How to build a winning drag race chassis and suspension. Unlike front suspensions, which basically fall into either sla or macpherson strut configurations at least for our purposes, rear suspensions vary wildly in configuration and. All new chevy ii strut clip from chassisworks dragzine. From infinitely adjustable 4link brackets to heavy duty 4link bars, antiroll bars, sway bars, wishbone and housing locator kits all the way to penske shocks, nitrogen fill kits, strange engineering components and more, you can find what it takes to put together a stateoftheart drag racing suspension. I am dead set on doing it myself because i am using c4 rear corvette suspension. Our front suspension is stk arms and joints, but full motion bushings. In this installment we completely upgrade the chassis of our 63 nova with a chris alston chassisworks cage kit pn 7021, as well as some of their optional upgrades in order to keep us safe if. Transferring all of that engine torque to the rear wheels requires a good rear suspension system to handle it. Making some drag race struts at chris alston s chassisworks.
Its one of the first things added when building a race car chassis. Before i even saw the truck for the first time, i went out and purchased a book. Ladder bar and 4link suspensions for your prostreet or drag race build. Sway bars should not be used in drag race applications. The guide does a whole lot more than just show you what parts are available. These spindles are jigbuilt and fitted with caliper brackets to fit popular wilwood front brake kits. Choose from suspension only packages or 158 round, 3x2 and 2x4 framerail systems. These boltin suspension kits are the perfect complement to a heidts. Summit racing carries almost 1,000 alston race cars products from tabs and brackets to complete chassis kitshere is a sample. A dog of flanders the nurnberg stove and other stories ouida a2.
As the 2017 title sponsor, chris alstons chassisworks supports all team. Mar 06, 2007 how to build a winning drag race chassis and suspension. Sep 16, 20 utilizing the lightweight technology of drag race chassis design, alston began building parts with options to allow for countless configurations, pushing the envelope on the protouring front. Crossmembers and front clips this is the first of a three part series from chris alston s chassisworks on tuning and calibrating for better drag race performance. Jul 01, 2000 here you will want to make the front suspension as loose as possible, which will entail the removal or disconnection of the front sway bar and the installation of a drag type shock like the koni. Automotive group provides the best suspension and related chassis component solutions to create a superior buyer experience for the professional and hobbyist car builder or installer. The best suspension products are derived from fieldtested component creation, intelligently engineered parts, and absolutely the best quality americanmade.
Alston racing prolink rear subframes al102112 free. For more information on roll bars and roll cages, for virtually any application, talk to the folks at chris alstons chassisworks when you see them at a race or show. The best suspension products are derived from fieldtested component creation, intelligently engineered parts, and. Alston has been involved with the design and development of shock absorbers since 1979.
I pretty much had my mind made up as far as what i was going to do with the suspension but while i was in the field i read the book how to make your muscle car handle and like many times before it got me thinking and i may have changed my mind again. Horsepower helps, but there is more to quick quarters than just gobs of torque. Chris alston s chassisworks has been pumping out 4link and ladder bar rear frame clips for many years and it has made these systems available for a variety of vehicles. Mickey thompson was a drag racerit was in his dna to stand on the gas. Mancini racing cut to fit pushrod sets edelbrock overstock sale mancini gift certificate calvert racing chromoly front suspension struts mopar performance slantedge breather caps challenger tail light overlays race fuel concentrate rev limiters mopar hemi maintenance kits milodon billet oil pumps and covers sound deadener, boom mats mancini. Shown here is one of chris alston s chassisworks rear clips with the shocks angled slightly inward at the top. Oct 30, 2018 chris alstons chassisworks now has a billet aluminum vent canister with many great features that will add a highend look to any car. That is the first line in the instructions for measuring the baseline spring rate on a chris alston s drag race 2x3 aarm suspension and frameclip. Chris alston s chassisworks has strut front suspensions that can either be bolted in or customfit for a specific application. This is the reason why chris alston s chassisworks has created their new catalog. With their improved access for battery and fuel cell installation, prolink rear subframes are.
Jegs proudly carries a number of these high quality parts including roll bars, roll cages, front snouts, and chassis kits. The rick jones chassis tuning guide, second edition quarter. Putting their decades of drag racing experience to work, they designed a system from the groundup. Pro touring, street machine, drag race, or sport truck, chris alston s chassisworks has the no compromise stateoftheart components you need. Coilover front suspension install car craft magazine.
If you have any questions or would like additional photos emailed to you let me know. Drag race, or sport truck, chris alstons chassisworks has the no. I liked the chris alston s drag race chassis tuning manual which is where i learned what i normally use and it was more useful in ladder bar setups then the dave morgan one but you said you had one read page 121 again. Building a foundation with chris alstons chassisworks.
