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RMS street linx vs Caltracs

Posted By: 1mean340

RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/26/22 07:07 PM

Pricing out rear setups for the hellcat swapped E body i'm building and with 35 spline ford 9" rears the prices are coming out just about the same for either an RMS street linx rear or a caltracs setup.

I have a lot of experience with GM triangulated 4 links and I know they can do a lot of things very well, including 60 foot with big power cars when set up right and also feel great on the street.

I have no real experience with caltracs and I haven't seen a lot about the RMS 4 link setup other than guys who have it seem to love it.

My car is primarily a street car that sees occasional drag track use. It should be making in the neighborhood of 750-800rwhp with the modded hellcat on E85.

I know the street linx will be a more well rounded setup, but has anyone ever run it behind a lot of power on a car with a good tire that sees the drag track? Wondering if it can hold up to that kind of abuse and how well it works. I think I've mostly only seen it on 500hp street cruisers


Posted By: CMcAllister

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/26/22 07:15 PM

Street lynx = street, restomod, handling, corners, cruising

Caltracs = drag racing

One is only marginal when used for the other purpose.

Having installed, driven and used both, they both work well for their intended purpose.

For your intended use, the RMS. Just don't get sloppy or cut corners installing it.

If you're familiar with the old GM stuff, and want to drag race it, look at what is used on some of the Stocker Chevelles. Modifying/fabing brackets to change the bar angles, especially the top bars, to a more drag race friendly angle, would be a good idea if your are serious beyond just making a pass once in awhile. Good shocks with drag race valving will also help.
Posted By: GY3

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 03:25 AM

We run Cal-tracs on our street/strip car. With a spool and soilid front bushings, it does make some noise. With double adjustable shocks, though, you can make it ride like a Cadillac and with a few clicks make it hook hard on a 275 drag radial. I like them because they bolt in and really don't alter the car.

Our car has been 1.36 60 ft. and gets driven everywhere. 600 n/a and 250 shot of nitrous. 10.0@133mph and the wife can drive it for ice cream! 😁
Posted By: 1mean340

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 07:27 PM

Thank you, I have definitely seen a ton of great things said about caltracs as far as 60 footing goes. That's the first time i've ever really heard anyone give a break down on street manners so that was useful.


The RMS setup i'm sure would corner better and articulate better on the street as CMcalister said. I wouldn't think a triangulated 4 link would have much issue cutting decent 60 foots either, maybe not on par with caltracs but decent enough. I think i'm more worried about the street linx setup actually being able to hold up to the power. Without seeing anyone ever using it in a high HP car and hitting the track with them on a good tire, it worries me that there could be issues with either the links, the mounting points or just the overall design that could fail/twist/create issues on a car like mine.

I really don't race the car much, maybe a few times a year and it mostly gets street driven. i'm OK with it not 60 footing like a race car, as long as i'm not leaving TOO much at the table. I would be worried about having some type of failure on the few times i DO make it to the track on a sticky tire though.

If I could just find someone else running the street linx setup with the kind of power I will have who occationally takes it to the track, I'd feel much better about going that direction.
Posted By: justinp61

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 08:32 PM

I have Cal-Tracs on my street/strip Dart that gets driven quite a bit on the street and have never had any issues. It's been 1.34 60".
Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 08:36 PM

The only issue I've had w/ the Cal-Tracs setup is I bent one set of their monoleaf springs. They'd been on the car for 10+ years. It actually only bent one half of them...they are a two piece design that bolt together. After over 10 years of abuse on my cuda, I wasn't complaining about it.
That was close to 10 years ago...been fine ever since.
Posted By: John Burdine

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by an8sec70cuda
The only issue I've had w/ the Cal-Tracs setup is I bent one set of their monoleaf springs. They'd been on the car for 10+ years. It actually only bent one half of them...they are a two piece design that bolt together. After over 10 years of abuse on my cuda, I wasn't complaining about it.
That was close to 10 years ago...been fine ever since.


Do you notice any de-arching of the springs, especially the rt side sitting lower?
Posted By: CMcAllister

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 07/27/22 10:37 PM

Caltracs are bolt on. RMS are weld in and would take some work to remove later if you decided to.

