[performerrpm]

my chassis guy kinda left me hanging so....im trynna do this myself. the car was already a ladder bar car but pretty cobbled up. so i had a new fab 9 built and then ordered all new trz 36 ladder bars and antiroll bar kit. with the car set at ride height and motor and trans set in it. the trans has a 3 degree drop, also the trans sits slightly higher than the rear at this ride height. right now ive got the pinion set with a 2 degree drop abd i get a 1.30 reading in the middle of the drive shaft.


what shoukd i be look for? everything ive read says 2 down on the pinion even one article said 1 degree for ladder bars

[performerrpm]

current situation

[lust4speed]

I was at 2° drop on my axle which also sits lower than the trans. Only thing different is I shimmed up the trans so it also came out at 2°. Basically no rotation of the rearend with the ladder bar setup except a very minor take-up of the heim joint slop which is almost nothing.

[bluegoat65]

Nice looking project. Easy to get at everything at this point. As far as your pinion angle you say the car is set at ride height but not fully weighted, but set. You say you have 3 degree trans center line down angle. You need to set the pinion angle at 1 degrees center line up angle. On the hit the axle rotation will bring the pinion angle up to match the trans at 3 degrees. So as they are parallel to each otherwise. The u joints will rotate together in peaceful harmony and will avoid vibrating themselves apart. This is the same whether the trans is higher than the rear end or the rear end is higher than the trans. I love ladder bars. Basic setup and they work. The key to them is the builder setting the cross member brackets in the correct position. Good luck with the project. Happy New Year too!

[performerrpm]

thanks guys, fixin to go double check everything i did last night an see what i can do. i hoping at best to set the crossmember up now where its got plenty of adjustment either direction once its all welded up

[Probird]

From what I understand you want 4-7 degrees negative with ladder bars depending on how much torque you have. 4 link is 1-2 degrees.

[performerrpm]

see i read just the opposite, 1 to 2 negative on ladder cars, 2 to 3 on 4 links and a lil more for stock suspension or leafs

[performerrpm]

im also seeing theres several ways to get to the same place

[janderson]

You mentioned that crossmember isn’t welded in yet, what is the angle on the lower ladder bar tube when measurements were taken?

Ladder bar will require more negative than a 4 link.
Biggest common agreement I have seen is 1-2* for 4 link, 3-4* on ladder bar, leaf spring more yet.

My ‘68 is a ladder bar car, crank centerline is 2* down, driveshaft is 1.4* down and have pinion nose down 2.2*.
Lower bar is .2* down.
That’s at ride height, weight in car, ready to race.

[performerrpm]

the ladder bar is a 36 inch and the bottom tube is level as far as in the bubble but it is slightly off by
1/8 from front to back. i think from the floor it was 9 5/8 front and 9.5 in back. all 3 adjustments are in the middle of there range on the bars. took a bit to get the crossmember in the frame centered up and down. i was trying to make sure i could use the washer doublers on the frame and crossmemer.


kinda had to start over when i started messing with the bars and notice with low batteries my angle gauge wasnt holding its readings. so right now the way it sits with front tacked in.

1.5 degrees up on pinion,

the trans output shaft is 2.6 down. and with the angle gauge in the center of the drive shaft i get a .60 from being level, the back being higher than the trans.


whatyall think?

[performerrpm]

sux, if i put it back at this ride height like it was when i bought it, the pinion be easier to set and id have more room for the anti roll bar without making mods to the tin work




anyone here ever seen this car? i bought it from up in illinois 2 years ago and found a new york for sale sign in quarter window

[bluegoat65]

Originally Posted by performerrpm

the ladder bar is a 36 inch and the bottom tube is level as far as in the bubble but it is slightly off by
1/8 from front to back. i think from the floor it was 9 5/8 front and 9.5 in back. all 3 adjustments are in the middle of there range on the bars. took a bit to get the crossmember in the frame centered up and down. i was trying to make sure i could use the washer doublers on the frame and crossmemer.


kinda had to start over when i started messing with the bars and notice with low batteries my angle gauge wasnt holding its readings. so right now the way it sits with front tacked in.

1.5 degrees up on pinion,

the trans output shaft is 2.6 down. and with the angle gauge in the center of the drive shaft i get a .60 from being level, the back being higher than the trans.


whatyall think?

Okay so the trans is down 2.6 degrees. The pinion is 1.5 up. Thats good. Just adjust the pinion down to .6 degree. You will have 2 degrees pinion down angle. Ladder bars are 2 to 3 degrees down from trans angle. So when the pinion rolls up on launch the universals will be parallel to each other. Its okay the rear end is higher or the driveshaft is going up hill to the rear, just as long as the universals are parallel. Don t adjust the pinion angle with the ladder bar attachment points on the cross member. That is for setting your I C. which needs to be set before the pinion angle. Pinion angle is set with the turnbuckles on the bars at the rearend. I sent you a PM, let me know.

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by performerrpm

sux, if i put it back at this ride height like it was when i bought it, the pinion be easier to set and id have more room for the anti roll bar without making mods to the tin work




anyone here ever seen this car? i bought it from up in illinois 2 years ago and found a new york for sale sign in quarter window

I’ve raced Lebanon valley a lot and
I feel Ike I’ve seen that car.I’ve Got buddy In upstate NY I’ll send it to him and ask haven’t raced there in a while though.

[performerrpm]

Originally Posted by turbo69bird

I’ve raced Lebanon valley a lot and
I feel Ike I’ve seen that car.I’ve Got buddy In upstate NY I’ll send it to him and ask haven’t raced there in a while though.

man how cool would that be to find somebody that knows the car. i found like 5 different pics of it on google of it for sale by 5 different people when i first bought but now i cant find nothin

[turbo69bird]

Originally Posted by performerrpm

man how cool would that be to find somebody that knows the car. i found like 5 different pics of it on google of it for sale by 5 different people when i first bought but now i cant find nothin

I sent the picture in a text he’s gonna ask around. He didn’t think he knew it.

Can check LVD website dragway.com they used to have a lot of pics up. Haven’t been on in a while.

I’ll ask around though.