Looking for opinions/experience from anyone about composite parabolic mono leaf springs. This, of course, would be in drag racing applications as an option to SS leaf springs or Cal-Tracs.

I'm aware of the Mexican made Mopar SS springs and their tendency to "sag" much sooner than the originals and the benefits/tunability of Cal-Tracs. I have a Ford friend who sells and speaks well of the composits (as well as Cal-Tracs), but looking for independent opinions/experiences related to Mopars to give me something to think about as a possible option.

Thanks

Myron if you have a wore out pair of SS springs take them to a local spring shop and have them use them as a blue print. We did this years ago and it was not that expensive and they worked and lasted great. I know that is not what you asked but it is another option.

It would seem to me that just for nothing other than consistant Why would you not just go with the Cal-tracs as you race at different tracks and they can be adjusted.Composite springs which i have never used can not be adjusted.Seems like a no brainer.

Are you refering to the Landrum springs?

The springs my friend sells are "Flexiform" and says that they can be made for any application. But it still seems like they would need to absorb a lot of stress. I haven't talked to him about these yet but he has been encouraging me to get a Cal-Trac set-up for a while.

If I ever do get Cal-Tracs, it would have to be in the off season. Don't like changing big things in the middle of a season. Only concern there is, if at the last minute,have to remove weight for a heads-up run or add weight at a really bad track. I've heard of a few such situations where traction was worse because re-adjustments weren't made. With just leaf springs, I can add/remove whatever weight I want anytime.

I'll have to ask the local driveline/4x4 guys if the can duplicate SS springs, but with better material. However, it would be nice to have a lighter suspension with "optional" weight available to be added/removed.

Cal-tracs do seem like the best idea.

I and many others love the cal-tracs and I would never run a multi-leaf set up again...............

The place that I used was in Ft. Worth Texas Champion Spring. They actually had blue prints for many springs but we just had some we had duplicated.

My thoughts Myron....

You have been wildly sucessful with s/s springs, as the old saying goes, if it doesnt stink, dont stir it.

Being a long time member on the board here, i have to say there have been( in my opinion) probably more posts from guys trying to get cal tracks to work, or this adjustment or that than anything else i have ever read on here.
I had great consistancy on a 9 sec car with s/s springs even with a very small tire. At where your car runs/ET, and the luck you have had with it, i would try and get a new set of springs made just like what you have.And stick with that winning formula.

My props to you as you are one of the few going fast w/multi`s.......... On another note, there are different posts that come up asking similar questions about tuning this and that but suspension seems to be more overlooked than most subjects and often taken for granted.

Thanks guys. Decisions, decisions!

I do have a set of new "Mexican" springs and a set of VG original USA springs on another "idle" project car. My main reason for considering less weight is to be more flexible in adding/subtracting weight to move up or down a class when needed. Any weight I add to the car can then be put where it will do the most good.

Myron; What I have done is to have a few different settings for different vehicle weights and different classes. These settings on the caltracs were recorded as used , but with me out of the car. This way I can change them quickly with two wrenches and no extra help....Jim

Myron,
If I were you I would call John Calvert, I am sure he would give you a straight answer to any question you had.
Bill

Yeah, the supposed USA made Mancini springs are not so good as well. They said that the springs they carry are made for Mancini and to their specs in the USA. The Alamo wins again.
I'm about to talk with Landrum and see unless I find a pair 456-457 NOS springs from back in the day. I do not want to go to Cal T's either.

Myron is Flexiform a split spring(front/rear)... if
so have them make you up a real stiff front and the
rear to what your car weighs... that should give
you the best of both worlds... stiff front like the SS
(which could have been stiffer) and the ability to move
weight if needed... if they can build you a really
stiff front then all you need is the shock to control it

Mike,

They appear to be one piece. I imagine that they can change the thickness, depending on the application. But I don't know if they can vary the thickness throughout the spring to stiffen it where it's needed the most.

I'm just doing some research since I found out about them. But so far I don't have enough compelling evidence showing that they are worthwhile compared to the other options. My friend has had them on his SS Mustang for years. But I believe they are used in conjunction with ladder bars or 4-link and mainly "support" the car as opposed to handling ALL of the load chores. But some of the Mustang forum guys use them with Cal-Tracs. I'm gonna have to talk to him some more about some of the details.

Did you see this thread?

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/show...e=2#Post7018581
And technically "parabolic" springs are not mopar style, mopar are aysemetrical as mr p mentioned earlier

I had a similar conversation with Alex Moneymaker at PRI (Cal-Trac booth) I was looking to make the move to the Caltrac, when he mentioned the composite spring. I actually looked pretty hard to see if I could get the Astro van springs to work after talking with him. I was never able to find much info in regards to the Mopar side of the house. I wound up going caltrac and the car sixty foots a little better but is much more consistent which seems to be a common comment.