Building a 1956 bracket car with a partner. He is bound and determined that we should run leaf springs with ladder bars. Will sliders like those available from Speedway run at the front pivot of the spring get rid of the binding and be a safe solution? Pete
If you move the springs in the frame or use coilovers you can mini tub for 3" more wheel house. Caltracks work, get there springs also.
Are you talking long ladder bars from the sixties then you might not need sliders, I personally don't care for sliders on the axle housing use coilovers and gain tire clearance.
Why not truck arms? If you want to be traditional, just an option. As to ladder bars and leafs, well it never was the most admired get up under a drag racer. And it actually goes back to the mid/late 70s thru the early 80s. At least around here it did. Change the leaf geometry to something akin to the Mopar super stock set ups then add a nice pinion snubber with a reinforced contact pad. Just some ideas that work FWIW.
I like the pinion snubber idea. Might be able to sell that one. He's taking care of the body and suspension. I'm doing the engine and transmission. Pete
My 57 has the springs moved to the center of the frame rails I'm using Danchuk 3" wider inner wheel tubs and Caltrac bars, But if your'e partner wants the more traditional look do like Johnny Gee suggested and use housing floaters.
Tradition in my book dictates home brewed parts. You now, before speed shops and the internet made anybody a car guy. Look familiar?
Ok I realize I may be hijacking this thread but this is a story worth telling...Years ago shortly after Caltracs came on the market me and my buddy Scott were running his F stock 302 Camaro at Pamona ...He was in the burn out box and I was standing by the car. A guy walks up behind me and asks if those are Caltracs or knock offs..I told him my bud built them....He says too bad my name is John Calvert and if those were mine I'd tell you how to make em really hook. Not that the car hooked all that bad though
UGH, partners! Had a couple of those along the way, never again. Best you can do is let him learn the hard way. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
I would run Caltracs that’s just my opinion. I was actually at Calvert Racing on Thursday picking up some parts from them for my bird really good people there. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
"Things have come to a pretty pass Our romance is growing flat For you like this and the other While I go for this and that Goodness knows what the end will be Oh, I don't know where I'm at It looks as if we two will never be one Something must be done You say either and I say either You say neither and I say neither Either, either, neither, neither Let's call the whole thing off You like potato and I like potahto You like tomato and I like tomahto Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto Let's call the whole thing off"
Yeah, I would go store bought Cal Tracs. Stupid old antique ladder bars never hook up. Build some floaters or use coil overs like I did on my old car.
Partner,s can work if you both don’t act like dicks, raced with a friend for 5 yrs, all types of combo,s. 4 speed & tunnel ram, 4 speed & single 850, powerglide & 750, and owerglide & 650 2 barrel, you have to try to make it work. Like being married, without the sex.
Let's see..So far, we know nothing about this car. Engine, transmission, weight, HP, tire and wheel size, projected E/T. Top Sportsman is a bracket race and so is Street Eliminator. We DO already know..Caltracs good, Caltracs bad , ladder bars good , ladder bars bad, floaters /leaf springs good /bad. Lots of clairvoyant folks here...
I like both ladder bars and Caltracs....Just depends on the car I'm working on, and the proper way to install either one of em I've also have had cars with slapper bars that would show daylight under the front tires..
What about a shackle type front mounts for the ladder bars? It would let the suspension work, and control spring wrap at the same time. Just thinking out loud...
Yup, and you were one of the few who addressed the specific question. I suppose I could try, too. I looked at Speedway sliders and all I saw were rear ones to replace the shackles. Since he said front ones(?) , maybe he could provide a link. Or anyone else?
^^^^^ I get the concept of using sliders up front to do away with binding. But that leads to another problem not seen by some. If ladder were to let go what would rear axle do and how would car react?
Yeah, I suppose it would work. I'd rather see floaters on housing like you said. Seeing we're worried about being traditional here, he could make floaters using U-bolts and design them in such a way that most would never notice them. I don't know about anyone else, but if I was going to build a traditional bracket racer, I'd worry a bit about the guy in the other lane with the air shifter, the electric water pump, the MSD and 2 step, etc.