When are traction bars needed.. No duhs please.

[LowBuckX]

Ive read so many posts on this site and others my head hurts over this..
Ive come to the conclusion that most people beleive tracktion bars/devices are only needed in wheel hop situations.
I have 0 wheel hop along with 0 straight line traction . I have hotchkis leafs and 255 45 18 continental sport contact tires. Would a cal-track type device even matter... Im asking before I get to far building my version of said bars..


Thanks.

[MrQuick]

Good traction? Not with them skiny 255's. And 18"s compound the problem. Is this for when you are at the track? Just switch to 15"s when at the track.

Wheel hop, your not seeing it cause your not hooking up.

We built a set of traction links for street racer that mounted 3" behind his subframe. We set up a bushing link into his subframe connecter. Cheap and very effective. right up your alley.

[LowBuckX]

Any pics.. And this is for the street. Its like Im on ice.

[MrQuick]

sorry no pictures,

would you want to trade something for a set of comp eng. slapper bars? I want to loose them. seem to work well too.

I just noticed you are running Continentals...garbage for traction.

[chicane67]

When are traction bars needed..

When you use a poorly designed spring. Or use springs of lesser quality spring steel or maybe when they are just plain worn out.

All a 'traction bar' does is control the IC. If you used a spring with a partial wrap on the main via the second leaf or if you used a spring with the stack predominantly forward... it does the same thing. Then you dont have something else to screw with or have something else hanging on the bottom of the suspension. If you dont have any wheel hop problems now... dont screw with it... if it aint broke.

Loss of forward bite can be attributed to a few things. One, too much spring rate. Two, too much shock valving with too much spring rate... but at least you may be able to tune this out with an adjustable shock. And last but not least... too short of a side wall on the wheel and tire package.

Ill bet it is a combination of more than one of those.

How to fix:
Tire compound
Adjust damper (if applicable)
Reduce spring rate (not very likely. the Hotchkis springs are good)

But if those are CE's "J" bolt traction bars... they actually work damn good when you get the preload figured out.

[LowBuckX]

Thanks... I have Bilstein shocks on the rear. So I think Im shopping for new rear tires to start off. Ill just put what I have started on hold. I have yet to make anything that would be perminate just the bars and heims. Im in for $20 lol

[MrQuick]

Good start, let me know on the CE T-B's, and yes they are j bolt type.

[TnBlkC230WZ]

What impact do low profile tires have on forward traction? First I've heared of this. I want straight line traction, but good handling is a must. I was considering 255/45-18s as well. Could go with a 235/55-17 or even a 255/60-15. Problem with the 15s are the lack of high performance tires. I would like a 27 inch tire on the rear and a 26 inch on the front.

I'll be running Hotchkis springs and shocks as well with a 355 HP ZZ4 and a 3.73 posi rear.

[chicane67]

What impact do low profile tires have on forward traction? First I've heared of this. I want straight line traction, but good handling is a must. I was considering 255/45-18s as well. Could go with a 235/55-17 or even a 255/60-15. Problem with the 15s are the lack of high performance tires. I would like a 27 inch tire on the rear and a 26 inch on the front.

I'll be running Hotchkis springs and shocks as well with a 355 HP ZZ4 and a 3.73 posi rear.

Well... first of all, with a short side wall there is less compliance in the tire. Secondly, low and wide doesnt give you any more forward traction... but a taller tire will... as it increases the length of the contact patch (foot print). A wider tire only really helps laterally... not longitudinally. And last but not least... tire height, durometer and sidewall compliance have more to do with traction than any other element. A "low profile" only has one of those attrributes... therefore, it hinders longitudinal traction.

Make sense ??

[MrQuick]

What impact do low profile tires have on forward traction? First I've heared of this. I want straight line traction, but good handling is a must. I was considering 255/45-18s as well. Could go with a 235/55-17 or even a 255/60-15. Problem with the 15s are the lack of high performance tires. I would like a 27 inch tire on the rear and a 26 inch on the front.

I'll be running Hotchkis springs and shocks as well with a 355 HP ZZ4 and a 3.73 posi rear.

The loss of traction is due to the amount of sidewall. The more side wall you have the better. The sidewall acts as a spring to store rotational energy, in turn putting more bite into the ground.

Going to a larger diameter wheel gives you more rim and less tire(sidewall). To compensate, sticker compounds and wider sizes are used. Tom beat me to it....my lame(ass)ns explanation

[chicane67]

But you are so much more eloquent...

[MrQuick]

...what are you talking about? Im married....oh...ok... you mean, ok never mine. Yes, im more a modern/alternative fan.

[TnBlkC230WZ]

Sort of makes sense. Sometimes too much information is bad. I guess 18's are out completely. Should help with unsprung weight. Now, should I go with a 235/55 - 17 and get my 27 inch tire or 255/50-16s and stay with 26's? I get the same sidewall eitherway. There are options in the 235/60-16 range as well, but most are touring tires.

[Slow Ride]

I really would like to get rid of my traction bars for more ground clearance, but I bent up one set of springs and it caused some major problems. My car hooks OK considering it's ET. I have a best of 1.520 60' with a 11.430 @ 114.286. It picked the fronts about 10" on that pass, I was having a problem with the front coming up to high and fast for a while, but I tuned that out with a few clicks on the front shocks and then added jet extensions to keep it under power with the front end off the ground. It sure would be nice to get my back end down where I want it and keep axle wrap at bay. I am currently using Belltech drop leaves and DJM 3" steel blocks with preloaded Lakewood slapper bars on my S-10 Blazer.

Someone please point me in the right direction. I'd like to drop the rear another 5 inches and the traction bars are in my way.

[Slow Ride]

hello????

Suggestions??? I plan on adding another 100 cubes or so this winter and then a power adder after that. What leaf springs should I be looking at that will take over 1000hp without traction bars??

[MrQuick]

No suggestions on a traction device that doesn't hang down. It would have to be custom.

With a 1000 HP i'd be looking for more than lesf springs...4 link?

[silver69camaro]

What leaf springs should I be looking at that will take over 1000hp without traction bars??

Forget it. It will never hook in a street setup...period.

Are you building a drag car, or a street car?

[Slow Ride]

Forget it. It will never hook in a street setup...period.

Are you building a drag car, or a street car?

street car. I put on the bigs - n - littles for the track.

[Damn True]

Thanks... I have Bilstein shocks on the rear. So I think Im shopping for new rear tires to start off. Ill just put what I have started on hold. I have yet to make anything that would be perminate just the bars and heims. Im in for $20 lol

That is a quality shock COMPANY. That does not mean that you have a good shock for what you are trying to do. If the shock you are using is not valved correctly for your application it dosen't matter if you are running Penske's or Wal-Mart specials.

[chicane67]

hello????

Suggestions??? I plan on adding another 100 cubes or so this winter and then a power adder after that. What leaf springs should I be looking at that will take over 1000hp without traction bars??

I might know of a guy that can build you a set of spring that will do exactly what you are describing... without any need for a traction bar all together...