I was wanting to see what everyone thought was the best traction device. SSM lift bars, the Competition Eng. j-bolt slapper bars or what? I have a 68 Firebird with multi-leafs. What do you think? What is everyone else using? Thanks.

JR

 

CAL-TRAC BARS. USED BY MOST OF THE STOCK AND SUPER STOCK ELIMINATERS THAT ARE ON LEAFS. THEY RUN 10'S ON A 8.5 TO 9.0 TIRE. REALLY WORK, AND ARE LOT MORE ADJUSTABLE. YOU CAN BACK THEM OFF FOR WHEN YOU ARE STREET DRIVING (ALOT BETTER RIDE)

 

I have been putting together a bunch of magazine articles I have on suspension set ups for 2nd gen cars. I think your idea is very good and when I finish the research I'll post again. Ideas in principle included preloading one side with and air bag, pinion snubbers properly set up (so as not to cause damage) urethane bushings on the leaf springs, sub frame connectors, and shocks too. I want to figure out what parts I need to buy over the course of the year while I put miles on my new 355. A good girdle on the diff may not be a bad idea and also consider new body mount bushings. DIRT REYNOLDS any ideas? CORY??

 

Im with Taylormade on this one. If you have the $$$ the cal-trac bars work very well. They will take a good car into the 10s easy. Also as Charles said getting rid of twist is a must. SFC and new bushings for sure. Stronger shackles to go with the caltracs or just by them selves will help. You getting wheel hop now? or just breaking it loose?
CoryM

 

hey guys,
i've been doing this for a while and the best traction is slicks, then, mickey tomps ET, then drag radials.
traction bars are only if you springs are binding.
you want your car to bite. work on the weight transfer.
this is only one persons opinion. hope that helps
willie

 

My Z/28 has Lakewood traction bars, welded-in full length subframe connectors and cage. With slicks and the Lakewoods, the car has gone 10.77 on the bottle leaning out (burned an exhaust valve) with a 355" engine. Off the bottle - and using a solid-lifter nitrous cam - it's gone 11.44 with the same engine. This was done by the previous owner. So this is an example of the Lakewoods doing a fairly good job.

My take is the Cal-Tracs are the best of the bunch, but properly adjusted a Lakewood or other slapper bar should work. Charles, with a leaf spring suspension, you dont use an airbag, and with traction bars you dont need a snubber. A snubber is better on a G-body car like a Regal or Monte Carlo that has upper and lower rear control arms and coil springs. Our Camaro's from 1970-81 use only a leaf spring to locate the rear end, with no control arms. The slapper bars prevent the leaf from wrapping-up on the launch and causing wheel-hop.

Charles if I were you I'd go with a Cal-Trac, or if you are on a budget go with a slapper bar like the Lakewood. Thats all you'll really need; that and sticky tires.

Before doing anything though I'd take care of any body mount issues first.

As for shocks, I have 90/10 Lakewoods up front, and 50/50 rear with no sway bars. You may not like running a 90/10 on the street. My car is setup for the track, so its already biased that way from the get-go. For good all round use your best bet is a good budget shock like a KYB front and rear. Take care of your body mount issues and run polyurethane sway bar bushings and end links, and the car will drive like new.



Dave

 

Thanks for all the great responses! I have recently purchased urethane body bushings, SFC, new leaf springs and urethane bushings for the leafs. Yes, I was having a wheel hop problem, as well as spin-out problems. I have KYB shocks on, because I do about 60 -70 percent street driving. The sticky tires are coming also. My 60' times were horrible, my best being 2.30. And to get that time I had to bog it down at the start. Thanks again for all the responses.

JR

 

If you are going to run the lakewood trac bars the best setings are half inch gap from leaf to rubber stupp for auto and quarter inch for a stick i got this info from a drag book the setup is supose to work well good luck