for you leaf spring rear suspension guys

grumpyvette

Administrator
Staff member
now many guys I know have never seen these traction bars so Ill point them out

http://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.html

viewtopic.php?f=46&t=373&p=34334&hilit=physics#p34334

http://www.4secondsflat.com/CalTracs.html

IF I was designing it ID be using 1" or larger DIAM ,1/8" wall thickness MINIMUM chrome moly tubing and a MATCHED grade 8 OR BETTER, HEIM JOINTS and GUSSET the intersecting joints, and use a TIG WELDER

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cf ... &top_cat=0

heim1.jpg

http://hirschmannusa.thomasnet.com/item ... read/smc20?

Caltracs1.jpg


http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html

viewtopic.php?f=71&t=1755&p=4427&hilit=heim#p4427


TO PREVENT SILLY STUFF LIKE THIS...WATCH THE VIDEO
http://rides.webshots.com/video/3026513 ... 9359WVpyxw
 
I came across those while doing some research. They seem to be popular on pickups (like we are building) among other things.
They also look reasonably easy to build.

I'm wondering how they would be with normal street tires (for ease on parts) for cruisiing (read burn outs) and better tires for serious business?
 
If they are installed and adjusted correctly they are GREAT!
theres a guy in my neighborhood who has them on an older chevy pick up and he can almost get the front tires off the pavement on a hard launch with his street tires, and before he installed them all he had was a bad case of rear wheel hop.
 
I've seen these, several places, and plan to build a set for my lowered s10 when i get back home... how much would they help on a 6'' lowered truck with street tires?
 
obviously the tires you use, the horsepower you apply, and the drive train gearing , wheel base car weight, etc. will effect results but on leaf spring rear cars the cal-trac type traction bars are generally a bit more effective than the more common SLAPPER bars most guys are familiar with, like these

sum-770501_cp.jpg


theres options

cee-2100.jpg

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CEE-2100/

read this link
http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html

http://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs-applications.php

http://www.calvertracing.com/caltracs.php

Caltracs1.jpg


caltracs tend to work better than slapper bars on older leaf spring cars
http://calvertracing.com/cart/index.php ... ucts_id=15

caltracks will cost you $260-$350 to buy
you can very easily fabricate a really nice custom set for about $100-$150 LESS if you have a welder tools and fabrication skills

now you can buy far cheaper traction bars but you need to compare prices with what your buying vs what you can fabricate in any design and in almost all cases youll find that saving 30%-70% is easily done IF YOU HAVE THE FABRICATION SKILLS AND TOOLS

If your going to use SLICKS the tire compound selected, the air pressure ,your driving style, the engines torque curve, if you use a traction compound , if you run only after several burn-outs to heat the tires, or just roll up and launch, all effect your results,
without knowing your engines power curve,car weight, transmission gearing,stall speed or clutch, the rpm range you currently launch at,the surface you run on, the rpms you go thru the lights at, the current traction issues if any, and how the cars suspensions set up, your 60 foot times and several other factors (a video of a current launch would help), your just guessing, if you have that info your still guessing but you can get MUCH MUCH closer to ideal results
a leaf spring car with traction bars, launches different than a 4 link or a ladder bar car etc.
knowing a good deal more about the application improves the chances of building a working suspension, you certainly don,t want the front wheels 6 feet in the air ,or the differential ripping the frame and suspension components loose or busted axles, you want rapid acceleration with max weight transfer, while still maintaining steering control and not busting drive-line or axle parts
 
that's what makes the cal trac design more attractive... that and I don't have room for slappers :roll: things i wish i had never done
 
Back
Top