Cal Tracs pic request

As some of you guys know, I'm building my own version of these traction bars for my senior project in college. I was wondering if anyone could give me a couple of measurements and pictures of the cal tracs installed on a mav. I need a picture of the front spring eye area and I need to know how far down the front and rear brackets drop. Trying to figure out how they made everything work. Thanks.

 

Once I came across a guy's web page where he explains in great detail, with picture, diagrams and measurements, how to make your own Cal-Tracs. I'll see if I saved it somewhere.

 

I found it!

http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html

 

Yeah, I looked at that article and it's pretty good. But what I really want to see is how the caltrac manufacturers handled the front spring eye support bracket. For the people that have installed them, did you just drill a large hole for the steel bushing to come through the bracket and then bolt the bellcrank onto the protruding steel bushing? Also how did they handle the other side of the spring eye that is up against the frame rail? Here's a pic to see what I'm talking about.

 

I'm thinking about just using the stock rubber and steel bushing. The aluminum and steel bushing on the normal cal tracs has gotta be pretty brutal on the street. I'll have to take some measurements, but I'll probably just use the stock steel bushing insert or machine a new one that is slightly longer to provide room for the bellcranks and bolt her up that way.

 

Here's a picture of my (rusty) setup.

Not sure what you mean by "how far down the front and rear brackets drop".


Let me know if you need more pics. I'll see what I can do.


R

 

Thanks Rick, I appreciate it. It looks like the bushing just sits against the spring eye support, with the bellcranks rotating about that protruding portion of the steel insert on the bushings. I thought that's probably how they did it.

 

Put The LIFT Bars On And Lets Go Racing

 

I don't think the Cal-tracs will work without a solid bushing, and they will tear up bushings too. The whole concept is to prevent spring leaf wrap at the eye, a rubber bushing will give up way before you stop spring wrap. I don't think it rides rough at all.