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Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico
[Re: Thumperdart]
#1605438
04/12/14 04:43 PM
04/12/14 04:43 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,103
Phila Pa
scatpacktom
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,103
Phila Pa
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I don't agree with you Brad. The springs should hold the car up.Many manufacturers have used monoleafs over the years. The Caltrac system was designed for NHRA Stockers. The mono leaf came a little later as I recall. The idea behind the monoleaf was to simply dump the unsprung weight. Early on caltracs were used on leaf springs. The job of the springs is to suspend the car. These springs do not do their job very long.
I will admit that I didn't think (especially for a stick car) that they were going to be any advantage other than the reduced weight. I figured they would wrap up uncontrollably. The autos were getting away with it so I figured I would try it. I talked to John Calvert about it and he made them how I wanted them. They had no down side the first year but during the second year the car got lower and lower and lower. I was happy to loose the weight and I could just replace the front segment. At the time I wanted to have them made with a 20 inch front segment and use a SS front hanger. Calvert advised against it but if I had to do it again that is what I would do. Would make the front segment stiffer.
Last edited by scatpacktom; 04/12/14 04:50 PM.
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Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico
[Re: Thumperdart]
#1605442
04/12/14 10:06 PM
04/12/14 10:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
BradH
Taking time off to work on my car
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Taking time off to work on my car
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
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Quote:
Quote:
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... We don't run the bars just the springs...
I really believe that's the root of the issue...
Are you sure Brad?  
That's my opinion, based on what I've both read and experienced with tuning leaf-spring suspension.
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Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico
[Re: scatpacktom]
#1605444
04/12/14 10:18 PM
04/12/14 10:18 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
BradH
Taking time off to work on my car
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Taking time off to work on my car
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 15,439
Val-haul-ass... eventually
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Quote:
I don't agree with you Brad.
Not the first time I've heard that said! 
Quote:
Many manufacturers have used monoleafs over the years.
Yes, and some of those are the first cars for which the Lakewood slapper bars were designed, IIRC. Lakewood used to run an ad talking about how "Grumpy" Jenkins designed their J-bar system that was supposed to be the hot lick for those early Camaro & Nova mono-leaf setups.
Quote:
The Caltrac system was designed for NHRA Stockers. The mono leaf came a little later as I recall.
Yep, and when Calvert first used 'em on his 4-speed Super Stocker 428 CJ Mustang (that he still ran on 9" Stocker-size slicks) he used REALLY stiff multi-leaf springs w/o virtually no arch too.
I might still have the old SS&DI issue where they had a tech article on them when he first started using them and he went into the history & theory of the then-new bars.
As I recall, the switch to the mono was supposed to be both a weight reduction and a suspension reaction improvement.
I don't know if I have "good" springs and you and some others have "bad" springs, but mine have held up fine.
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Re: SS springs - orignal vs Made in Mexico
[Re: BradH]
#1605445
04/13/14 12:26 AM
04/13/14 12:26 AM
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,257
acworth / N. georgia - south e...
cheapstreetdustr
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 6,257
acworth / N. georgia - south e...
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the issue is with the heat treatment..i bet...
if you find any diesel truck spring recon outfit.
you can send them your spings they will re arch and re heat treat them....i had a set on a duster done back in the 80s by a company in Pennsauken New Jersey they added and extra half a leaf to the front segment and re heat treated them..they lasted a long time..and ran high nines with a big block and a 4spd..and no added bars or links.
365" Iron J heads,,3480lbs best 1.39 60ft on SS springs.10.54,124 mph ...6.67 1/8th et.average 60fts 1.46 w/ small cam &.063 no2 pill tagged & insured
[image][/image]
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Now I must add that they worked great and my car hooked straight and true but I have better things to do than change my springs every year.
