wheelie bars?
 

Ok I know this topic has been beat to death, and I don't have a stock or superstock but I figured this would be the best place to find people with fast leaf spring cars. I have a 69 amx that is getting toward the end of a new make over with about a 650hp amc and were hoping for low tens the car has all calvert racing stuff out back and just some three way adjustable shocks up front . Previously the car only ran mid to low 11s and wheelstands weren't an issue. And they may not be now but I'm not used to car that pulls the wheels very much and want something there incase. So any sugestions on good bars for keeping the front end down and the car going straight. Would be appreciated

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Talk to Calvert, he started making single wheel bar for his T-bolt and I am sure he is looking to expand the line. You wont get any torq steer out of a single wheel bar, its a bit safer and wont unload the car.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

I well my curiosity is I don't have the length limitation of a stocker, would a set of double 60 or so inch bars be advantagous? Or do solid bars not work well with leafs

Re: wheelie bars?
 

i have a single bar and set it up as high as it would go without hitting the rear valance of my camaro - it hits the bar hard and the front tires just touch down before the 60ft mark. i had to adjust the rod ends to stop "torq-steer". without the bar the car went dead straight, with the bar it would launch to the right. also i find that with the bar i lose 60ft to the tune of .10 at the top end. The car likes to be high and free during the launch, but after near scraping the top lip of the trunklid on the track for near 250 feet one of the last few times at the track, i have desided it is in the best interest of the sponsorship billboards mounted to the concrete sides of the track, that i run the bar from now on! i feel bad, i can not remeber the name of the fellow that makes the bar. i bought it used. it is a single bar setup that mounts to an aluminum plate that mounts between the diff cover and the housing so no welding is required. it is a vey cool piece and i recommend it to anyone. the fella i bought it from was an A/S camaro racer which said his car was hitting the bar so hard it would unload the wheels at the launch, with an automatic i can't believe you'd have an issue. Caltrac's bar actually puts more pressure on the rears the harder you launch, but you have to modify your trunk abit to make it work (other wise you may have a big dent in your trunk before you know it. Both good pieces, just my 2 pennies.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Sounds like one of Ken Kier's units Ian?

Re: wheelie bars?
 

How far down can you adjust that style of bar, like I said never been in a car that does wheelstands would like something that can hold it down to a foot or less off the ground and I understand you can do a lot of chassis tuning to help that tendacy but I'm also dealing with a 97 inch wheelbase

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Ian Hill, John's new bar is in conjunction with the bars that were deemed illegal by nhra for stock, they are reworked and his are legal now and work very well, Find a video of his Thunderbolt.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

I raced (car being rebuilt) a '70 AMX with 634 HP AMC AMX in SS/H using Cal-Track Springs, bars and AFCO DA shocks with 9x29.5" slicks. So probably not much different than yours (Ran 10.00's). I was using AJE wheelie bars which I highly recommend for your suspension. Do not use solid bars. I've tried. Alternatively, I would thing the Ken Kier or even Calvert wheelie bar mentioned below would work. I like the idea of a single bar.
I think 60" bars are over-kill, some kid will trip over them and I think on a 9 or 10 second car they rank right up there with 4" OD exhaust tips on ricers. :eek:
That's my .02!

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Most low ten second cars I see running are lifting the wheels a lot more than a foot so that may be a challenge. Remember the more pre load you place on Cal Trac bars the less they wheelstand, however you may also have less traction. Actually riding out a two to three foot wheelstand is loads of fun. Why don't you just try to imitate a A/B class stocker?

Re: wheelie bars?
 

I'm guessing wheel stands are just one of those thing you have to do once or twice to get used to it and I'm sure they are fun. makes me wish I could go for a ride in someone's car that pulled them consistently

Re: wheelie bars?
 

The way to control wheel standing is with the front shocks. I have double adjustable Santhuff shocks on my camaro. I can adjust from a 3ft wheelstand to almost nothing with a couple of turns of the shocks. The wheelie bars on my car are an old set of moroso bars.They are sprung but a little heavy. I keep them set high so the front will come up and just touch the wheelie bars. The shocks are what I use to get the balance. It really depends on your combo if the car will like the front high in the air. I had one engine that liked a big wheel stand. The one I have in the car now likes the front down. Good luck with your project

Re: wheelie bars?
 

I would also start with the front shocks, I modified a set of Koni adjustable shocks to fit the AMX I drive. I don't have any experence with wheelie bars on this AMX, because I have not needed them yet.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

same here but my shocks are double adjustable Afco.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Yes, you can adjust the front shocks to reduce the wheelstand however as the case with adjusting the bars it will reduce traction. Maybe your car won't mind the adjustments or it could cause you to spin the tires. I tried adjusting my front shocks and it caused tire spin. You'll just have to experiment with shock settings and bar setting to determine what the car likes. If your car is balanced correctly 1ft. to 3 ft. wheelstands won't be a problem, just ride them out. You may find that you can adjust for slight or no wheelstands and still hook consistently depending on the track, the tire and the gears that you run. Each car is different. LOL

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Adjustable front travel limiters help also.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Botomline, the op's car with it's projected power and ET's don't need wheelie bars. IF the car's wheelie is too high for his liking, double adjustable shocks and adjustable travel limitiers will allow him to control or kill the wheelie.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

thanks for the input, the bars are more piece of mind then anything, and the car has adjustable limiters on the front so we can strap it down if needed, do you guys usually start with a loose front and tame it down as needed or the other way?

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Personally, I put it on kill and hope for the best! If you haven't done a big wheelie before, don't be concerned. You can gauge that your are going straight by looking straight ahead. I tend to look to the left a little, around the A-pillar. And of course if your really skewed up, you'll see a wall! You'll have more problems ironing out wheelie bar adjustments than you will learning to just ride it out. The problems arise when the driver suddenly lets off the gar and there goes all the nice parts in front of the firewall.
Just let it all hang out, dude! (see how old I am?).
My 3 favorite runs in my life are 1) my first big wheelie and 2&3) catching third gear still in the air and not touching the asphalt with the front tires until almost half way through third. Oh, what a ride!!! :)

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Big wheelies from an AMX are not only expected,they are mandatory!!
AFCO can make shocks fit just about any application to control the wheelstand.
The Keir wheelie bar is great on an AMX as long as its not too low and has a fuel cell.
After 30+ years in 100" and under wheelbase cars, I have to agree with Jeff, nothing beats a "blue sky" ride !

Re: wheelie bars?
 

ok after reading what you guys have said, and watching some 10.5 by 28 inch heads up racers this past weekend who didn't have problems running in the low 5s in the eighth mile and keeping the front end down with out wheelie bars. we are going with a good set of adjustable front shocks instead. anyone know who makes a good set for a 69 amx? i understand that some fabrication may be involved

Re: wheelie bars?
 

I believe Calvert makes some as a bolt in.
Since you do not have a class car, there are companies that make a coil-over kit for the AMC. Just google it, you'll find it.

Re: wheelie bars?
 

i know calvert makes them for the rear but the front is a different story and i don't know if we want to go to coilovers yet

Re: wheelie bars?
 

Hi pfordamx,

Give me a me call at your convenience. We can review how the single wheellie bar, that we manufacture, can help you.

Thanks,

Ken Keir Race Cars
Ken Keir
301-855-4988

Re: wheelie bars?
 

The Ken Keir wheelie bars are a masterpiece to say the least.

Rusty Davenport