Caltracs vs pinion snubber

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moparmat2000

moparmat2000

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I am looking at the caltracs bars , and the mopar adjustable pinion snubber. Both do the same job preventing axle wind on hard launch. Adjustable snubber seems rather crude but effective. The caltracs seem to be a better thought out setup, but pricey compared to the adjustable snubber. I am trying to keep my 67 a sleeper, but am afraid a set of caltracs will give it away. Additionally i am going to be running a 1-1/4" hollow hellwig front sway bar, and a 3/4" hellwig solid rear sway bar both i have already purchased. If i decide on using a set of caltracs bars, Will the rear swaybars operation interfere with the caltracs bars operation? Any thoughts?

Thanks
Matt
 
Niether. Parallel 4 link.

But if I was forced between the two for the street, Mopar super stock springs with a pinion snubber
 
We use an adjustable pinion snubber on our '66 a-body with ss springs and running in the 10"s . Rear sway bars equalize the roll on launch and around corners . Which will help . the rear bar can be easily removed if things get crazy .
 
At the risk of sounding uninformed, what sheet steel housing are you talking about? Is it the bumper reinforcement below the trans tunnel.

An adjustable pinion snubber looks easy to make.
 
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moparmat2000 said:
I am looking at the caltracs bars , and the mopar adjustable pinion snubber. Both do the same job preventing axle wind on hard launch. Adjustable snubber seems rather crude but effective. The caltracs seem to be a better thought out setup, but pricey compared to the adjustable snubber. I am trying to keep my 67 a sleeper, but am afraid a set of caltracs will give it away. Additionally i am going to be running a 1-1/4" hollow hellwig front sway bar, and a 3/4" hellwig solid rear sway bar both i have already purchased. If i decide on using a set of caltracs bars, Will the rear swaybars operation interfere with the caltracs bars operation? Any thoughts?

Thanks
Matt
Click to expand...

I ran a aftermarket Firmfeel rear sway bar and Caltracs on my '70 e-body. It has a 5 speed and just over 700hp. The car launched very well on smooth roads and tracks. It was brutal on the back if the road bumped the rear suspension more than an inch or so. On the open road, that happens every few feet around here. It was way too harsh, as the Caltracs restrict suspension travel abruptly after the first inch of travel.

I have tried pinion snubbers with both standard and SS springs with similar results. The snubber has to be touching or nearly touching the floor depending on transmission type to be properly adjusted according to the Direct Connection Suspension Bible.

If it's a track only car, you can successfully use either set-up. They ride way to harsh on the street for me.

At the suggestion of Dr Diff, I've since switched to using two passenger side 2800lbs SS springs. Spring wrap was not controlled enough with the lighter springs and I even bent the front segment of one passenger side spring as a result.

I have since installed a pair of properly adjusted slapper bars with the snubber just under the front spring eye and barely touching the spring. This is the best rear suspension set-up I have ever experienced in over 3 decades of trying different set-up including the two mentioned above. Both my '500+hp '68 A-Body automatic and 700+hp '70 E-Body tip the scales at 3700+ lbs. Now, they both launch harder, ride better and corner better than I have ever experienced with any other set-up. Even Bob Tarrozi checked the set-up out and gave it the thumbs up last year at Spring Fling's Track Day.

In my experience, this is the holy grail of rear suspension set-ups. I will never use any other combo. I painted the slapper bars satin black, so I don't have to hear how they don't work on Mopars from those who know everything, but are ignorant of any real life experience. The '68 will be in the drags next month at this years Spring Fling Track Day for those who want find out in person how well this set-up works. It made believers out of a lot of Mopar guys last year including a Hellcat.

IMG_0985.JPG


JohnRace2 (Large).jpg
 
I should have added in my original post that the springs i have are hotchkis rear springs if that helps. Car will be a driver that will see a few times at the strip, but will spend most of its time on the street, which is the reason for poly bushings, and sway bars.

Jcb426 i had also thought about slapper bars. I had them years ago on my 69 charger. They worked well. I like the idea of painting them black.
 
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Jcb426 - So you went back with good Dr Diff passenger 2800s ? What traction bar ? J bolt type or cheapo traction bars ?
 
