ladder bar suspension

[1970 La]

Looking for some pointers for my suspension. The car should be 3000/3100 lbs. 74 dart swinger (73 duster front end) with torsion bar front and ladder bar rear with housing floaters.

Competition engineering front and rear shocks and race torsion bars.
Engine is in stock location same with rear.

28x10 slicks
27 front runners
weld drag lite wheels
340 with w2's hopefully 500hp
doug nash trans
8 3/4 with 5.57 gear
35 spline axles

shock settings?
pinion angle?
front end caster/camber & toe in?
any thing in general?

This is going to be a fresh race car. Have not had the car on the scales yet. Just looking for a good place to start at. Hopefully some one has done this here or has some suggestions thanks.

 

[1970Duster]

Have a trans brake on the car and add a front air dam on the car (something similar to what blue missile's car has) as well as limit the amount to lift off the ground. Be sure to add sub frame connectors to the car. You also want to have the thrust line to just beyond center of the car (usually just past the torsion bar crossmember or right at it.

 

[bOb shingler]

i'd start with the front shocks set at full loose. the rears in the middle. pinion angle 1-2 degrees down. start ladder front setting at 1 hole up from bottom bar parallel with the ground. lay the front spindle back at the top as far as it will go, both sides even. 1/16" toe-in pushing out on the front of the tires as it's set. stock camber setting. with those 28" slicks and a 5.57 gear you're going to be turning some serious "R"s, so i will suggest tubing it and using a 31"x10.5" slick. back brace the 8 3/4" housing. install a good fuel system.

 

[1970 La]

The class I am running in only allows a 10.5 tire. This is a lbs/ci heads up class & 1/8 mile. Thanks for the replys.

Bob could you explain the toe in. Are you saying to actualy toe it out 1/16?
The 8 3/4 does have a back brace.

 

[bOb shingler]

toe-in is the front of the tires have 1/16" shorter distance between them than the back measurement between them.

is there a diameter limit on the 10.5's?

 

[1970 La]

Ok I just wanted to make sure. On the tire, I didn't see that you posted the 10.5. There is no limit on dia just wanted to run the stiff side wall in the 28's to keep from tubing the car. The heads up class I ran in before was stock suspension with a 9" tire & only allowed mini tubs & moving the springs in for tire clearance. Hope that this comes back some day would just have to take off the ladder bars and go back to the 9" tire.

Are you thinking the .557 is to much for 28" tire 1/8th mile?

Last year I ran a 5.13 with a 29.5x9 stick tire on super stock springs in a 3360lb dart. Was 7800 in 3rd gear or 5400 in fourth it ran the same et and was within 3-4 tenths in mph. It was clear out of wind in 3rd I was running ported j heads. Going to use the same motor with ported w2's this year.

Would I be better off using the 5.13 and the 29" tire in the lighter car?

I really appreciate the suspension tips thanks so much!

 

[440outlawdart]

how much front end travel

 

[HemiDenny]

for you 440outlawdart....when you go over 10' in the air...the re-entry might be a little..... harsh

John...I've seen pics of your launches....dynomite!

 

[bOb shingler]

Ok I just wanted to make sure. On the tire, I didn't see that you posted the 10.5. There is no limit on dia just wanted to run the stiff side wall in the 28's to keep from tubing the car. The heads up class I ran in before was stock suspension with a 9" tire & only allowed mini tubs & moving the springs in for tire clearance. Hope that this comes back some day would just have to take off the ladder bars and go back to the 9" tire.

Are you thinking the 5.57 is to much for 28" tire 1/8th mile?

Last year I ran a 5.13 with a 29.5x9 stick tire on super stock springs in a 3360lb dart. Was 7800 in 3rd gear or 5400 in fourth it ran the same et and was within 3-4 tenths in mph. It was clear out of wind in 3rd I was running ported j heads. Going to use the same motor with ported w2's this year.

Would I be better off using the 5.13 and the 29" tire in the lighter car?

I really appreciate the suspension tips thanks so much!

being that there is no limit on diameter use the tallest gear and largest tire. mini tub it and go with the 5.57 and and 31" 10.5. that puppy will pull like there is no tomorow.