To four link or not?

[68ls1wannabe]

I need some help deciding on a rear setup for my 68 camaro. The car will probably never see a road course. Only trips to the DQ on the weekend with some occasional grudge racing on the 1/4 mile. I'm going with a LS1/auto combo. Maybe 450 hp with additional shot of nos. I'm either going with the detroit speed 3 in lowering springs or a four link from comp engineering. Which is going to hook up better on the street? I'll be running 315/35/17 bfgs out back. I know the lowering springs are just bolt on but I'm worried about traction and wheelhop. How much of a gain in anti squat will I get from moving the front spring mounting point up or down?
For the four link I've thought about moving the link as far apart as possible to help with binding though I don't think it should be much of a factor on a car that doesn't see extreme cornering. the car is currently being mini tubbed and getting new frame rails.

[astroracer]

Go with the leafs. No tear up, no maintenance and, with a set of CalTrac bars, you will be hard pressed to find a 4 link that will handle, ride AND hook up as well as the leafs.
Do a search here for caltrac...
Mark

[68ls1wannabe]

I did the search for the caltracs and was impressed by peoples results. Now there's a new question. Which leafs? I thought the DSE were the way to go but now I see some people are saying global west? I really want the car to sit low so is there anything out there better than the dse for getting my car sitting right without having to use lowering blocks? I'm still wondering how the leafs will hook better than the four link? What kinds of bushings do you recommend. Remember, I'll be drag racing and street riding.

[rocketman]

I wouldn't 4-link it unless 1/4 mile traction is the biggest goal,or if you can give up a little cornering.

I have a pro streeter and it won't corner,but it is driveable.

A 3 link or tq arm will give the post of both worlds.

[wendell]

I always vote for leafs but...

If you want to build something more involved, the only set up I would look at is the Lateral Dynamics 3 link. It'll be head and sholders above a 4 link on the street and hook just as hard at the track.

[68ls1wannabe]

I guess i'm gonna go with the DSE 3" drop springs and caltrac bars. Since the caltrac replaces the front spring bushing with an aluminum one what is the ride like? Should I go Poly or rubber in the rear bushing? I'm gonna try to make my own spring hangers for the rear.

[TSSPAYNE69RS]

I have a set of DSE multileafs that I would sell. I bought them just before the Quadra Link came out and then decided on the Q-Link. All my DSE parts are just sitting in the garage while the body work is being done.

Troy

[ProStreet R/T]

I guess i'm gonna go with the DSE 3" drop springs and caltrac bars. Since the caltrac replaces the front spring bushing with an aluminum one what is the ride like? Should I go Poly or rubber in the rear bushing? I'm gonna try to make my own spring hangers for the rear.

Good choice, the only way to go above that is the lateral dynamics 3 link.

Yes the front spring bushing is replaced with a solid aluminum sleve. But you likely won't notice the difference IF the caltracs are setup properly and don't hit too soon.

For the rears I personally (in all cases actually) dislike poly quite a bit. They require more attention and IMO just not worth the trouble. Look for a polygraphite, they ride similar to poly but less headaches. If not look into Delrin sleves and a solid shell.

[novanutcase]

Let's not forget that good ol' NASCAR truck arm!!!!!

[wendell]

The truck arm, ha. That's funny...

[chicane67]

Id say leafs........ or to a 3 link vice the 4.

[mac71ss]

I have a set of DSE multileafs that I would sell. I bought them just before the Quadra Link came out and then decided on the Q-Link. All my DSE parts are just sitting in the garage while the body work is being done.

Troy

pm me a price on those springs please.

[TSSPAYNE69RS]

PM sent. BTW I don't know if this car will ever be done. Been in body shop in TN for over 2 yrs. now. Owner of the shop is working on it (very slowly between jobs). I guess it don't help me being 1000 miles away. Not like I'm there to put any pressure on him.

[rockdogz]

I guess i'm gonna go with the DSE 3" drop springs and caltrac bars. Since the caltrac replaces the front spring bushing with an aluminum one what is the ride like? Should I go Poly or rubber in the rear bushing? I'm gonna try to make my own spring hangers for the rear.

This is the setup I have. I'm using the DSE Poly bushings in the rear. I don't think the ride is too bad, although I've only gone 30 miles so far. I still may go with a 1" lowering block - will probably try it and see where that gets me.

[OneslowZ28]

3 link has my vote and lateral dynamics is going to be my choice with their watts setup. by some of the pics i have seen the system it looks nice and install appears to be user friendly. The three link will give you the best of both worlds and you wont have the same binding problems you would with a 4 link is sharp corners. 4 links are pretty much only made to go straight.

[68ls1wannabe]

This is the setup I have. I'm using the DSE Poly bushings in the rear. I don't think the ride is too bad, although I've only gone 30 miles so far. I still may go with a 1" lowering block - will probably try it and see where that gets me.

Do you have any problems with the suspension binding because of the front aluminum bushing? Do you think the hotchkis rear sway bar package will improve or hurt the 60 ft times and straight line tracking? I'm gonna need new shackles anyway so I guess I'll go with the dse one's unless someone has a better "cheaper" route. I thought the 3" springs would be plenty low by themselves. what kind of tire are you running on the back?

[wendell]

You only want flex of you have a lateral locating devise (panhard, watts, mumford) to remove that responsibility from the leafs. With out a lateral locating devise, you want your leafs to be ridgidly mounted.

With a locating devise compliance in nice because then leaf torsion won't contribute to roll stiffness. CarlC has a thread here about a mono ball set up that's nice. When you get into very high HP and spec tires, the compliance of a rubber front bushing can help soften the hit that the rear tires see under hard corner exit throttle (a' la the dirt track guys w/ spring links).

[68ls1wannabe]

R U still out there rockdogz? read my above post please.
thanks

[rockdogz]

R U still out there rockdogz? read my above post please.
thanks

I haven't driven the car enough yet to speak to problems with binding issues with the front bushing, and I'm not sure that I would know if it happened... what does it feel like? I thought I remember reading that a rear sway bar actually hurts handling in some situations, but I'd have to defer to the suspension experts on that one. I'm running a 315/35/17 tire. BTW I have 2 extra DSE poly bushings if you need them. It's only enough for one side of the rear leafs though.