Caltracs question

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chillent

chillent

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Hey all:

Started running at the track and want to make it a competitive bracket car. Been making some good data runs at T&T. Best ET is 12.59 w/ 1.770 60' thru full exhaust

360/380 magnum crate motor, automatic and footbraking. M/T street radials and stock replacement shocks all around.

I am using super stock springs and am wondering if it would be worth my investment in Caltracs or not? Is there a rule of thumb where if you are running a certain ET that it's worth investing in their setup?

Car has been consistantly hooking up until now but we had some problems hooking recently as we've been steadily lowering our ET to mid 12's. Car kind of sits a bit high w/ the SS springs and I'm wondering if I went w/ lowered split monoleafs and caltracs if it would give me better weight xfer?

Any help would be appreciated.
 
I have read that ss springs aren't the best to use with Calverts. My car has always had the split mono rear springs so I don't know from personal experience.
 
Put lowering blocks on it if you can or flip the front hanger over to get the rear down.

Runs pretty good. There is some 60' still hidden. Front suspension has more to do with a car hooking than the rear.
 
crackedback said:
Put lowering blocks on it if you can or flip the front hanger over to get the rear down.

Runs pretty good. There is some 60' still hidden. Front suspension has more to do with a car hooking than the rear.
Click to expand...

To your point, I thought about putting some 90/10 shocks on the front ... maybe I'll start there along w/ some lowering blocks. For some reason I am nervous about using blocks in a race application. Would an inch be too much? I see Calvert sells them.
 
chillent said:
To your point, I thought about putting some 90/10 shocks on the front ... maybe I'll start there along w/ some lowering blocks. For some reason I am nervous about using blocks in a race application. Would an inch be too much? I see Calvert sells them.
Click to expand...

I would do one change at a time

I started out with old shocks > front moved to fast, UNLOADED THE REAR.
next was stock new shocks,> a little better
tried gas shock > worse

I finally got my car to stop leap frogging, by
putting Calvert 90/10 on front and 9 way on the back

1.47 60ft
6.68 > 1/8 mile

073_zpsunm9vyws.jpg
 
I had 2 inch lowering blocks under my Demon when it had SS springs. It had a best 60 ft. of 1.36 on 100 shot of NOS.
Demon 2 001.jpg
 
the caltracs fixed my traction issues did not touch the front
was running a 10.90 but was having a leap frog issues before I took the car apart ,hoping the calvert 90/10's
up front will fix it
 
.........I really don't have any experience with adjusting the cal tracks, but this is my set up........74 duster SS springs that r moved under the rails.......... Viking 9 way adj shocks on rear stock shocks up front.......I was told by a few ppl not to use calverts with SS springs........I had them so I put them on......adjusted them till the play is taken out, no preload at all......1.45 60 foot with front wheels off the ground a couple of inches..........goes nice and straight as an arrow....haven't tried anything cause pretty happy how it is.........fastest time so far was Saturday 10.37 @ 129.65 mph with a 1.45 60 ft.........kim.....oh ya 470 stroker detuned till the daughter gets used to it........
 
o1heavy said:
the caltracs fixed my traction issues did not touch the front
was running a 10.90 but was having a leap frog issues before I took the car apart ,hoping the calvert 90/10's
up front will fix it
Click to expand...

What hole were the bars in? When I had the 340 in my dart it crow hopped with the bars in the top hole. Moved it to the bottom and never had any more problems.
 
You can also use chains between the frame and lower control arms to catch the weight of the lower suspension sooner.
 
I went with the assassin bars with Calvert shocks and the 2800# Mopar performance springs. 1.50 60ft. 10.79 @ 123. I've since added their mono springs and a Dana. All I need now is my motor to be finished so I can take it to the track and report back.
 
Thanks Jim, I wish it still looked like that. Not too long after that picture was taken it got hit while parked in the staging lane and was totaled.
 
crackedback said:
Put lowering blocks on it if you can or flip the front hanger over to get the rear down.

Runs pretty good. There is some 60' still hidden. Front suspension has more to do with a car hooking than the rear.
Click to expand...

Crackedback: I went to flip my front hanger over tonight and found that the span between the mounting studs is different on the top vs. bottom????? they wont go into the chassis mount in the flipped position??? I don't want to open up the holes ... is this normal? Whats the solution?
 
I don't understand why you don't just put lowering blocks under it. The fastest leaf spring car in the country has lowering blocks under it. Ron Rhodes has run a 4.40 in the 1/8 with them.
 
ive got 2" blocks dropping my rear in a 1500hp application. solid blocks is the key not the cheap vatozone hollow crap.

also avoid caltracs go to the asassin bars from smithrace craft with monoleafs.. caltracs bend and does the leaf gets bent behind the eylet mount. no bueno


before you guys say never seen or heard of that before about caltracs

Screenshot_20160919-090337_zpsrhbndfds.png
 
D-50394 said:
I don't understand why you don't just put lowering blocks under it. The fastest leaf spring car in the country has lowering blocks under it. Ron Rhodes has run a 4.40 in the 1/8 with them.
Click to expand...

turbofreek said:
ive got 2" blocks dropping my rear in a 1500hp application. solid blocks is the key not the cheap vatozone hollow crap.

also avoid caltracs go to the asassin bars from smithrace craft with monoleafs.. caltracs bend and does the leaf gets bent behind the eylet mount. no bueno


before you guys say never seen or heard of that before about caltracs

View attachment 1714971840
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the input guys! I have decided first to install new front hangers with the 2 hole positions. Baby steps and my stock spring hangers were looking shabby anyway. Also don't want to modify the chassis by elongating the holes.

Going to see how the ride height looks after new hangers and go from there. I was thinking as I make the car quicker someday, I should plan ahead for a 'Caltrac' setup and that's why I was avoiding lowering blocks ... I could just order springs with the lowering built in. I may still try lowering blocks.

Great input on the Caltracs! They seem to have a good reputation and for my low horsepower car should probably be adequate? I will look at assassin bars. I would think that Calvert warrants their product 'up to a certain HP'???

Which brings me to my original question!!! What horsepower level warrants going to a 'Caltracs' style setup? I don't think I'm stretching the limit of stock suspension with a 12 sec car but is there a number (horsepower or ET wise) that it becomes necessary? At this point im just looking for consistancy more than anything.
 
That's a first for me turbofreak, it looks like the spring bent the rod. If I were running a very high HP car I'd buy the heavy front segment from Calvert or make one for my mono's.

Chillent there are thousands of cars running down into the 9's with Cal-Tracs with no issues.
 
justinp61 said:
That's a first for me turbofreak, it looks like the spring bent the rod. If I were running a very high HP car I'd buy the heavy front segment from Calvert or make one for my mono's.

Chillent there are thousands of cars running down into the 9's with Cal-Tracs with no issues.
Click to expand...
that was on an 8 sec car. i have told many people on here with 100% critizism that they would bend or bend the springs behind the eyelets. this is what makes the asassin bars so much better. they wont bend or break the springs or the bars etc...

is more an issue with more power, but atill does this over time with 11-12 sec cars. depending on amount of punishment they are put through.
 
As far as running Cals with SS springs, I ran my duster (mild 440) on just the springs for a while. No traction issues, but it did like to tire hop. We ended up putting Cals on the car and we've not had any hopping since. It actually picked the car up by a tenth. Never made a huge difference in consistant times, my car has always been pretty solid. Not sure about higher power setups. My 440 is cranking around 1hp to every 1ci.
 
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