Suspension! Where to Start?

66nova · Post by **66nova** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 9:55 pm

We need help trying to figure out which way to go with our suspension. The car is a 69 camaro full interior street/strip car. Just a little over 3500# with driver. Currently the car has stock multileaf springs, subframe connectors, home made traction bar (bar drops from below the spring purch up to spring eye bolt), ET Drag 28X10.5C on an 8inch wheel, and monroe stock shocks front and rear.

The car squats hard off the line and the tires really wad up and wrinkle then it seems to unload. On the motor we run 10.80's with a 1.51 60' but and on a 150 shot it runs 9.90-10.0 with 1.56+ 60'.

We tried 3 way adjustable shocks at all 4 corners and had no luck, we went slower. Up for suggestions....Cal-tracs, monoleaf, shocks, tires....Any help will be greatly apprecitated.
thanks,
robert

jeff swisher · Post by **jeff swisher** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 9:10 am

are you running any clearance between the traction bar and spring eye?
Is there a rubber bushing there.that may squish? It sounds like the springs are wraping up.
I like to move the springs foreward to stiffen the front of the spring pack and clamp them ,anything to keep the front of the springs from wraping up..once it is right you should notice the rear of the car raise on launch and more fender to tire clearance.
I would usually run 2 ford truck leafs below the main spring and run them all the way under the front spring eye. and clamp them ,no traction bars.

You dont have to tell your friends about the ford parts

Mark R · Post by **Mark R** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:15 pm

It sounds like you're hitting the tire too hard, (that'll make it wad up and then unload), what psi are you running? First thing I would do is get some GOOD adjustable shocks, like the QA1 12 ways, set them 4-5 clicks for full loose on extension. I would also recommend Cal-Tracs and the Calvert Racing split-mono's, you can't go wrong with John Calvert!! You need to look at your front suspension also, it plays a major role in getting the car to hook. The 3-way shocks you tried, are they the Competition Engineering shocks? If so you can put the front ones back on on full loose on extension, then toss, or sell the rear ones. I've gotta go now, but if you would like give me a call at my shop, 714-842-7300, I won't be in much today but I'll be there all day tomorrow. Good luck with you're car, you WILL get it to hook, it's just takes alittle tweaking.

66nova · Post by **66nova** » Wed Sep 26, 2007 3:37 pm

Thanks guys for the replies. The "traction bars" that we are using now look similar to a Cal Trac, but its not. The way they connect to the front of the spring is different.
We are running 12lbs of air in the tires. That is the only place we can get it to hook. Any more and it melts the tires.
The shocks we used were the competition engineering 3 ways.

Again, thanks for taking the time to reply. Its greatly appreciated.

BillyShope · Post by **BillyShope** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 7:27 am

Eventually, you're going to want to get rid of that squat. But, for the present, a quick, relatively cheap, and very effective trick would be an adjustable rebound (travel) limiter at the right front ONLY. This will, with proper adjustment, provide equal loading of the rear tires during launch.

For more information on a rebound limiter, a traction dyno (for adjustment of the limiter), and squat control, go to the following site:

66nova · Post by **66nova** » Mon Oct 01, 2007 12:01 am

Today a friend of ours recommended the springs he runs, Hyperco composite monoleafs. He currently runs them on his 67 camaro. I had not heard of them prior. Has anyone ran them or heard any information about them?

Thanks again guys

jeff swisher · Post by **jeff swisher** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:13 pm

did you get your suspension figured out ..Just curious how it was going for you

66nova · Post by **66nova** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:52 pm

We are going in the right direction. We called the guys at landrum racing first and ordered a set of springs. So far that is the only change we have made. We ran a couple weekends ago at the Super Chevy Show in Tulsa and made improvements on the motor and spray, but are not quite there yet. Talked to the guys at Calvert Racing this time. Rancho adjustable shocks and caltracs are in our future. We'll see what happens now.
Thanks for the interest. I love this site. I have to watch my self or I spend too much time on it while I'm at work

Bubstr · Post by **Bubstr** » Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:51 pm

Till you get your springs and caltracks, a quick fix that may help you is clamping the springs. Clamp front and back on the right side and just the front on the drivers side. these are the little spring clamps you can get at any spring shop or automotive parts store. clamp each leaf end about 2 inches back. This will stiffen the wrap up and give you a little preload on the right side. I believe on that spring you can turn one leaf around and drill a centering hole on another and get an even split on the front half of the spring and this would help wrap up also. I'm not sure on the last tip, it may be one you have to add a leaf to. It's been a while.

I do know with your kind of power you need to box the spring perches. They will fold like a cheap lawn chair.

Post by **jmarkaudio** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 12:44 pm

Make sure you are not running out of shock travel and unloading the suspension. Caltracs seem to be the choice for leaf spring, but simple slapper bars can be made to work as long as they contact the spring eye. A lot of Stock eliminator cars worked fine with them.

Mark Whitener
____________

Good work is't cheap and cheap work can't be good.

TOP38 · Post by **TOP38** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:59 pm

Couple of other things to consider, the front end suspension. Most seam to foregt all about this end of the car. Your combo, especially w/the juice is traction limited,,, therefore you need all the help you can get from the front end to gain more traction. If you have a big block things are even worse due to a heavy fron end weight. You need front end travel to help with weight transfer and if you have the stock front end springs in the car they are to short and stiff to allow the front end to travel enough,, usually this combo seams to intially launch OK then spins and you can see the front end drop at this point, then the rear gains traction back and the front end goes back up, then traction is lost again and it starts all over, this repeat several times until the car finally settings down as it goes down track. What happens is you lose traction because of front end travel not because you over power the tires. Talk to as many stock and super stock guys in your area,, watch their cars leave,, you will learn a lot... I'd bet a new set of front springs designed for drag racing will do wounders,,, and if you have a BBC in the car a rear weight bar properly placed will also do wounders...