Competition drag racing launch techniques

[zstroken]

Just fooling around the other day, after listening to my boss talk about his hemi, I was trying to find a way to launch hard in third gear. I would hold brake and gas with right foot, revving to about 1500-1800(hard to do with foot on brake), then ease out on the clutch until i started to build some boost(5 psi), then let off of the clutch, release brake and floor it. Well my clutch wouldn't grab, motor would redline, then when I went to 4th gear the clutch would catch. Whats the deal, is my clutch have problems(less than 10k miles on it) or is that the nature of the beast, I figured the FE should be able to hook, or am I wrong. What is the correct way to launch?

 

[LaserBob]

You are frying your clutch. Don't do that to it. It will cost you a new clutch soon.

 

[clawson]

That clutch is not made for that!!!!!

 

[Jff24Gordn]

about the only way to build boost is to floor it and let out on the clutch right before the governer hits.

 

[Turbo Thom]

Now I'm not a pro at racing but I launched at 20 lbs of boost with my five speed. I pulled into the lights till the yellow came on. I put my heel on the brake and toe on the go petal. I waited for the other truck to stage then I slipped the clutch with heel on the brake and "toed", is that a word, on the accelerator till i had 20 lbs. It took all of 2 secs and when I launched it planted my head into the head rest. We all know the five speed won't make it drag racin but I did it just to see what would happen. I still ran a 15. 75 with a 7,800 lb truck. Just heel and toe.

 

[Turbo Thom]

Now I'm not a pro at racing but I launched at 20 lbs of boost with my five speed. I pulled into the lights till the yellow came on. I put my heel on the brake and toe on the go petal. I waited for the other truck to stage then I slipped the clutch with heel on the brake and "toed", is that a word, on the accelerator till I had 20 lbs. It took all of 2 secs and when I launched it planted my head into the head rest. We all know the five speed won't make it drag racin but I did it just to see what would happen. I still ran a 15. 75 with a 7,800 lb truck. Just heel and toe.



. . Preston. .

 

[Swayse]

I ran a 14. 31 at 93 with my 03 before I debombed it, on the stock clutch. Stick in 4wd, put your foot on the floor and let the engine hit the govenor, 2nd gear and let out the clutch when your ready. Don't totally dump the clutch or it will bog, it all depends on your gears and your tire size to have fast you can let the clutch out. Good for a 1. 89 60' with 315s and 3. 73.

 

[ERIC668]

Swayse, do you shift through all the gears or did you skip any when you ran that time. Or do you have a five speed instead of six speed. When I get my new clutch in I have been thinking about taking it to the strip to see what it will do. I have been debating on weather to start in 3rd and skip 4th gear ?? or start in 2nd and skip 3rd gear ?? or go through them all ?? Just wondering what you did to get that time?

 

[Swayse]

I've got the 5 speed. I know some guys with 6 speeds that go to the track and race, they launch in 2nd and run through all the gears. They all have 315 tires on them with 3. 54 gears, one of them pulled off a 13. 9 at 96 with his 2001 HO 6 speed.

 

[Big_Bad_Dually]

I used to launch my 95 3500 with 4. 10's in third when i was in twd. I would stage at about 8 psi then hit the LP injection when letting out on the clutch. The rear would slip all over and usually scare the HE!! out of who i was racin. When I would launch in 4x4 i used second and no LP at first just boost. I used 4x4 during the winter when i had no tool boxes or a fuel tank in the back and third during the summer when i would wiegh 9500lbs.

brian



PS jam shifting third and fourth would cause u joint failure so i carried a spare but never actually broke one. but my stereo would fly out of the dash sometimes