

[MonsterMark]

Craig, if you can't hook up with your (3.08's), quit your brake stands @ 2000 rpm and flash the damne converter (stomp on it) from a dead idle.

Oh yeh, and maybe try some new tires that aren't 80,000 mile rated. LOL.

 

[driller]

Bryan, I thought it was 3.08 ratio stock?

 

[MonsterMark]

Bryan, I thought it was 3.08 ratio stock?

You are absolutely correct so I changed my post so as to not look like a moron. Man, between the Caddies and the Marks, I got confused. LOL. No wonder my Honda gears wouldn't fit.

 

[BlackIceLSC]

Monster, I DO stomp from a dead idle. But our race track has a garbage starting line. It is a known fact. A stock base Mark VIII wil 2.12-60ft at other tracks. The best I can muster is a 2.34 average, and run a 15.04. If I could drop my 60 foot times down 2/10ths, I'd have a 14.80 car! :Bang

Oh, and for the record, my Michelin's are not 80k mile tires. In fact, you cant get a better tire from Michelin. XGTZ4 Pilot sport's. After spending 10 years in the tire industry, I have learned what tires work on what cars. You will not find a better handling tire than a Pilot Sport from Michelin, for the Mark VIII. They just arent intended to get traction on a bad starting line. I dont think ANY tire was designed to hook up on a bad starting line, except maybe a slick!

Our race car has NO problem hooking up with teenie little 11.5 inch slicks!

 

[MonsterMark]

How are the Michelins in the rain. I'm in the market for some new tires soon. I am debating doing the Dennis Mod (splitting the rims and making them wider on my Octastars) 16x8 in. in front and 16x9 in. in back OR selling them and going to 18's. I want to be like Starsky and Hutch. My car is white but I just might put a huge red Stripe like Starskys on it.

I was giving you some sheet. The Marks really don't hook well and you would think they might with the IRS. The stock differential is the problem. Here a good one. I was at a track and it was very slippery. I was frustrated getting off the line so I decided to heat up the track by myself. Did a fully loaded brake-stand and stayed in it the whole time. I had both wheels going. A nice posi burnout. I stayed in it just above redline and shifted before I ran out of 1st gear and kept em spinning. I ripped off a near 18 second pass and I swear I lost over half my tread. Man, did I make a smoke screen. About an 1/8 mile long.LOL. I had done the Pam cooking spray thing on the rear quarters so it wasn't too bad getting the molten tire off. Received some nice applause on my way back in. Longest burnout I ever did. It was great fun.

Do you lower your tire pressures in the rear? I find that does help significantly. The government doesn't like me doing that. They say it affects my mpg with underinflated tires. So i figure I am getting about 1/10 of a mph per gallon less. LOL. At these gas prices, you have to do everything you cna to conserve.

BTW, nice wheel stand. I don't see any wheelie bars on the back. Ever stand that beast up on its tail?

 

[djKale]

I have to chime in one this because I just put a set of Michelin Pilot XGT Z4s in the 225/60/16 variety on the car (they came with the new wheels).

I DO NOT LIKE THESE TIRES!

Traction? LOL! I have noticed a definite decrease in traction on several occasions with these tires (which can be a good thing ). Also, when I first put them on, I could feel the sidewall flexing around corners, it felt a little squirmish compared to my last tires, which were wider and of the 50 series variety. It was very unsettling at first.

The General XP 2000s (245/50/ZR16s) were EXCELLENT for the first year or so. I absolutely loved these tires when I first put them on the car. Over time, performance has decreased, but they are still better than the Michelins.

I also figured the 60 series would soften the ride. Not so, they don't ride any better than the 50 series tires. This, I found to be VERY ironic. It may be because the car needs some bushings replaced up front and because I drive it pretty low a lot of the time...

I'm sure a lot of my complaints stem from comparing differnt series tires, but the Michelins should have performed better in a few different categories IMHO. I'm definitely not going to run out and spend twice as much money on them.

The best 60-fts I have accomplished were on standard "R" Rated radials. None of the high performance tires I have had on the car have been able to improve on them. The traction ratings have nothing to do with "punch it and go" traction.

Kale

 

[unstoppable]

Just spend the 280 bucks on two Nitto drag radials.Best investment I ever made on the car.I owe every one of my race wins to those tires.Well, and the nitrous.

On the street I left harder than EVERYONE except an AWD eclipse I raced.I still caught him on the big end though.

 

[BlackIceLSC]

First things first,
Kale, are they the Pilot "sport" directional A/S Michelins? The reason I ask is, there is a set of Pilots called the XGTZ4, and the Pilot "sport" XGTZ4. The "sport" has a progressive rate sidewall inter-lay that is designed to work like a progressive spring. that way you have a soft cushy ride on the highway, and when you hit the backroads, the tire is able to sustain heat, and respond in tighter corners.

Granted, there are better tires for traction, as in "launch", but I have yet to drive on a better tire for "all around" use as the Pilot Sport. Never before have I felt so confident in the rain, on the backroads, and heavy braking.

I have seen the MXV4 in action(they came on our 95), and the difference is night and day.

Chris, the Nitto's are going to be my next purchase as soon as I snag a pair(2) spare wheels to mount them on. I plan to use them on the strip ONLY. (back to Kale, I should have snagged that 8-rim deal you had for sale weeks ago!)

I have tried 20 lbs, 24lbs, 30 lbs, and 35 lbs of rear tire pressure. My best "consistent" 60 fts were at 35 psi! I have read from many regular Mark VIII drag racers(Tommy and Tiffany) that their cars also do better with more air in the rears(35psi). Go figure. Must have something to do with the IRS, Off-set, and weight transfer. I dunno. But 35 works best for me. My slowest pass was at 20psi. It was horrible that low.

Monster...no wheelie-bars(training wheels). If you can believe this: Super-stock springs, and Competition engineering rear shocks...that and 11.5 inch slicks, and that car out-60 ft's a 4-link big block 9.70 second Chevy with Monster slicks!

The Mopars use a pinion snubber. The car has been a little higher than the pic before, but any more than that, and I'd have to tone it down. a 1.371-60ft is pretty damn nice for a small tire car.

The scary part is, the race car has the fuel cell in the front(ahead of front spindle), and weighs 3200 lbs!!!

Oh, and it leaves the line at almost an idle(2200 rpms). That, my friend, is the joy of Hilborn Fuel Injection! You stomp, it goes. See the motor close up, click below.

 

[Sifrino3]

I ride on Essenza 245/45 17. I got the tires cheap. Since the tires I wanted was out of stock. But they look great and so far they seem well worth it. No loss in the rain. They seem better in the rain then when its dry.

 

[djKale]

They are the XGT Z4s sans "Sport" designation. They are directional tires. I'm ready to put a 50 series tire back on this car, quick fast in a hurry. I'm seriously entertaining a 45 series tire.

I will sell these if anyone is interested. They have a nice amount of tread left on them. Here are some pics:

I don't think they make these anymore, but I think they were around $180 each (ZR). If I could get that for all four I'd be a happy camper. They are 225/60ZR/16's and look just as wide as the 245 50s I took off the car. From what I have read, their strong point is that they last longer than a normal ZR-Rated tire.

Kale

 

[OldSchool1]

Ramsey in da house!

I ride on Essenza 245/45 17. I got the tires cheap. Since the tires I wanted was out of stock. But they look great and so far they seem well worth it. No loss in the rain. They seem better in the rain then when its dry.

Yo Man. Took you long enough to get over here