RMS on the front and rear with big tires, it will handle like a Corvette, mostly


[Linked Image]
Posted By: an8sec70cuda

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 08/01/22 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by 493_john
Originally Posted by an8sec70cuda
The only issue I've had w/ the Cal-Tracs setup is I bent one set of their monoleaf springs. They'd been on the car for 10+ years. It actually only bent one half of them...they are a two piece design that bolt together. After over 10 years of abuse on my cuda, I wasn't complaining about it.
That was close to 10 years ago...been fine ever since.


Do you notice any de-arching of the springs, especially the rt side sitting lower?

I noticed the driver's side was a little lower and realized the rear half was bent when I crawled under to look.
Posted By: LA360

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 08/01/22 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by CMcAllister
Caltracs are bolt on. RMS are weld in and would take some work to remove later if you decided to.

RMS on the front and rear with big tires, it will handle like a Corvette, mostly


[Linked Image]


I can't add anything to this post, I just wanted to say how awesome that car is!
Posted By: 1mean340

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 08/02/22 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by CMcAllister
Caltracs are bolt on. RMS are weld in and would take some work to remove later if you decided to.

RMS on the front and rear with big tires, it will handle like a Corvette, mostly



Not too concerned about the welding part, this car is already pretty hacked up anyway and I do all the welding/fab work myself so not an issue.

I've heard from one guy that the RMS setup doesn't hit the tire very hard and he has traction issues on his car making a lot less power. pretty difficult to make any judgements on that completely out of context with nothing to compare it to though.

I hoped maybe there were some guys running fast E/Ts with RMS rear end setups but I haven't found any. Just seeing someone doing it would let me know it CAN be done and I think I'd go with it.



I'm going to talk to RMS and see if they have any answers although I think I'm leaning towards caltracs. As much as I'd like the car to handle well on the street and feel comfortable to drive longer distances, I really want to hit my E/T goals and don't want to be held back by traction issues or worse, parts failures when i'm out on the strip.


Posted By: justinp61

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 08/02/22 11:02 PM

If the car is hacked up already why not go straight to a four link?
Posted By: CMcAllister

Re: RMS street linx vs Caltracs - 08/03/22 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by 1mean340
Originally Posted by CMcAllister
Caltracs are bolt on. RMS are weld in and would take some work to remove later if you decided to.

RMS on the front and rear with big tires, it will handle like a Corvette, mostly



Not too concerned about the welding part, this car is already pretty hacked up anyway and I do all the welding/fab work myself so not an issue.

I've heard from one guy that the RMS setup doesn't hit the tire very hard and he has traction issues on his car making a lot less power. pretty difficult to make any judgements on that completely out of context with nothing to compare it to though.

I hoped maybe there were some guys running fast E/Ts with RMS rear end setups but I haven't found any. Just seeing someone doing it would let me know it CAN be done and I think I'd go with it.



I'm going to talk to RMS and see if they have any answers although I think I'm leaning towards caltracs. As much as I'd like the car to handle well on the street and feel comfortable to drive longer distances, I really want to hit my E/T goals and don't want to be held back by traction issues or worse, parts failures when i'm out on the strip.




The RMS, like the older GM G & A bodys and the Mustangs are 4 link suspensions, with independent upper and lower links. A four link is dependent on the geometry to determine how it works, and they will respond to changes just like an aftermarket 4 link kit.

Simple answer is get the links into a more drag style configuration. Move the housing end of the lower bar away from the housing. Moving that point away from the housing and/or making that bar angle up in the front above level will cause the housing to plant the tire harder.

Move the housing end of the upper bar away from the housing and/or the chassis end down. Kits are made for the above mentioned OE style suspensions to accomplish this. The steeper the angle of the top link down in the front, the more aggressively it will load the tire. The RMS may want to have different brackets. The style, quality and rigidity of the links and rod ends may need to be looked at as well, depending on how much power is being applied. Getting after it with the short links and/or big power will want a GOOD DA shock. And the bracketry substantial enough to not move around. Lighter rate springs with a true coil over will also help make it all more aggressive.

The more racy it gets, the less street friendly it will be. You may end up with a set of race day shocks and springs to avoid beating up expensive parts on the street and make the ride better.

Caltracs and leafs would be the easier route to go quick at the dragstrip, with less potential fabrication and modifications to get all of the potential out of it with the 4 bar/coil spring deal.
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