caltracs vs traction bars
- Thread starter Kspen90
- Start date
When the axle pushes forward on the bar in an attempt to wrap it pushes on the upper triangular bracket causing it to pivot at the mounting point and the back side of the bracket to push down on the leaf spring itself
Correct. The caltracs can actually help create down force on the axle/tires, not just prevent wrap.
When I did them on my 2wd with 500hp and stock suspension it used to spin the tires on the 1-2 shift and just keep spinning until you lifted. After the caltracs, it would just bark the tires on the shift, then they'd plant and go.
Sent from my XT907
Based on that explanation the Caltracs allow for some movement (albeit minimal) until the slack is taken up in the bracket. If I am understanding the workings of the Caltracs correctly.
correct, unless you adjust the bar for preload where it is touching the spring at all times in which it will affect ride quality adversely, i plan to make my front brackets shorter on the bar side so i can keep the top further off the spring to retain ride quality, but with the shorter bottom side it will allow for a lot less wrap before slamming the bars down. In theory anyways...
Ok this is why the long bars offer better ride and the caltracs are slightly angled to provide some down force and tration but ride badly.Supposidly
fwiw yes, but it seems to me that the ride quality comes down to the adjustment and amount of preload in any style traction device
Preload definitely affects the ride, I sent mine up for daily driving so there is about a 1/4 inch gap between the pin and the top of the spring, then just a rubber hose around the pin to take the noise out. I can also add or remove air from my bags to change ride height, which changes the angle of the caltrac bars and pivot. So I can somewhat adjust preload from in the cab with air.
Sent from my XT907
Sent from my XT907
Im hoping to achieve a little more gap than that by distorting the triangle, but still have them hit at the exact same amount of wrap.
Just fyi guys, traction bars do not actually aid in traction. Their main purpose is to stop axle wrap. While they can benifit you in traction in some circumstances, its not the best in any one catagory
Caltracs are designed to aid in adding traction as well as reducing axle wrap.
Steves bars can be made to any desired length and the builder stands behind his product. These are by no means "light duty" but are built with a little brains. Just cause its fricken huge and heavy doesnt mean the smaller/lighter setup wont do as well. Choice of material, thickness, build and parts all play a big roll in that. Hence the reason i dont go giving that info out everywhere
Caltracs are designed to aid in adding traction as well as reducing axle wrap.
Steves bars can be made to any desired length and the builder stands behind his product. These are by no means "light duty" but are built with a little brains. Just cause its fricken huge and heavy doesnt mean the smaller/lighter setup wont do as well. Choice of material, thickness, build and parts all play a big roll in that. Hence the reason i dont go giving that info out everywhere
That really depends on how they are set up. I put some short fixed length bars on the van, and I believe they have been a big help in traction. I regularly get mid to high 1.6 60' times with a very cheap suspension setup. I think that's pretty good for a long, heavy, nose-biased vehicle. Even on a bad track, I still get in the low 1.7s when other 2wd guys running slicks are lucky to be in the 1.8s. I think they help because they change the instant center.
I Love My Caltracs, They Do Everything Well, I Have Even Seen Work Class Sled Pullers Running Them, I Will Say The "Event" Was A Bit Of A Dog, But They Did Not Bend....
My Truck Handles The Trailer Better,Launches Better, Axel Hop And Wrap Are Copletely Gone, As Far as I Can Tell....
I have caltracs, tow and race, I have learned to set them for racing after reading some gasser forums. I take preload way off when I tow and preload the drivers side a hair and leave a small gap on the passenger side when I race. But im 2wd not 4 so I have no idea how to set them in 4wd. Anyways this has worked for me.