Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: The Sphinx]
#843470
11/01/10 06:43 PM
11/01/10 06:43 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 850 Georgetown, TX
sc4579
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 850
Georgetown, TX
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Been using them for 5 years now with SS springs on my Dart Sport. Very consistant 60 foots, 1.40-1.42. Just using Monroe shocks on the rear, the bars in the lower hole. I set the preload on the bars with my weight in the car and have had no problems. Car weighs 3290 with me in it, and a small block pump gas motor, with 904 transmission and 4.88 gears.
2023 Challenger Scat Pack 1320 2016 Jeep Renegade
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: sc4579]
#843471
11/03/10 09:57 PM
11/03/10 09:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,548 Michigan
Kiddart
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,548
Michigan
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if this works why does calvert tell you not to do it? they say to use a light duty spring. If you truely can do this its helps guys out like me that want to run the mono leafs but cant buy every thing at once. Can anyone else add to this please I have looked in the archives with very little sucess. Monte if you read this maybe you can shed some light on us. 1Qwkdart
Thank you Kiddart
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: Kiddart]
#843472
11/03/10 11:13 PM
11/03/10 11:13 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,552 Rittman Ohio
fourgearsavoy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,552
Rittman Ohio
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I tried it and my car would do weird stuff like jump and unload the tires then it would go perfect next pass Guy I got the bars from told me to get the monoleafs and then hooked hard and straight every time after that Gus
Last edited by fourgearsavoy; 11/03/10 11:15 PM.
64 Plymouth Savoy 493 Indy EZ's by Nick at Compu-Flow 5-Speed Richmond faceplate Liberty box Dana 60
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: hemiparts]
#843474
11/04/10 10:03 AM
11/04/10 10:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 501 Port Mcneill,B.C.Canada
Islandcuda
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 501
Port Mcneill,B.C.Canada
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I used them for a few years, then bought the monoleaf, to be truthfull there was an improvement over the car bouncing at launch, with ss springs, bounced every time, but did it the same every time and was consistent. With the mono,s car settld down, but the odd time, would get the bounce, but not as severe. I can only assume track conditions dictated a lot, car was still consistent, just the odd time ,and of course calvert tells ya not to use them, they are the seller taking your money, Tim
67 cuda new best 1.395 60 10.240 at 128.58mph
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: Islandcuda]
#843475
11/04/10 10:14 AM
11/04/10 10:14 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,495 Shelby mi.
JAKE68
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,495
Shelby mi.
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Quote:
I used them for a few years, then bought the monoleaf, to be truthfull there was an improvement over the car bouncing at launch, with ss springs, bounced every time, but did it the same every time and was consistent. With the mono,s car settld down, but the odd time, would get the bounce, but not as severe. I can only assume track conditions dictated a lot, car was still consistent, just the odd time ,and of course calvert tells ya not to use them, they are the seller taking your money, Tim
The reason Calvert wants you to buy his mono spring because with s/s springs and the bars there is not enough shock that can control all that and that is why you are getting your bounce. There is not a shock out there that can control that. With the mono the spring is just holding up the car and the bar is doing all the work. You would get way to much and too fast of body separation and not get the tire to plant and hold with s/s springs and cal tracs.
JAKES AUTOMOTIVE
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: JAKE68]
#843476
11/04/10 11:57 AM
11/04/10 11:57 AM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 401 dayton,ohio
ROSSIO
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 401
dayton,ohio
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i ran SS springs and 3 way adjust shocks for 10 years--and they worked very well-------- then i spent the $$$ on the complete caltrac setup with the 9000 ranchos and WOW--i recommend this set up if you are running 10's or faster (in my opinion) i've been running NOS for 15yrs and now N.A. and going 8.90s--doing 1.29 60ft and i love the adjustability i have at the tracks with this set up
ross
1970 DART B1MC N/A
8.86@ [Email]155
3200 lb on 275 DR
5.30 @ 130 1/8
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: The Sphinx]
#843478
11/04/10 12:51 PM
11/04/10 12:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,586 Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana
ProStDodge
master
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master
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,586
Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana
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Quote:
Has anyone ever tried it? I hear not to, but never got a reason why not.
Anyone tried it - YES So, can you use Cal-Tracs with ss springs - YES Is it optimal - NO
From my understanding on how the Cal-Trac bars work, part of the "leverage" the Cal-Tracs use to plant the rear tire is provided by the wrap-up of the front spring segment. The SS springs were designed with a stiff front segment to reduce spring wrap-up. Therefore they don't provide as much force on the Cal-Trac pivot bar, resulting in less downforce at the axle. Still more downforce than without the bars, but not as much as with a "softer" front spring segment.
