The truth about caltracs

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Oldkimmer, what headers are you running on the Duster? TTI?
 
Thing looks like it's bitin pretty hard to me.
 
I believe their from the company TTI bought out. CPPA I think. Their 20 years s and still like new. They fit awesome with my B engine. Don’t think they will fit with a RB though. Kim

Thank you.
 
Nice thread and the “the truth is out there, you just gotta let it in”.
So the long and the short is...
Some cars are easy to set up and run and some ain’t!

I know guys over here in the ‘old country’ swear by Caltrac.
They have got them to ‘hook so hard’ they busted 8 3/4 axle and diffs ‘to bits’...
Sounds like they work, even with 20 inch springs...

I am gonna fit inboard boxes and have the option of 20 and 22 inchers but not going 25 inch Chefor.

Probably make my own Calcheat bars as they look pretty simples to make.

HNY to all Dusterites and Darters too.
Limey John
 
So, is there a consensus about caltracs (truth) lol
 
cal tracs, splits, ranchos, 275dr, SB 560ish hp, 3300#, 1.41-1.43 60's 10.60, 124

View attachment 1715847348

Just one car that proves otherwise. With Afco rear shocks it's gone 1.37's 60's and 10.53 - 125+.

I would stop talking to guys that don't and can't make them work and find guys that can and do make them work on A body mopars.
That's bad *** right there! He should be talking with you!
 
Im assuming assassin bars are in the same conversation as caltracs ? Same principal
 
Im assuming assassin bars are in the same conversation as caltracs ? Same principal


Nope. You can adjust the Assassin bars. The Caltrac’s have almost no adjustment. The more power you make the more you have to crutch the Caltrac bar. You have to get more shock, change launch rpm and anything else you can do to not kill the tire at the hit. With the Asssassin bars, you can adjust some of that out. You can never get the instant center out far enough but you can get it much lower. It’s the same issues a ladder bar has. The IC is wherever that front bolt is. That’s usually too high and too far back for anything making over 400 hp. Guys just crutch it along, rather than go to a 4 link and tune it.
 
Nope. You can adjust the Assassin bars. The Caltrac’s have almost no adjustment. The more power you make the more you have to crutch the Caltrac bar. You have to get more shock, change launch rpm and anything else you can do to not kill the tire at the hit. With the Asssassin bars, you can adjust some of that out. You can never get the instant center out far enough but you can get it much lower. It’s the same issues a ladder bar has. The IC is wherever that front bolt is. That’s usually too high and too far back for anything making over 400 hp. Guys just crutch it along, rather than go to a 4 link and tune it.
Cool, thanks for the info RB, happy new year !
4 link just seemed like a hassle to me, since tuning will be an issue judging by maybe getting 3 or 4 runs in per day also seeing some very quick cars on split monoleafs, sliders and assassin bars. I figured also since you recommended the assassin bars you'd be willing to steer me in the right direction lol. But I'll wait till it's a little warmer and dryer 1st.
 
Nope. You can adjust the Assassin bars. The Caltrac’s have almost no adjustment. The more power you make the more you have to crutch the Caltrac bar. You have to get more shock, change launch rpm and anything else you can do to not kill the tire at the hit. With the Asssassin bars, you can adjust some of that out. You can never get the instant center out far enough but you can get it much lower. It’s the same issues a ladder bar has. The IC is wherever that front bolt is. That’s usually too high and too far back for anything making over 400 hp. Guys just crutch it along, rather than go to a 4 link and tune it.


400 horse with ladder bars?
You drunk?
Guys going mid 4’s on ladder bars in the 1/8, lots of guys in the 4’s. 6’s and 7’s in the 1/4
Go snoop around on the bullet
 
Sheeeeeeeet, some guys do quite well on SS spring of all things.
 
