[wildchildbmx6]

i was looking at the airbag launch kit that goes in the rear right spring. it looks like it may work but im skeptical. any suggestions or comments?

[speedytang]

Works great. It keeps the car level when you launch and allows both tires to grip equally.

[fastest95stang]

where can you get these air bags from? i know summit sells the air lift ones.any body else selling these?and do you pump the air bags all the way up or just enough pressure to keep the car from lifting up?

[Brendin]

i got mine with my eibach drag launch kit the air bag does help stops the car from twisting sideways when launchin hard.

[twomorestrokes]

Yes they work great for preloading the right rear to compensate for chassis twist and torque. They help plant the tire that tries to lift. I worked for Air Lift for years. You may still be able to view the service bulletin on how to use them for traction at www.airliftcompany.com. You can get the best price from Summit. Install just the right rear or both and use more pressure in the right side.

[830hp]

i run 9sec in lx. i'm not tring to piss anyone off butt air bags suck!!!.it changes the srping rate in the right rear not good.if you want something that works and dont change the spring rate.have a good race shop put in a good anti-roll bar.

[twomorestrokes]

Hmmm. I'm not here to defend Air Lift since I don't even work there any longer (since last Friday LOL) but there must be a reason that drag racers have been using them for this reason for not just years, but decades. The bag in the Eibach kit is an A/L bag as well. I used to answer the tech support email as part of my job, and drag racers were getting back to me replying that a simple change in air pressure totally straightened their cars out on the launch and provided much better bite also. There are also a lot of resterations of old drag cars going on where the restorers were contacting us trying to get replacement old-style stuff for the cars to make the job correct.

I wonder if it didn't work well for you since the Mustange is so much lighter or maybe you were using too much air pressure in the one side? There have been many testing articles over the years in Car Craft, Hot Rod, etc showing proven results after the add. The ones I saw were with larger cars though like Chevelles, etc. Air Lift got their big start by the racers using the product way back when...

[830hp]

i have been racing cars for 18yrs.worked for roush,dart,grebeck racing,fti racing engines,urban performance.air bags might work for a little better 60ft times but still chages spring rate.i have had cars from 12sec to 7.48sec.have you ever hit a bump at over 120+ the car whats to change lanes.that is not safe!!!!!!!!!.air bags have been used in the past that's great leave them there.it's the wrong why to stop body roll.if any one is using magazine articles for tech please stop.go to your local drag strip find a car like the one you have that's running very well and look it over find out how they did it.how do you think you car would drive if the factory put different spring rate on all corners of you car??????????.NOT SAFE.

[twomorestrokes]

They are not "in the past". It is a current product that still sees very wide spread use. Yes they obviously change the spring rate and I can see how the car would react differently on a very bumpy surface.

Sorry, I am sure not trying to argue as you obviously have had a bad experience with them and I do not want to sound like I am trying to minimize the situation that you had. Your car is quite a bit faster than the ones that I have raced. The fox body Mustang is squirrelly enough at high speeds on it's own accord. I did lose contol of my '87 LX with the needle just above the 140 mark. Too fast for the mostly stock short wheelbased suspension to hold the road. I can appreciate the warning that you are giving to fellow racers. It is something that they should hear from someone who has had a bad experience.

[830hp]

not trying to be a dick but go to chassis school like i did and we will talk.do you wont to do it the right way or the very wrong way.the people on the forum wont real answer from people that do it for a living. call skinny kid race cars the number one chassic guy in the us for ford outlaw cars and see if he will put a air bag in.the answer wont be to your liking.

[twomorestrokes]

Ummm, I did go to school and studied chassis tech among other things and have an associates degree in automotive technology. I was a master tech at a Ford dealership for many years prior to working at Air Lift which actually builds full air suspensions, replacing the steel springs. They use a lot of 3 amd 4 link designs as well as manufacture air struts.

Not that it matters. I'm sure you are more knowledgeable about drag racing suspensions than I am by far and I had stated that I did not mean to state my opinions as an argument. They are just that...my opinions, which I am entitled to just as you are. And everyone should pay attention to both sides of an issue in order to make an educated decision. That is what help forums are all about. Thanks.

[830hp]

that's cool what dealer did you work at.i worked at dean sellers in troy mi.looks like we have the same back ground sorry for being a dick.my brother has the full air on 68 chevelle great ride.just trying to teach the younger crowd about drag racing and keeping them safe!!!!it's not how fast it how fun.i see you not that far from midmich dragway do you ever go?

[twomorestrokes]

I worked at a small Ford dealership in Mason, MI, Yearkey Ford, many years ago. The dealership is now a snowmobile dealership. (my favorite sport) There were only two mechanics there so we had to work on whatever came in the door. Not like the bigger places where everyone has their specialized area.

No problem here either. If there is a bad side to any popular product, that side needs to be voiced as well to let people know. I suppose the faster cars need more advanced traction aids to keep them safe. Usually if you have enough work and money into a car to reach into the low 9's you are probably more prone to do something more advanced than to stuff a poly bag into the coil. Works well on my mamoth '69 442 "W" convert though with an otherwise stock suspension.

I used to race my LX down at Milan Dragway and this M II at Stanton, MI. (Mid Michigan Motorplex) I've had this car long enough where I raced it there back before they even updated the place and the area past the finish line was so torn up with patches on top of patches that it made things really scary. The last time I raced it was right after I dumped this current motor in it but the rest of the car was stock right down to the 13" wheels and the open 2.79 8" axle! The car was consistant in the brackets anyway as long as I could keep that rear tire from frying all the way down the track. There was quite an obvious twisting feeling from the unibody T top car with only one drive wheel and no frame stiffening.

Can't wait to try it now with things stiffened up and a good axle in it and some man-sized wheels and tires LOL. It still has the leaf springs so I think I'm going to try to fabricate my own version of the CalTrac bar setup to see if it works well enough to stay away from coilovers.

[830hp]

69 442 i would trade both mustangs for hurst model.raced alot at old detriot dragway. milan was my home track intel i moved and open the racing shop.the cal tracs work very good i have them on the nova.get a good set of shocks double ajustable ones qa1 or strange.i took me about half a yr to figger the cal trac out.it's in the shocks!i have the coil over kit in the 9sec car with home made lower control arms and the anti-roll bar goes stright as a arrow.good luck with it and have fun and be safe!love to see the gutlas lol got some pics.

[twomorestrokes]

Have had that Olds for 27 years now. Wrecked twice when I was younger, spent 17 years torn apart, and have since shown it a few times at the Olds Nationals along with my '83 (which my father bought new) Only pics were in a photo album so here's a poor digital shot of a photograph.

Thanks for the advice on the CalTracs. I printed drawings and plans from the internet along with how to measure and I think I'll give it a shot. Home made stuff is what I can afford! LOL http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html

Do you snowmobile at all, being in Beaverton? Those are a real trip to watch a turboed 4 stroke on the asphalt!