Rear suspension

[Average Joe]

Where did you get that kit?
Looks good.

Its a Martz Chassis four link. www.martzchassis.com
They also sell ladder bar set ups and fully adjustable drag race four links.Talk to Gary he will answer all your questions.
They are in Bedford PA. Not to far from you I am guessing

 

[theman440]

Bobtile here's when I was slow. Caltracs 10.21 ET with a 1.41 60 foot. In all fairness the frontend was tied down with front end limiters which I raced for years and didn't notice them until I swapped out new shocks.

Gee, I wonder why the CalTracs didn't work...

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Gee, I wonder why the CalTracs didn't work...

really, My 63 Plymouth going 10.25 didn't 60 foot that good either or my 65 Plymouth. All 1.41 ,1.42 60 foots as soon as I put ladder bars on, 1.32-1.33 60 foots. Go figure.

 

[4406]

Gee, I wonder why the CalTracs didn't work...

CalTracs work. They just take some tuning. Ask Al Jimenez 6.84 @ 211. First leaf spring CAR IN THE 6's



Ray

 

[mopar 3 B]

I have a question? Been trying to make since of the spring reaction in front of the axle. Every thing I read says at launch the rotational force of the axle housing will push the front of the spring up at the front eye and I am not doubting that to be correct. The explanation needed is I broke the drivers side main leaf at the front part of the eyelet which at still motion leaves to weight of the vehicle on the spring but when loading the drive train in a forward gear the body would separate off the leaf spring instead of it being forced into it. Why?

 

[Dartari]

CalTracs work. They just take some tuning. Ask Al Jimenez 6.84 @ 211. First leaf spring CAR IN THE 6's



Ray

Caltracs do work the problem is there are a lot of racers who do not want to take the time or have the patience to adjust their suspension they just can't be bothered with small details and adjustment it reflects today society with instant gratification being its primary goal

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Caltracs do work the problem is there are a lot of racers who do not want to take the time or have the patience to adjust their suspension they just can't be bothered with small details and adjustment it reflects today society with instant gratification being its primary goal

You can adjust and adjust all day long but if your shocks aren't correct for your application, your beating a dead horse.
How many times I hear Caltrac tell their customer to run Rancho 9000 truck shocks. Set them in the middle and go from there.
You can adjust till you're blue in the face and keep getting the same results.
Tyis is why there are so many unhappy Caltrac users.

 

[Dartari]

You can adjust and adjust all day long but if your shocks aren't correct for your application, your beating a dead horse.
How many times I hear Caltrac tell their customer to run Rancho 9000 truck shocks. Set them in the middle and go from there.
You can adjust till you're blue in the face and keep getting the same results.
Tyis is why there are so many unhappy Caltrac users.

But where is it written that you have to run a Rancho shock. Anybody who is serious about running a leaf spring suspension is going to install a quality DA shock and an anti roll bar

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

But where is it written that you have to run a Rancho shock. Anybody who is serious about running a leaf spring suspension is going to install a quality DA shock and an anti roll bar

Agreed but that's what the reps at Caltrac recommended everyone when I was running Caltracs.
They said 5" of front end travel but never one said use a good shock up front.
I still have a junk set of Comp Engineering 3 ways on my 63 that I cant wait to throw away.

 

[Dartari]

Agreed but that's what the reps at Caltrac recommended everyone when I was running Caltracs.
They said 5" of front end travel but never one said use a good shock up front.
I still have a junk set of Comp Engineering 3 ways on my 63 that I cant wait to throw away.

Caltracs as well as assassin bars has it's place in drag racing along side ladder bars and 4 links suspension. What makes caltracs appealing is keeping the stock suspension in place all things being equal a fast street appearing stock suspension car is more desirable and easier to sell than a ladder bar or 4link car these things has to be taken into consideration especially with racers with let's face it quasi collectible car with my car a original slant 6 duster and 318 dart it's easier than say a guy with a Road Runner,GTX or SuperBee

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Caltracs as well as assassin bars has it's place in drag racing along side ladder bars and 4 links suspension. What makes caltracs appealing is keeping the stock suspension in place all things being equal a fast street appearing stock suspension car is more desirable and easier to sell than a ladder bar or 4link car these things has to be taken into consideration especially with racers with let's face it quasi collectible car with my car a original slant 6 duster and 318 dart it's easier than say a guy with a Road Runner,GTX or SuperBee

I don't look at resale on a drag race only car. It's a losing proposition so i'm looking for maximum performance.
Switching from Caltracs on my 65 light blue dodge, to Caltracs, mind you same engine, I went 9.29@145 mph on Caltracs with a 1.36-1.37 60 foot.
Then putting on a ladder bar setup with a good double adjustable went 9.22@146 with a 1.27 60 foot, no other change.
So you tell me what you would prefer?

