buck

Ok so basically I have an issue with traction. I have a 07 GT with nothing but a short throw shifter and exhaust and I am running KDW's all around. Basically when I romp on it I start sliding a little and losing traction. The harder I romp the more I slide and honestly if I tried I could break into donuts without even trying and especially not meaning to. I need a way to fix it. I hear if I do control arms and a tune it will fix this problem but I need advice. Give me other options and also if you have a suggestion for the control arms/tune or any other mods put a link up so I can find it. Thanks guys for all your help as usual.

turbo05gt

Ok so its the wrong foot but you get the point. If that’s not the problem the only thing I can think of is that your tires are over inflated. If you over inflate them there is less contact patch thus the easier to spin. Control arm will help but only so much. Be thankful you can spin tire.

buck

That was my first thought as well but they are definately not over inflated and they are BFGoodrich KDW2's 255 up front and 285 or 295 out back I believe. Any other ideas that would help? Also wouldn't a tune be helpful on this note perhaps?

Five Oh Brian

Try Nitto or BFG drag radials during dry weather months. I was able to get about 5K miles out of a set of BFG 275/40/17 drag radials on my )otherwise) spin-happy 2003 Mach 1. The drag radials really kept tire spin in check.

theedge67

Control arms won't help keep you from spinning. They will help keep the wheel hop under control if you have any.

Little Black Pony

Um, so how is this a problem?

So what are your tires inflated to? Depending on compound you might need to drop a few more psi to get optimal traction, especially with the colder weather. You can always experiment with psi. Drop by 2 psi increments and see if there is a difference.

buck

So there is nothing that I can do that is not related to my tires? I thought control arms would help on this as well as wheel hop. I had really hoped that there would be something to fix this problem. I guess I'll drop my pressure by a couple and hope that works. I also figured a tune would do me good but I guess that wouldn't technically be benificial for what I'm looking for. I really wish there was something that would plant me down so I could get better grip and not end up doing donuts. Atleast if nothing else to just spin in place instead of fishtailing.

theedge67

If you are on a straight level road, and traveling in a straight line when your tires break loose, you should not fishtail or go sideways. If you are going around a corner and your rear tires break loose, you will fishtail. Nothing you can do will prevent this. The laws of physics are pretty tough to get around.

Now having said that, I don't understand why you are having such a problem with traction with such large rear tires and stock power. Where are you located, and how cold is it outside? Are those tires the summer tires, or all seasons?

theedge67

Also, your ideas about a tune are a little off. A tune will give you more HP, making it easier to spin the tires. What makes you think a tune will make you spin less?? Just curious.

blkstang06

Buck, the angle of your LCA's can help on your hook up but you will need some LCA reco brackets to a just that! Sounds like to me you need to learn how to control that brick on the end of your right leg better!...

buck

The tune item I actually heard from a friend and was confused on that fact as well. As for the tires it is obviously worse when it gets colder (the last two weeks) but I live in Texas and with the size of tires I just can not understand why it breaks lose so much. Texas is not cold by any means and my psi is right at what is recommended for the KDW's so I figured it should be fine.

Also even when I am going in a straight line on a level road and start romping I fishtail so I assumed that something else was going on. I am definately not trying to defy the laws of physics but simply make them work on my side!

theedge67

What psi are you running? You said it is correct for the tire, but what is it out of curiosity??

RadBOSS

It is very normal for the rear to fish tail on a straightaway when you break traction. The posi is not a locker, so traction (or lack of) will shift from side to side as you make corrections (there is weight transfer going on as well). A posi is very wicked to drive in the snow or ice. I live in Cypress TX and depending on the road conditions it can be very easy to break traction one day, and then on another day the same spot not. That even after having shifted to 2nd early and still just squeezing the throttle. Go figure. I am still on the factory tires. And when it breaks the rear does want to drift, straightaway or not.

If the straightaway drift is always favoring one side (or pulls to one side when not breaking traction, but hard accelleration), you might take the time to measure the circumference of both rear tires (inflated at the same pressure). If the difference is an inch or so, then the taller tire is trying to overtake the shorter tire and the car will pull to the tall tire side.

You just need a lighter foot and better road conditions.

Five Oh Brian

You can pull initial timing out with a re-tune that would take some power out down low to reduce the likelihood of spinning, while keeping timing up at cruise and WOT rpm's.

Mustang's Traction Control step #1 to prevent spinning is retarding timing (then reducing fuel, then applying brakes).

However, as Little Black Pony mentioned, how is having too much power a problem? I thought the whole idea of a musclecar is to have too much power. Little rubber contact patches can only contain so much power, and steering with the rear end of a Mustang is half the fun of ownership!

Gene K

Okay your not being very forthcoming with info but I will try to help.
Im going to just guess which tires you have and assume you are running 35 psi (Not 51 psi I hope!)

285/40R18 are rated at 1819 lb @ 35 psi with a max pressure of 51 psi cold.

My 235/55R17 are rated at 1653 @ 35 psi with a max pressure of 51 psi cold.

My tires give the best straightline traction when set at 25 psi cold (best 60'). However thats a little low for road use. They start getting decent at anything under 30 psi cold.

It is perfectly acceptable to adjust tire pressures according to the weight they will be loaded with. The tire manufacturers actually produce charts for this.

On your tires I would start at 30 psi and adjust downward from their. You should have plenty of reserve capacity as your tires are rated at double the weight (2 tires combined) thats actually on the rear of your car in an unladen situation.

I would not go below 26 psi cold for street use. I run my 235's at 28 psi cold on the street if im not going to carry a rear passenger.

PS The tires are going to need a few miles to warm up in the mornings or they are going to be pretty slick regardless.

osudoc21

+1 "You just need a lighter foot and better road conditions."

2kanchoo

Lower control arms, an adjustable upper third link and a set of nitto 555r's. That will be enough to solve all your problems. With your mods or rather lack there of, those three things will enable you to not have to reduce your right foot even slightly, even with traction control off. Infact you will be able to mash it as hard as you want and still go. (Minus dropping the clutch from 5000 rpms of course.)

buck

my apologies for dropping off the face of the planet on this one I've been swamped the last couple days and just haven't had time. As for the psi they are suggested at 35 but i usually keep it at 32 or 34. I'll try 30 but I definately don't want to go below this because this is my daily driver and all.

As for the lower control arms and adjustable upper third link where would be the best place to pick these up at? Also what is an adjustable upper third link?

Also someone on another forum mentioned if I dropped the rear a bit to even my suspension up this would also improve my take-offs. Is there any merit to this?

Don't get me wrong I love that these beasts can do this and are built for this because it is the definition of muscle but it is something that I would like to happen a little less when I'm trying to to hook up and fly. I will also agree that I do need a lighter foot and better road conditions but nonetheless I would prefer to continue to bury it!

As always thanks for yalls help!

Stoenr

Thank you.

2kanchoo

Steeda makes some good lower control arms that will stop wheel hop and stiffen up the rear end. And they make a good adjustable upper third link. The upper third link is the upper control arms replacement from older models. It connects to the top of the rear differential and into the body of the car. By making adjustments to it you are changing your pinion angle between the driveshaft and rear dif which can help traction.

If you get some mickey thompson et streets or for a slight bit less grip but way longer life some nitto 555r's you wont have to have a light foot. at all. The difference from summer tires to the nitto's is like night and day.