Swerving at the track

[50 Proof]

I was at the drag strip this past weekend with my 86 GT and had a pretty weird experience while going down the track. The car kept swerving back and forth even though I was holding the steering wheel straight. There were several times where I had to let off the gas completely and coast down the strip because the car kept swerving back and forth really bad.

My 86 GT is lowered on H&R Supersport springs with Bilstein struts/shocks and a MM Caster/Camber kit. I thought maybe my front suspension is bad (rack and pinion, outer tie rods, alignment, front tires) but, my 86 GT tracks straight on the street no problem. I'm running MT ET Streets with around 15psi. What could be causing my car to swerve back and forth on the track?

[fordfreak300]

1st it is palmdale and it has a nasty groove. 2nd if the wind was blowing there was sand on the track and you were actually spinning your tires a bit. 3rd it does not matter what track you are at or what car you are driving you have to steer the car to go straight. With slight bumps and any difference in height on the pavement a car tends to want to turn a bit.

I bet you had to lift at half track didn't you? That is the worst as that is where the bleachers end and the sand starts to fly on the track the heaviest.

[svo6]

Was it your first time using those tires? I know my slicks sway a little. Not on acceleration though, only when im braking hard.

[anthonydalrymple]

I had the same problem Corey...... Never did fully figure it out...... I think it's potentially a combination of control arms (under power) moving the rear out of alignment, needing a four wheel alignment, jerking the steering wheel while shifting hard(true about me), etc.

[50 Proof]

I've used those ET streets at a different track and didn't have any swerving issues. I'm sure i'm jerking the steering wheel at least a little bit, but I was still swerving even while accelerating in the same gear while holding the wheel straight. I'm going to work on tightening up my front suspension to see if that helps, new rack, new bump steer, possibly bipass the power steering pump at the track. I'm going to experiment around to see if I can reduce the swerving. I plan on going back to Irwindale soon so I can confirm whether or not I actually swerve at that track.

[anthonydalrymple]

I admit that I always had the "swerves" at Palmdale..... Low slick pressure in an attempt to find traction can do it as well..... If i remember correctly; you have "oversize" rear tire on an "undersized V6 wheel..... That can contribute to the swerves from what I've read.......

[50 Proof]

Well that's good to know that it's not just me. I was beginning to think something was really wrong with my car and started seeing excessive amounts of dollar signs flash before my eyes.
I'm running 26x10.5x15 ET street on a 15x7 inch rim. I believe these are barely too big for my V6 wheels, but will still work. Maybe finding a cheap set of 15x8 inch rims will help me out.

[ashley roachclip]

Corey , I believe your problem is the tire / rim width .
I have 245/45/17 Falkens on my 8" bullits , no swerve.
I put 275/40/17 BFG drag radials on the same 8" rim , and have the swerve or mushy rear end feeling .
I am now looking for a 9" wide rim .
I think this will resolve the swishing rear provlem .

[50 Proof]

Corey , I believe your problem is the tire / rim width .
I have 245/45/17 Falkens on my 8" bullits , no swerve.
I put 275/40/17 BFG drag radials on the same 8" rim , and have the swerve or mushy rear end feeling .
I am now looking for a 9" wide rim .
I think this will resolve the swishing rear provlem .

would a 26x10.5x15 inch ET street fit better on an 8 or 9 inch wide rim? Are there rims that I can get that wont require me to upgrade to really long wheel studs? One reason I don't want to go with the Weld wheels is because they require longer wheel studs and special lug nuts. I don't want to install longer wheel studs for a car that will only see the drag strip a few times out of the year.

[anthonydalrymple]

I believe the only way you'll get away with the factory studs is sticking with a factory wheel.....IMHO

[StangBoy]

I admit that I always had the "swerves" at Palmdale..... Low slick pressure in an attempt to find traction can do it as well..... If i remember correctly; you have "oversize" rear tire on an "undersized V6 wheel..... That can contribute to the swerves from what I've read.......

exactly, i am running a 9.5in tire on a 7in wheel. on the street i keep them aired up otherwise it feels like the ass end is swerving. when racing i drop them to 15psi and on anything other than straight, flat road it is squirrely.

[ashley roachclip]

I think the only way to get a 9" wheel is aftermarket . I was looking into some steel wheels , like on that fairmont i posted , and have them widened .
The 10.5 is too wide for the 8" rim ....

[todd scribner]

Do you have a low profile radial on the front.If so that is part of the problem.mixing bias ply with radial.If you put a bias ply skinnie on the front that will help a great deal.

[50 Proof]

Do you have a low profile radial on the front.If so that is part of the problem.mixing bias ply with radial.If you put a bias ply skinnie on the front that will help a great deal.

Yea I have 245/45 17's up front. Problem with me running skinnies is I have 13 inch cobra brakes. Unless I can find a skinnie that can clear those brakes, I'll probably have to use wheel spacers to push the skinnies out.

[todd scribner]

Yea I have 245/45 17's up front. Problem with me running skinnies is I have 13 inch cobra brakes. Unless I can find a skinnie that can clear those brakes, I'll probably have to use wheel spacers to push the skinnies out.

I think weld makes a large front runner.But at a cost mind you.