hmmmmm wages, yeah post that article up. I would like to see that too... there has been many, many 9 and 8 second cars w/ mono leafs and Caltracs...And I plan on being another one. Ain't nothin happened to them...
http://www.eatonsprings.com/monoleaf.htm http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/0604_rear_suspension_guide/ just 2 off the top of my head. just seems to me a more reliable and safer,even more pocket friendly rear suspension is a 4 link with a bar. i mean really, if your gonna toss hp at somethin, id rather not worry if the azz ends gonna fail. like i said, just my .02. theres another article in a pdf format i cant link here from eaton spring.
I will have to agree with the statement that a 4 link & coil over setup is better. But it is also a LOT more work to install it, where the caltracs & monoleafs are a bolt-in deal. I'm sure this will start other arguements as to which is better (leafs vs. ladder bars vs. 4 link vs. 3 link) but I can guarantee you that a 4 link will always be the best working rear suspension for a drag car. For those of you who want to argue, I suggest before you start typing to go drive someone's drag car that has a properly built & set up 4 link. Speaking from experience here. Mine was leaf sprung for years and then I did the 4 link & backhalf. Different car. It launches SOOO smooth and in all honesty (no bs here), I could drive it without touching the steering wheel. It feels like I just clicked off a 1.5 60' time when it actually was a 1.28-1.30. It's that smooth. Plus if I want to stand it up on the back bumper, I can move the bars around...or I can move them elsewhere and the front tires will never leave the ground. Try that with a leaf spring car.
NEITHER one of these articles refer to the 2-piece mono-leaf by Calvert Racing. I call on the first article in particular. A very biased opinion and obvious attempt at instilling fear into someone in order to help sell their product. "Remember, all springs have a finite life, that is one day they will break." How in the HELL can they make that statement? Have they followed every spring's life cycle? Where is their data to back this statement up? BUNK. "Should the main leaf break, dire things could happen." No ****? :confused: What does that have to do with the safety of THEIR product. If the main leaf breaks on THEIR design, all hell is going to break loose too! I don't buy that the other springs are a redundant safety feature. BUNK. I love this line: "Now that you know our opinion about steel mono-leaf springs, do we offer them? Yes. Some." Ha! I rest my case on that note. Pffft. As far as the other link, "As for drag racing, John told PHR: "During hard acceleration, the torque reaction on the axle causes the leaf springs to twist into an 'S' shape." The Cal-tracs PREVENT this from happening. That's their main feature! "Downsides to swapping in a high-tech four-link to replace those leaf springs would be cost and difficulty. Most of the systems on the market require a bit of fabrication, welding, or even cutting into the bottom side of your ride. For those willing to tackle the cost and work involved, they can expect to be rewarded with better, more consistent performance." I have no doubt the Four-Link system is better. That was never an argument. It simply isn't in a lot of our budgets. Besides, when there are SO MANY high HP cars launching with the Cal-tracs and the record of having 5 World Champions running Calvert setups, I'll gladly take my chances with Calvert Racing. NOTE: This is not a personal bash on anyone who believes differently than I do. :Handshake Heck, I've been wrong before - I told somebody I was wrong about something, but it turned out I was right in the first place!
All I can say is I have owned and drag raced basically slightly modified mavericks for over 30 years. No way does that make me someone who knows crap... slapper bars never did much with the hp I was turning. Once I learned how to use the caltracs it was a huge difference. Note, that I have a 76 Mav with the stock and original springs and my car is a low mileage car that has been babied since new. In my setup,, Caltracs have proven to work for me. Dan
My 2 cents... for what it's worth. Most of us can remove and replace the leafspring bushing that comes with the caltracs, and then BOLT everything back together. Not everyone can setup a 4 link, it is not a bolt on process. Caltracs with leafspring replacement is less the $750.00 Once you've tuned in your caltracs you could pickup from a .05 to .10 (or more) in your sixty, if you race 1/4 mile the rule of thumb is for every .10 in the sixty you get another on the top end. Now we are talking .20 It's going to take someone to prove to me that the cost and time to correctly (and that's the key word) setup a 4 link is worth the effort. For a bolt in leafspring setup NO ONE has a better idea or product! As always just my .02 Terry Gates AKA Bossmav
You're right...but it can be BETTER! But then again, opinions are like butt holes. Everyone has one and not all of them are educated.
Steve I've never heard or seen anything but good about Cal-Tracs...we all know what Stephen Moores car can do with them and if I ever had any doubts I watched an S-10 in a 10.5 shotout last weekend using them on a mono-leaf spring chassis run a 5.30 and looked like it could have hooked up in a car wash, AND track conditions weren't the best IMO.
I agree also, I don't see where the articles address the Mono leaf STYLE by Cal Trac. The one article talks about a few breaking at the axle, but the Cal Tracs are different there. And as far as expense, I will be into Cal Tracs AND mono springs for way less time AND money than a four link. I am ordering mine tomorrow.
stmanser, the cal-trac bars and springs would be a great investment for you in the future.....however, it is my opinion that your car "as is", is not making enough power to benefit from either. But, you could put them on there just so they would be there waiting for more power.
so at what power band should i put them on... when i do the top end kit.. i will be around 360 hp and i will either have 3.80 or 4.11 gears with the mini spool
