I am finishing up my Hemi Super Bee (not a real Hemi Car) to be a high performance street car. I will not be taking it to the strip, but I want to make sure the rear suspension can handle the power of around 1000HP...

The car has the following:
950HP Street Hemi Indy Legend ( dyno sheet states 827HP with -2 intake and 850cfm Carb. Indy told me that they guarantee 950HP with the -3 intake and 1150 Dominator. He also told me since I am going to Direct Port FI, w/dual Throttle bodies (Holley HP) that I should expect around 1000HP. It is their All Aluminum 605 CI Street Legend with Solid Roller cam and Roller rockers. I also have the build sheet.

RMS Alterkation front coil-over suspension with front roll bar/disc Brakes.

4-Speed w/McLeod 1200HP dual Ceramic Clutch kit

4:10 rear gear with M&H Drag Radials with matching wide 8" fron tires

The rear suspension is where I need help...it has the stock rear springs (new) w/22" front segment and 36" rear segment. Should keep the rear springs and add the Caltrac kit and keep the pinion snubber?

Or, should I go with Caltrac mono leafs, Caltrac, and rear spring sliders?

This is strictly a fun street car and will not be a strip car...that said, I will not be dumping the clutch at launch, but I do not want any jumping around on very hard acceleration, and would like to have great rear traction.

Any and all suggestions would be of help!

Thanks, Mark

I still have to install the new 4spd transmission and clutch kit, so the Automatic in the pics is being taken out. Also the driveshaft will be a 3" Chrome Moly piece with 1350 ends...so don't let the pics influence your advice.

This is a current project car, so lots more to do...

Thanks, Mark

The HP, clutch and tires won't like each other.

Please don't buy a clutch based on manufacturer HP estimates.

Hi Madscientist,

McLeod told me that the new 1200HP dual disc ceramic clutch will work just fine for my application for the street...they just told me not to dump the clutch at a standstill with sticky tires or I will break the transmission and rear end.

I am building a street hemi car that will not see a track, and will not be dropping the clutch at a launch...I just want great traction without any jumining around.

I thought the M&H Street Radials would be the ticket, and they also have the matching wide 8" tires for the front.

In my Street/Strip GTX I have a Lenco 5spd with a McLeod Soft-lok Sintered-iron Clutch that is designed for a clutchless transmission...So, I have a car for the strip,a nd one for the street.

Prior to the passing of Tim Hyatt (RIP) he told me that the Soft-loc will not work with a standard shifting manual transmission for street driving. McLeod told me the same.

Holley has a new Clutch out that is a long style, but noting to fit a Gen II hemi car.

So, what do you suggest?

Mark

What size rear tires? This car won't need 4.10's. It's going to have traction problems unless you get it just right and probably even then.

I would stay way from Caltracs on a street car. Mine rode really harsh and only really work well on a smooth track/road. I sold mine, and at Dr Diff's recommendation, put a pair of passenger side 2800lbs SS springs in my 3700 lbs car along with a pair of properly adjusted slapper bars. The car's rear suspension works better than anything else I've ever tried over the decades, and nearly dead hooks on the street. Heck, I pulled a Hellcat by 3 car lengths out of the hole, and still beat him at the 1/4 with half your horsepower.

EFI and an overdrive would sure be nice with some 3.91's. That way you could actually go somewhere.

Hi JBC,

The tires are 28" tall, however the cam in the engine might like a lower gear of 4:10, and I never drive on the highway, only blast around town.

For car shows and longer distances, I use my trailer almost always.

If I run SS springs I would need to go with new front hanger for 20" front segments, and would still need to have a pinion snubber w/slapper bars? right?

what slapper bars did you go with?

BR, Mark

The dyno sheet numbers are:

827HP @6400 RPM
765FT Torque @ 5300 RPM
-2 intake w/850 cfm Deamon Carb
605 CI 11:1 CR - Aluminum Block
426-1RA6 Heads CNC Port

Comp Solid Roller Cam .650/.655 272/280 R110 in at 108

W/-3 intake and 1150 Holley Indy guarantees 950HP

Looking at my old-timey Moroso speed calculator, I would need a 3.73 rear gear set for those RPM's

What do you all think?

I just talked with John at Calvert, and he thought monoleafs with the caltracs with rear shackles would be best for the power that I have with the weight. He advised not using spring sliders...