Also with the Cal-Trac system, according to John Calvert, you want 5-inches of front suspension travel from resting static, to just before the wheel come off the ground. This movement is needed to get additional rotational weight to the back tires, again resulting in more downforce to the rear tires.
A lack of adequate front suspension travel can result in "unloading" of the tires a few feet off the line. Some of the unloading can be controlled with shock settings, but proper front suspension travel should cure most of an unloading issue.
Scott
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: ProStDodge]
#843479
11/04/10 02:28 PM
11/04/10 02:28 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080 organ
maximum entropy
master
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master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 5,080
organ
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trying not to hijack here (and failing?). could one remove some leaves from the ss springs and get more satisfactory results?
for what is the good life if not doing things thoughtfully?
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: maximum entropy]
#843480
11/04/10 03:16 PM
11/04/10 03:16 PM
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,172 Ohio
theclutcher
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,172
Ohio
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as long as the springs are symetrical left to right they will work better. biased rate side to side does not help with launch. As stated earlier all the spring does is hold the car up.
Last edited by theclutcher; 11/04/10 03:17 PM.
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: theclutcher]
#843481
11/04/10 04:26 PM
11/04/10 04:26 PM
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 15,487 Florida
scratchnfotraction
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 15,487
Florida
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any one run the split mono leaf? how much do the 2 halfs overlap? which leaf is on top..front or rear segment? on my 85 shortbed truck,I have the axle on top of the rear springs with a shackle flip and thought of makeing my own set of split mono leafs for the caltracs sytsem from 2 sets of main leafs from truck spring packs or would that be to hickabilly
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: 340B5]
#843489
12/17/11 02:01 PM
12/17/11 02:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319 Puyallup, WA
StealthWedge67
master
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master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,319
Puyallup, WA
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"And to help piece it together: Calvert monos are 200 and 225 lbs spring rate and my own SS springs are 160 on the right spring and (I think?) 125 on the left."
Are you speaking of the front vs. rear sections of the mono's? As far as left to right, I believe they are the exact same spring on both sides. When I installed mine, I inspected them very carefully for a L or R, or a different weight rating, they were both identical, with the exact same part #. Any stagger in this system is designed to be handled by the bars.
LemonWedge - Street heavy / Strip ready - 11.07 @ 120
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: StealthWedge67]
#843490
12/17/11 05:14 PM
12/17/11 05:14 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,532 off the grid
340B5
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,532
off the grid
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No, just the two different rates they offer. I wonder how it would work w/a 225 on right and 200 on left.
Yeah, it's got a smallblock.
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: 6PACMAC]
#843491
12/17/11 06:47 PM
12/17/11 06:47 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,532 crisfield, maryland 21817
82ramIndy493
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,532
crisfield, maryland 21817
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Quote:
How are Cal-tracs with stock, non SS springs? Those should let bars work better than the SS's , right?
I have a friend at the track who has raced for at least 30 years and has driven many different cars there and Is a killer driver especially on the tree so I can believe and respect his judgement on things. He recently told me that he tried the Cal Tracs on his SB Duster with the SS springs and he had to remove them for similar reasons mentioned on this thread. I am not sure what changes he has made at this time but he said he could not run them together. On the other side of that coin I run the Cal Trac setup with adj shocks from Calvert on my 82 Dodge short bed pickup. I am running a 493 Indy head engine and pull 1.47 sixty foots and my truck launches absolutely great. I am running a late 60's B Body rear on top of the stock 1/2 ton 5 leaf truck spring. The second leaf that sits right up at the top spring eye is the critical leaf. If its not there you will have issues as I did before installing it. The truck originally had 4 leafs. After installing it I had little problem with the rear suspension BUT BOY did ther CalTracs make a difference later. I can't swear to all combinations but on stock springs or Calverts mono leafs they will work great.
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Re: Cal-tracs and SS springs
[Re: 82ramIndy493]
#843492
12/17/11 11:59 PM
12/17/11 11:59 PM
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,177 ill
dennismopar73
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,177
ill
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We put them on our 67 coronet after switching from stock to super stock , to the complete cal-vert set up, mono/shocks etc. The car is weight is 37-3850 dep on driver, we didn't pick up any 60, in fact we lost a little, but the car did go straighter,but developed that bounce after the leave, so now we are now working on the front of the car to see what or anything is the issue, we put new 90/10 race shocks that was recommended by cal-vert , ball joints, tie rods , with no help. now we have to wait n see for the track to open to try some new items different setup on camber/ caster torsion bar settings. But at this time, money spent over the ss springs wasn't worth the effert and the end results, at this time, maybe after much trial/ error sessions, maybe we can get more out of the system,
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