Battery relocation

[Cool Rod]

Thinking about relocating battery to the trunk for obvious reasons. Would this put me in the mod class or would this modification be allowed in the stock class (S3)? Or is this mod only worthwhile for the drag strip?

[Loren]

FAST has no restriction on battery location in any class. Just be sure it is very well secured, and the wiring is up to the task.

Two thoughts:
1. Other clubs (SCCA) are more finicky about such things and definitely don't allow battery relocation in stock.
2. Consider a lightweight battery instead. Adding 5 pounds of wire and shifting 20 pounds of battery weight to the rear of the car... you could achieve most of the same effect by just fitting a battery that weighs half as much. Dry cell industrial batteries aren't too expensive, are very durable, and weigh about half as much. Lithium batteries are kinda expensive, a little more finicky to maintain, and weigh maybe 20% as much (probably closer to 10%, I was starting my Miata with a 1.8 pound Lithium battery for a while).

[Tim_M]

I would second the lightweight battery over the relocation.

I used to have my battery relocated to the trunk and know others that do as well and most have slow starting/charging issues/etc with it. Mine was always a headache until the cable broke free and shorted on the exhaust (I had used plastic zip ties in areas). That left me on the side of the road...I then bought new OEM cables and thru the aftermarket stuff in the trash.

Especially when you include the weight of the extra cabling, battery box, mount, and even a firewall depending its location...the weight diff really gets to be smaller than one might expect.

Good luck either way!

[Cool Rod]

You guys are killing all of my dreams and aspirations

Ultimately, I was really trying to gain some rear traction since my old fox body really likes to spin the inside rear wheel coming out of a turn, requiring me to be quite ginger with the throttle. My other potential solution that would still allow me to stay in the stock class is to add larger set of sway bars but then I hate to keep throwing parts at it. Honestly, I probably need to rebuild the +24 y/o factory limited slip. But that's too much work for this time of year

[Tim_M]

The relocation can be done successfully, of course...I've just not had positive experiences.

Reference the posi rebuild...you might find it is easier than you think.

I've never done axle work before, but my AWD Subaru had a heck of an issue just like yours.

Instead of going to stiffer springs as most recommend to keep all four tires on the ground...I thought my rear posi was worn (140,000 miles)...ie when the inside rear went airborne...big spin up with no forward movement...touch down with a lot of mechanical noise with a black mark...in an AWD car?!

I pulled it, rebuild it, and reinstalled it in one day...except for the suspension arms that were corroded to the bolts...nothing to do with the pumpkin though.

I believe it will still lift a tire, but I get no loss of traction...or at least no loss of acceleration anymore.

Here is a thread on it:

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/drivetrain- ... i-lsd.html

[Loren]

A larger front swaybar would have a much larger effect on your problem than relocating the battery.

[nathanwilliams617]

A larger front swaybar would have a much larger effect on your problem than relocating the battery.

Yeah Alex, I threw a large BMR swaybar on my ride for the same reason, and the results were instant. First time out the car was so much more planted in turns, I could apply more throttle and earlier it finally allowed me to break into the top 40. Big swaybar up front transfers weight to the rear during cornering.

[Cool Rod]

I might just have my old man ride in the back seat for some better weight distribution

[Loren]

Seriously. Front swaybar. It will have more effect than moving the battery. More effect than strapping dad into the back seat. It will probably cost less than moving the battery, and you can install it in half an hour. It's not just about controlling body roll, it's more about weight transfer and controlling where it goes. A larger front swaybar transfers more weight to the rear tires during cornering, allowing you to accelerate earlier and harder out of a turn.

You can get all technical by reading this article if you want:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/lean-less/

But, think about any car that you've seen at an autocross or on a road course that is lifting an inside tire off the ground in hard turns. They are an extreme example of what you're doing with a larger swaybar. On a FWD car, we will often stiffen the rear bar to the point that it lifts the inside rear tire in a turn. What we've done is put such a stiff bar on the rear of the car that it transfers ALL of the weight off of that corner of the car. Where does that weight go? It has to go somewhere! It gets transferred primarily diagonally to the opposite corner of the car, but also to the other pair of wheels (outside rear and inside front) thereby raising the total available front grip while decreasing the total available rear grip.

The same thing happens on a RWD car when you fit a larger front bar. If that bar is large enough (and it usually takes LOTS of rear grip and LOTS of torque to go with it if the car is front-engined), it can lift the inside front wheel just like the FWD car lifts a rear wheel. But, whether it gets that far or not, it's still transferring weight from that inside front tire to the rear of the car to keep the rear planted and let you accelerate out of a turn harder.

[Tim_M]

I'd still fix a cars' maintenance issues before modifying it.

A posi rebuild for an 8.8 looks reasonable...~$110.

http://www.americanmuscle.com/ford-88-traclok-kit.html

A larger sway bar is still probably needed...one in the rear too, some firmer springs, larger tires and wheels...ack!

[Loren]

Don't forget good shocks.

[Cool Rod]

Don't forget good shocks.

All good advice here. Guess I will be researching sway bars for the Mustang. Already have a good set of Bilsteins on the car which helped tremendously.

[twistedwankel]

I might just have my old man ride in the back seat for some better weight distribution

Cheaper if your dad just bought Shamu and kicked your butt with all the stuff in the "factory" location.

DO NOT put a giant bar on the front unless you reinforce the endlink anchor brackets. The Foxbody pledge is to increase the strength of the front springs if you want but don't go crazy big with the front bar. It will rip the brackets out of the frame. I was told that by a CP expert after I had my brackets replaced with 1/8" steel ones because they ripped out of the frame on my 82GT.

Fixed Or Repaired Daily = First On Race Day

[Loren]

For FAST, springs put you in mod. Swaybars don't. Reinforcing the end link anchors doesn't.

[AScoda]

Rebuild the diff with the carbon discs that Tim linked. Poke around for info on the clutch stacking. Repack it clutch, shim, clutch rather than clutch shim, shim clutch that comes from the factory. Some people use the standard clutches and add an extra for a tighter diff.

[Cool Rod]

Rebuild the diff with the carbon discs that Tim linked. Poke around for info on the clutch stacking. Repack it clutch, shim, clutch rather than clutch shim, shim clutch that comes from the factory. Some people use the standard clutches and add an extra for a tighter diff.

Got it. Thanks!

[blacksheep-1]

When you get the bars, spend the extra money to get adjustable ones, you will have time to make those adjustments between rounds if you're quick. Also don't overlook Hotchkiss bars, they are hollow and work very well. You can also search around and find bars out of say..a Fairmont station wagon that are larger and cheaper since they are yard parts. I think FAST will allow you to change the composition of the rear lower arms, so replace them with urethane or something solid, leave the uppers alone. What those guys said about the limited slip unit is gospel.

[Cool Rod]

I have the rebuilding of the limited-slip on my to-do list. Going to try to tackle it during winter break.