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Traction mods other than drag radials?

12K views 69 replies 8 participants last post by  SickToo 
#1 ·
Stock power Cat here with 20x10.5 replica wheels and 305-35-20 Nitto 555r2 tires in the rear and a D.I.R.S differential brace. What other traction mods can I add to improve putting the power down better?

I was doing some research and also looked at a BMR cradle lockout kit and an AAD wheel hop eliminator kit to help but are they worth it to make a big difference?
 
#2 ·
I was doing some research and also looked at a BMR cradle lockout kit and an AAD wheel hop eliminator kit to help but are they worth it to make a big difference?
Both provide improvements and are worth doing for certain. If you can twist wrenches neither is very hard, just a bit involved and time consuming. I did them both myself in addition to the Demon/Redeye 1/2 shafts and a 1 piece drive shaft. Front Race Brace installed as well just for good measure. Stock power here as well with my aim being to get the power to the ground as affectively as possible while beefing up parts to minimize breakage. AAD stuff a bit spendy, but the pieces are really nice.
 
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#3 ·
Front race brace?

What?

Is yer car AWD?

Diff lock out is more important than cradle lock out (imo). I installed a rear brace as well as locking both. Anyone going to a sticky track *and running a sticky tire might wanna consider doing all 3 : )
 
#5 ·
There is a brace that goes on the front of the diff, too. I have one, but haven't gotten around to installing it. It doesn't look to me like it strengthens anything but what it will do is perhaps/maybe (???) save your DS if you break the diff case. It would act almost like a driveshaft loop but for the front of the diff.

If/when I have my diff out, I will do the diff bushings, too.


Red-key, what you have listed and then some 18" wheels with 305Rs oe 17" would be the setup to go with. That should work really well and be pretty consistent for you if you race on a good track, and anytime you reduce the chance of wheel hop, you are money ahead, in my opinion. For a driver that hits the track occasionally I'd go with the 18", 305-45-18, as they are 29" tall and no issues with fitment as far as the wheel/tire and endlinks, etc.

Plenty of people run with just a driveshaft and DIRS brace and sticky tires and seem to do fine as far as the car holding up. But it's really a matter of how many passes you make, a couple dozen a year or a hundred or more a year.
 
#6 ·
There is a brace that goes on the front of the diff, too. I have one, but haven't gotten around to installing it. It doesn't look to me like it strengthens anything but what it will do is perhaps/maybe (???) save your DS if you break the diff case. It would act almost like a driveshaft loop but for the front of the diff.

If/when I have my diff out, I will do the diff bushings, too.


Red-key, what you have listed and then some 18" wheels with 305Rs oe 17" would be the setup to go with. That should work really well and be pretty consistent for you if you race on a good track, and anytime you reduce the chance of wheel hop, you are money ahead, in my opinion. For a driver that hits the track occasionally I'd go with the 18", 305-45-18, as they are 29" tall and no issues with fitment as far as the wheel/tire and endlinks, etc.

Plenty of people run with just a driveshaft and DIRS brace and sticky tires and seem to do fine as far as the car holding up. But it's really a matter of how many passes you make, a couple dozen a year or a hundred or more a year.
I had the 305/45/18 on a bravado tribute and it was an awesome cheap drag setup especially for the street
 
#10 ·
There is a brace that goes on the front of the diff, too. I have one, but haven't gotten around to installing it. It doesn't look to me like it strengthens anything but what it will do is perhaps/maybe (???) save your DS if you break the diff case. It would act almost like a driveshaft loop but for the front of the diff.

If/when I have my diff out, I will do the diff bushings, too.


Red-key, what you have listed and then some 18" wheels with 305Rs oe 17" would be the setup to go with. That should work really well and be pretty consistent for you if you race on a good track, and anytime you reduce the chance of wheel hop, you are money ahead, in my opinion. For a driver that hits the track occasionally I'd go with the 18", 305-45-18, as they are 29" tall and no issues with fitment as far as the wheel/tire and endlinks, etc.

Plenty of people run with just a driveshaft and DIRS brace and sticky tires and seem to do fine as far as the car holding up. But it's really a matter of how many passes you make, a couple dozen a year or a hundred or more a year.
You explained that perfectly about the brace, then dude ^^^ posted pix too. Thx. KYeah I guess if the case cracks and the carrier ends up going out the back maybe. I have not got to inspect a car after such carnage. Hear it creates a mess tho. Seeing the diff shake vid was all it took for me to lock mine. My car used to get wheel hop like the vid. Adjustable rear springs h.a.s., locking everything, and zeroing the camber got rid of it. Leveling my car helped in a bunch of ways. People say, “oh but now yer cv joints are at too much angle”. I think they were at a shitty angle from the gate and don’t think it matters. Would have to raise the rear of the car 6” to get rid of angle. Dropping 1.75” isn’t gonna knock the earth off it’s axis. @Red-key I can get the 305 mickeys @HC5120 recommended. My guy had 55 of em a couple weeks ago. Had less than 10 when I talked to him yesterday tho so lemme know quick! Finding the wheels is easy

