Modifying the rear trailing...
Modifying the rear trailing arms to increase the pinion angle downward can increase forward bite.
Most rule books say you cannot move the suspension mounting points. This includes the spring perches and shock mounts, but there is rarely a provision saying the rear control arms cannot be modified. Car owner Blake Bentley shared this tip with us. He has the top trailing arms on his Mustang cut and welded back together with an inch removed from the overall length. When they are reinstalled in the car, it is enough to give the pinion a downward angle of four or five degrees. That change in rear suspension angle gives the car more bite on turn exit.
Although relocating the suspension...
Although relocating the suspension mounts is rarely allowed, the crafty racer with a good knowledge of how suspensions work can change the way the front clip attaches to the center section to get what he's looking for. Also, notice the aluminum sheet to make sure hot air from around the engine and headers cannot make its way into the intake.
This is one that many racers aren't thinking about. While talking to driver Nick "Hot Rod" Walker, his dad Billy mentioned how they gained some speed by changing the way the front clip mounts to the center section. Usually, rules prohibit any changes to where the suspension mounts are located, but because it is so often necessary in order to fix wreck damage, nothing is said about how the front clip is attached to the car's center section. Billy Walker says they have been able to move the front clip to give 1/4-inch of lead to the right-front wheel, which helps the car get through the turns predictably.
Running a bead-lock wheel...
Running a bead-lock wheel on the right-rear is a no-brainer when it's allowed.
When it comes time to mount tires, bead locks are definitely a pain. But the trouble is worth it. Often in Mini-Stock racing you are allowed to run a bead-lock wheel on the right-rear because that corner takes so much abuse. A bead lock not only will help ensure the tire stays on the bead and doesn't lose pressure, but it also helps with tuning. With a bead lock in place, you can run lower air pressure to help get traction on the right rear.
Not all Mustangs are created...
Not all Mustangs are created equal. By selecting a lower control arm based on the model year, you can achieve better camber numbers than otherwise.
Even with adjustable camber plate, the Mustang's MacPherson strut front suspension limits the amount of camber you can dial in to the wheels. You can increase the camber split between the right- and left-front wheels by running early and late model lower control arms. In 2000, Ford made the lower control arms slightly longer. If you are running an older model Mustang, you can increase your negative camber on the right front by installing a late model lower control arm. Conversely, if you are running a newer car, you can gain positive camber on the left front by running an older lower control arm.
It may look like a bead lock...
It may look like a bead lock at first glance, but it isn't. The ring does, however, greatly strengthen the rim to make it better able to handle a racing "mishap" without losing pressure in the tire.
If the racing action at your track is a little bit rough-and-tumble, you may want to consider reinforced wheels. They aren't bead locks because the ring does not exert pressure against the tire to hold it in place. Instead, it is welded to the inside lip of the rim to strengthen it.
Driver Larry "Round Boy" Teal, who also is part of the staff at Johnson's Racing Engines, says the design works.
"I got hit by another car right in the wheel in one race," he recalls. "I thought for sure it was going to knock the tire off, but it stayed on. The ride was so rough after that it nearly rattled my teeth out, but at least I was able to finish the race."
Another trick used by Nick and Billy Walker in their Mini-Stock racing program is to run less rear percentage than many other teams. Billy says they usually run 49 percent rear weight percentage and sometimes even less. Conventional wisdom says you want 50-52 percent rear percentage to maximize traction at the rear wheels, but Billy makes the point that these small engines are so dependant on keeping the rpm levels up to make power he'd rather spin the rear wheels a little on turn exit than risk bogging the engine down. Whether this tip is useful may depend a lot on the driver's comfort level with a light rearend, but it may be worth a try.