[MightyMach]

1973 Mach 1.

I got the 4.11's Posi.
I got the El Cheap-o Winston Cup slicks (were free cant bitch) I will try em though.

What traction bars are there for me? find me some, if anyone knows what, or who has them.

What shocks? I have Air shocks now (1 line)

Friend is telling me that there is something called a "Helper spring" what is that deal?

Going to the drag strip the 16th I think (family is flying me home to race the car) Also, what are some of the setups some of you are running?

Thanks a lot!

Jeff Given

 

[desertdroog]

I may be mistaken, but I think a helper spring is a setup that clamps to the bottom of your rear leaf springs. Most used in RV and Towing applications. So if you had a truck and you like to haul cinderblock or whatever, the helper springs will give you more support under load.

If anyone can debunk this, please let me know as I would also like to know what a helper spring is if I am wrong.

 

[Henry Micallef]

Your dead right DESERTDROOG...here in Aus there called overload springs and are for the reason you mentioned above..For drag racing MIGHTYMACH not really worth anything,go with a ladder bar setup easy to adjust and a lot less hassle than 4 link...GOOD LUCK...BOSS 289

 

[DynoTom]

I run a 65 Falcon Sprint with Art Morrison ladder bars and HAL coil overs.The car was also modified to fit 28 x 10.50 x 15 Mickey Thompson ET Streets.

 

[MightyMach]

Well, how dificult, practical, and expensize is it to do a ladder bar, with coil over set up? Also, what manufacturer makes it for a 73 Madh 1? Ohh yea, tires on it now are 26" on wheel with air. 15" wheels. Atleast 10" of tread. Maybe close to 12....

Thanks a lot!!

Jeff Given

 

[DynoTom]

It depends on the fab shop?

I have a real good fab shop that does my cars and his prices are reasonable and the work is awesome!

But, either way its not going to be cheap to switch over to ladder bar coil overs!

Unless the car will be real powerfull,I would probably just stay with the stock type suspension and play with it.

Once you go ladder bar coil over or 4-link the car becomes a race car for the most part?

 

[MightyMach]

Tom...What should I do? It is the weekend warrior. Street/Strip. Once the set up is on, is it permanent? Thanks a lot Tom, and the rest of you guys!

Jeff Given

 

[DynoTom]

Yes, a ladder bar set up takes allot of surgery to put in a car.

They take place of all your exsisting rear suspension,and like I said before its really meant for full time race cars,but of course you can run them on the street.

You would probably be looking at around $3000-$4000 for a ladder bar coil over suspension to be put in your car??????

Thats parts and labor and thats just a guess,my fab shop guy charges less than most shops do.

I would mess around with your stock type suspension some more,it would become real big bucks real fast if you want the ladder bar coil over set up?

Its your call,but one thing for sure a ladder bar set up would make your car hook!

 

[n2omike]

WHOA!!!

The guy can't even afford a real set of slicks... I'm sure the surgery to install a set of ladder bars or 4-link is WAY out of his means.

As for traction bars...

When you drop the hammer on a rear wheel drive leaf sprung vehicle, the axle torque twists the front half of the spring. This can "unload" the tire if it starts to spin, making it jump up and down. (wheel hop)

What your friend was referring to is a "dead leaf". A dead leaf is NOT a helper spring that is purchased at parts store for hauling heavy loads. This is an extra 'half' spring that is inserted in the spring bundle between the axle and the front spring eye that adds rigidity and helps keep the spring from wrapping up. (twisting) This helps eliminate the dreaded "wheel hop". These shouldn't cost much, but you'll need remove the springs and take them to a willing spring shop for the modification.

Slapper bars do the same thing, and are surprisingly effective. If you are looking at the simplest and cheapest way to eliminate wheel hop and add traction, slapper bars are the answer. They are easy to install, and aren't that tough on the budget. The cheapest and easiest ones just clamp to the spring. The best take the place of the lower mounting plate for the leaf springs and fasten right to the rear housing with U-bolts.

