FWD Traction Problems

[Fowlermonkey]

Just wanted to get kind of a generalized answer to the question of how to stop the major traction problems of a FWD car...
When the body rolls off the powered wheels on a launch, do you just stiffen the suspension up?

[JP]

did you buy a fwd?

on a fwd
1) enough power to spin the wheels all the time, not just wheel hop
2) load the suspension in the rear so when it launches, the rear won't sag
3) sticky tires

[Fowlermonkey]

no but ive heard a lot of members on here (at the ice cream cruise, slopony...) talkin bout their FWD not hooking at all and i just figured id start a fresh thread to help them address their problems. That and i also have my own personal thirst for knowledge.

[JP]

they hook, just need to build it right...not just throw billions of go-fast parts on it and forget the supporting parts

[03civic]

I tried softening the rear suspension at slo pony day, and it added 3 tenths to my time, 1.5 of that to my 60ft. I spun real bad. Stiffening the rear to 100% did wonders for me, almost no tire spin at a 4k launch. Next time I'll try softening the front a little, and raising the rear an inch or two to give me better caster.

[whtlude_si]

Traction control bars, polyurethane motor mounts, LSD(not acid Limited Slip)

[JP]

Traction control bars, polyurethane motor mounts, LSD(not acid Limited Slip)

you dont need gay motor mounts to make a fwd car hook

[Fowlermonkey]

you dont need gay motor mounts to make a fwd car hook

Precisely! you need the Heterosexual ones.:dunno:

[image4you2see]

You make a fwd car hook by getting rid of the turd and buyng a rwd car but please if you buy a rwd car don't make yourself sound like a rice and still say you need to do roll on racing because you can't make it hook because trust me there should be no issues getting traction with your 13 second car even on a street tire..

[JP]

Precisely! you need the Heterosexual ones.:dunno:

wtf is that? dumbass...doesnt matter what sex preference the motor mounts have...ya dont need them for traction, there are better ways around it

[Bdubs]

stiff rear suspension to stop weight transfere to the rear, but they will never hook like a rwd.

[Sohcgt96]

stiff rear suspension to stop weight transferer to the rear, but they will never hook like a rwd.

Thats pretty much the sum of it right there.

Some suspension designs can have additional bracing added to cure some flex, which is always the enemy of traction. When suspension parts are bending and flexing, they're not moving how they're designed to, and not working like they're designed to.

First, like Bdubs said, despite best efforts for drag racing, FWD is less suitable, end of story. But, to make it work, adjustability is going to be the key. You don't want to make the thing hell to drive on the street, but you want to be able to stiffen/raise the rear at the track to prevent as much weight transfer as you can. Regardless of what tires you have on the car, they will bite better, but better tires are still the next step. Make sure if you're launching it hard that the powertrain (clutch, half shafts, suspension arms, trans itself) are in good enough condition to be repeatedly beat on. Ask other owners of the same car what kind of punishment they can take.

One more thing to keep in mind, is a little bit of spin but keeping it in the powerband is better than a 100% hook-up and a bog. A little "eeek" at the line is ok if you're still moving forward pretty well. Try keeping the revs up and letting the clutch slip a little to modulate wheelspin instead of dumping the clutch and backing off the throttle to control spin. Its hard to make yourself do (that green light is connected straight to your subconscious and yells "dump it!" straight to your left foot) but that's what a lot of the fast drag radial guys say to do.

Now, one final thing. Don't expect to be cutting 1.8 60' times in a 150 HP car, because its just not going to have the power.