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Old 05-21-2020, 06:14 PM
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Default Traction bars

I’m idiot checking myself here. Local track called me yesterday and said they were opening up for private test n tune. (I was on a list). I added sticky tires and subframe connectors at the end of last year.

Long story short I ran out and ordered a set of Lakewood universal traction bars. Ordered from Advance because I could get them next day. It looks to me like these is no chance these fit. They hit the lower shock mounts. Am I looking at this wrong? I know I’ve seen slapped bars on first gen f bodies before. Do they take a different kind?

I wanted to add them because I’m a little leery of my 1310 joint. I know wheel hop doesn’t help.


I do have some leaf springs clamps laying around. I think I read on here before that you can add a clamp near the forward leaf mount or something like that and it will help? Any truth to that?
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Old 05-21-2020, 06:24 PM
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I think they look cool
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Old 05-21-2020, 06:29 PM
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They would look cool if I could bolt them on lol. Do I need a different type?

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Old 05-21-2020, 06:43 PM
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Your lower shock mount in your bottom plate?
Usually get T-bars that take the place of lower plate & shock mounts to.

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Old 05-21-2020, 07:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shaker455 View Post
Your lower shock mount in your bottom plate?
Usually get T-bars that take the place of lower plate & shock mounts to.
Right so I need something designed to replace the lower plate. The “universal” kind won’t fit.

I guess I’ll buy some cal tracks or the like. While I agree that they look cool, I was only buying the slipper bar kind because I could get them in less than 24 hours for cheap.

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Old 05-21-2020, 07:20 PM
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There should still be Lakewoods that have the built in plate. available. Ideally the front snubber right under the front spring eye.

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Old 05-21-2020, 07:47 PM
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Yes, clamps help.

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Old 05-21-2020, 07:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip Fix View Post
There should still be Lakewoods that have the built in plate. available. Ideally the front snubber right under the front spring eye.
Yeah I found them, heck of a price jump from the universal style. But it makes sense now anyway.

Should done a little more research first, but I was in a hurry.

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Old 05-21-2020, 08:06 PM
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As Skip Fix mentioned, the good slapper bars are long enough to put the snubber right under the center of the spring eye, and have a built in plate to replace the factory spring plate. I don't think any other style is of much use as a traction aid. My son's 69 Bird is running a set of the CE slapper bars and they do a credible job.

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79 T/A w/463, Scat crank, Eagle rods, Icon pistons, Lunati solid roller, 262/270, KRE 325 heads,Northwind intake, QF950 carb, full interior, ps, pdb, th350, and 3.73 gears. Pump gas, 3650 lbs. race weight. 10.72 @ 126 so far... no tuning yet.
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Old 05-21-2020, 08:10 PM
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Just saw your sig and if you are making 600 lb-ft of torque then you may need to go to Cal Tracs or equivalent.

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79 T/A w/463, Scat crank, Eagle rods, Icon pistons, Lunati solid roller, 262/270, KRE 325 heads,Northwind intake, QF950 carb, full interior, ps, pdb, th350, and 3.73 gears. Pump gas, 3650 lbs. race weight. 10.72 @ 126 so far... no tuning yet.
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Old 05-21-2020, 08:34 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by prostreet64 View Post
Just saw your sig and if you are making 600 lb-ft of torque then you may need to go to Cal Tracs or equivalent.
You need CalTracs.

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Old 05-21-2020, 08:43 PM
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Yeah. I also probably need adjustable shocks. New springs in the front, and the put a 1350 joint on the rear of the driveshaft. Oh and my rubber engine mount on the driver side is a ticking time bomb

I’ve had a gasser project that’s robbing resources from the Firebird. But I’ll put down a faster time tomorrow assuming I don’t torpedo something. Last year on hard street tires I ran an 8.6 at 88 mph. I hoping to match the MPH to a more respectable 1/8th ET.

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Old 05-21-2020, 08:55 PM
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Yes, clamping the front half of the leaves tends to make the front half of the spring act like a lever helping forward bite. Leaving the rear half unclamped allows the spring to still react to compression forces. Try to get 2 clamps on each spring if possible.