Moparmat2000 - looks like he made a nice snubber ! I know there's some work involved and would probably look around for a deal, maybe a used one ? $68 at Summit for the Mopar Performance one. I welded in a little structure on my Dart setting a plate closer to the snubber because the Super Stock springs set the car up a little high. Your Hotchkiss springs don't set you up that high probably. I looked up pinion snubber on the Hotchkiss site and found nothing. The big suspension kits are only talking about handling and not off the line traction. The snubber may help. You could back the adjustment out of the way for normal driving.
 
fatoldguy said:
Not at all, I put a 1/4 '' 4''x4'' steel plate on the floor above the snubber .
Click to expand...
I was also talking about making my own traction bars. They dont look very hard to make either. My new u bolts with the hotchkis springs are an extended length so i could possibly make plates that those bolt through for traction bars.
 
I have run both the SS springs with adjustable snubber and caltracs with stock 6 leaf springs at the track on the street. Both set-ups 60' the same but the caltracs ride much nicer and handle better on the street on my mid 11 second street car.
 
moparmat2000 said:
Not going to cut the car up, so as nice as a 4 link would be, its not an option.
Click to expand...
Gerst makes one that wouldn't.

That said though, I still think the pinion snubber is the way to go for you
 
TheTieWrapKid said:
Moparmat2000 - looks like he made a nice snubber ! I know there's some work involved and would probably look around for a deal, maybe a used one ? $68 at Summit for the Mopar Performance one. I welded in a little structure on my Dart setting a plate closer to the snubber because the Super Stock springs set the car up a little high. Your Hotchkiss springs don't set you up that high probably. I looked up pinion snubber on the Hotchkiss site and found nothing. The big suspension kits are only talking about handling and not off the line traction. The snubber may help. You could back the adjustment out of the way for normal driving.
Click to expand...
I have an extra pinion snubber plate for my 8&3/4 i can modify, and i have the square tubing at the house, plus i know how to weld decently. Only stuff i would have to buy would be a hitch pin (tractor supply) and a polyurethane LCA or UCA bumper stop, depending on which one i wanted. Prob $10 in materials.
 
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jbc426 said:
I ran a aftermarket Firmfeel rear sway bar and Caltracs on my '70 e-body. It has a 5 speed and just over 700hp. The car launched very well on smooth roads and tracks. It was brutal on the back if the road bumped the rear suspension more than an inch or so. On the open road, that happens every few feet around here. It was way too harsh, as the Caltracs restrict suspension travel abruptly after the first inch of travel.

I have tried pinion snubbers with both standard and SS springs with similar results. The snubber has to be touching or nearly touching the floor depending on transmission type to be properly adjusted according to the Direct Connection Suspension Bible.

If it's a track only car, you can successfully use either set-up. They ride way to harsh on the street for me.

At the suggestion of Dr Diff, I've since switched to using two passenger side 2800lbs SS springs. Spring wrap was not controlled enough with the lighter springs and I even bent the front segment of one passenger side spring as a result.

I have since installed a pair of properly adjusted slapper bars with the snubber just under the front spring eye and barely touching the spring. This is the best rear suspension set-up I have ever experienced in over 3 decades of trying different set-up including the two mentioned above. Both my '500+hp '68 A-Body automatic and 700+hp '70 E-Body tip the scales at 3700+ lbs. Now, they both launch harder, ride better and corner better than I have ever experienced with any other set-up. Even Bob Tarrozi checked the set-up out and gave it the thumbs up last year at Spring Fling's Track Day.

In my experience, this is the holy grail of rear suspension set-ups. I will never use any other combo. I painted the slapper bars satin black, so I don't have to hear how they don't work on Mopars from those who know everything, but are ignorant of any real life experience. The '68 will be in the drags next month at this years Spring Fling Track Day for those who want find out in person how well this set-up works. It made believers out of a lot of Mopar guys last year including a Hellcat.

View attachment 1715031691

View attachment 1715031692
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just curious....are these automatics or stick cars, I did not see any mention??? and what kind of rpm are you coming out of the hole at?
 
moparmat2000 said:
I have an extra pinion snubber plate for my 8&3/4 i can modify, and i have the square tubing at the house, plus i know how to weld decently. Only stuff i would have to buy would be a hitch pin (tractor supply) and a polyurethane LCA or UCA bumper stop, depending on which one i wanted. Prob $10 in materials.
Click to expand...
For the pin I used a long bolt cut off the thread and drilled a 5/64 hole in the end for a clip , so you can pull the pin and change the height.
 
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