Clat trac vs. SS springs vs 4 link

-
D

Duster1973

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
60
Reaction score
0
Location
Erie, Pa
Ok I'm going to be setting up the suspension on my 73 Duster. I'm definatltly moving the springs in for bigger tires and throwing my set of slapper bars in the trash can. The question is what is the best way to get the car to hook hard. It's going to be street driven with some track time. I'm willing to give up ride quality for a harder launching car. I see alot of people talking about the Cal tracs and they seem like they'd work good. Would they be better then a four link? How good would just running mopars super stock springs be? Which way would you go?
 
Ok I'll never type and talk to my 2 year old at the same time.....I ment to say Cal trac not "clat" it was a typo that I can't erase and now feel stupid. :banghead:
 
A lot depends upon how fast you're trying to go and how much money you want to spend. What are your plans for the motor, trans & rear? What percentage of your driving will be street vs. track?
 
whats up!
I had CalTracs on my old 440 Duster & I had NO problems with hooking up. I had a mild 440 (850-vac sec/performer intake/mild cam/headers/X-pipe/flowmasters), a 4 speed, 8-3/4" (3.91, locker, moser axles) AND a 100hp shot of NOS. My suspension was pretty basic... stock V8 torsion bars (it was an original 318 car), 90/10 drag shocks, stock leaf springs (moved in-board), Cal-Trac bars, 50/50 shocks, 10.5" wide slicks and thats about it. It launched hard & straight every time. It took me a few tries to get them adjusted properly but once theyre set up right you dont even have to think about em. Ive personally seen people running 10.60s with not much more than a set of CalTracs. You should check out their website - calvertracing.com - thatll pretty much show you everything you need to know.

As far as the SS springs go, ive never run them or seen them run without at least a set of slapper bars so I couldnt tell you for sure

But as far as a 4 link suspension goes... itll definitely get you farther along than a set of CalTracs will but you gotta be talkin' some serious #s to justify back-halving your car, especially if its primarily a street car. Like I said, ive seen em work @ 10.60s so unless you plan to go much faster than that, Id save my $$$ for other cool stuff. How fast do you plan on going anyway?

Im actually putting together a '74 440 Dart right now for street/strip use but this time im copying the motor set up that Steve Dulcich came up with in his "440 - RESTO TO RAD" series. The tranny will, again, be a 4 speed & ill DEFINITELY be running CalTracs on this car too.

Just one last thing... you know that if your gonna be puttin out any kind of serious kind of power youre gonna need a chassis that can handle it, right? I wouldnt run any faster than 13s with out at least a set of WELD-IN subframe connecters. Especially if you plan on launching as hard as it sounds like you are. A cage would be even better for the long run.
 
Thanks greezer the more I read about the cal trac the more it seems like thats the way I want to go.

Atomic the motor that I have together is about 450 at the crank. The rear is an 8 3/4 thats locked with 3.91's. The trans is a 904 that an old timer around here rebuilt as a favor to a friend. I can't really tell you what all he did to it but I've never seen a tranny hit so hard and crisp in every gear like this one does. I plan on subframe conectors but not a roll cage yet. What I want and what I end up with may be two differant things but I'd like to see high to mid 11's. As far as how much street time versus the track I really can't say. I'd like to say I'd go every weekend in the summer but I know I wont have time for that. As far as money I'm not rich but doing it once is always cheaper then then doing it wrong the first time.
 
Love my Cal-Trac's. They hook great!!! 425hp @ crank & 4:30's

Caltrac's 001=1.JPG


th_DartatE-TownMoparNats-51.jpg
 
Thats a great pic of those cal tracs and they look like they don't hang as low as those worthless slapper I have. What kind of shocks are you running?
 
From what you want to do, the $$ you want to spend and the times you want to run, sounds like Cal-Tracs would be the best way to go. You can always sell them if you decide to get really serious down the road and convert to a four link setup. Besides, once you go to a four link, it's hard to go back to a more street-friendly suspension.
 
This is my sons Dart and we did what you are wanting to do. Its all stock suspension and has SS springs and thats it. No roll bar (yet) and it has frame connectors we installed last year. Its a street car he drives the 90 mile round trip to the track. Its what we call a budget car.........built on a tight budget and I told him to just put the SS springs on and try it. Its no world record holder but for a mild street/strip car on a budget it works fine. With the .030 over 400 its run 11.50's @ 116 with a best 60 of 1.61 on M/T 28 x 9 slicks. It has a Dynamic 9.5 convertor that flashes to 4200. We plan to work on the 60's this year a little but nothing fancy just some pinion angle adjustments and so forth. I would like to get the 60's in the 1.50's as that would be pretty good to me for the setup. And you can always add Caltracs later when you get the cash as I hear they work good. Ron

119312258.jpg
 
Thanks for all the replys. Sounds like the concensous is cal tracs or the super stock springs. But how street friendly is each set up? :salut:
 
we ran SS springs on all our cars and we had NO problems driving on the street and doing ALOT of street racing!!!
BUT if CAL-TRACS were available back then,we probably would have used them.
heres 2 of our cars with SS springs.

