Caltracs A or B body front segment

I got a 1967 coronet with 002 & 003 springs on it. Thinking about switching over to Caltracs. Should I run A body Caltracs springs which have a 20” front segment or the B body 22” front segment? Talked to Calvert today and they said it really didn’t matter???

I would opt for the longer 22" springs.

002/003 have the 20" ft segment, so on that car the front hangers are longer to work with them.
Shorter ft segment is less susceptible to "wrap" than a longer segment IF all else is equal.
On a Cal-Trac setup, I don't know if segment length matters, as the way I understand it, the bar is doing more of the work.
Everyone with Cal-Tracs seems to like them better than the SS springs.

Agree. Some of the really fast caltrac mopars have been modified to use Chevy length springs. I suppose the instant center moves forward along with the spring eye.

We run the 20" front segment in our '63 B-body.

They work fine.

Unless it's an all out effort and you're going for every last 1/10 of a second, I'd leave the longer hangers in there and just do the 20" segment leaf.

I think the front CalTrac segment provides very little flex, that's left to the rear segment. The front segment acts like the top bar in a 4-link or ladder bar ... very rigid.



CalTracs come with new hangers. Unless you were specific, the shorter front segments would come with standard front hangers and as a result the rear end would have to move forward to line up with the locator pin. Life would be simpler if you ordered the kit specific for the car.

If I was starting from scratch I'd go to 22" front segment but we have our's working OK with a 20"

On a B car I used a SS spring hanger to move the axle back in the wheel well and retained the 22" from segment by relocating the rear leaf spring attachment point (in this case roller sliders).

aren't chevy length springs 50/50 length segments ?

On a CalTrac setup, the longer the front segment of leaf spring, the better. IMO.

Yes. So are Fords. Just like CalTracs were originally designed for.

My car is an A body with the 20" segment. I have wondered about making the change to the 22". Low 1.4 60s but it crushes the tire even with my shocks 1 click away from full stiff. It unloads the tire a little bit at 8' out. I am relocating my lower shock mounts to stand the shock up a little more in hopes of gaining some more control without buying new shocks or springs.

^^^^ THIS!!!

Do you want to move the rearend rearward by two inches by using the longer B body style leaf springs?
If not don't use them
The tech at Cal Tracks should know better to tell you that two inches longer it doesn't matter, shame on him (maybe he should ask his girlfriend about two inches longer mattering or not : grin:)

The GM guys run the 24" orthe S-10 25" front segment. If it will fit, run the longer 22" front segment

I never noticed the wind turbine sticking out of the hood before.

Hybrid with supplemental wind power??

Anything for an extra 10th

Uh, he has a b body so all he has to do to use b body springs is put the stock hangers back on. No change in rear end location.

Iirc Toothjerker still runs a 20” front

Getting the shock right will have way more impact than the 20" or 22" length.

They make a 21" too, that's what's on my 62 Savoy.

1963 Mopar B bodies had the 20 inch front segment, that changed in 1964 to the longer front sections

The original post you responded to specified 67 Coronet.

Mopar develop the 002 and 003 Super Stock springs originally and intended use were made for the 1968 Hemi A body cars, hence the 20 inch front segment.
I'm under the impression that all of the S.S. springs Mopar has sold for drag racing have the 20 inch front segments
Maybe not

I think you're right. Pretty sure the Challenger had longer springs but I switched to SS springs and the offset hanger kit. Since I didn't want to end up with clearance problems we stuck with the 20" when we swapped to the split mono's.

Cab, we seem to be going in circles. I am quite aware of the 002/003 springs being 20". You said if he switched to 22" he would move the rear end rearward 2". He obviously now has the 2" longer hangers to use 20" in a 22" car. I said all he had to do is put the stock hangers back in to use 22". Seems kind of obvious. Use stock hangers with stock length springs and all will be well. I think I'll stop here.