To the avid drag racers on this site, I pose a question to you. I bought these years and years ago for a car I no longer own for the purpose of lowering it(ricey, i know but I'm cheap lol)
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/cat...ing+Compressor

These have the option to both compress or extend the spring just by flipping the ends over. I might still have these layin around somewhere and was curious if I were to flip them and use them to extend the spring instead(moreso just to put enough pressure on it to keep it from compressing as far, not really to give myself a lift) if it would have the same effect as the footballs? Also, I've seen someone on here (cmiller) use limiting straps up front...I bought a total of 4 of these things so same kind of question again, if I were to use the ones in the front to actually compress the spring, could that also give me the same effect as the limiting straps would? I don't drag alot and would like to just see some real good times on my street tires but I seem to get alot of hop and traction issues so I was hoping this might work. Just wanted to get some opinions of others on here. Since I alread have these things, it saves me money from having to buy footballs or chains

Bump....I know theres someone on right now that knows lol

 

I would say for the front they may work. but you really dont have a bunch of room up there and they may hit the tires. Out back again they may work but wont allow any compression of the springs and I would be worried about possibly bending or denting the floor do to such a stiff ride down the track if there may be any bumps. And you wouldnt be able to drive to and from the track with them on but you prolly know that much already lol.

 

Yeah, just planned on puttin them in at the track. They don't run the entire length of the spring, just one coil. So if I put them in the middle, there would still be room to flex above and below it. Which I was guessing is kind of the same effect the football gives. As for the front, it wouldn't hit the tire cuz I'd install it turned closer to the engine. These wouldn't completely stop spring travel, but would greatly reduce it. Which is why I figured it could work. I'm guessin the only way to find out for sure would be to test it out and see, huh? lol

 

Yep, you could even put em on and try them on the street.

 

Front or back springs?

 

Those won't work on the front I believe

 

both, fronts to clamp the spring and limit it's movement back down to avoid a little wheelhop and the rear to extend the spring slightly to avoid it squatting
I'll make em fit lol I'm still on stock suspension, theres plenty of room lol

I gotta find em first....I'm pretty sure I know where they are, but if I've managed to lose them in the last 6 years, I'll just get footballs instead of blowin $100 on 2 sets of these things lol I don't have many bump free roads around here so tryin em on the street makes me uneasy

 

not the same effect... and do people seriously use footballs instead of a proper airbag?

 

The only way I could see these working in the back is if you compress the spring as far as it will go.

 

Harbor Freight tools has those cheap compressors for about $8 with a coupon for a set of two, if there is a HF store around you (or online).

I'd be leary of those working however due to reasons specified. You would likely need two per spring so you could push or pull both sides equally, so you need 4 sets total.

I think drag bags would be a whole lot safer and easier.

 

The idea is to keep the spring from traveling, but I don't wanna squash the spring that far. By turning the hooks over, the compressor now becomes an extender and placed between 2 coils and tightened could yeild the same effect as the football or dragbag. But I guess it could work either way since the spring won't have travel room.

 

Ohhhh I didn't know you could turn the hooks over lol, my bad.

 

For the rears, they make 'snap in' coil spring spacers that are used to help sagging coils or slightly lift a vehicle. Those can be kept in longer and are usually cheaper. Just jack up the car, twist-insert the spacer, and lower the car. That might be a better alternative for the rears where you are wishing to stiffen and preload the rear springs.

 

Link?

The whole reason I even considered this is cuz I happen to have these compressors already so it would be a free thing for me lol Plus, just trying to think outside the box a bit and since I don't drag the car often I was lookin for input. In my head it makes sense, but from people with more real world experience than I have I figured I'd post and see what the general consensus was

Yes, many use the jr. football I've heard. Does the exact same thing at a fraction of the price and is easier to take the hit if you blow one up lol

 

Go get peewee footballs. The juniors were a bitch to get in and the peewees do the same job.

 

I think I'm still gonna at least give these a shot and see what happens. By the time I get to the track tho I'll be on a 2.6 and E85, so I'm expecting about a 13-13.5(I'm not a good 1/4 mile racer at all lol) Hell, the best I could pull off stock with intake and muffler was 14.4

 

I'm talking about this type.

There are several different types.

http://www.amazon.com/Superior-18-90.../dp/B00029K21Q
http://www.softys.ca/shocks_susp/susp_helpers.html
http://www.massmotoring.com/Products...id=1653&bid=29

Not sure what works better. Footballs might be the best alternative. The believe the first ones you listed are generally only designed for compressing/extending the springs for installation. I'm not sure how well they will hold up under a tremendous load during racing. Footballs at least have some give, the cheap steel in those won't.

 

lol, that deff wont work... the compressor turned around MIGHT work but id expect it to bend on the first hard launch... they arent made to take force in that direction...

 

oh well I guess. If it bends, it bends. If not, then we'll see how well it works if at all. Its not like I'm using them anyway so its no bid deal to me.

 

I have a HHR and the peewee is still too big for the rear springs, even with the bumpstop out. I'm gonna exhange them for mini sized lol.

 

Run the extenders on the rear springs, one on each side to balance the load. Use the straps or whatever you called them on the front.

Those extenders wouldn't fit on the front suspension and allow any decent turning.

 

REAL drag bags is only 100 bucks.

 

to the OP, have you tried them yet? did they work? price wise the footballs
and chain mod will run you about $35.00 total for everything.