Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? #2173867
10/13/16 06:25 PM
10/13/16 06:25 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
C
crash520 Offline OP
enthusiast
crash520  Offline OP
enthusiast
C

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
Guys, those running Caltrac's on their street car, do that rattle/thump and bang during normal cruising??

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2173987
10/13/16 08:30 PM
10/13/16 08:30 PM
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,861
Pattison Texas
CSK Offline
master
CSK  Offline
master

Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,861
Pattison Texas
very little noise from the caltracs, but the sliders are noisy when hitting a pretty good bump.

Last edited by csk; 10/13/16 08:31 PM.

1968 Charger COLD A/C Hilborn EFI
512ci 9.7 compression, Stealth heads, 4.10 gear A518 ODtrans 4100lb,10.93 full street car trim
2020 T/A 392 Stock 11.79 @ 114.5

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2174126
10/13/16 10:51 PM
10/13/16 10:51 PM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA
S
StealthWedge67 Offline
master
StealthWedge67  Offline
master
S

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA
Been running mine on the street for a few years. Nothing that I've ever considered worrisome. I can sort of tell when they release from the spring and then land again sometimes, but I drive pretty careful so that doesn't happen too often. Even then it's just a bit of a clunk. The biggest thing is the aluminum spring bushing. If you run that, which I do, you get more noise and "feel" transmitted into the car.

At some point you have to decide if you want a nice street musclecar, or a street/strip car. I personally embrace the racecar feel on the street. If I wanted a smooth ride, I'd jump in my Altima.


LemonWedge - Street heavy / Strip ready - 11.07 @ 120
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: StealthWedge67] #2174168
10/13/16 11:34 PM
10/13/16 11:34 PM
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,274
s.w.fl
B
bonefish Offline
master
bonefish  Offline
master
B

Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,274
s.w.fl
mine is a mono and its smooth as silk until i go over RR traks then it makes some noise.

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2174467
10/14/16 12:30 PM
10/14/16 12:30 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
C
carhunter Offline
enthusiast
carhunter  Offline
enthusiast
C

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
Mine seem to ride a little harder but you get used to it and like said, they do cluck a little depending on the kind of road your on, overall I'm happy with them.

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2174560
10/14/16 03:02 PM
10/14/16 03:02 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,281
West Coast, USA
jbc426 Offline
master
jbc426  Offline
master

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,281
West Coast, USA
The noise is of little concern compared to how harsh they are on the open road. Anything more than an inch and a half or so of travel and they are nothing short of brutal on a bumpy road at highway speed. I sold mine after my head hit the ceiling a few times and almost hurt my back on our local highways.


1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's
1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2174772
10/14/16 07:46 PM
10/14/16 07:46 PM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
C
crash520 Offline OP
enthusiast
crash520  Offline OP
enthusiast
C

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
I would think setting up a pinion snubber would have the same harsh effect is set up to control traction ?

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: jbc426] #2174813
10/14/16 09:05 PM
10/14/16 09:05 PM
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,414
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
D
David_in_St_Croi Offline
top fuel
David_in_St_Croi  Offline
top fuel
D

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,414
St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Originally Posted By jbc426
The noise is of little concern compared to how harsh they are on the open road. Anything more than an inch and a half or so of travel and they are nothing short of brutal on a bumpy road at highway speed. I sold mine after my head hit the ceiling a few times and almost hurt my back on our local highways.


Interesting. I thought they only came into play if you were accelerating and the axle was trying to wind up as opposed to just vertical motion.

Another question to throw out there on the Caltrac front: Are many people having issues with ground clearance problems with the Caltracs?


https://www.facebook.com/THENEWCDRA

Proud member of the liberal scientific elite
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: jbc426] #2174923
10/14/16 11:29 PM
10/14/16 11:29 PM
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,096
Australia
O
ozymaxwedge Offline
super stock
ozymaxwedge  Offline
super stock
O

Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,096
Australia
Originally Posted By jbc426
The noise is of little concern compared to how harsh they are on the open road. Anything more than an inch and a half or so of travel and they are nothing short of brutal on a bumpy road at highway speed. I sold mine after my head hit the ceiling a few times and almost hurt my back on our local highways.


I agree they make the car a little rigid but my Barracuda is low so it needs to be, still would not remove them, they do there job.