 
#8 ·
It all depends on what the goal for the car is. I mean, you could put a set of drag shocks and springs on the rear that would be fantastic at shifting the weight, but it would be nigh unusable on the street. For street cars, you're kinda limited to bolt ons and wheels/tires. The biggest problem with the Hellcat and the LX platform is a gigantic front weight bias with a long wheel base. There's absolutely nothing you can do to get around it. It's actually worse than a Mustang in terms of how light the rear end gets. Its only saving grace is the long wheel base, which aids in making it not as dangerous to crowds. To really nail down a Hellcat, you need proper tires to start with. I swear by Michelin PS4S or PS All Season 4s. Both are fantastic. Drag radials are great too, but for only a few thousand miles.

When I sold my 2020, with 17k on the Michelin all seasons, I was still pulling 3.6 - 3.7 0-60s on the street. They're fantastic tires for the price and something like those would be a great foundation.
 
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#41 ·
Do you have any more pics of the 315-50-17 MT'S on your car? Yours is a NB cat as well as mine and I'm thinking of moving up to a 315-50-17 tire just for that beefy look in the rear. Getting a little annoyed with a 305-45-17 on my Cat lookin a little dinky looks wise and I feel a 50 sidewall will look better and fill the rear wheel gap better.

I've already done the inner wheel well mod to fit the 305 Nittos I had on so hopefully the MT street R's in 315s won't be much of an issue for clearance.
 
#17 ·
I have the HHP Drag Race Springs ( Demon) I tested the original R&D ones. They work great at Transferring the weight for launching.

I have the P4D Brace installed since it came out ( I have an upgrade now). I call the Diff Brace The Best Peace of Mind Part you can install

HHP has all of the above suspension parts mentioned.

AAD Products were MFG'd and came to the market place competitively manufacturing better made products.
Click on the inside links and read the descriptions on the parts.

1-888-894-1115 I'd call sales and let them know you are on Hellcat.org

Linda :)
 
#18 ·
Also Nitto's won't be as hard on the suspension as MT ETrs. But ETr's are the Best for Traction for cars with more HP

The MT ETrs have been known for back orders. When I first had my Hellcat out for racing in 2015 my husband, had MT ET Rs on order. In the meantime he had me trying 3 different DRs. ( My daughter got all the Hand me downs)

Nitto's like to be heated so have fun doing a Big Ole Smokey Burnout! My daughter Kate Loved them She Loves Smokey Burnouts.
Car Land vehicle Vehicle Water Motor vehicle
Just the start on Nittos and that burn out was huge when she was done :cool:
 
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#42 ·
It’s a modest build, all bolt ons. Redeye driveshaft, Redeye fuel rails (no restriction in crossover), upper pulley, AAD idler, bmr cradle lockout, 17x10” forgestar beadlocks w 315/50r17 mickeys, Jlt intake, fi plates, twin 450 pumps in fore hat, id1300 injectors, e85, yada yada

View attachment 594042

Did the BMR cradle lockout make a difference in helping putting the power down?

 
#23 ·
There is nothing to see. Nothing is moving around back there anymore. Car hooks dead up. If I were you I would lock out that diff asap. Pita but the stock diff bushings are horrible

What did you do to get rid of rake?

Tire Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire Automotive lighting


Your rear still looks really high

Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Window


Level = 0° rake

OP asked what else to do other than tire to help it hook? Get weight off the front and put weight on the rear. Remove front sway bar etc. Unfortunately no one makes a cheap soft rebound strut for the front. Leveling the car helped mine a bunch. Do not use eibach or any other progressive spring. Has to be flat rate
 
#31 ·
What is that race wheel that you run? That is super cool. Brand, size, backspacing/offset etc. Great sleeper wheel.
 
#37 ·
I run 315-50-17 and did the modding necessary. Sledgehammer and heating the liner, etc. I didn't use any spacers. At least the liner covers up the hammering.

My forgestar beadlocks are 17x10, 30mm offset, 6.68 backspacing. Within an 1" or so of the tread width of the tire I run.

Man it's a tight fit, though, always amazed that on runs the body or something doesn't hit the tire. But the tires are tucked up under the body nicely.
 
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#38 ·
I run 315-50-17 and did the modding necessary. Sledgehammer and heating the liner, etc. I didn't use any spacers. At least the liner covers up the hammering.

My forgestar beadlocks are 17x10, 30mm offset, 6.68 backspacing. Within an 1" or so of the tread width of the tire I run.

Man it's a tight fit, though, always amazed that on runs the body or something doesn't hit the tire. But the tires are tucked up under the body nicely.
Awesome! Same here, no spacers. I just cut part of the lining up front, what did you do for the back of the wheel well? Mine are forgestar f14 beadlocks, 30mm offset
 
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