A turnbuckle on the LF of the engine going to the frame will stop destruction of the rubber mount and make the car safer. Those 2 bolt 45 degree mounts have a habit of breaking, ask me how I know...................LOL

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Old 05-21-2020, 10:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sirrotica View Post
Yes, clamping the front half of the leaves tends to make the front half of the spring act like a lever helping forward bite. Leaving the rear half unclamped allows the spring to still react to compression forces. Try to get 2 clamps on each spring if possible.

A turnbuckle on the LF of the engine going to the frame will stop destruction of the rubber mount and make the car safer. Those 2 bolt 45 degree mounts have a habit of breaking, ask me how I know...................LOL
I know I know. I even welded an anchor point on the frame a while back. I’ve just never sized a chain to it. That’s kinda my forte, I get something to about 90% then see something shiny and forget about it.

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Old 05-21-2020, 10:44 PM
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Read the old Pontiac racers hand book.
If you take and shim them slapper bars that you have they work great.
Those are the same ones I use. I shim the back and the front and
try to make them level with the ground.
When shimming the car must be on it's own weight.
Hope this helps.

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Old 05-21-2020, 11:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blueghoast View Post
Read the old Pontiac racers hand book.
If you take and shim them slapper bars that you have they work great.
Those are the same ones I use. I shim the back and the front and
try to make them level with the ground.
When shimming the car must be on it's own weight.
Hope this helps.

GT.
The U bolts aren’t long enough. I considered that. Also. Shimmed low enough that they clear the shock mount, they are super close to the ground. More so than I am comfortable with long term.

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Old 05-21-2020, 11:19 PM
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Yea I had to do some grinding where my shock attached for clearance
Mine is a 70 also. but I they don't hang to low. uh I think. Anyhow good
luck with it.

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Old 05-22-2020, 10:11 AM
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We run slapper bars on 2 cars here. What you have there isn't going to work but I guess you figured that out already.

Various types are still produced today. I like the Lakewood. Replaces your spring plate and shock mount as one unit. I generally shim mine and trim the snubbers with a little more preload on the right side. I don't have an actual picture of it but here's a video of the rear of the car. You can see the 4 degree shim plates I use.

https://youtu.be/IZ0HlEY7b74

The Z being a stick car, it had some wheel hop issues (actually broke a couple spring clamps) so the bars are a necessity, plus it's day 2 acceptable. They work perfectly. Back in the early days of Super Stock racing, that's all they used, with wheels up launches and running 10's. They do the job if setup properly.

On my Firebird, being that I keep the car PS legal, traction devices are not allowed. They do however allow the leaf spring cars to clamp the front leafs. I've experimented around with that. It did nothing at all for 60 foot times on my car. Matter of fact the only thing it accomplished was making the spring pack stiffer and a harsher ride, and the car wouldn't squat as much and transfer weight on launch. So I removed them years ago. Being an automatic it's never had a wheel hop issue anyway, and the way I have the suspension set up it does a respectable job hooking on stock rubber. 1.89 60 if you drive it right.

https://youtu.be/uIFkggwDY-8

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Old 05-22-2020, 10:24 AM
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I take that back, I do have a side shot of the Z.

You can see the clearance I run on the left side snubber, which is about 1 inch, and the snubber is trimmed. Plenty of ground clearance as I also have these shimmed up 4 degrees. I run about 3/4" clearance on the right side snubber.

There is also a cheap and easy way to extend the ends if you wish the snubber to be right under the spring eyelet (which is optimal) I take square tube that is slightly smaller OD to slide into the front of the traction bar, moving it out to the spring eyelet, and weld that in, then drill for the snubber and cut the end off at an angle if desired. I've done this to a couple pairs. About 30 minutes worth of work and very easy.
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Old 05-22-2020, 02:07 PM
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Well I made one run. Ran good until about 400 feet and lost fuel. Good ol mechanical fuel system. I also only have a half tank. I stopped at the closest gas station and they only had 87. Didn’t want to put that in, but now I wish I had added a couple gallons so I knew i was keeping the sump covered on acceleration.

Last year I ran 88, this one I massively improved my 60’ but only 82. I’m going to cool down and try to make one more pass. If the fuel system doesn’t give up on me I really think it has a 7.9 in it.
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