Most oem suspensions arent optimized for drag racing, so if you want to plant the most horsepower possible to the tracks surface, you have to make some changes. The suspension also allows for better dampening options that are optimal for drag racing. Table of contents openclose front suspension customfit weldin. Left the ultimate in rear suspensions from chris alstons chassisworks started with a dragrace eliminator ii rear clip. Chris alstons chassisworks offers a variety of build routes to cover the wide ranging diversity of the performance automotive community. Chris alston s chassisworks is home to the best aftermarket suspension and chassis systems available for gm and ford muscle cars, protouring, drag race, and.
Alston race cars alston racing offers nhra legal parts for the professional racer in all of us. Alston progas chassis are available in many different combinations. See more of chris alston s chassisworks on facebook. Alston spindles are also powder coated to ensure long lasting appearance. Chassisworks drag race and pro street chris alstons. Drag race suspension tuning aarm suspension system for chassisworks 4. Chris alston s chassisworks produced more than 10,000 unique products. Wellknown to seasoned racers, alston race cars roll bars, performance suspension kits, and other performance components offer racewinning reliability. Building the finest vehicles, chassis and suspension for street and. Previously i had begun this on another board and it got too large. Add a 4 link suspension kit to your car or truck to add performance and adjustability to your suspension. Steering chassis stiffening, braces, connectors subframe connectors and braces suspension components, front.
Here will go the text about this iconic tri5, art morrisons 1955 gt sport tri5 chevrolet. Founder chris alston has been building innovative chassis components for over 35 years using his own in house research and development techniques. Mar 12, 2015 rearwheeldrive cars with leaf springs have the same issues as their coilsprung competitors. Vintage rare 1985alston booksvery good condition from.
The alston progas chassis is the original alston racing chassis. Drag race and pro street body, door, and window brake kits chassis kits driver area accessories drivetrain mounts exhaust systems, components frame clips, front bolton frame clips, front weldin frame clips, rear frames, complete weldin, custom rear end housings roll bars, roll cages steering subframe connectors and braces. In addition, a leafsprung car has to deal with the issue of spring wrapup. That is the issue that this guide tries to overcome. They found a way to make it easy to find each on in their catalogue. A pure drag race suspension isnt well suited to street use so i briefly address it in the highperformance street and streetable trackday sections. Building a solid suspension for the street and drag strip. Strong yet lightweight, alston racing prolink rear subframes fit any width or length chassis. Chris alston s chassisworks develops the everything guide by kyler lacey may 06, 2016 anyone working on a restomod or custom racing project will understand the frustration that comes with finding parts and understanding what is compatible.
Strutstyle front suspensions are a favorite among drag racers due to their good geometry and the weight savings they can offer. Once the guys made it to the track for the first day of racing, they began tuning the suspension and getting the vehicle setup just right for the track. Chassisworks has been developing and manufacturing drag race and prostreet backhalf frame systems for decades, resulting in a broad range of system styles and component options to achieve nearly any level of performance. Mickey helped write the ruleshe was there when drag racing was born and his fingerprints and legacy are all over the sport to this day. Even so, there are a lot of different types of systems. Chassis engineering drag racing parts, drag race components. Vary front hubtohub width, ground clearance, wheelbase, and rear frame width to create a correct fitting frame and vehicle stance for projects including gmachineprotouring muscle cars, street rods. If you need some help with your car hooking up or going straight, this manual is a must have. Drag racing suspension leading drag racing chassis. Their reps are happy to show you options, discuss your needs, and help you with installation advice. Mild or 4 chromoly steel, 158 round tube or 2 x 3 rectangular tube frame rails, aarm or strut front. Have the same craftsmen who build our record setting championship race cars build the chassis for your car. He wrote the first book on drag race door slammer chassis tuning.
Jan 16, 2019 alston race cars has been manufacturing components and complete chassis for drag cars and highpowered street machines for over 30 years, so we wager they know a thing or two about building a racewinning ride. Jason was using the complete wolfe race craft double rear suspension kit. Franklin library leatherette hb books lot of 20 copperfield shakespeare. In this car craft rear suspension tech guide jeff smith explains the differences between setups and how to set up your musclecar for maximum traction on the street and while drag racing. Chris alstons chassisworks develops the everything guide.
May 06, 2016 manufacturers offer a variety of components that differ only slightly from each other, and when you are working with reallytight tolerances, its never a good idea to take gamble on parts fitment. This is the reason why chris alstons chassisworks has created their new catalog. Mickey thompson drag tires continue to set records and break records. The strong, lightweight products from alston race cars are manufactured for specific makes and models. May 09, 2014 aarm suspension system for chassisworks 4. Check out the video section, there are some great high definiation videos of this car outperforming. Chris alston s chassisworks makes that task much easier with its line of 4link and ladder bar drag racing packages. Alston racing offers nhra legal parts for the professional racer in all of us. My main questions are regarding the chris alston gstreet coilover kit. Chassisworks has a new direct bolton strut clip for 196267 chevy ll drag racing applications. Jerry bickel race cars gives racers the technology to win. Drag race 4link suspensions chris alstons chassisworks. I just noticed that chris alston chassisworks now offers tall spindles for a,g.
