Alex, I have a heavy sound system behind the seat in my Bug, It's a Karmann '03 so it's heavier to start with. Would the larger diameter T3 or 944 rear torsion bars be more suited? I'm building a heavy, T1 cooled T4 and I'm worried about the spring rate being low. Would the 944 torsion bars be too stiff? it could turned down if it is I suppose. What are your views?
:coffee:
I have strong opinions about stupid 135/145 tyres used on the roads, I've used 145 firestones on empi8's 8 or 9 years ago and they were leathal for a younger, more careless driver. I never stuffed my Bug, and changing over to 195/50 made the handling and braking safer than before. (~70bhp).
IMHO 'skinny' tyres make any Bug look 'feeble'.
Bren, I think your lack of traction on the strip is more to do with your control and low profiles than weight transfer. You still get weight transfer with no suspension, inertia and aerodynamics. A wheel/tyre with almost zero pneumatic trail will never 'hook-up' like a taller, more compliant tyre would. You don't get low profile slick tyres do you? tyres are heavier than wheels.
The angular acceleration of the tyre footprint relative to the wheel is critical in drag launches. Underdamping the response of the wheel/tyre during a launch increases traction. The 'Snatch' effect (?) coined.
Weight transfer only occurs once your moving, save the wheel spinning for front wheel drive cars.
Mattx