Trailing arm traction help.

[Tmiller]

I looking for tricks or setup you are using that may help plant big power.
I currently have 6" drop spings, reinforced arms,325/50/20,adjustable panhard bar.
This only seems to get me a vertical leep to the point of lifting rear end and then massive wheel hop on launching.
I know the tires aren't the best and planning to go to M/T 29x18x20.
I'm thinking pinion angle, some coilovers rear and adjustables front.
What's your setup?

[ripdog28]

May be a personal thing but 20s on older trucks isn't the best. Other then that the 6in drop and 20s set you way off. You can not have a slammed car with big wheels and think it will hook up unless you do some frame work and relocate your shocks and trailing arm mounting points. It is a compramise do you want a slammed show truck or a racer? With the drop and 20s your drive line is pretty much a straight line.

If you must have the 20s then get an airbag set up that way you can lift it a bit and it'll give you a better angle to plant the rear end then you can slam it if just cruising. a basic bag set up will be about $800-1200 for a full system. The 20s probably cost that much so just go for the bags.

[Super73]

The only thing I have seen big wheels work on for racing is an AWD, something like my wife Trailblazer SS. I have seen some guys get 18's to work on things but you need to set your rear suspension up corectly.

As you hit the rear tire, the rear end wants to go up in to the truck, then it bounces right back out. Springs, shocks ans instanct center of gravity are all against you right now.

First thing is throw the lowering springs in the garbage!!! They are typically a short heavy rate spring. As you transfer weight on to them, they aren't very giving. Go to your local pick and pull and find a Jeep Cherokee and pull the front springs out of it. I had to trim a little to get the ride height I wanted, but they are a much softer spring than the lowering ones I had.

The next thing you need to do to the rear suspension is lower the front eyelet on the lower control arm. How much, well I can't tell you exactly. The more you lower it, the softer it will hit the rear tire. IE you will use some of the insant energy through the springs rather than the rear tire when you hit the gas. It'll sqwat the rear further.

Next is going to be a different shock. You need to be able to control that very soft spring now. Something like a Rancho 9000 would be helpful. Ultimately a 2-way adjustable shock would be best but they are a lot of money.


That's my take on it.

[djracer]

the truck can sit low and work. I have a very low ride height! I have trailing arms and single adjustable coilovers with an antiroll bar.