ladder bars
 

I have heard different things, but how should a ladder bar car be set up as far as the angle of the bars. I have heard level, down, and a few say up. what is right.
This is a 3000lb car w driver that has ladder bars/coil overs with Qa1 single adjustable shocks on the rear a 29x10.5 slick and runs 6.60's in the 1/8th mile NO trans-brake
What spring should it have I have heard 110 and 130. where should the shocks be adjusted to start with.

Re: ladder bars
 

set your ladder bars up with 2 degree down angle with respect to the bottom of the rocker panel on the car. put a protractor or smart level on the rocker panel see what degree that is and make the bottom bar on the ladder bar 2 degrees more down angle. put 2 degrees down angle on the pinion. My car weighs 3165 and I have the same type shocks as you. I run 110 lb springs. I run my shocks 2 clicks from loose

Re: ladder bars
 

Hi,

I think that any racer who wants to work on their suspension owes it to themselves to buy Door Slammers: The Chassis Book by Dave Morgan...

A very good read with a ton of info.....

I bought mine over 20 years ago.....

Bob

Re: ladder bars
 

Same here...it helped a ton working with my first 4-link and all the info is still relevant.

http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/q...psfdoiqv4q.jpg

Re: ladder bars
 

The book is only $43 on Amazon, hard to beat.

Re: ladder bars
 

Hard,

The setup Mike presented has worked well for me with three different cars. [the slightly down position]

I "think" with the average, slightly front heavy door car, that is a good setup.

In addition, a rear anti-roll bar will change a very good working car to an excellent package.

With three different situations, I have personally experience cars that were very consistent become copy machines with the addition of a rear anti-roll bar. [all three ladder bar setups]

A 1990 Firebird that I campaigned for several seasons with the above setup could and did win without changing the dial in over a race of 7 - 8 rounds. It ran an average ET 6.15 in the 1/8th.

Re: ladder bars
 

What if the car likes a little pre-load on the right bar? Is that the 2* down bar?

Re: ladder bars
 

No. The preload pulls the front of the ladder bar up.

Re: ladder bars
 

No pre load!!! Because for every action there's a reaction.

Re: ladder bars
 

I have qa1 single adjustable shock on the rear. my question is every time I tighten the shocks up the car works better. they have 12 adjustments I am at 7 from soft. car works better every time I tighten them, but it rides like a old haywagon. would like to get the car just a bit better should I tighten them even more or should I move the bars down one hole and loosen the shocks up some at this point.

Re: ladder bars
 

The sixty ft times will let you know.........angled down as suggested but not much...........that in conjunction with ride height changes and shock settings. You really need to experiment.