Posted By: Kudakidd
Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 04:58 PM
More importantly, do they work. MP makes 'em with a $40.00 price tag. I could make them up at a quarter of the cost. Is it worth it? Nothing exotic about my rear suspension; just HD springs and a adjustable pinion snubber.
Posted By: '72CudaRacer
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 05:05 PM
I made my own. 1/4" flat bar,1 1/2" wide and a couple of bolts. Just make sure not to place them near the tires.
Posted By: dragracedr
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 05:38 PM
Use clamps to fine tune the rear suspension. I've found the best way to do this is to have somebody video the car from the side. Make sure you have front end rise, fine tune the degree and rate of rear rise by adding/subtracting front segment clamps and removing rear clamps. I always left at least one rear segment clamp on, the one closest to the axle tube, to prevent the rear spring leaves from splaying laterally. There is no set formula to this, every car will be different.
Posted By: '72CudaRacer
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 06:04 PM
Its mostly trial and error. But its easy and cheap. I had to keep a clamp on the rear because after the springs seperated and then came back together, the leafs would sandwich the rear valance. I finally cut a couple of inchs off the ends of some leafs to stop that. And yes, it does help 60'.
Brian
Posted By: '72CudaRacer
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 06:08 PM
Compare the last pic with one at rest. SS leafs only, no Caltracts, no pinion snubber, no adj shocks ect.
Posted By: Steve1118
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 08:08 PM
They do help the 60' times.
The snubber is a bit different, if it's too close the car can develop some handling issues, as it can act like a fulcrum and the car can pivot on it.
I like the idea of using one as a safety issue, but a lot of guys don't like them at all.
Posted By: Big Wedge
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 10:30 PM
Spring clamps work great. I use 2 per front segment, very tight, and 1 per rear segment, loose. The rear is for fine tuning the suspension separation on launch. No snubber.
Garth
Posted By: Big Wedge
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/11/09 10:33 PM
Here is the rear picture with one clamp each. I capture one extra leaf on the drivers side to stop twist on launch. I also have Rancho adjustables on the rear and stagger the settings the same way with bias to the driver's side.
Garth
Posted By: 52savoy
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/12/09 05:41 PM
I make my own like the rest of the guys.. but I only use them on the front leafs. The rear spring section I remove all the factory clamps and let them flap. No problems and the car launches with lots of body rise and tires planting solid.
NO pinion snubber.
Posted By: Dart1031
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/12/09 11:54 PM
A friend of mine has an S10 with a SB in it and stock leaf springs. We put some cheap NAPA spring clamps on it and he gained a tenth in 60', and two tenths in his 1/4 mile time. For $10 I'd say they work pretty good!
Posted By: topside
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/13/09 12:02 AM
Made my own years ago as well; my car likes 2 per side in front, and seems to prefer no clamps on the rear section.
1.5 x 4.5, 3/8 plate, 3/8 holes 3.00 to 3.25 apart, and a couple different lengths of 3/8-16 or 3/8-24 bolts with washers & locking nuts, and you're good to go. Drill them in pairs, clamped together, using a drill press, chamfer any sharp edges, and paint 'em, and you're done.
Posted By: topside
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/13/09 12:23 AM
Storm, it seems to apply the tires better on my car, a couple hundredths quicker to 60' on a moderately-grippy track. Other guys have had the opposite experience with their cars, though.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/13/09 12:31 AM
does the seperation of the rear leaf segments aply more pressure to the rear tire?
Its not fighting the front segments.... as the pinion
rotates the front lifts and the rears will at some
point start to pull the body back down (basically
when the shackle goes just beyond vertical)
Posted By: Kiddart
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/13/09 08:55 PM
how would the front segment clamped with slider box in the rear. any one now if that would work or not
Posted By: 11secdart
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/13/09 09:03 PM
I have a bunch of bend over type spring clamps I`ll sell cheap if anybody needs them. I got them from a spring shop and don`t need them since I have mono-leafs and Cal-Tracs.
Posted By: Kiddart
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/17/09 02:45 PM
how would the front segment clamped with slider box in the rear. any one now if that would work or not
Anyone know?? Monte you out there???
Kiddart
Posted By: Kiddart
Re: Leaf Spring Clamps - Anyone Use Them? - 12/26/09 02:23 AM
Ok guys, this is my christmas presents.
Spring relocation kit
Slider boxs
Back brace for rear end
In the this post I added the question, If I use the clamps on the front segment and one on the rear segment somewhat loose would a slider box help out as well. I want to go to a mono leaf rear but the funds arnt there as of right now. what are the opinions on the items. Again this is a super stock spring application. I guess my thought is if I use the clamps on the leafs that more less makes a mono leaf, right? wrong? I guess I am in need of some smart guys opinions. my friends that run the compleete caltrac run the slider boxs and with good results. any suggestions are very welcomed
Thanks guys
That is worth doing on a race car that your trying to get every hundred of a second out of 