leaf sping/caltracs

[ian]

i have a std 5 leaf spring with clamps on frount and rear should they be removed when useing caltracts and remove some leafs as well.

 

[bOb shingler]

yes

 

[ian]

can you explain in more detail thanks

 

[MattB]

Anytime you take leafs away from a spring stack, they become very weak and tend to bend and sag faster. Multi leafs are designed to work in conjunction with each other, and should probably not be taken apart.

Taking clamps off isnt a good idea either. All mopars suffer from excessive down pressure towards the rear tires, you can see this by the amount of separation in the rear as it launches. Taking these clamps off, especially the rear ones, will worsen the problem because it will allow the leafs to separate like feathers thus giving you even more body rise.

Putting the bars on what you have already will be beneficial. The most important aspect is going to be the type of rear shock you use. Finding a good adjustable shock is key.

 

[crackedback]

If the car is a straight up race car, you can take them off.

If you are driving the car on the street, you really need to keep them on the car. It's the safety/performance trade off.

I use old worn out /6 and 318 rear springs on my cal trac A body cars and never had an issue keeping the stock clamps in place.

 

[stroked 340]

Taking the clamps off the spring rear sections and doubling up on the front sections is one of the oldest tricks in the book,and does help the car to hook..as for cal-tracs anyone i've seen using them is also using the single leaf also..

 

[ian]

if the shocks are ajustable wish is the best setting ,the car is street/strip

 

[stroked 340]

if the shocks are ajustable wish is the best setting ,the car is street/strip

My front shocks are set at 90/10...my rears are set at 50/50...

 

[ian]

same as my set up ,r u running caltracs , what 60 ft times r u getting. mine are 1.6 mainly 6.7 @102 mph 3500 lbs 3500 stall 3.9 rear 26/10

 

[rumblefish360]

Anytime you take leafs away from a spring stack, they become very weak and tend to bend and sag faster. Multi leafs are designed to work in conjunction with each other, and should probably not be taken apart.

Generally speaking, sound advice.

Taking clamps off isnt a good idea either. All mopars suffer from excessive down pressure towards the rear tires, you can see this by the amount of separation in the rear as it launches. Taking these clamps off, especially the rear ones, will worsen the problem because it will allow the leafs to separate like feathers thus giving you even more body rise.

Generaly speaking, I wonder out loud if you have read any MoPar publication and ever worked on rear end suspensions in a drag race or even street arena. What you have writen above is exactly how a MoPar rear end was designed to operate.

Taking the rear clamps off is an excellent idea used for many many years.
All MoPars suffer from excessive downward pressure? ARE YOU NUTS!?
And by the seperation of the rear. You mean when the car rises and theres alot of space due to the cars rear end being picked up? That IS a properly working system.

Taking these clamps off, especially the rear ones, will worsen the problem because it will allow the leafs to separate like feathers thus giving you even more body rise.

Not worsen, help, do what the old racers did before super stock springs were available and work swimingly with S/S springs.
Your looking for the "Feather " look from the rear leafs.

Putting the bars on what you have already will be beneficial. The most important aspect is going to be the type of rear shock you use. Finding a good adjustable shock is key.

BARS! Braod statment/term since some see bars as traction bars, old style bolt to the leaf spring Chevy product that bends axle tubes and doesn't allow for the stock set up to work correctly. Damage frame rails and floor boards.

Know what your talking about before opening up the trap and removing all doubt about yourself.

MoPar has a nice book for you to read entitled, "Chassis" go get you one.

 

[fishy68]

I have to agree that removing the rear spring clamps helps. It does let the leaves seperate but as stated above that's what the Mopar chassis manual says should happen. I even did it on my Dakota to see how it would react and it did the same thing. More spring seperation=more body rise and better traction.

 

[Dartnut]

Rumblefish:
Right on! I've always known that if the back end comes up and the rear goes down on a mopar, that's what you want. It's called "planting the rear tires" The "bible" that you are referring to is the mainstay of all suspension mods on mopars. You forgot to mention the pinion snubber that helps with this a lot too. Superstock springs and a snubber is all you need for most applications with these cars.
Our cars were devoped with short front halves of the springs and long on the back to give them stiffness on the launch. Can't afford s/s springs? clamp the front half and unclamp the rears (rear of the axle) and you will have good results, especially if you use the pinion snubber.
Go with the book that direct connection/mopar performance developed for these cars, they spent a lot of hours and money developing this. It still applies today.
Tom.:cheers:

 

[crackedback]

He has cal-tracks not ss springs. Clamps, especially in the front segment, stiffen the spring action which is counter to the cal track requirements/design.

You don't need to remove any of the clamps. I've never removed any of them. Cal tracks like a soft front spring rate.

Call calvert racing and ask them for their thoughts.

 

[stroked 340]

same as my set up ,r u running caltracs , what 60 ft times r u getting. mine are 1.6 mainly 6.7 @102 mph 3500 lbs 3500 stall 3.9 rear 26/10

Ian,i don't know if you were refering to me,but if you were my duster with the 416 stroker gets 60' in the 1.40's..with my 360 in the 1.60's..i had 3.91's in it with the stroker.4.30's now with the 360..this with nothing more then a set of old h.d. leaf springs with the rear clamps removed,pinion snubber and a set of Summit race shocks...

 

[ian]

my car lifts 4-5 inchs ,with the rear un clamped with my home made caltracts unclamping the frount will it help or hinder 60 ft times? . i will post pics a bit later of them working , just trying to get the best from what i have. my shochs are 50/50 std shocks ,a 90/10should help diff lift and seperate for a better 60 foot? ,rachio f100 ajustable shocks i see people useing.

 

[mopar head]

:shock: Geezu, rumble, little hard on the misinformed aint`cha. :eye: now I`m skeered to answer a thread. I gota old set of Lakewood style, if interested8)

 

[crackedback]

my car lifts 4-5 inchs ,with the rear un clamped with my home made caltracts unclamping the frount will it help or hinder 60 ft times? . i will post pics a bit later of them working , just trying to get the best from what i have. my shochs are 50/50 std shocks ,a 90/10should help diff lift and seperate for a better 60 foot? ,rachio f100 ajustable shocks i see people useing.

You need better shocks to control the bars.

50/50 shocks are good for SS springs.

 

[green1]

Rise is good; squat is bad.

 

[rumblefish360]

:shock: Geezu, rumble, little hard on the misinformed aint`cha. :eye: now I`m skeered to answer a thread. I gota old set of Lakewood style, if interested8)

Your right, I re-read it and I sound like a douchbag teacher.

Sorry dudes, My very bad.

 

[73dart360]

why dont you just buy the caltracs Mono leaf spring they are lighter and stronger than the stock leafs and they work very good, in combination with the caltrac bars

 

[tensec340]

Dam, My Boy Rumblefish is on fire tonight !! But as usual he's right on target !

 

[ian]

if i lived in the states i whould have mono leaf but here in oz they are none here.

 

[lenweiler]

I have mono's with my caltracks. That seems to be the accepted tandem to get the most out of the Caltracks. And you get the benefit of less weight. I did use old leafs with the Cal's before and it worked ok, but found the mono system helps more in the reaction department. IMO.