 

[Dartari]

I don't look at resale on a drag race only car. It's a losing proposition so i'm looking for maximum performance.
Switching from Caltracs on my 65 light blue dodge, to Caltracs, mind you same engine, I went 9.29@145 mph on Caltracs with a 1.36-1.37 60 foot.
Then putting on a ladder bar setup with a good double adjustable went 9.22@146 with a 1.27 60 foot, no other change.
So you tell me what you would prefer?

Did you try your caltracs with DA? If you didn't how would you know. You chose to go with ladder bars for your car because you didn't want to fuss with it which is ok what ever works for you but you can't make a statement that caltracs don't work because you didn't put in the other necessary equipment to make it work all you have to do is look at those who are successful like Adam Saylor(Guppy)who are extremely successful with caltracs

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Did you try your caltracs with DA? If you didn't how would you know. You chose to go with ladder bars for your car because you didn't want to fuss with it which is ok what ever works for you but you can't make a statement that caltracs don't work because you didn't put in the other necessary equipment to make it work all you have to do is look at those who are successful like Adam Saylor(Guppy)who are extremely successful with caltracs

At the time I wasn't going to risk spending another $700.00 on DA shocks on the Caltracs when I saw people having great success with ladder bars.
Sold my Caltracs in 4 hours and it went with the triple outlaw bars and never looked back.
So you have 1 or 4 guys who are making them work and hundreds struggling with them. I like where I'm at now and would never turn back.
You can't argue with success.

 

[Dartari]

At the time I wasn't going to risk spending another $700.00 on DA shocks on the Caltracs when I saw people having great success with ladder bars.
Sold my Caltracs in 4 hours and it went with the triple outlaw bars and never looked back.
So you have 1 or 4 guys who are making them work and hundreds struggling with them. I like where I'm at now and would never turn back.
You can't argue with success.

But you did spend money on a DA shock when you went ladder bar if you have tried the DA when you had the caltracs and it didn't workout you still could have used them on your ladder bar setup what's the difference

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

But you did spend money on a DA shock when you went ladder bar if you have tried the DA when you had the caltracs and it didn't workout you still could have used them on your ladder bar setup what's the difference

That's wrong because the Caltrac DA shock is a lot longer than a ladder bar coilover, so it would have been a waste of money going that route.

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Oh and most importantly a DA coilover will not fit on a
Caltrac setup unless you modify the shock perch, it will hit the axle tube!

 

[Dartari]

That's wrong because the Caltrac DA shock is a lot longer than a ladder bar coilover, so it would have been a waste of money going that route.

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Oh and most importantly a DA coilover will not fit on a
Caltrac setup unless you modify the shock perch, it will hit the axle tube!

it doesn't cost that much to modify the shock perch to mount a DA shock

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These were made by Dap (Rob) for his Duster

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

it doesn't cost that much to modify the shock perch to mount a DA shock

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View attachment 236493View attachment 236494View attachment 236495View attachment 236496 These were made by Dap (Rob) for his Duster

Those are shocks not coilovers! So again why would I want to go that route and spend $700.00 of my hard earned money on something that may or may not work

 

[Dartari]

Those are shocks not coilovers! So again why would I want to go that route and spend $700.00 of my hard earned money on something that may or may not work

Look closely at the shock you will see the thread for the spanner nuts that hold the spring you can use this shock either way

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View attachment 236497this is how I mounted my shock

 

[SUPERSTOCKRACER]

Look closely at the shock you will see the thread for the spanner nuts that hold the spring you can use this shock either way

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View attachment 236497this is how I mounted my shock

#1 link attachment doesn't work
#2. like I said before those shocks are way too long for my ladder bar setup. I want my car to sit lower in the back and my wheels tucked into the wheel wells.
I'd have to cut my trunk floor to use a shock that long.

 

[Dartari]

I used shock mounting kit given to me by Dap the shock position can be mounted in many different configurations it's an ART kit all I'm saying it's not hard or expensive to switch