[convgto]

I am changing my 8.2 rear end with 1 factory traction bar original 326 car to a 8.5 rear end with no provision for the traction bar, will the connections to car at the 4 mono leaf spring ends be enough for a 461 stroker with a m20 muncie. I purchased some summit universal slapper/ traction bars, it dont seem like there gonna fit with the shock perch in the way?
Any ideas or suggesting would be appreciated. thanks Ken

[wheneaglesfly]

The cheap purchase price universal traction bars are just that.
Lackluster.
They can bend and fail.
And ruin your Leaf Springs also.

I have seen cheep traction bars made to work pretty good.
I have seen them twist to scrap too.

Competition Engineering Slapper bars are decent.

The Competition Engineering Slide A Link Traction bars Are Very Nice and work Fantastic .
What I have and use on my 70-1/2 Trans Am.
They are expensive but quality is Top notch.

Some Prefer Cal Tracs. Made Famous by the Mopar World Drag Racers.
What they Use.

[wheneaglesfly]

A High Po Pontiac V8 has so much Torque compared to SBC & LS It really Tortures the Rear Suspension .
Only a BBC is Similar .
But Pontiac V8 makes more Typical .

[convgto]

Thanks wheneaglesfly, yea get what you pay for.
My other question about leaf spring mounting area being able to support 461, let me re ask/ more explanation.
I meant to ask about leaf spring sliding forward or backwards in the diff. axle tube leaf spring mount, ok you got the leaf pad then the lowering block to fill in the void 8.2 vs 8.5 then the other leaf pad, those are only held in by the hole in the leaf spring and groves in the leaf mount on 8.5 diff tube axle mount and in the lowering block pin. The 8.2 had a single 326 factory traction bar new 8.5 has no factory traction bar, factory traction bar would have helped torque side leaf stay put. long story short, will the leaf spring stay in the leaf mount or do i need to do something to help it stay in there? Hope this makes sense.

[Squidward]

There should be a locating pin for the pad. And when I say pin, it's actually only an inch or so long.

Something kinda like the pic here:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ptp-7-1708

If I can ever get done with $#!7 projects inside the house, I plan on installing my Nova 8.5 into my 67 FB. I bought new spring pads and shackle bushing kit from Energy Suspension. This weekend, hopefully!

[wheneaglesfly]

The F-body 1st Gen & 2nd Gen Birds have different Leaf Spring mount pad styles.
I used to Plasma cut them off of old Cars I parted out.
Today they are harder to find and no need to.
MOSER ENGINEERING SELLS THE 1ST & 2ND GEN F-Body Leaf Spring Pads.
All new Made in The USA & Precision CO2 LASER CUT From Flat Steel Cold Rolled Stock and then Stamped to shape with Dies.
I bought a set last winter 2nd Gen MOSER Leaf Spring Mounts.
The Set I bought are also cut out for 3-1/4" Inch axle tube diameter.
Smaler diameter axle tubes fit fine yet.
Will have areas left over unwelded.

I am going Racing again.
My Pick is Dana 60 rear I have with Mopar style Semi Float Axles and Big Pontiac Ball bearing ends..
And several Pontiac 9.3 Rears I have 1957-58 vintage & up to 1964.

[HWYSTR455]

With slicks, I have seen a bunch of times where the rear does slip off the locating pin/bar. What I've been doing is using a mono-leaf perch, and eliminate the isolators all together. The mono-leaf perches have the typical 'pin', so it positively located. (and stays that way)

Poly isolators make the OE 'bar' locator even worse, they are more slippery, and the bar slides out of the pocket.

I've seen people cut and drill the 'bar' pads to allow the leaf bolt to ride up in the bar slot of the rear. It helps, but it's a little sloppy.

It's better to just use the mono-leaf perches and a true 'pin' on the leaf stack. They make the pins in different lengths too, so you can use a longer one if you want.

.

[77HANDMEDOWN]

Those poly mounts are garbage. They are so slick! They look good though.

[Squidward]

Well, I got my rear out, and had a question posted in the suspension section.
http://www.forums.maxperformanceinc....27#post5534927

Maybe that might provide some help to the OP.

