[Bowtie man]

I have a 71 Chevrolet SWB P/U with 4.10's in the rear end. I am going to put a posi in it. I will be running an Auto with a big block Chevy. Any thought on making this truck bite an hold when it leaves the line?

[ericnova72]

If this truck has the long arm coil spring rear suspension, it should take nothing more than the correct rate rear spring and a good double adjustable shock to make it work. The Truck Arm suspension is what is used in Nascar,it is a good design. You'll want rear springs in the 200-250 lb/inch rate area to help traction, but you won't be able to haul any big loads with these lighter springs.

From there you will just need a stick drag tire - Nitto NT555's, BFG Comp T/A Drag Radial - those two are more of a street tire less sticky; or the stickier MT Drag Radial, Hoosier Drag Radial, Goodyear Drag Radial, or similar cheater slicks like MT ET Streets, Hoosier Quick Time's.

[techinspector1]

A front-motor, rear drive vehicle like your truck will tweak the frame in such a manner that the left front and right rear get light, while the right front and left rear get heavy. That's why you always see the right rear tire worn out on a one-legger differential, because there is insufficient weight on the tire to make it bite. Changing to a posi is a step in the right direction, but you still need to put some weight on the right rear to make the truck come up squarely on launch. Install an air shock on the right rear only and experiment with air pressure until you get a good square launch and two equal-length patches of rubber on the pavement with some hard street rubber. Then change to some drag strip rubber and have fun.

[F-BIRD'88]

Do not use air shocks. You want Air Lift air bags in the rear springs.
A little extra air in the right bag evens out the launch.
Inspect all rear suspension pivit point bushings. Wear and slop must be eliminated by replacing the rubber bushings.
Get some M/T ET street or ET street radials. Get a drive shaft safety loop.
Inspect the drive shaft U joints. Replace worn U joints.

http://www.airliftcompany.com

[Bowtie man]

I have to get a auto in it first. Then a posi an then go from there. Most likely going to go with some Moroso springs an some competition shocks have not decide which ones yet. Tires a little later after the engine goes in.

If anyone has any pedal time with making one of these trucks bite, please chime in.

Thanks,
Terry.

[aintmisbehavinn]

Go to airlift.com and get you some airbags for your rear springs. I used the 60759's and they did excellent and took out all wheel hop when using the VHT. You can bump them up to 20 lbs at the track then let them out on the street. Make sure you use two different lines, run a little more pressure on the right side. Cheap band aid to my hook problem.

[kukamojo]

Originally Posted by aintmisbehavinn

Go to airlift.com and get you some airbags for your rear springs. I used the 60759's and they did excellent and took out all wheel hop when using the VHT. You can bump them up to 20 lbs at the track then let them out on the street. Make sure you use two different lines, run a little more pressure on the right side. Cheap band aid to my hook problem.

Airliftcompany.com is what you mean. Airlift.com is a hospital site.

[aintmisbehavinn]

http://www.jegs.com/i/Air+Lift/022/60759/10002/-1

These work great in mine.

[Chris Kemp]

Now everybody up here is gonna laugh at what I'm about to tell you. Back in the early eighties something weird happened here in Jacksonville Florida. Most of us had made it through the first four wheel drive craze of the late seventies, sold our trucks got married and started a family. Well for some reason that has escaped me we started putting real big fast engines in two wheel drive pickup trucks. We didn't take these trucks to the drag strip or the sand dunes and mud holes. We started racing them on Friday and Saturday nights on some of the old rural roads in this area. We didn't race against to many cars because we knew that cars had a better weight ratio. We pretty much stuck to racing against other two wheel drive pick up trucks.
Well I tried just about everything I could think of to get my truck to hook. Most of it helped but it still suffered from the issue of poor weight distribution. My wife and I had a water bed and it had sprung one to many leaks. Living in an apartment this bed wound up in the back of my pick up and I was going to throw it in the dumpster at the shop where I worked. I got it to work and put a little water in it one of the guys wanted to see how bad it was leaking. My truck had a slight California rake to it so that when the water bed was half full most of the water was in the front of the bed up against the back of the cab area. At lunch I noticed that when I stomped the gas and all the water went to the tailgate, bingo instant bite! Now this was no slouch of a pick up truck, big block chevy, turbo 400, stall, 411 posi, leaf rear springs and ladder bars. The biggest improvement in bite was the water bed and I smoked everybody for next couple of weeks before the word got out - go figure. LOL

Oh by the way, that is a real nice Chevy you have there!

[Bowtie man]

I liked your post an it is a thought but we going to try something else first. Thanks for the comment on the truck.

[adantessr]

Originally Posted by Chris Kemp

Now everybody up here is gonna laugh at what I'm about to tell you. Back in the early eighties something weird happened here in Jacksonville Florida. Most of us had made it through the first four wheel drive craze of the late seventies, sold our trucks got married and started a family. Well for some reason that has escaped me we started putting real big fast engines in two wheel drive pickup trucks. We didn't take these trucks to the drag strip or the sand dunes and mud holes. We started racing them on Friday and Saturday nights on some of the old rural roads in this area. We didn't race against to many cars because we knew that cars had a better weight ratio. We pretty much stuck to racing against other two wheel drive pick up trucks.
Well I tried just about everything I could think of to get my truck to hook. Most of it helped but it still suffered from the issue of poor weight distribution. My wife and I had a water bed and it had sprung one to many leaks. Living in an apartment this bed wound up in the back of my pick up and I was going to throw it in the dumpster at the shop where I worked. I got it to work and put a little water in it one of the guys wanted to see how bad it was leaking. My truck had a slight California rake to it so that when the water bed was half full most of the water was in the front of the bed up against the back of the cab area. At lunch I noticed that when I stomped the gas and all the water went to the tailgate, bingo instant bite! Now this was no slouch of a pick up truck, big block chevy, turbo 400, stall, 411 posi, leaf rear springs and ladder bars. The biggest improvement in bite was the water bed and I smoked everybody for next couple of weeks before the word got out - go figure. LOL

Oh by the way, that is a real nice Chevy you have there!

That is hillarious . So they found out you had a sleeper , I mean water mattress and wouldn't race you anymore .

[Chris Kemp]

Originally Posted by adantessr

That is hillarious . So they found out you had a sleeper , I mean water mattress and wouldn't race you anymore .

I know it's bizarre but it really did work! The water bed with about 3 inches of water in it was the trick. No s **** t have you ever seen a 1976 chevy long wheel base 1/2 pick up truck lift the front wheels off the ground?

Buddy of mine's son has a Ski boat set up for wake board. Last summer he bought a bag that goes across the back of the boat and you fill it with water. It helps the boat hook and it keeps the bow in the air so that the boat makes a bigger wake. He paid about 600.00 dollars for it. After I saw it I asked, "Why didn't you just use an old water bed"?
Should have seen the look on his face. First a light went off and then a snarl.

Us old guys didn't get to be old by being stupid!