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***humjaba*** · 06-22-2009, 10:58 PM

Hey all

So I need some tips on how to launch a Miata... I know i know, it's an autocross car, but I like the occasional drag race (I live in the country) and you still have to get a miata off the line at an autocross. So, what's the secret? I've driven torqueless fwd cars, but even they can spin the tires - the miata just chirps a bit and bogs, or axle-hops so violently I'm scared to keep my foot in it. Anyone have any suggestions?

-Tyler

Kbag · 06-22-2009, 11:23 PM

wtf is traction?

Hraefn · 06-23-2009, 12:34 AM

So are you cruising around, looking for Civic HXs to kill? Smile

If you put some stiff springs in there, you'll eliminate the wheel hop. Then you'll find the next weak point... the stock clutch!

***jedimario*** · 06-23-2009, 06:01 AM

Eventually, you'll just realize that it has no torque, and call it a day Lol

zps2004 · 06-23-2009, 06:06 AM

I would have to partially dissagree with Nathan. I believe shocks would help more than stiffer springs, plus you would still be stock. For launching I found that I just floor it untill about 4500-5000, and don't drop the clutch but let it slip a little. The instant shock to the drivetrain does't help with wheel hop.

I remember when I first for the miata I was confused on launching it as well. The civic you launch it at 3K, but the miata would just bog. I felt bad about launching it higher, but now I knwo it is a miata and it can take it. As I said the main thing is to not drop the clutch too hard.

Hraefn · 06-23-2009, 07:43 AM

Zach's right... upgrading just the springs wouldn't really help, maybe even make things worse. But who upgrades springs without upgrading their shocks? Smile

**93redfox** · 06-23-2009, 08:00 AM

what is this wheel hop you speak of? oh yeah, that's right, my car doesn't do that bc its a one wheel peeler.

consequently, i can only launch as hard as the right rear tire can handle. this requires me holding revs at 3-3.5k and at the precise right moment of releasing the clutch, put my foot down so that the car doesn't spin the tire, but doesn't bog either.

damn i gotta put my lsd in.

101101 · 06-23-2009, 09:13 AM

zps2004 Wrote:For launching I found that I just floor it untill about 4500-5000, and don't drop the clutch but let it slip a little. The instant shock to the drivetrain does't help with wheel hop.

This is what I do with my Miata. Slip the clutch at a speed that if you went any faster on the release you'd break traction.

***jedimario*** · 06-23-2009, 09:50 AM

93redfox Wrote:what is this wheel hop you speak of? oh yeah, that's right, my car doesn't do that bc its a one wheel peeler.

I get wheel hop under extremem conditions but I don't have an LSD. At least it feels like what wheel hop looks like Lol

zps2004 · 06-23-2009, 10:06 AM

You don't need an LSD to have wheel hop. Only a spinning tire. Thats it.

***humjaba*** · 06-23-2009, 10:09 AM

93redfox Wrote:what is this wheel hop you speak of? oh yeah, that's right, my car doesn't do that bc its a one wheel peeler.

consequently, i can only launch as hard as the right rear tire can handle. this requires me holding revs at 3-3.5k and at the precise right moment of releasing the clutch, put my foot down so that the car doesn't spin the tire, but doesn't bog either.

damn i gotta put my lsd in.

ive never had wheel-hop problems on my mustang, both with and without the lsd.. just more wheelspin and less wheelspin, heh.
and I was racing my dad in the geo xD i won the first race, but the tires were warm for the second two and i lost because I bogged at the line. I reeled him in but he was still ahead by a nose by the 1/4 mile.

I'll give that a shot next time. It's not usually a problem at auto-crosses because the line is so torn up by the time I get there, it's loose enough for me to spin the tires a bit.

zps2004 · 06-23-2009, 10:20 AM

You getting beat by the geo just makes me even more depressed about how slow my car is. In case you don't know the miata is the fastest car I have owned cry

***humjaba*** · 06-23-2009, 10:26 AM

Wow... haha. The car is definitely faster, I just couldn't launch it well... He jumped about a car length ahead at the start and I had nearly reeled him in by the 1/4.

We're going to bump the timing to 14* on Thursday to see if my butt-dyno can sense a difference. But I do miss my mustang...

fiveo · 06-23-2009, 11:41 AM

You picked the wrong car for drag racing. Miatas are over-built so you can easily boost them with little internal modification. Until you add boost, I would forget about straight line performance.

zps2004 · 06-23-2009, 11:42 AM

I went to 14, but I think it was knocking a little so I went down to 12. I don't completly know what it sounds like, plus the car is so load tto begin with I didn't want to risk it on my DD.

I just can't wait untill I can finally have a car with power.