Moparts

SS Spring to ladder bars

Posted By: PARTSMAN440

SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/21/11 11:02 PM

I am switching fromm ss springs to ladder bars with coilovers soon and was wondering what to expect. The car is a back halfed 65 valiant, 30 over 440, CRT 727 with a transbrake, lupo 5000 stall vertor.

Attached picture 6542174-TIM100001[1].jpg
Posted By: Garceau

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/21/11 11:38 PM

Curious - what made you choose ladder bar over 4 link?
Posted By: tboomer

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 02:17 AM

He might have a stock floor like me??
Posted By: super451b

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 02:32 AM

I changed mine over last winter. The car leaves smooth and straight. The launch was much more violent on the SS springs than it is now, but I am only footbraking for now.
Posted By: rowin4

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 02:48 AM

I didn't notice much improvement on 60ft. or ET but the car launched better and didn't bounce or jump all 4 wheels off the pavement on the 1st / 2nd shift
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 04:19 AM

Quote:

I am switching fromm ss springs to ladder bars with coilovers soon and was wondering what to expect. The car is a back halfed 65 valiant, 30 over 440, CRT 727 with a transbrake, lupo 5000 stall vertor.


once you get the ladder bars set up correctly your going to be bored I have had the pleasure of driving three A body ladder bar race cars, first one had leaf springs with a slider set up, the other two had coil overs All three cars won races and money with different drivers so that says something about the suspensions Make sure and get the coil overs long enough to give you the amount of travel you want, especailly with the transbrake the first coil over car had three inch travel AVO on it The rear suspension would top out when I would foot brake it over 3500 RPM, the car did not spin but the suspension was top out and left like it had a string teid onto the front bumper and someone gave the string a jerk straight ahead Good luck BTW, what front suspension are you using now? How about the front shocks? I switched my Dusters coil overs from Strange Engr. single externally adjustable to double adjsutable, that was worth doing you need bot adjsutemnts if you run on any marginal tracks like I do, my duster is a strret and strip car that runs low to mid tens corked up on pump gas, 1.43 best 60 ft. so far on ET Street Radials
Posted By: tboomer

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 05:34 PM

Cab...Ya hit the nail on the head! Can't wait to try mine with the ladder bars!!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 06:27 PM

Quote:

I changed mine over last winter. The car leaves smooth and straight. The launch was much more violent on the SS springs than it is now, but I am only footbraking for now.




On a light car the ladder bar was VERY violent on
the launch... that was one of the reasons I changed
over to the 4 link
Posted By: tboomer

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 06:29 PM

Raff...What does your car weigh??
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 06:33 PM

Quote:

Raff...What does your car weigh??




With me 2400... 2200 car itself
Posted By: tboomer

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 06:34 PM

Holy carp!! That thing is light!!
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 06:38 PM

Quote:

Holy carp!! That thing is light!!




Dont need any power to go quick and its easier on parts...
now if I want to add power
Posted By: BLONDE BARRACUDA

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 07:22 PM

I agree the launch was much more violent with ss springs vs. ladder bar coil overs
Posted By: PARTSMAN440

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/22/11 09:15 PM

I currently run calvert 90/10 on the front and have found them to be very good for the money. My car weights 2900 without me and my weight depends on the amount of beer i drank the previous week. Any way I am hoping for a more consistant launch. The SS springs on the car are old and the tbrake has made it worse. The car started to go to the right late last year and its time for a upgrade.

Attached picture 6543756-TIM100001[1].jpg
Posted By: Garceau

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/23/11 12:05 AM

I will only say it once....

If I was going to go through the work of what you are considering. There is no way in HELL I would put a ladder bar in anything these days. Ancient technology, with only 3 real IC's to work with. If you get it right and set up for you combo there is no reason it wont work, but its possible none of the 3 ICs will be correct and then you are constantly working on band aids for the situation.

4 link will cover infinitly more situations, and can change with what ever set up you ever put into the car. Will have alot more resale value as well (if you ever are thinking of selling)
Posted By: Leigh

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/23/11 12:36 AM

Quote:

I will only say it once....

If I was going to go through the work of what you are considering. There is no way in HELL I would put a ladder bar in anything these days. Ancient technology, with only 3 real IC's to work with. If you get it right and set up for you combo there is no reason it wont work, but its possible none of the 3 ICs will be correct and then you are constantly working on band aids for the situation.

4 link will cover infinitly more situations, and can change with what ever set up you ever put into the car. Will have alot more resale value as well (if you ever are thinking of selling)




Posted By: carolinacuda

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/23/11 08:27 PM

since someone brought this up. I am trying to decide whether to change mine to ladders bars or SS springs on my 74 cuda. Street car with a 1.50 60 ft now. Dont know if its worth the hassle wit the power i got now to go with ladders. Either way i got to change to something. My stock springs are bent. I just didnt want the rear or the car up in the air. I would like it level.
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/23/11 08:36 PM

Quote:

I currently run calvert 90/10 on the front and have found them to be very good for the money. My car weights 2900 without me and my weight depends on the amount of beer i drank the previous week. Any way I am hoping for a more consistant launch. The SS springs on the car are old and the tbrake has made it worse. The car started to go to the right late last year and its time for a upgrade.


Check your rear end housing for alignment from front to rear and top to bottom My car started going to the right on the launch, I ended up adjusting the ladder bars several times before it bent the snout out of my 8 3/4 with ladder bars before it broke the ladder bar brackets off of the housing on the starting line on its last run I put a 3/4 ton truck narrowed Dana 60 in it and it may need straightening now When the car starts doing something different, something is changing , usually
Posted By: gregsdart

Re: SS Spring to ladder bars - 03/23/11 09:43 PM

I run ladder bars. Absolutely nothing wrong with them for most setups down into the nines. At about low nines I needed more control over the instant center, and when I went to the 8.80 motor It got worse. Would I use them again? You bet, as long as I was not shooting for anything faster than about 10.00 to 9.50 using a brake.
Any suspension needs a "band aid". Good shock absorbers. A good set of double adjustable shocks to control rate of rear separation, and the car won't give a darn whether its a ladder bar or four link up to a point. To me that is like I said before, about 10.00 for most setups. Then the fourlink advantage is slight, but grows as the car gets faster.
My last three passes were pretty close, especially after moving a ton of weight forward. first pass, 1.263. Tightened the rear shocks a click, as the video showed a bit of axle rebound. Next pass, 1.260, axle settled down. Tried more shock, one click. Last pass, 1.259. Not bad for an 8.90 3000 lb ladder bar car. Here's the kicker. I run a torqueflite and leave off a brake at 5000 rpm. Both a torqueflite and ladder bars are supposed to be too violent for what I have, but some how it works anyway.
Getting to your original question, the car should leave less violently, needing less rear shock. You should be able to control roll rotation with a touch of pre load in the right rear, and if you need more help there try moving the bars up in front. But one thing I strongly suggest, good, double adjustable shocks. You have to be able to properly control that axle. Last comment, box the brackets on the axle. They won't be able to collapse if you get the car sideways.
© 2024 Moparts Forums