Video showing Hotchkis leaf springs racing on track

[autoxcuda]

This is a video taken from the angle of the picture posted above.

Rearward view of Hotchkis rear suspension at Spring Fling Speed Festival April 19, 2012 at Willow Springs Raceway "big track". 68 Plymouth Barracuda has complete Hotchkis TVS system with 1.14" front torsion bars.

Notice Hotchkis resisting braking and acceleration forces in front segment of leaf spring. These leaf springs have TWO thick supporting leaves under the main leaf that extend nearly to the front eyelet. The spring also has one thick supporting leaf one top of the main leaf that resists "wrap-up" under heavy braking that can cause wheel hop and pinion angle loss. These features are not found in replacement leaf spring nor drag race type leaf springs.

I have the rear sway bar disconnect for THIS track. At the slower and tigher "Streets of Willow" track the car is better for me with my particular setup with the rear sway bar connected.

Most of the side to side movement you see in this video is the tire carcass moving.

Watch the distance between the front spring hanger and the front spring eye. Give you an idea of the side to side movement of the front rubber bushing.

Then watch the shape of the front leaf segment from the spring eye to the rear end. Watch this while paying attention to the sound of the motor to hear the acceration, deacceration, and braking.

Very interesting stuff. You need to watch many times paying attention to different areas everytime.

[ame="http://youtu.be/TLOrFexa6Fk"]302 Found[/ame]

 

[autoxcuda]

This is a video taken from under the rear quarter panel behind the rear wheel looking foward.

Rearward view of Hotchkis rear suspension at Spring Fling Speed Festival April 19, 2012 at Willow Springs Raceway "big track". 68 Plymouth Barracuda has complete Hotchkis TVS system with 1.14" front torsion bars.

Most of what looks like side to side movement is the tire carcass moving on the rim. You can check this by using the outer leaf spring U-bolt as a reference.

To see the side to side movement of the rear end reference between the brake line (axle hook) and the fixed exhaust pipe.

You can see some wrap up and down of the rear segment here. Also notice how much and fast the rear suspension moves up and down.

[ame="http://youtu.be/hfMf9NzpY7E"]302 Found[/ame]

 

[jrlegacy23]

That is a cool angle. That looks like it handles nicely.

 

[1970Duster]

Looking Great!!! No type of hook/hoop to keep the sway bar from hitting the ground?

 

[autoxcuda]

Looking Great!!! No type of hook/hoop to keep the sway bar from hitting the ground?

Its still hooked up on the other side. I should have took the link off. But oh well. I was a one man pit crew.

Because it's still hooked on the other side the un hooked end should somewhat be at the same height as the hooked end.

 

[tooslow]

Do you use a bearing mount on the front of your springs. EX AFCO bearing that alows the spring to pivot??/

 

[autoxcuda]

Do you use a bearing mount on the front of your springs. EX AFCO bearing that alows the spring to pivot??/

No. I don't use a sphrical bearing on the front. The Hotchkis springs have a rubber bushing.

Those sphricals are cool. But they reduce some of the roll resistance inherent to leaf springs. That comes from the leaf pack resisting twisting when the car is in roll. They also will translate a ton of road noise. You can also run a fitted delrin bushing or an aluminum plain bearing arrangement.

But looking at the video there's not a ton of movement. The tire carcass moves around more than anything. Even with Goodyear full on road race tires there is tire carcass movement:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MNypV_cFMk"]Spring Fling Speed Festival 07 - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Sublime12]

Does Hotchkis make the 1.14" torsion bars?

 

[autoxcuda]

Does Hotchkis make the 1.14" torsion bars?

No.

The ones I have were old Mopar Performance torsion bars I scored at Spring Fling in the swap meet a couple years ago. I don't think MP sells them in that size anymore. But www.firmfeel.com has them in that size or close.