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  • Rear Suspension Input Needed

    The guys at the track tell me that when I launch Mutt the Race Truck I'm getting wheel hop even on the second gear shift. We're not allowed a burnout but even without that evidently things are still bouncing around. It's busy enough in the driver's seat that I don't notice it but I trust the folks telling me this. So will slapper bars do the trick? Remember I won't be planting more that 300 HP +/- and the drag radials are pumped to 60 PSI so this isn't a drag strip kind of issue - I'm thinking a little help should do the job. THANKS!

    Dan

  • #2
    Cal-tracs...400 bucks or: https://www.google.com/search?q=Home...=1920&bih=1057
    Good article here: http://www.hotrodsandhemis.com/Traction.html
    Last edited by silver_bullet; September 15, 2020, 06:53 AM.
    Patrick & Tammy
    - Long Haulin' 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014...Addicting isn't it...??

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    • #3
      Slapper bars should do the trick.

      I expect the springs are long, and thin....which makes them pretty flexible.

      Cal tracs would probably be best for a street driven vehicle, but probably overkill for your needs.
      Last edited by squirrel; September 15, 2020, 06:52 AM.
      My fabulous web page

      "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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      • #4
        I solved the problem with a sway bar on the 57..

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        • #5
          I get that on half ton with manual trans.

          skinny half ton springs.
          you could swap out the whole leaf pack if you want to avoid the ladder / slap bar.

          there is also ways to sway bar custom.

          I blamed my bouncy frame rails for years.. but its the springs.

          helper springs did nothing for me as empty.. those are progressive,not for the dig of throttle.
          I don't recommend those for racing
          Previously boxer3main
          the death rate and fairy tales cannot kill the nature left behind.

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          • #6
            Easier than slapper bars would be to clamp the leaves together.
            My hobby is needing a hobby.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by RockJustRock View Post
              Easier than slapper bars would be to clamp the leaves together.
              That's been done - Mutt came that way. Evidently not enough.

              Dan

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              • #8
                Dan are the shocks (dampers forour UK denisens) staggered, i.e. one in front of the axle and one behind? Muscle cars hadthis issue way back when, and that was an effective low cost cure. Also how old are they? And are they adjustable for rebound rate? We had troubles with the dirt cars way back when as well when first changing to 4-bars. Adjustable Konis were a big help, once we read the instructions...

                Their web page has some tips for drag race traction and shock settings.

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by DanStokes View Post

                  That's been done - Mutt came that way. Evidently not enough.

                  Dan
                  The stock clamping is not very tight. Just enough to keep the leaves aligned and let them function independently for ride quality. They need to be clamped tight to become rigid, just like the slapper bar or Cal Trac would be. The clamping is much of what makes a slapper bar work. In fact Lakewood sold a "shorty" fake slapper bar in the 70s. But don't take my word for it:



                  Of course for the REAL trick stuff, ask a derby guy!

                  .
                  My hobby is needing a hobby.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by RockJustRock View Post

                    The stock clamping is not very tight. Just enough to keep the leaves aligned and let them function independently for ride quality. They need to be clamped tight to become rigid, just like the slapper bar or Cal Trac would be. The clamping is much of what makes a slapper bar work. In fact Lakewood sold a "shorty" fake slapper bar in the 70s. But don't take my word for it:
                    Yep, that was done before Mutt came to me. The ol' boy was a race truck long before I got him and the previous owner did lots of that sort of thing including the spring clamps. It worked until I installed the big Swedish injection pump then (I guess) my HP exceeded the ability of the clamped leaves, hence this inquiry.

                    Dan

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by dave.g.in.gansevoort View Post
                      Dan are the shocks (dampers forour UK denisens) staggered, i.e. one in front of the axle and one behind? Muscle cars hadthis issue way back when, and that was an effective low cost cure. Also how old are they? And are they adjustable for rebound rate? We had troubles with the dirt cars way back when as well when first changing to 4-bars. Adjustable Konis were a big help, once we read the instructions...

                      Their web page has some tips for drag race traction and shock settings.
                      The shocks are staggered front and back. They are fairly new (I installed them since I got the truck) and most of the miles are jostling on the trailer - I haven't driven more than maybe 25 or 50 miles behind the wheel. I'm good with either slapper bars or even Cal-Tracs but slappers are cheaper so I'm thinking of starting there.

                      Dan

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by SuperBuickGuy

                        If you don't want to give up suspension travel, add a spring but cut it right behind the axle. That gives you a higher spring rate at the front (thus reducing wrap), but still allows the leaves to operate normally... a lot of 4x4 guys do this as cheap traction bars that don't hurt suspension travel.


                        yep- thats an old mopar superstock trick. add a half leaf (or two) to front of each leaf pack,
                        clamp the hell outta it, and unclamp the rear of the leaf packs. it works WONDERS
                        as a cheap/easy/undetectable fix.

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                        • #13
                          Dan with my profound lack of expertise with parts and things I'll add in a war story. I think that if you don't notice the wheel hop in the seat it won't make a huge difference in a mile if you fix it. I say so because of some scientific experimenting at the Ohio track.

                          I was running Bluebelle and Vic and Terri were running Sassy. We got through with runs at about the same time and met up and they said they were through for the day, let's go get something to eat. I said no, I want to go one more time because that last speed was Bluebelle's fastest yet and I was shifting her manually and that time I hit the rev limiter in first gear hard. I mean, the nose went down when I did it. I was going home the next morning, not running both days of the weekend. I told Vic I think she's got another mile per hour in her and I wanna see. Well alright, so they patiently waited for me to run one more time and the line was long.

                          That last time I shifted like a pro and I was grinning when I went through the lights. Survey says....an additional tenth of a mph. It seems that a mile is a mighty long way and unless you completely goof around for about the first 300 feet, whatever happens at the big end is what's going to happen. I think. The wind could have changed between those two runs too, so...never mind.
                          Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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                          • #14
                            The only reason I'm really concerned at all is that wheel hop is hard on parts so I want to fix it if it's not TOO expensive. I'll look into Cal-Tracks and slapper bars and think about the price difference. One or the other will probably get the job done.

                            Dan

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by DanStokes View Post
                              The only reason I'm really concerned at all is that wheel hop is hard on parts so I want to fix it if it's not TOO expensive.
                              Dan
                              Ahhhh. On a dissimilar note, Stude said that Red was smoking his tires in second gear leaving the line at Arkansas. I knew the wheels were spinning but I didn't know those tires would make smoke. Those by-tens are hard to spin, they usually just grab and go after first gear.
                              Charter member of the Turd Nuggets

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