Should I ladder bar or 4 link
Was leaning toward a ladder bar set up.
I purchased a nice 416 W2 motor last winter and we are currently freshening it up and checking everything. It made 688HP on the dyno. This motor went 6.08 in a 68 Dart. My car is a little heavier but should still run some low 6's. I am planning on plugging in providing I get the chassis work completed in time for race time next season.
I had a decent 360 W2 motor that went 6.70's in the 1/8 and it was more than my stock suspension with cal tracs wanted. I scattered that engine at the end of last season. Lesson learned if it don't sound right do not put it on the track. Good motor could have been spared.
I currently have cal tracs on my car now and is mini tubbed with a 29.5X10.5. Right now the car works great and I have a mild 360 running 7teens. Just needing to upgrade.
As has been mentioned already there are guys going faster with leafs and Caltracs.
Again, the cost of ladder bars verses a 4 link is close. The installation of either is the same. I can't in good conscience say to use a ladder bar if you have the ability to do a 4 link. No one is going to get me to believe that the ladder bar is so far superior to what you have as to make the change of any value. Yes, plenty of guys use them but so what? What you have should work. You didn't mention what you have for shocks. But, if you are not running double adjustable shocks on both ends I would start there.
I have been where you are, but it was exactly 31 years ago. I went to Art Morrison's shop to buy the 4 link and spent most of the day arguing with one of his salesmen. I left without anything because he thought there was no reason to use a 4 link in a mid 9 second stick car. I started on a 1 year study of it. I was almost convinced the LB was good enough until I ran into Dave Morgan. He was at Zeeker chassis at that time. I learned more in an hour on th phone with him than I did the year before. He had not yet written the "Doorslamers" book yet. He taught me there is more to it than hook. It's all about control. It's about manipulation. It's about function. It's about down track and gear change handling. What about housing rotation? A LB does not allow for it.
Anyway, the majority has spoken. I think it's a mistake to do a LB when you have what you have. I've tuned both for decades now and I cringe when I know I have to fight the limits of a LB set up.
Again, you have 3, maybe 4 potential instant centers with a LB. All of them are 32 inches out, and how ever high up you mount the brackets. So say 32/9 or 32/10 or 32/11 if you have the 3 hole bracket. I can tell you, I have NEVER done a 4 link with an IC that short and high. My own car was 108 out and 3 inches up. It is impossible to do that with a ladder bar. I have seen BB stick cars that had an IC that was BELOW ground level!!!
Spend a bit more time looking into what you are doing. If you are willing to learn the 4 link is so far superior to the LB it's not even close.
Good luck.
EDIT: a year later I went back to Art Morrison, and made the same salesman who tried to sell me the ladder bar sell me the 4 link. He started to try to convince me, but I overcame his incompetence with facts and science. I'm sure he wasn't happy. But I was and that's what counts.
