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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: Mr.Yuck]
#1223303
05/01/12 10:50 AM
05/01/12 10:50 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,406
Pikes Peak Country
TC@HP2
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,406
Pikes Peak Country
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Quote:
traction bars should be pushed forward up under the leaf spring mount, not under the spring itself.
The operative and key word here is SHOULD. Since most slapper bars are sold for GM F bodies, they tend to be sold in lengths that bolt directly on to these cars. Sticking them under a mopar means they end up in some position other than the optimal. Now, I don't doubt that back in teh day some manufacturer somewhere had taken the time to measure and layout a set up that would work properly with differing mopar applications, but my bet is that most have not and do not take that into consideration and most of these are sold as a universal application.
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: TC@HP2]
#1223304
05/01/12 10:55 AM
05/01/12 10:55 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
Mr.Yuck
Not enough dumb comments...yet
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Not enough dumb comments...yet
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 24,562
Brookeville, Md
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Quote:
Quote:
traction bars should be pushed forward up under the leaf spring mount, not under the spring itself.
The operative and key word here is SHOULD. Since most slapper bars are sold for GM F bodies, they tend to be sold in lengths that bolt directly on to these cars. Sticking them under a mopar means they end up in some position other than the optimal. Now, I don't doubt that back in teh day some manufacturer somewhere had taken the time to measure and layout a set up that would work properly with differing mopar applications, but my bet is that most have not and do not take that into consideration and most of these are sold as a universal application.
You can get direct fit units...they are 3-4x the cost of the uni's.
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: DARTH V8Я]
#1223309
05/03/12 11:17 AM
05/03/12 11:17 AM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,134
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
DPelletier
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 15,134
Kelowna, B.C. Canada
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I would never use traction bars because a: they look stupid and b: they look way too GM to me (sorta like cowl hoods!  ) In any case, I think an adjustable snubber or proper spring setup does the trick just fine. I've owned dozens of GM cars and the main reason for the traction bars were the very weak stock springs compared to a Mopar HD setup.  Dave
1970 Super Bee 440 Six Pack
1974 'Cuda
2008 Ram 3500 Diesel
2006 Ram 3500 Diesel
2004.5 Ram 2500 Diesel
2003 Ram 3500 Diesel
2006 Durango Limited
[url] http://1970superbee.piczo.com [/url]
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: Dean_Kuzluzski]
#1223312
05/03/12 12:19 PM
05/03/12 12:19 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
patrick
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,123
Grand Haven, MI
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Quote:
Quote:
but since then several drag racers have told me that traction bars work better than adjustable pinion snubbers.
CalTrac's obviously work and they are slapper bars that were refined to a fully functioning level. The "poor man's 4-Link" as one could say. They basically reapply the wind-up forces into a downward motion for the axle.
And one of the reasons the old Direct Connection manuals pumped up the P-snubber and rejected the slapper bars was to sell their own product.
the mopar spring design with the assymetrical leafs (short front segment, long rear segment) are basically a leaf spring trying to be a ladder bar. in theory, the front segment is essentially rigid (especially if the leaves are clamped), and all of the flex is in the rear segment.
a cal-trac is a better version of the same thing. it replaces the spring pack usually with a single spring, where the front segment isn't as stiff as the stock one), and uses the bars as the link to locate the axle relative to the body.
traction bars/slapper bars are used to control axle wind-up in symmetrical/long front segment springs. they typically aren't clamped to the front of the spring, but are designed to make contact with spring wind up (hence "slapper bars". being clamped to the springs, cal-tracks are a totally different animal, they basically turn a mopar leaf spring setup into a quasi leaf sprung ladder bar setup. a true leaf sprung ladder bar setup would have the ladder bar pivoting on the body, and shackles front AND rear on the leaf spring.
my boss actually designed and built a leaf sprung 4 link setup for his trail wrangler.
Last edited by patrick; 05/03/12 12:30 PM.
1976 Spinnaker White Plymouth Duster, /6 A833OD
1986 Silver/Twilight Blue Chrysler 5th Ave HotRod **SOLD!***
2011 Toxic Orange Dodge Charger R/T
2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude (holy crap, my daughter is driving)
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: nutso suave]
#1223313
05/04/12 02:27 PM
05/04/12 02:27 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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i had slappers on a 340 duster that worked GREAT. the only reason i removed them was a peace officer took exception to them. he said (and this is the absolute truth), "they're too low. you'll get a flat tire, the bar will dig in to the pavement, you'll lose control, and be killed." ok.
for what is the good life if not doing things thoughtfully?
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: cudaboone]
#1223317
05/05/12 02:37 PM
05/05/12 02:37 PM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,593
Great Neck,LI,new york
hemi-itis
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,593
Great Neck,LI,new york
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I went with the Cal-trak system and picked up 4 tenthes over the worn out s/s springs.They adjust so the launch stays straight.I have not tried preload yet because I'm so inconsistant.Maybe this year with the right carbs on it now I can really fine tune the rear suspension. 
Last edited by hemi-itis; 05/05/12 02:37 PM.
HEMI-ITIS has no cure.
My condition is fully BLOWN!!
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Re: Final Showdown: traction bars - YES or NO?
[Re: nutso suave]
#1223318
05/06/12 02:20 AM
05/06/12 02:20 AM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,699
Newport, Mi
Evil Spirit
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,699
Newport, Mi
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First, I think traction bars are meant to be used INSTEAD of Super Stock springs, not WITH them. The whole purpose of the extra leaves in the SS springs is to stiffen (and in some cases shorten) the front segment to try to reduce wrap-up/wheel hop, which they do at the expense of ride quality. Clamping the front segments along with the use of properly installed traction bars will eliminate wheel hop and increase traction without stiffening the ride. As to the snubber, while it does a limited job of eliminating front segment wrap-up, especially if the front segments are clamped, they do NOTHING to prevent the axle rotation from trying to pick up the passenger side tire. This is not the ring gear trying to climb the pinion; this is the ring gear trying to rotate around the pinion, which tries to pick up the passenger tire ( the reason why open carriers always spin only the right tire). Slapper bars can be pre-loaded to give more lift to the passenger side. Slapper bars got a bad reputation from poor installations and a lack of knowledge about suspension engineering - pure and simple. With a little work they can do a fantastic job of stopping wheel hop and enhancing traction.
Free advice and worth every penny...
Factory trained Slinky rewinder.........
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do you have any video of the car launching? 