Combine a REAL set of drag slicks with a set of slapper bars, and the suspension should be able handle enough power to put the car in the high 11's to low 12's.

Just remember, the #1 biggest factor in traction is TIRES. The trickest suspension in the world won't work without the right tires... while a small set of drag slicks can handle around 400hp with a completely stock suspension. TIRES ARE #1!!!!!!!

Good Luck!

_________________
Mike Burch, 66 mustang real street
302 4-speed 289 heads, 10.63 @ 129.3
http://www.geocities.com/carbedstangs/cmml_mburch.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/silverstone/healey/367


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: n2omike on 2/1/02 2:28am ]</font>

 

[Nastystang]

I run Traction masters, they are inexpensive and straight forward to install, and dont take away any ground clearence, and with some street slicks should be enough to get you where you want to be.

 

[DynoTom]

On 2002-01-31 14:36, Nastystang wrote:
I run Traction masters, they are inexpensive and straight forward to install, and dont take away any ground clearence, and with some street slicks should be enough to get you where you want to be.

Yes, this sounds like the set up you would want to go with,plenty of traction for the power level and ETs youre car could go.

 

[Jimmys66]

Jeff, I'm running a set of Competition Engineering traction bars. They work well for me. I'm trying to do the same thing you are but I'm using street tires. They are about $150 from summit on page 198. I don't know how much money you have to spend but, that clamp on type for $35 work OK in a pinch. Do you have wheel hop problems or just traction problems? If just traction is a problem look for a set of used slicks first.

 

[MightyMach]

well, the only time I have laid into the mach 1 was with my older brother. We laid about 150' of black tread on the ground. As far as wheel hop, I dont know if I had it, as I dont know what to look for, or feel for. My older brother knows a little more then I do, and has a 2001 Cobra, and said he dropped the clutch at 3500 one time, and REALLY felt wheel hop. He never mentioned this to me after we got on it and left the marks.

And I guess the traction bars are gonna be it for me. I am a college student, trying to get by, and still put some Money into the Mach 1. The slicks I know are not too much money for a lot of guys here, but as I said, I am a college student, making very little income to spend on "expensive" things =(

Thanks a lot!

ohh yea, again, anyone know of a Co that makes em for the 71-73 mach 1 cars?

Jeff Given

 

[MightyMach]

Also, what will ReArching the springs do?

Thanks a lot...AGAIN!

Jeff Given

 

[Jimmys66]

The clip on cheepies are made by lakewood and you can usually get them at a car parts store. Make sure that the snubber is in the center of the spring eye. They will ruin a set of springs in a big hurry if installed wrong. Trust me, if you had wheel hop you'd know. It feels like a jackhammer is trying to fight it's way out of the trunk.

Rearching the springs will put the correct bow back in the springs like when they were new and restore the original spring stiffness.

 

[Jimmys66]

Oh yea, the clip on type are universal they'll fit most anything.

 

[radracing]

66 comet GT roll bar, sub-fram connetors Alston's laddre bar with coil over's 12.00 slick. It may be for sale if we can make a deal on a 64 falcon chassis car

Alan

 

[mustangboy]

Just be careful with the cheapie kind that bolt to your leaf spring.Most of them hang down below your rim and the drag strips may not allow you to run them at the track(if you blew your tire the track bar would dig into the pavement before the rim could touch)so its a safety thing.Also the rubber on the front sometimes hangs way below your spring, and there not really adjustable.I would reccomend the type that bolt on with your rear end u-bolts,they can be adjusted with shims and are better quality in general.I'd get the tires first and then try the bars after if your on a tight budget and aren't getting traction hop now.

 

[radracing]

On my wife Falcon we use the old 66 Mustang GT 350 bars that bolt on to u-bolts and to the front of the body. The track makes us run a cable around the bar and leaf spring. under a 100 $ the work great
Alan

 

[Motorhead]

I run a 4.56 posi with 35x12.5 BFG AT KOs, leaf springs, and no traction adders, and I never slip a tire. Short wheelbase + high center of gravity = awesome weight transfer. Of course, that probably doesn't help you any.