Getting slow - bringing her back to reality on the big end

bgreen776

bgreen776

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Jul 12, 2012
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I had a very exciting run this weekend. I made one slow warm up pass, then one nice and easy 10 psi launch on a soft tune, ran 11.8 at 120 or so. Soon as I hit the brakes I got the most terrifying death wobble I've ever experienced. Bad enough that it blurred my vision! I had my Nitto 420's at about 25 psi, and my truck has the 08.5 and up steering, but its got a lot of miles on it. My race weight is about 7200 lbs with me in the truck.

The tires were throwing rubber and rocks all over the little tuner car behind me in the other lane. :doh:

This experience got me thinking a lot more about safety and performance not related to going faster. I know the rules don't require chutes at speeds under 150, but I would have paid any amount of money and done any amount of work to get slowed down faster once that wobble set in. My truck isn't nearly as fast as most guys on here, and certainly no where near as fast as the guys running chutes, but its going to run high tens this fall, and hopefully low 10's next season.

My brakes could probably stand to be re-freshed. I'm thinking about buying EBC yellow pads, and EBC grooved and dimpled rotors. I'm also seriously considering a Stroud 430 with a mechanical launcher, or maybe two. The truck is heavy, and 130+ is likely in my future.

Thoughts, opinions, suggestions?
 
A chute.



:lolly:

But really. Could this be from suspension loading and unloading? That's a shock issue
 
I don't think so. The shocks are in great shape, probably less than 100 miles on them. I'm confident, at this point, that I can cure the death wobble with some regular maintenance, and a little more tire pressure.

A co-worker suggested a hand brake on the rear tires only. Interesting.

I know a chute sounds silly, but is that just because we are used to seein them on really fast and light cars?
 
Your truck doesn't need a chute. Do not let out of the throttle hard or get into the brakes hard and you will be fine. I am doing 145mph in the 1/4 on stock worn out 2nd gen steering and brakes with no issues stopping as long as I am easy off the throttle and easy on the brakes.
 
PM will go along way in getting rid of death wobble. Check for worn ball joints, bushings, etc.
 
Any particular flavor of brake pad recommended for occasional street use? EBC Yellows (semi metallic) seem popular.

I might have got on the brakes pretty hard, an I know I let off too quick as I can remember my electronic BOV opening. I'll replace the steering linkage, check the toe setting, and try it again while making a conscious effort to lift easy and brake slowly. All the other front suspension components are brand new.
 
longhorn859 said:
Your truck doesn't need a chute. Do not let out of the throttle hard or get into the brakes hard and you will be fine. I am doing 145mph in the 1/4 on stock worn out 2nd gen steering and brakes with no issues stopping as long as I am easy off the throttle and easy on the brakes.
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NHRDA rules state a chute for 150mph or faster. Your getting cose. :lolly:
But my question to you is. Why not have a chute ? Its not a bad idea to have one even if you don't use it.
 
murphy41 said:
NHRDA rules state a chute for 150mph or faster. Your getting cose. :lolly:
But my question to you is. Why not have a chute ? Its not a bad idea to have one even if you don't use it.
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Thats kinda how I feel about it. I don't know what the resistance to chutes under 150 mph is, but I see it all over racing forums. Seems like there are probably some posers running around with chutes for no reason? I've read a few posts on this forum where guys were talking about people they saw lose their brakes. Sounds scary to me, even if it was at 100 mph. Our trucks have huge brakes, but they certainly weren't ever intended to see speeds in excess of 100 mph on a regular basis, much less several times over a matter of a few minutes.
 
I would not go any softer than Green stuff in the front and yellow in the rear.
 
Thats interesting, thank you! Any details on why you suggest this?

What do you all think about grooved and dimpled, or slotted and cross drilled rotors?
 
I have ran both. The greens are slightly less braking force than the yellows but last longer. You will go through the yellows on the front quickly.

Rotors are always nice to have but if just drag racing other than a slight weight advantage no major benefit. Now serious driving and heavy brake use is a different story.
 
when drakes truck did this with slicks he actually scuffed the wall. we put ram assist steering on it and never had another problem..
 
I'd check everything in the front end over real close. Tire pressure is not your problem. I've had 420's over 130 at 20psi and never had a problem. I've always ran a 3rd gen track bar on front until I lowered my truck to the point where I needed something custom. The 2nd gen trac bars are junk so there's an idea too.
 
If your truck has a lot of miles on it, then it needs to be freshened up. Check ball joints, bushing, brakes and etc.

When I first started to build my truck it was scary to stop it from 70 mph. Replaced all of moving parts in the front end, went with poly control arm bushings. Now there's no shudder at all in a hard stop from 130 mph. That's with LTXs at 25 psi.

Do a chute if it makes you feel better, but it won't do anything to cure your death wobble.
 
Drothgeb said:
If your truck has a lot of miles on it, then it needs to be freshened up. Check ball joints, bushing, brakes and etc.

When I first started to build my truck it was scary to stop it from 70 mph. Replaced all of moving parts in the front end, went with poly control arm bushings. Now there's no shudder at all in a hard stop from 130 mph. That's with LTXs at 25 psi.

Do a chute if it makes you feel better, but it won't do anything to cure your death wobble.
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100% true statement.
 
I agree, never thought it would though. I hope I was clear on that. It's just the event that got me thinking about how fast we are really going on the big end.

It might help slow ya down as your brakes are about worthless when ya are doin the death wobble.
 
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