Ladder bars definitely don’t work, neither do caltracs… :lol:


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54C1E77C-A7C2-43F3-B1E4-EC8C121C2DA4.jpeg
 
Nope. You can adjust the Assassin bars. The Caltrac’s have almost no adjustment. The more power you make the more you have to crutch the Caltrac bar. You have to get more shock, change launch rpm and anything else you can do to not kill the tire at the hit. With the Asssassin bars, you can adjust some of that out. You can never get the instant center out far enough but you can get it much lower. It’s the same issues a ladder bar has. The IC is wherever that front bolt is. That’s usually too high and too far back for anything making over 400 hp. Guys just crutch it along, rather than go to a 4 link and tune it.

Other than a finer adjustment on how much leverage the bar has, what adjustments do assassin bars have that cal tracs don't?
 
400 horse with ladder bars?
You drunk?
Guys going mid 4’s on ladder bars in the 1/8, lots of guys in the 4’s. 6’s and 7’s in the 1/4
Go snoop around on the bullet


Pay attention. I said ladder bars are limited in IC. That is just a fact. Just like a caltrac or the Assassin bar. Tell me, since you want to claim to be a chassis tuner how many cars out there want an IC 32 inches out? I say not many but with a ladder bar that all you get. Period. And the height is limited too. Just because you think guys going 4’s is impressive I say they may be several tenths quicker (maybe more) if they had a 4 link and learned how to tune it. Most guys refuse to learn, so the ladder bar is easy. Just weld them in and learn to live with it. So what I posted was exactly correct.

I don’t drink.

Many people doing something doesn’t make it the best or right way to do it.

Piss on the bullet. It’s a cess pool.
 
Sheeeeeeeet, some guys do quite well on SS spring of all things.


I don’t disagree. In fact, the SS spring will cover a multitude of chassis evils because of they way they work. They have a short, relatively high IC but the saving grace is the fact that they apply the tire much slower than a ladder bar and Caltrac style of traction bars. Because of that, they will get by with much less shock (you can run almost any shock as long as it doesn’t top out and using a DA almost always doesn’t show much of an improvement because the suspension moves much slower than a ladder bar or the others) and require little tuning. That’s why so many guys use them and they work. Are they the best? In most ways they aren’t. But for what they do and the way they do it they work.
 
Other than a finer adjustment on how much leverage the bar has, what adjustments do assassin bars have that cal tracs don't?


You can change the angle of the bar. I can’t emphasize how critical bar angle is, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a Caltrac, Assassin, ladder bar or 4 link. If you can’t change the angle of the bar you lose a huge tuning ability.
 
Pay attention. I said ladder bars are limited in IC. That is just a fact. Just like a caltrac or the Assassin bar. Tell me, since you want to claim to be a chassis tuner how many cars out there want an IC 32 inches out? I say not many but with a ladder bar that all you get. Period. And the height is limited too. Just because you think guys going 4’s is impressive I say they may be several tenths quicker (maybe more) if they had a 4 link and learned how to tune it. Most guys refuse to learn, so the ladder bar is easy. Just weld them in and learn to live with it. So what I posted was exactly correct.

I don’t drink.

Many people doing something doesn’t make it the best or right way to do it.

Piss on the bullet. It’s a cess pool.


Only certain areas
 
So for a perfect ladder bar set up on a body would the front connection need to be up in where the rear passenger floorboards are ?
 
So for a perfect ladder bar set up on a body would the front connection need to be up in where the rear passenger floorboards are ?


It depends on power, wheel base, CG. I’ve seen some chassis that wanted the IC out past the bumper and at ground level. I’ve never seen a chassis that wanted the IC at half the wheel base and cam high, which is where most everyone ever said was the correct starting point.
 
It depends on power, wheel base, CG. I’ve seen some chassis that wanted the IC out past the bumper and at ground level. I’ve never seen a chassis that wanted the IC at half the wheel base and cam high, which is where most everyone ever said was the correct starting point.
Do sliders help slow the tire hit ?
I'm looking at John's wheelie and don't want that for my first ever launch. I'm not a pussy but I think I'll total my **** before I get a pass on it, how to remedy that with a 650+ horse bb that weighs small block? Leaving off the foot brake
 
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