How a Cal-track works

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by Chris Hill

On a very basic level, does a cal-track work like a four link once the lash is removed from the system at the spring eye mount?

The bottom bar of the cal track is same as bottom bar of four link.

Leaf spring would be the top bar of the four link?

I would say it works more like a ladder bar, and the back half of the spring is the suspension

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Mark Yacavone

I would say it works more like a ladder bar, and the back half of the spring is the suspension

Ladder bar. Back half of spring only holds the car up. Shocks are suspension.

[Tom Goldman]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lee

Ladder bar. Back half of spring only holds the car up. Shocks are suspension.

Shocks dampen movement .
They have nothing to do with suspending the car.

[Rich Biebel]

Originally Posted by Tom Goldman

Shocks dampen movement .
They have nothing to do with suspending the car.

Tom is correct...

Remove your shocks and the car's body will not do a thing....It's still "suspended".....unless you have a coil over shock....


Cal tracks work well but they are not much different than a ladder bar with a front mount that pivots.

[larrylomascolo]

What would be the equivalent of a cal-trac in a GM A body car ,the lakewood bar with the smaller upper bar with hiem ends at both ends that bolts to housing bracket,are they any good ?

[Monte Howard]

Philbilly, I have. 67 camaro sbc E/SA car with caltracs. What I found best for basically our low hp Stockers are the lightest mono leaf spring you can get on the car that will just barely hold the car up. Then use the shocks to control rear suspension.Split mono's are probably to stiff for your car. Try to find a 175lb mono spring.

[Jeff Lee]

Originally Posted by Tom Goldman

Shocks dampen movement .
They have nothing to do with suspending the car.

And that's what I meant without getting into the action of the shock. The rear of the springs does "suspend" the rear of the car. The "suspension" as I called it is the act of controlling the movement of the rear of the car suspended by a leaf spring in this case.

[gmonde]

you really cant say that its compared to a ladder bar ,or even a slapper bar ,,, it works more like a canter lever ,,,as the power is applied to the drive shaft the rear begins to rotate, at that point the lever action is moved to the pivot bell crank of the cal track witch loads the front of the spring where flexing takes place the most ,, even cars with big horse power the body has minimal separation from the tire ,,,it gives the rear a chance to rotate and hit the tire with out the shock of a slapper bar,not as solid as a ladder bar ,,, great design in my opinion ,, I am used to making my own stuff but ,it works gmonde

[Lee Valentine]

Autofab in Maryland had a setup like Cal - Tracs in the late 80's early 90's I had them on my E/SA 68 Camaro with fiberglass Mono - Leafs.

[Tom Goldman]

They all owe their basic design to the ET Traction Master bars.
I had these on my first car in '69 , and they were around long before that !
One of my Uncles' had a set on his C/A '47 Ford in the early '60's
The newer bars have refined the adjustability and function, but the basic concept belongs to ET.