Bracket Talk
Dragster Weight vs Gearing

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https://drr.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/80760912/m/5837059596

April 12, 2021, 09:18 PM
00 DEAD ON
Dragster Weight vs Gearing
My dragster is 2060 lbs. with me on the starting line, what gearing are you running. Motor high 4.50’s to low 4.60’s. I have 4.30 rears and Lil Bubbas. Just interested if other heavy dragsters are running 456 or 488 gears
Thx in advance


Brian Mollison
2013 American Dragster
2020 Sumerduck Dragway VA Top ET Champion
2017 Sumerduck Top ET & SSS Track Champion
2017 MAC Top ET Track Champion
2009 Sumerduck Dragway Va Top ET & IHRA SSS Track Champion
2008 IHRA Division 1 Top ET Bracket Final Runner-up
2007 Colonial Beach Dragway Top ET Track Champion
April 12, 2021, 09:43 PM
rusty
i was lighter but i had a used set of nascar gears,i loved them.4.44 that mother was a rocket.not pro gears though.normally use 4.30


honesty is the best policy,insanity is a better deffense
1.036, 6.16@ 224

April 13, 2021, 07:02 AM
NC3x58
The only reason I could see wanting to go to a different gear would be for use with a shorter ratio first gear (assuming using a Powerglide). In this instance, and using the Wallace calculators, you have the same starting line ratio with a 1.80/4.30 as you do with a 1.69/4.56. This in turn would give you more rpm at the 1/8 in high gear if you were strictly 1/8 mile racing and were looking for maybe a little et there. I've always been under the impression that if you have the converter matched to the car/motor/weight etc. and it is already optimized then you wouldn't see much ET in just changing gear. I am interested to see if anyone has done it though and what their results were.


Nick Craig

1971 Camaro Split Bumper
376ci LS3
April 13, 2021, 07:26 AM
329L
IM 1900 and made the switch from 430 to 410. Car went from running 4.53-4.55 in this spring weather to 4.47-4.50. I am running a set of 111" Big bubbas as well. Conventional headed 632 on injection. I also went from 150-151 to 153-154. From data, it looked like the 430 was trying to lock up converter too quick, now the 410 is allowing it to slip the converter better and has turned into better et all the way down.


Jeremiah Hall
April 13, 2021, 10:03 AM
Mike Rietow
quote:
Originally posted by 329L:
IM 1900 and made the switch from 430 to 410. Car went from running 4.53-4.55 in this spring weather to 4.47-4.50. I am running a set of 111" Big bubbas as well. Conventional headed 632 on injection. I also went from 150-151 to 153-154. From data, it looked like the 430 was trying to lock up converter too quick, now the 410 is allowing it to slip the converter better and has turned into better et all the way down.


Conventional headed" 632, there's why. Torque and RPM are measurable quantities of engine output.

As long as the torque isn't diminishing at a higher rate than the rpm is increasing, you're making power.

Put some better flowing cylinder heads and a bigger stick in it, watch what happens according to the latent potential for rpm.

Has nothing to do with weight, weight isn't the limiter, rpm is.
April 13, 2021, 11:24 AM
329L
Mike,
You are correct on my combo not wanting to be up stairs. That is it, that is literally the only thing you are correct on. If weight did not matter, the companies out there wouldn't ask that question. Everything comes into the equation when trying to build a converter. Another thing, Brian is alky injected, so it might help the engine to lug it with a little less gear, just like mine did. My motor on gas makes power to 7500, but cut that back a tough on alky.


Jeremiah Hall
April 13, 2021, 11:29 AM
Mike Rietow
quote:
Originally posted by 329L:
Mike,
You are correct on my combo not wanting to be up stairs. That is it, that is literally the only thing you are correct on. If weight did not matter, the companies out there wouldn't ask that question. Everything comes into the equation when trying to build a converter.


The topic is Dragster weight vs gearing, not converters Sir. It needed pointed out weight isn't the limiter, rpm is.

Take Pro Stock for example, before RPM was limited, whoever had the greatest latent potential for RPM, had a distinct performance advantage, as will always be the case n/a, effective rpm is King, meaning torque.

With the new rule, it's a bracket race, in approach to each round, for crews / teams.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mike Rietow,
April 13, 2021, 11:32 AM
329L
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
quote:
Originally posted by 329L:
Mike,
You are correct on my combo not wanting to be up stairs. That is it, that is literally the only thing you are correct on. If weight did not matter, the companies out there wouldn't ask that question. Everything comes into the equation when trying to build a converter.


The topic is Dragster vs weight, not converters Sir. It needed pointed out weight isn't the limiter, rpm is.


Gullible is written on the ceiling of the cave your in bud. It all matters when you are trying to run 4.50s in a dragster


Jeremiah Hall
April 13, 2021, 11:43 AM
Mike Rietow
quote:
Originally posted by 329L:
quote:
Originally posted by Mike Rietow:
quote:
Originally posted by 329L:
Mike,
You are correct on my combo not wanting to be up stairs. That is it, that is literally the only thing you are correct on. If weight did not matter, the companies out there wouldn't ask that question. Everything comes into the equation when trying to build a converter.


The topic is Dragster vs weight, not converters Sir. It needed pointed out weight isn't the limiter, rpm is.


Gullible is written on the ceiling of the cave your in bud. It all matters when you are trying to run 4.50s in a dragster


Gullible? gullible is not applicable. I'm speaking the unbendable fundamentals of engine output. I can't help it you can't comprehend, or don't have the understanding.

Torque and RPM are measurable quantities of engine output. Start here in your learning.
April 13, 2021, 10:27 PM
seabass
quote:
Originally posted by 00 DEAD ON:
My dragster is 2060 lbs. with me on the starting line, what gearing are you running. Motor high 4.50’s to low 4.60’s. I have 4.30 rears and Lil Bubbas. Just interested if other heavy dragsters are running 456 or 488 gears
Thx in advance


I would leave it like it is...


J.R. Baxter

""Fathom the hypocrisy of a Government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured ..but not everyone must prove they are a citizen."

2024 Miller
Rolla Competition Engines
ProCharger
Hoosier Tires
Abruzzi
April 14, 2021, 05:52 AM
adv ET 266
It looks to be running well. I’d leave it alone. Spend the $$ on something else.



2005 2000lb 4 link dragster
home brew 582 BBC Dart 355
1.058
2.98
4.629@149
6.094
7.310@185

April 14, 2021, 06:44 AM
67TSCHEVY2
no gain leave it alone