Question: Spring clamp location?

[Bryce418]

Just wondering if anyone has compared front vs rear and which seems to work better.

 

[J Spruill]

do it in the front or front and rear both,cant see how doing the back only would be beneficial at all.

 

[McRat]

IMO, how I set up:

Tire rotates one way. Spring pack rotates opposite direction. Leafs in rear separate, leafs in front compress.

Putting a clamp in the front will increase spring rate only. Putting one in the rear will reduce axle wrap under hard acceleration.

 

[Jscherbs]

which is better for minimizing wheel hop? clamping the front of the pack i assume?

 

[McRat]

I say the rear. Casper will do 4 wheel burnouts and drift smoothly with no drama with 2 leafs, and a single clamp in the rear. I use the overload and the full leaf.

 

[Jscherbs]

interesting... something new to try.

 

[D-MAX Mafia]

I clamp front and rear.

 

[Bryce418]

I was thinking rear based off the same ideas Pat stated, to limit wrap. I do wonder which would be better for traction, which is what I need desperatly. it seems to me limiting wrap would be better than any increase in spring rate.

who adds a leaf for drag racing?

 

[hondarider552]

I use the overload and the full leaf.

Interesting. Might have to try that.

 

[ChevyTruckGuy78]

will having a spring clamp interfear with towing???

 

[camomax]

I have always had good luck with front clamps only. However, I've never tried both or rear only.

 

[Bryce418]

i'm going to give the rear clamp a shot on friday. a quick street test gives me the idea it may work pretty well, it still spins but they dont just flat go up in smoke anymore. I also noticed it seems to squat the rear a fair bit under load.

 

[Dozerboy]

I've had good luck with them just in the front, but I mainly got them for driving in sand. I was going to try the rear only too just haven't had a chance to swap them. Someone said he though his truck rode rougher with them in the rear.

 

[Bryce418]

It did make it ride a bit worse, I'll probably run them up to the center of the pack when I'm not racing.

I could swear I have heard complaints about ride from caltrac users too, and I don't think traction bars help ride either.

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

Spring clamps and traction or ladder bars will have a negative affect on ride quality. Bump stops are just ignorant to drive with

 

[Bryce418]

Spring clamps and traction or ladder bars will have a negative affect on ride quality. Bump stops are just ignorant to drive with

Yup, some are more livable than others. I haven't ridden in any trucks with catracs , but a coworker built a set of traction bars about 8 feet long that aren't very objectionable. His axle stops that are a touch too close to the axle can suck though.

 

[JoshH]

Caltracs aren't bad to drive. Maybe if you run around with a lot of preload they're rough, but otherwise, they ride like stock.

 

[hondarider552]

Spring clamps and traction or ladder bars will have a negative affect on ride quality.

Mine don't

And yes, I had caltracs, and didnt like them.

 

[Jscherbs]

^^ dedicated weld on the way to go?

 

[BlkMax]

Caltracs aren't bad to drive. Maybe if you run around with a lot of preload they're rough, but otherwise, they ride like stock.

I have a quarter turn of preload, and they ride rougher than stock, bumps (like bridge expansion joints) seem to hit a little harder. I think it is mostly from putting in the aluminum bushing versus the stock rubber bushing in the front spring eye. I have gotten used to it.