[chuckies76ta]

I've always used the rubber pads as I find they hold better. It's a bit of a trial and error installing the leafs into the rearend pockets. I also have Caltrac on both cars. There's a spring shop here that carries new rubber pads.

The top pad was designed to sit in the pocket that is welded to the axle tube. My Moser 12 bolt didn't have this indent so I used the bottom pad and cut the 3/4" round protrusion of it.

The Bottom pad has the hole so you can let the bolt go through the pad from the springs. The steel grommet is used to center the axle in the spring. I used custom made steel grommets to achieve this.

I also used U-bolts around the axles to the spring pad to secure everything. Torque to spec done.

FYI Squidward. I removed the pin that came with my springs and installed a grade 8 bolt that was longer to hold the springs together. I then had a custom made, metal insert that fit the spring pad and the bolt hole. Hope that makes sense.

The thickness of the springs and pads have to be greater than the actual axle mount as it gets compressed when torquing the u-bolts to hold everything together.

I'll get a few pics.

[chuckies76ta]

Few pics. I installed the steel bushing on the bolt to center in the spring pad. Hard to see in the pic.

[chuckies76ta]

http://beattiespring.com/product/lea...firebird-nova/

http://beattiespring.com/product/lea...firebird-nova/

[Squidward]

Thanks, Chuck. My Nova 8.5 has multileaf perches, and the hole for locating. My monoleaf BOP 8.2 that just came out has monoleaf perches with the ridges for locating the pad. The shock mounting plate has the locating hole.

Got it all worked out now. All 4 of my pads are identical, with a protruding synthetic locating tit. The pad lines up to the center hole on the perch, WITHOUT the little metal insert. The spring (multileaf, already in use) lines up to the hole in the pad with the center bolt/pin. A second pad lines up on the bottom of the spring with the center bolt/nut. Then the shock plate sandwiches that lower pad, lining up with the locating hole in the shock plate. And it all gets squished tight by the u-bolts.

Maybe I'll throw up some assembly pics.

Thanks!

[chuckies76ta]

Your welcome. Keep an eye on the setup after hard accelerations or burn outs to make sure nothing has moved..

[convgto]

Thanks for replies, decided to go with lakewood 21150 traction bars and your recommended insulators, fits nice, looks nice. Sooner or later i'll get her done and go out and romp on her and see what happens. Front end, body work, paint, engine and trans, interior all needs done sounds like it will be later. Before pic with wheels, after pic w/out. lol

[Squidward]

Only the cool kids in school roll a 67 FB with Cragars!

Please post pics and updates on your Lakewood traction stuff. I am thinking of adding traction devices at some point.

[Cliff R]

"Slapper" bars are pretty much a complete waste of time/funds. I've been driving and racing leaf spring cars since the 1970's, and there is no need for them, and they look like shi@ and 90 percent of the lower end units don't do much to help with traction.....FWIW.....Cliff

[chuckies76ta]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

"Slapper" bars are pretty much a complete waste of time/funds. I've been driving and racing leaf spring cars since the 1970's, and there is no need for them, and they look like shi@ and 90 percent of the lower end units don't do much to help with traction.....FWIW.....Cliff

What's your opinion on Caltrac's? Thanks

[wheneaglesfly]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

"Slapper" bars are pretty much a complete waste of time/funds. I've been driving and racing leaf spring cars since the 1970's, and there is no need for them, and they look like shi@ and 90 percent of the lower end units don't do much to help with traction.....FWIW.....Cliff

Lol.
Look like Sh@t.....

Some are terrible I agree.
Some do work Cliff.
The Slapper bars never work right out of the box.
Most are too short and the snubber never contacts the front spring eye.

[Cliff R]

Correct, too short and allow too much axle wind-up before they even start trying to keep the center of the differential from rising too far and creating too much pinion angle.

Never tried Cal Tracs but have seen folks do well with them.

For the most part the vast majority of those parts just put a bunch of gaudy crap hanging under the leaf springs and they do basically nothing to make the car hook better or run quicker at the track......IMHO......Cliff