John also thought a 3.73 (preferred) or 3.91 would be in the right ballpark.

Any other opinions?

Regards, Mark

Then McLeod and Tim Hyatt are both wrong. I drive a Sof-Lok on the street. Have for years.

If you are not going to beat on it, the M&H's will be fine. Didn't know you had a second car. Seen way too many guys say they will never hit the strip, buy a clutch like you did, and wonder why it won't shift above 6k or even less.

Hi Madscientist,

McLeod told me that you can, but it will glaze up? They stated that the initial pressure is set for 200 lbs, however Tim Hyatt set my Sof-lok up at 1175# initial for the street/strip GTX with the lenco 1200.

Are you saying that the Sof-lok will be fine with a standard shift 4 spd on the street? What initial do you have yours set at, and what weights do you have on the fingers?

You have my attention!

Thanks, Mark

Right now, I have it at 800 pounds of base an 14 grams per lever.

I think both are too high, but I'm going to try and back into the tune up instead of trying to run into face first so to speak.

I have run it as low as 600 pounds and no base on the street. Just had it freshened up. Only had normal wear. IDK exactly how many street miles were on it, but it was well over 10k.


I use a standard 833 gear box.

McLeod sends the plate out with 200 pounds in it. I would never run it that low. Even with a light car and a butt load of gear.

I just opened the box with my double adjustable Viking shocks in it! I'm guessing my clutch tune up will change significantly. Now I'm pissed I didn't order the rear shocks. Looks like I need to get on the phone and place an order.

Hi MadSci,

With my combo for the street how would you set the clutch up? Also, how did you measure the base pressure? Did you have McLeod set your clutch up?

I also have a stock 1970 833 box being built for me by Brewers. I like the idea of keeping my stock trans cross member.

What is your car combo set up for the street?

Sorry for all of the questions, but I want to make sure I don't buy twice, if you know what I mean.

Thank you for the advise!

Mark

McLeod sends the clutch out at 200, but you MUST bring the pressure up to 1200, then back it down once you make a hit. That should be clear in the directions McLeod sent with the clutch assembly.

Been running a Soft Lok for 18 years now. It's been 13 years since Tim Hyatt rebuilt it. I'm personally not a fan of running the clutch way down on the ragged edge. Keep some pressure in it and it will live. Mine is around 7-800 now with counter weight.

Hi Jerico,

what transmission, gear, power, are you running? street car?

My clutch was completely set up by Tim Hyatt...turnkey and ready to run with my Lenco. I have Hyatt racing instructions.

regards, Mark

Jericho has some good advice. Start at the 1200 pound mark and work it down. You don't always have to run counterweight.

There are 6 adjusters on the cover. If you back them all the way down, you end up at 200 pounds. I forget the pounds per turn, but you just turn the adjuster to the pressure you want.

I was using a 2.66 first gear and a 4.56 rear, but I just finished up a 3.09 first gear box. You won't need all that first gear with the torque you have.


It's a shame more guys don't put in the effort to learn and use a sintered iron clutch on the street.

Hays has that new Dragon Claw clutch, alot like Mcleod RXT but with a sprung hub. My RXT is not very street friendly with solid hubs, can you say jerky?

"great rear traction"..........on the street, with big power, 4.10 gear, a clutch, likely a stiff low gear and drag radials. All that is a recipe for no traction, ever. Be a blast to drive, but any chance of sticking it is going to be non existent. The best in the business have never been able to make drag radials and a clutch work on the track, much less the street.

As to what rear suspension, if leafs is what you want. Split monos with an extremely stiff front segment, cal tracs and very good shocks

Hi 72,

That is the clutch I was going to use, and I am now sold on another Sof-lok McLeod clutch.

Thank you for the feedback, as I do not like the sound of having a jerky clutch!

The Dragon Claw is limited to newer late model cars with an Aluminum flywheel. With a heavy car, I need a steel 143 tooth flywheel...unless Holley has a Dragon Claw for my combo????

BR, Mark

That was kinda my point about the tires and the clutch not getting along very well. Nothing against M&H's because I use them. Just not the radials.

I'm sure I could drop a screen name that would tell you a simple hydraulic cylinder would make any clutch radial tire friendly.

Hi Monte,

What tires would you advise to use? Clutch? gear?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

Regards, Mark