Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Caltrac questions #190430
01/11/09 11:05 AM
01/11/09 11:05 AM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
7
70shaker Offline OP
enthusiast
70shaker  Offline OP
enthusiast
7

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
Can someone measure the distance from the bottom of the shock bracket to the cross hole for the rod? The article on the internet shows this about 2" but in the pictures I have seen this looks more like 4"-5".

Do you guys use rod ends or heim joints?

My Challenger springs have 6 leaves per side and I am debating whether to remove a few leaves.

Thanks


Ex Hemi Racer
70 Challenger Hemi 4 speed clone
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: 70shaker] #190431
01/11/09 11:24 AM
01/11/09 11:24 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
Harleysville, PA USA
T
Tommy D Offline
mopar
Tommy D  Offline
mopar
T

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
Harleysville, PA USA
Hello. I am a B-Body guy, but one of my close friends has been running a '70 Challenger with SS leafs and the Cal Trac bars. His car is/was a 440-6, 4-speed, 4.56 Dana car. He ran a .557 solid cam with stock heads. With sticky tires, he launched and when the rear part of the springs separated, they pinched the rear valence. When the car settled down, it mangled the driver's side section of his, cherry valence. The car was running low 12's @ 116mph. Be careful with springs and Cal Tracs. I'll try to take some pictures of his set-up in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, my camera is set up to take pictures that are too big to post on this site. I need to figure how to take them with less resolution so I can post them. If you have an e-mal address, send me a PM. I'll forward what I have.

FYI, I spoke of the 44-6 in the past tense because he catastrophically destroyed the block when a rod let go. i have some pretty dramatic pictures of it. Good luck, and be careful. Tom

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Tommy D] #190432
01/11/09 11:36 AM
01/11/09 11:36 AM
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 570
Brea, Ca
D
Dart Racer Offline
mopar
Dart Racer  Offline
mopar
D

Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 570
Brea, Ca
Quote:

Hello. I am a B-Body guy, but one of my close friends has been running a '70 Challenger with SS leafs and the Cal Trac bars. His car is/was a 440-6, 4-speed, 4.56 Dana car. He ran a .557 solid cam with stock heads. With sticky tires, he launched and when the rear part of the springs separated, they pinched the rear valence. When the car settled down, it mangled the driver's side section of his, cherry valence. The car was running low 12's @ 116mph. Be careful with springs and Cal Tracs. I'll try to take some pictures of his set-up in the next couple of days. Unfortunately, my camera is set up to take pictures that are too big to post on this site. I need to figure how to take them with less resolution so I can post them. If you have an e-mal address, send me a PM. I'll forward what I have.

FYI, I spoke of the 44-6 in the past tense because he catastrophically destroyed the block when a rod let go. i have some pretty dramatic pictures of it. Good luck, and be careful. Tom




Edited out comment because I was mistaken in what I had been told.... My Bad....


70shaker, if I understand your question, mine measures 3" from the center of the rod to the actual mounting boss for the shock.

Last edited by Dart_racer; 01/11/09 12:25 PM.
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Dart Racer] #190433
01/11/09 11:52 AM
01/11/09 11:52 AM
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
Harleysville, PA USA
T
Tommy D Offline
mopar
Tommy D  Offline
mopar
T

Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 411
Harleysville, PA USA
Noone is complaining here. I just saw that the gentleman that started this post was running springs and Cal Tracs. I didn't want to see him have the same problem. Have a nice day.

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Tommy D] #190434
01/11/09 12:03 PM
01/11/09 12:03 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Many people run Caltracs with multiple-leaf springs. Caltracs does not state you can't (in fact they state you can).
Its not as effective as their mono-leaf, and even less effective with SS springs but it can and is done.

A quick paste from their site:

Specializing in leafspring traction enhancement systems for over 15 years, the Calvert Racing Team knows what it takes to get your car hooking harder than ever!

With unsurpassed quality and craftsmanship, all competition is eliminated. Why settle for anything less than the original system that set the standards?

Calvert Racing’s CalTracs are the most innovative traction bar units today, often imitated, but never duplicated.

