1/4 mile theory & tuning
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By OmarG
#79482 I think this would be an excellent thing to discuss. Anyone have tips, or rule of thumbs?
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By LowTEC-Derbo
#79504 dont drop the clutch. that will kill your drivetrain :)



i usually pull the handbrake. release the clutch to near the catchpoint where the car starts to move a little forward, and then slip the clutch off so its a clean launch. I haven't broken axles since I learned this way. I done plenty of 7200rpm launches on slicks like this.

I used to drop the clutch with the rpms at 4-5krpm and it snapped my axle. Course I'm sure on a stock motor, the torque might not be enough to snap it, but better to have a good technique perfected before getting more power.
By Method
#79523
LowTEC-Derbo wrote:dont drop the clutch. that will kill your drivetrain :)



i usually pull the handbrake. release the clutch to near the catchpoint where the car starts to move a little forward, and then slip the clutch off so its a clean launch. I haven't broken axles since I learned this way. I done plenty of 7200rpm launches on slicks like this.

I used to drop the clutch with the rpms at 4-5krpm and it snapped my axle. Course I'm sure on a stock motor, the torque might not be enough to snap it, but better to have a good technique perfected before getting more power.


once i was taught to use the handbrake for launching it def. cut down on my time.
By Method
#79592 Tips to getting a "good" reaction time

DO NOT WAIT for the green light to come on.

The yellow ambers will flash 1 at a time .500 seconds apart

When the 3rd amber(yellow) light goes on LAUNCH your car. if you do that you will see a decent reaction time. once you get consistant you can tune yourself from there. perfect reaction at sparta is a .000 if you wait for the green your most likely comming out with a 1.xxx which is terrible

Coles notes Launch your car on the 3rd yellow light NOT the green
By sdots
#79763
Method wrote:Tips to getting a "good" reaction time

DO NOT WAIT for the green light to come on.

The yellow ambers will flash 1 at a time .500 seconds apart

When the 3rd amber(yellow) light goes on LAUNCH your car. if you do that you will see a decent reaction time. once you get consistant you can tune yourself from there. perfect reaction at sparta is a .000 if you wait for the green your most likely comming out with a 1.xxx which is terrible

Coles notes Launch your car on the 3rd yellow light NOT the green


I do the same ^^ however no handbrake, just perfect your clutch bite point.
not so on point so the tranny engages power to the fly, however just before, works a treat for me everytime, haven't been on the strip yet, however on the road it works great. Good tires also help :)
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By ohDirka
#79805 I grew up at the drag strip and was always told to launch o the second yellow light. the reason being is your brain takes a second to put you body into motion. I've had several .00- lights. This is at least what works for ME.
By TurboHatch
#88159
sdots wrote:
Method wrote:Tips to getting a "good" reaction time

DO NOT WAIT for the green light to come on.

The yellow ambers will flash 1 at a time .500 seconds apart

When the 3rd amber(yellow) light goes on LAUNCH your car. if you do that you will see a decent reaction time. once you get consistant you can tune yourself from there. perfect reaction at sparta is a .000 if you wait for the green your most likely comming out with a 1.xxx which is terrible

Coles notes Launch your car on the 3rd yellow light NOT the green


I do the same ^^ however no handbrake, just perfect your clutch bite point.
not so on point so the tranny engages power to the fly, however just before, works a treat for me everytime, haven't been on the strip yet, however on the road it works great. Good tires also help :)


at the track you will want to use the ebrake to hold you still, reason is if you have a little to much engagement you will move out of the beams and redlight
By sdots
#88314
TurboHatch wrote:
sdots wrote:
Method wrote:Tips to getting a "good" reaction time

DO NOT WAIT for the green light to come on.

The yellow ambers will flash 1 at a time .500 seconds apart

When the 3rd amber(yellow) light goes on LAUNCH your car. if you do that you will see a decent reaction time. once you get consistant you can tune yourself from there. perfect reaction at sparta is a .000 if you wait for the green your most likely comming out with a 1.xxx which is terrible

Coles notes Launch your car on the 3rd yellow light NOT the green


I do the same ^^ however no handbrake, just perfect your clutch bite point.
not so on point so the tranny engages power to the fly, however just before, works a treat for me everytime, haven't been on the strip yet, however on the road it works great. Good tires also help :)


at the track you will want to use the ebrake to hold you still, reason is if you have a little to much engagement you will move out of the beams and redlight


:thumb:
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By JUICE
#96150 so you keep your hand on the handbrake as tree is comin down and put it down at instant you leave?? then directly to the shifter for second?? seems like it would be weird not holdin the shifter while launching. guess i never have not held it.. I'm guessing it wouldnt pop out of gear?? ive raced at the strip before and know how to stage and launch and all that but it was in an automatic and i was just "two footin" the pedals launchin like that.. have not done it with a manual tranny yet.
By doitpropa
#129162 never gone to the track but what about launching in second .. less tire spin one less shift messed around like that on the road nd it was pretty good but i don't have much more than stock power in my b series w/ b16 tranny
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By Sentry
#129393 Unless you're making serious power and are on slicks, I just see second killing your sixty foot time, and thus, your run.
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By JUICE
#129395
Sentry wrote:Unless you're making serious power and are on slicks, I just see second killing your sixty foot time, and thus, your run.


x2

it would fall on its face
By Sabes
#205869 ride pretty much all of 1st and ride the clutch for a bit of second as well. Unless you got a short ratio tranny and a good helping of torque, in that case dump in second and keep going