Dad's 69 Cuda (Medium).jpg


lebanon.jpg
 
Duster1973 said:
Thats a great pic of those cal tracs and they look like they don't hang as low as those worthless slapper I have. What kind of shocks are you running?
Click to expand...

QA-1's

The Cal-Tracs are great they allow for weight transfer and on the street
help with cornering.
 
73' Duster, 360 (450hp?)/727 reverse valve body. 8 3/4 posi w/4.10's, minimal interior, sub frame added and adding 10 pt cage. Battery in trunk. What's the best SS spring for me? I have a set of #3000 springs hope that will work. I dont want to relocate the springs just yet, I'll plan that for another time. Any Comments?.. Good or bad are taken..

Thanks, Eric
 
hi, the caltrac system is the best way to go.it's simple, and it flat works!
as for how fast? the A/SA record in NHRA is 9.98 on a 9"x30 " tire and caltrac system. the caltrac will produce faster 60' times and be very consistent. calvert sells a complete system, bars, rancho 9 way shocks, springs. the ladder bar and four link require chassis rework and expense.
the calvert system bolts on. look on calverts web site, his SS/G mustang will stand car on it's back bumper, with 9'x 30' tires. you can call them, they are very helpful.
 
I'm a little confused here guys (onehell & 7172). Can you explain exactly how Caltracs help with cornering, and what causes Caltracs and SS Springs to be incompatible?

Inquiring minds want to know...
 
hi, the S/S spring is a traction device unto itself. it is biased front to back and side to side. if you put any traction bar on S/S springs, they will bind and the car will not leave very good. plus, you'll bend and /or twist the housing. been there, done that. as for cornering, my car seems to turn at the drag strip without laying over. calvert's springs are a very good system.
 
I have S/S springs on my 73 duster. With a pinion snubber. Ft. shocks are adjustable shocks from Summit (there own brand) also plain gas charged shocks on the back. The front spring mount is flipped to drop the car back to about stock height. Lowered the front slightly. This car launches hard at the strip. With the front sway bar unhooked. I ran 13.35 with it. Hook up the sway bar for the street. Rides well and workes well at the strip. Check the pic in my garage pics.
 
perfacar, do you actually understand how Caltrac's work? It is a modified 4-link add-on for leaf springs with no effect whatsoever on the up/down travel of the suspension. Their sole purpose is to locate the axle torsionally in relation to the chassis, preventing spring wrap. So once again, can you explain to me exactly how this "binding" occurs? Still wondering...
 
do I know how caltracs work?? just about every NHRA/IHRA stocker with leaf springs has them. I have a set and springs on my car from calvert. and yes, I know how to adjust them and to make the right change for track conditions. as for "binding". the S/S spring is trying to do one thing, while a bar is trying to counter act it. this causes binding or fighting each other. the rear end housing is the part that finally bends or twists. in the real world of stock eliminator racing, you have to know how a suspension is supposed to work and do it's job correctly, because if you don't, you will be a first round duck and will not be able to run very far under index for class!!
 
You still haven't said exactly what the SS spring is trying to do and why the Caltrac is working against it. I think you are just parroting some myth you heard.
 
WWW.CALVERTRACING.COM Ace READ A BIT



Tremendous benefits can be realized when the CALTRACS traction bar system is installed on a leaf spring suspended automobile. CALTRACS traction bars were developed to achieve specific goals to improve high power traction while staying within hard set NHRA parameters.

Each of the two assemblies needed is comprised of three basic components:

1.

Front Pivot
2.

Force Transfer Link
3.

Rear Mount

The combination of these components changes the pushing point on the car by redirecting the turning action (spring wrap-up) of the rear axle through the Force Transfer Link into the Front Pivot. The Front Pivot Spring Stop Bolt resists this turning motion and also controls the bending of the leaf spring at its thinnest section. The push into the Front Pivot helps the cars weight shift towards the rear of the car because of a new directed angle of force toward the front of the vehicle. (The "Instant Center" moves farther forward). This is where the system emulates a Four link system. The pinion angle is also maintained. (See illustration)



Component Discription

1. The Front Pivot

Two steel plates sandwich the leaf spring sides. Two attach points in the plates provide the user with a selection in which the forward Force Transfer Link rod end can be located. A machined aluminum spring eye bushing and steel insert supports the front of the spring while allowing the plates to pivot. A spring stop bolt controls and restricts spring wrap-up. Spacers are provided for different vehicle applications that control clearances in the front spring eye pocket.
2. Force Transfer Link

This is a length of chromolly tubing with CNC machined threaded inserts TIG welded into each end. The front Insert is machined with right hand Threads and a HEX outer shape for Simple wrench adjustment of the Installed assembly. The rear insert is Left hand threaded. Opposite thread Styles at each end provide the means to easily lengthen or shorten the link for desired pre-load adjustment.


3. Rear Mount

A welded ¼" steel assembly replaces the original vehicles spring perch and incorporates the mounting provisions for the rear rod end of the Force Transfer Link.

General Installation Guide
 
I read that a long time ago. Where does it say anything about SS Springs? Are you trying to impress us with your cut 'n paste skills? What's your point?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top