1963 Plymouth Max Wedge
1971 Barracuda
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2174988
10/15/16 01:29 AM
10/15/16 01:29 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,837
tulsa ok
U
upnover Offline
top fuel
upnover  Offline
top fuel
U

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,837
tulsa ok
no noise on mine

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: StealthWedge67] #2174993
10/15/16 01:36 AM
10/15/16 01:36 AM
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA
S
StealthWedge67 Offline
master
StealthWedge67  Offline
master
S

Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA

Another question to throw out there on the Caltrac front: Are many people having issues with ground clearance problems with the Caltracs?

They're not even really close to being a clearance issue. I can't imagine them hitting anything.


LemonWedge - Street heavy / Strip ready - 11.07 @ 120
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2175078
10/15/16 05:50 AM
10/15/16 05:50 AM
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
C
crash520 Offline OP
enthusiast
crash520  Offline OP
enthusiast
C

Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 247
Brisbane Australia
There are two lengths of front pivot plate, they either hang down 5" or 31/2" inches from the bush centre bolt.
I think most streeters use the 31/2" for clearance, less leverage though

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2175156
10/15/16 11:38 AM
10/15/16 11:38 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck Offline
Not enough dumb comments...yet
Mr.Yuck  Offline
Not enough dumb comments...yet

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
They bang a little, the ride is going to be rougher on your backside for sure.

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: Mr.Yuck] #2175206
10/15/16 12:47 PM
10/15/16 12:47 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,809
North Dakota
Azzkikrcuda Offline
top fuel
Azzkikrcuda  Offline
top fuel

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,809
North Dakota
My dad has them on his Challenger, noise and ride on the street are not bad. Ground clearance is a problem though, But I think he has the longer front plates.


The only Carbs I care about are under the hood!
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: crash520] #2175267
10/15/16 02:16 PM
10/15/16 02:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,723
Moved to N.E. Tennessee
GomangoCuda Offline
master
GomangoCuda  Offline
master

Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,723
Moved to N.E. Tennessee
Originally Posted By crash520
Guys, those running Caltrac's on their street car, do that rattle/thump and bang during normal cruising??
The squeak is from the front eye bushings. Grease them once a year. I wish there were grease fittings. The rattles and banging is from the bolt on top of the spring. I had a piece of heater hose over the bolt for several years. It worked but wore out quickly. Now I have a 1/4" thick piece of polyurethane glued to the top of the spring. It is holding up much better than the heater hose.

Now if I could just silence my worn out strut rod bushings without tearing apart the whole front end i'd be happy. They make way more noise than the caltracs.


In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.
Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: Azzkikrcuda] #2175274
10/15/16 02:30 PM
10/15/16 02:30 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
C
carhunter Offline
enthusiast
carhunter  Offline
enthusiast
C

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
Mine also are low ,they will bottom out if I go to fast backing out of my driveway and my driveway is not steep.

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: carhunter] #2175399
10/15/16 07:28 PM
10/15/16 07:28 PM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,273
fredericksburg,va
C
cudaman1969 Offline
master
cudaman1969  Offline
master
C

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,273
fredericksburg,va
Originally Posted By carhunter
Mine also are low ,they will bottom out if I go to fast backing out of my driveway and my driveway is not steep.

You must have a three inch spacer between the housing perch and spring or some really short tires,

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: cudaman1969] #2175523
10/15/16 10:52 PM
10/15/16 10:52 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
C
carhunter Offline
enthusiast
carhunter  Offline
enthusiast
C

Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 230
South Carolina
Tires are 275-50-15 I'm about to put 275-60-15 on.
The caltrac's are 3 1/2 in. from ground not much clearance.I just have to deal with it.

Re: Are Caltrac's noisy on a street car? [Re: carhunter] #2175881
10/16/16 10:55 AM
10/16/16 10:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,273
fredericksburg,va
C
cudaman1969 Offline
master
cudaman1969  Offline
master
C

Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 8,273
fredericksburg,va
Originally Posted By carhunter
Tires are 275-50-15 I'm about to put 275-60-15 on.
The caltrac's are 3 1/2 in. from ground not much clearance.I just have to deal with it.

I was thinking at the wheel not the front, duh on my part.







Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.1