If you have a leafspring car, we have a set of bars for you! From daily driven cars, to 8-second outlaw cars, this system is made to out perform!


Price: 339.00 Plus Shipping (California Add Sales Tax)
Complete bolt-on, no cutting, welding, or modifications to OEM suspension.


Keeps axle from rotating, helping maintain pinion angle.


Improves 60ft times.


Full preload adjustability.


Eliminates spring wrap-up.


Powdercoated gloss black finish.


Full color Installation Guide.


PSCA, NMCA, NHRA approved.

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Dart Racer] #190435
01/11/09 12:29 PM
01/11/09 12:29 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
7
70shaker Offline OP
enthusiast
70shaker  Offline OP
enthusiast
7

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
I need the measurement from the surface of the shock plate where it touches the spring to the cross hole for the bar. I need this dimension to make my brackets.

Thanks


Ex Hemi Racer
70 Challenger Hemi 4 speed clone
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: 70shaker] #190436
01/11/09 12:48 PM
01/11/09 12:48 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Quote:

I need the measurement from the surface of the shock plate where it touches the spring to the cross hole for the bar. I need this dimension to make my brackets.

Thanks




OK, I just measured 3.5 inches from the center of the bar mounting hole to the bottom of the shock plate. The plate is .25" so 3.75 total

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #190437
01/11/09 01:43 PM
01/11/09 01:43 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
7
70shaker Offline OP
enthusiast
70shaker  Offline OP
enthusiast
7

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
Thanks for the info guys.

Do these use heim joints or rod ends?


Ex Hemi Racer
70 Challenger Hemi 4 speed clone
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: 70shaker] #190438
01/11/09 01:55 PM
01/11/09 01:55 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Quote:

Thanks for the info guys.

Do these use heim joints or rod ends?




I have always considered Heim joints and rod ends to be the same thing???

The caltracs DO have the captive sleave that pivots/swivels within the collar.

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #190439
01/11/09 02:32 PM
01/11/09 02:32 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266
Renton Washington
T
Triple Threat Offline
master
Triple Threat  Offline
master
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266
Renton Washington
The Heim Joint threads into the bars on caltracs. (male)

Rod ends thread over a length of rod. (female)

Thats the only real difference I have ever noted between the 2. One of those things where the names are interchangeable


-Dustin
67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi
68 Barracuda 340 F/SA
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Triple Threat] #190440
01/11/09 02:43 PM
01/11/09 02:43 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda  Offline
Too Many Posts

Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,808
Kirkland, Washington
Quote:

The Heim Joint threads into the bars on caltracs. (male)

Rod ends thread over a length of rod. (female)

Thats the only real difference I have ever noted between the 2. One of those things where the names are interchangeable




Then by that definition (now I know!) yes, they are Heim joints.

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #190441
01/11/09 03:07 PM
01/11/09 03:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,152
SO. CAL.
7
70blackfish Offline
master
70blackfish  Offline
master
7

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,152
SO. CAL.
caltrac sells them in parts too

Re: Caltrac questions [Re: 70blackfish] #190442
01/11/09 05:33 PM
01/11/09 05:33 PM
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
7
70shaker Offline OP
enthusiast
70shaker  Offline OP
enthusiast
7

Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 326
Davenport, IA
I have always known them with following terminology

Heim joint has the spherical rotating ball in the center and it can be male or female thread

Rod end does not have the spherical ball and it can be male or female thread

Thanks


Ex Hemi Racer
70 Challenger Hemi 4 speed clone
Re: Caltrac questions [Re: 70shaker] #190443
01/11/09 08:11 PM
01/11/09 08:11 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266
Renton Washington
T
Triple Threat Offline
master
Triple Threat  Offline
master
T

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,266
Renton Washington
Quote:

I have always known them with following terminology

Heim joint has the spherical rotating ball in the center and it can be male or female thread

Rod end does not have the spherical ball and it can be male or female thread

Thanks




I guess that makes sense too I guess. Who knows the real answer?


-Dustin
67 Dart, 9 second, 392" G3 Hemi
68 Barracuda 340 F/SA






Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1