Tuning 4 link rear suspensions can make a car launch quicker and use less horsepower to do it. The free printed everything guide makes for a handy quickreference booklet of every available product and system from each of the chassisworks brands download everything guide 33mb pdf. Since the focus here is on muscle cars, i only address rear suspension systems that use a solidtype rear axle. They are formed with a higher kickup, lowering the chassis height, even with larger tires. Update your rear suspension with chris alston s chassisworks. Front strut suspension options from chris alston s chassisworks. The best chassis shop for drag racing books and drag racing software to help with your race car setup and suspension tunning.
Alston chassis manual slightly used this offer is for a alston drag racing chassis tuning manual. Larrys first runs netted high11s, a far cry from his ninesecond goal, but under the heat of the pressure cooker called drag. The solution that chris alston s chassisworks offers adds the extra advantage of refined adjustability to a strutstyle front suspension. The eliminator ii drag race rear suspension from chris alston s chassisworks was designed with just one thing in mind, hookin and bookin. We all want to get the best performance out of our drag vehicle, and a properly tuned drag race suspension enables the vehicle to launch straight while transferring weight to the rear tires in. They must have a means to set pinion angle, preload, and get the car to launch as fast as possible. This is the first of a three part series from chris alston s chassisworks on tuning and calibrating for better drag race performance we all want to get the best performance out of our drag vehicle, and a properly tuned drag race suspension enables the vehicle to launch straight while transferring weight to the. Drag racing books drag racing software jerry bickel race cars. Jun 06, 2009 in this car craft rear suspension tech guide jeff smith explains the differences between setups and how to set up your musclecar for maximum traction on the street and while drag racing car. Which makes you faster, so you win, get famous, and live happy ever after. I am a beginning hot rod builder and maybe not the best rater based on my one of a kind build, however i found the major focus to be on race cars.
Rear end housings, accessories and more at the link. Aug 24, 2010 something had to be done to help this car be able to hold its own out on the autocross track and drag strip. Home drag racing news update your rear suspension with chris alston s chassisworks. A guide to tuning your fourlink suspension system posted by wayne scraba on april 23, 2015 at 2. A vent canister isnt something that gets a lot of attention in a build punch list, but chris alstons chassisworks approached the design of their billet unit like it would be the centerpiece. Chassisworks fab9 rear end housings cover a broad range of vehicle applications including gmachineprotouring, pro street, drag race applications. Alston has produced thousands of these chassis, allowing them to perfect the chassis design.
Utilizing the lightweight technology of drag race chassis design, alston began building parts with options to allow for countless configurations, pushing the envelope on the protouring front. Update your rear suspension with chris alston s chassisworks by brian wagner april 14, 2020 most oem suspensions arent optimized for drag racing, so if you want to plant the most horsepower possible to the tracks surface, you have to make some changes. Chris alston chassisworks front suspension upgrade. I am dead set on doing it myself because i am using c4 rear corvette suspension and c5 front. In drag racing, the benefits of tall spindles andor tall upper ball joints comes. Manufacturers offer a variety of components that differ only slightly from each other, and when you are working with rallytight tolerances, its never a good idea to take gamble on parts fitment. Chris alston chassisworks cage chevy high performance. Drag race suspension tuning may 9, 2014 the racingjunk editors 3. The billetaluminum vent canister from chris alstons. Chris alstons chassisworks agreed and to help all chevy ii owners, they engineered an all new subframe that completely reengineers the suspension on the front in a 100% bolt in job. Chassisworks eliminates frontendweight make it easy to equip your chevy ii with better brakes, bigger engine options and other drag racing components that the factory subframe couldnt. Chris alston s chassisworks offers a variety of build routes to cover the wide ranging diversity of the performance automotive community. With different chassis styles available 34, top sportsman, pro stock,pro mod doublerail, 25. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
Chris alston s chassisworks develops the everything guide. Chris alston s chassisworks was one of the first companies to market bolton gmachine suspension clips, years before. Varishock is a chassisworks brand designed and manufactured inhouse. Update your rear suspension with chris alstons chassisworks. Alston makes dozens of roll cages and chassis strengthening kits, so its easy to find the proper setup for your racer or cornercarving street machine. Alston has been involved with the design and development of shock. The angle of shocks is largely to do with packaging and tire size, but most manufacturers prefer to see the shocks mounted straight up and down in hardcore drag racing applications.
The steering arms are in the stock location and are designed to directly replace the oem spindles with no modifications. Choose from jegs, competition engineering and other high strength 4 link suspension kits or replacement parts. This is the first of a three part series from chris alstons chassisworks on tuning and calibrating for better drag race performance. This chapter concentrates on street and highway including highspeed events use and covers some road course applications. Dec 19, 2007 if you want to really hook up, i think an adjustable 4link is the way to go. Tuning your fourlink suspension system drag racing 351c. With over 50 years of drag racing experience the joneses cover everything from the proper way to haul your drag race car to the importance of utilizing data acquisition in this second edition of the rick jones chassis tuning guide. Upgrading the rear suspension on your drag race and pro street project.
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