Cal-Tracs Equipped Car "bucking" on launch

[Chad E532]

I am having some problems dialing in my car now that I have installed the Cal Tracs mono leaf springs and bar setup. The car launches and then as soon as the front end is up on the stops the car seems to rock or buck front to rear 2-3 times before straightening out. We have tried the upper and lower holes and also played with shock settings. I went to a longer travel rear shock thinking I was running out of travel but that does not seem to be the case. I have been able to minimize the action but it does not go away completely. Right now I am running 3 clicks on the rear QA1 shocks (single adjust) with the Cal Tracs in the bottom hole with 1/4 turn of preload each side with driver in car.
The front end has the AFCO bushings, Moroso trick springs, and Cal Tracs 90/10s giving me 4.5" of front end travel. I am running 30x9 Goodyear radials and tried 20 psi and 18 psi with 18 giving me a slightly better 60' but still rocking.
My father also recently put the mono leafs and Cal Tracs on his car and is seeing similar bucking but not to the level that I am.
Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Chad

[Bob Bender]

Put the bar in the top hole

[Greg Hill]

I would try tightening up the back shocks.

[340Cuda]

I would call Calvert and talk to Travis or John. Best customer service in racing.

I thought my car had too much rise. I emailed a photo and they agree and sent me another pair of springs, no charge. I assumed they wanted the first ones returned and I sent them back, however they never asked for them.

Bill Lamb

[Jim Bailey]

Chad, you'll have to figure out what works for your car. The longer wheelbase cars, like mine, Shaul's Plymouth, etc. seem to like the bottom hole. Most of the really good running shorter wheelbase cars seem to be running the upper hole. My car bucked until I had the rear shocks hard enough, and enough pre load. I set my shocks as stiff as possible, and use one full turn of preload, set with me sitting in the car. Hope this helps. JB

[carbuilder]

Cal Tracs? you kidding,,put on a old set of Lakewood bars an forget about it,,,Cal Tracs are a pretzel making device for leaf springs

[Sean Haning]

Originally Posted by carbuilder

Cal Tracs? you kidding,,Cal Tracs are a pretzel making device for leaf springs

Nice second post and not even any factual information to support the statement.

[carbuilder]

leaf springs wont live long when placed in a bind,thats what a Cal Trac bar does,sooner or later the front of the spring will be bent from fatigue. A Lakewood bar does a better job,no bind on spring.Check out the set up on Ficcachis car or better yet,Checkmate car of Mercures. With all the bind placed on spring,it actually stiffens the spring rate,ALL the spring is supposed to do is HOLD the car up.Steve and Pauls car will hook on a skating rink!

[Rod Greene]

Don't you just love these no name no class snipers. I have made thousands of passes with Cal Tracs never bent a spring. Johns operation is first class.

[Jesse Knapp]

Before my 69 camaro was built for superstock it was set up exactly like a smallblock stocker with the exception a strong bracket 350 engine/turbo 350. I had Cal Tracs( middle hole), original 4 leaf chevy leaf springs (off a 69 Nova), and Competition Engineering adjustable rear shocks. I had the springs rearched and don't remember the shock setting, but the car was a consistant 1.36 60'er. At one race it did four 1.36 launches in a row, with only the third number different each time. Footbrake car launching at 2500 rpm. It was easy to dial it in. I attribute the 60' numbers to the bars, shocks, and springs. I had a good combination and the bars allowed some tuning ability. Never once had any bounce or whatever that you describe. The Nova I am building will have the Cal Tracs, but I am not decided on the leaf springs. Hope I get as lucky again.