While building big horsepower has become easier, putting that power down to the pavement is still quite a challenge. Getting great "bite" involves a lot more than sticky tires and a smoky burnout. The suspension system is being put to work in a way it was never designed to operate. A better understanding of exactly what is happening to the suspension when the car launches from a standing start will assist you in maximizing your car's effectiveness on the street or at the track.

In How to Hook and Launch: Traction Mods for the Street & Strip, author Dick Miller explains the physics behind what gets a car moving from a standing start, and how to best harness the various powers at work. Getting the rear tires to really bite and gain maximum traction is divided into several small steps, and Miller walks you through each phase of the launch.


TABLE OF CONTENTS:


Chapter 1: 

• Suspension Basics and Drag Racing Dynamics 
• For Every Action There is a Reaction 
• Shock Absorbers 

• Rear Suspension: Leaf Springs 
• Pinion Angle 
• Preload and Spring Wrap 
• Rise or Squat 
• The Neutral Line 
• Ladder Bars 
• Subframe Connectors 
• Calvert Leaves 

• Rear Suspension: Coil Springs and Three-Link 
• The Neutral Line 
• Preload 
• Pinion Angle 
• Bushings 
• Lower Control Arms 
• Scale Procedure 

• Rear Suspension: Coil Springs and Four-Link 
• Basic Design 
• Bushing Replacement 
• Control Arm Upgrades 
• No-Hop Bars 
• Track Locators
• Control Arm Adjustments 
• Setting Preload 
• Adjusting Preload 

• Front Suspension: Straight Axles 
• The Basics 
• Gasser Era 
• Steering Styles 
• Bump Steer 
• Front Tires 

• Front Suspension: Double A-Arm 
• Alignment 
• Sway bars 
• Sway Bars versus Anti-Roll Bars 
• Shocks 
• Spring Selection 

• Front Suspension: Single A-Arm 
• Alignment 
• Sway Bars 
• Aftermarket Struts 
• Bracing 
• Coil-Overs, Struts, Springs, K-Members 

• Front Suspension: Torsion Bars 
• Basic Design 
• Performance Upgrades 
• Drag Tuning 
• Shock Absorbers 
• Weight Loss 
• Subframe Connectors 
• Bars and Cages 
• Bushings 
• Tubular Arms 

• Tires 
• Offset Axle Housings 
• Rubber Compounds 
• Wheel Screws 
• Tire Care 
• Mounting Advice 
• Street Tire Comparison 
• Drag Radial Advice 
• Tire Storage 
• Pressure and Wear
• Sample Applications 

• Fine-Tuning Suspension for Maximum Traction 
• Shooting Video 
• Having the Right Torque Converter 
• Adjusting Pinion Angle
• Adjusting Chassis Preload with Rear Coil Springs 
• Adjusting Chassis Preload with Rear Leaf Springs 
• Adjusting Rear Rise or Squat 
• Adjusting Anti-Roll Bars 
• Adjusting Front and Rear Tire Pressure and Diameter 
• Scaling a Car 

• Making a Pass 
• The Burnout 
• Street Tires 
• Reaction Time 
• Mechanical Snafus 
• The First 60 Feet 
• Starting-Line Ratio 
• Dissecting The Run 
• Comparing Runs 

• Suggestions for a More Consistent and Winning Car 
• Tall Tires 
• Power Saving 
• Shifter Style 
• Transmission Brake 
• Weather Stations 
• 2-Speed vs. 3-Speed 
• Data Records 
• Ignition System and RPM Limiters

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