[nutcase]

I was looking at putting the Caltracs bars on my 70 Nova. I current have CE traction bars with BFG Drag Radials and would like to get a little better traction on the street.

I have mono-leaf springs on the car right now with CE subframes, 10 bolt rear with c-clip eliminators and moser axles. I want to know if this will be a straighfoward bolt on or do I have to modify anything?

Here are some pictures of my setup.

http://s120.photobucket.com/albums/o162/gpinzone/suspension/

Any feedback would be great.

 

[bowtie0069]

would like to get a little better traction on the street

No traction device is going to help you on the street; how are you going to control the road surface? Dirt, oil, water......you know, the stuff on the street in the real world. And why would you need more traction on the street unless you're doing something stupid or illegal--or both?

 

[fasteddie]

I am a firm beliver in cal tracs and I am sure you will find many more on this site feel the same way. what ever you are looking for traction wise cal tracs should be a better option then what you currently run. Way too many fast cars useing cal tracs to not belive in them!!:yes:

 

[SMLBLK66]

I am a firm beliver in cal tracs and I am sure you will find many more on this site feel the same way. what ever you are looking for traction wise cal tracs should be a better option then what you currently run. Way too many fast cars useing cal tracs to not belive in them!!:yes:

x2!!!:yes: and yes it should be a straight forward install. the hardest part is removing the front bushing out of the spring to install the solid one that comes with the kit. other than that its a breeze! oh and one more thing....they will DEFINATLY help hoook up beter on the street!!!!!!:devil:

 

[nutcase]

Thanks guys. So No modification is necessary then?

Whats the best way to get the busing out of the front spring?

Also I've read there is a top and bottom hole. Where you guys wind up install them in did and what adjustments did you make?

 

[SMLBLK66]

lots of lube!!! lol. i used a air hammer and a bunch of WD. i would set yours up on the bottom hole to start. you have a little more weight in the back of your car which will help. i also would adjust the driver side bar (with you or someone with the same weight as you in the car) and use a dime between the bar and jam nut to set the preload. and a nickel on the driver side. this will basicaly give you 0 preload but it will give you a good starting point and should work well depending on your front and rear shock combo.

 

[bowtie0069]

oh and one more thing....they will DEFINATLY help hoook up beter on the street!!!!!!

I switched from CE slapper bars to Cal-Trac's--there is more room for adjustment now, and they are more consistent at the track, but.......on the street--I see no improvement at all. Actually, I don't see any need for a traction device at all for street use, it's pretty much a waste of money. They may help with wheelhop, but then you can control that with your foot too.
The only improvement I've ever seen on a "street only" car was a 68 Mustang that had severe wheelhop under hard braking---the car had an open diff, and it still spun just a much after adding the bars, but it stopped with more control.
BTW, my Nova's quickest passes have still been on slapper bars--9.87/136 on E.T. Streets

 

[orange70]

i just ordered a set for my 70 nova and the guy taking my order asked me if i was running mono or multi leaf. i said multi and he told me that they are only set up for multi leaf. so if that is correct a spring swap might be needed.

 

[nutcase]

Where did you order it from? Also calvert racing makes a split mono spring so I wonder why that would work for that but normal mono springs.

Anyone confirm or deny mono springs not working with caltracs.

 

[Ironman]

I'm running the split mono - no issues.

Looks like you are missing the J bolts that go with what you got
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CEE-7032/

If I had those traction bars and only a street car I'd just keep them on, they work.


Orange 70 - call Calvert talk to Travis (I think) if you haven't already.

 

[fasteddie]

i just ordered a set for my 70 nova and the guy taking my order asked me if i was running mono or multi leaf. i said multi and he told me that they are only set up for multi leaf. so if that is correct a spring swap might be needed.

You have been told wrong! They will work with either spring setup!:yes:

 

[NOGOHA]

Have you looked at CE Slide-a-links?

I swear by them for a dual purpose car. I have them on both my ZZ454 big block 1978 nova with JC whitney extra hi lift leaf springs and am cutting 1.45 60 foot times with dry rotted BFG drag radial 275 60 15 tires and on my 1977 355 small block car and they all but eliminated the wheel spin at the track and now it really lifts the front end. The nice part about them is that you can adjust them after racing for the street to allow the rear to handle the bumps better. I drove the cars on the street with them "tight" for the track and the rear end feels like it bounces around but when you loosen them up the street driving is much better. Caltracs dont have the adjustability of the CE bars thats why I went with them. If your a straight racer the Cals are good, but if its driven more on the street then I would go with the Slide-a-links.
Oh and I found the easiest way to get the front bushing out is to take the springs off the car and press them out with a hydraulic press. More work but less smashed fingers from trying to beat them out with a hammer. I've done it both ways.

 

[SMLBLK66]

I switched from CE slapper bars to Cal-Trac's--there is more room for adjustment now, and they are more consistent at the track, but.......on the street--I see no improvement at all. Actually, I don't see any need for a traction device at all for street use, it's pretty much a waste of money. They may help with wheelhop, but then you can control that with your foot too.
The only improvement I've ever seen on a "street only" car was a 68 Mustang that had severe wheelhop under hard braking---the car had an open diff, and it still spun just a much after adding the bars, but it stopped with more control.
BTW, my Nova's quickest passes have still been on slapper bars--9.87/136 on E.T. Streets

weather your car didnt see any differance with them on the street dont mean they dont help. we have more than one car runing caltracs and can leave off of a trans-brake with a 250 hit out the gate and plant it. "on the street" im not undestanding how something cant help with "TRACTION" wether at the track or on the street its going to help. thats what there for.

 

[6NOVA4]

weather your car didnt see any differance with them on the street dont mean they dont help. we have more than one car runing caltracs and can leave off of a trans-brake with a 250 hit out the gate and plant it. "on the street" im not undestanding how something cant help with "TRACTION" wether at the track or on the street its going to help. thats what there for.

josh I don't think he's ever street raced.... I dont know, just sayin. Maybe he has he is from socal... I know my car used so squat too much and spin the tires bad till I put slappers on. then it would plant the tire and I used to be able to leave off the trans brake on the street with G-60 McCrearys and out 60ft everybody.:devil:

 

[bowtie0069]

"on the street" im not undestanding how something cant help with "TRACTION" wether at the track or on the street

josh I don't think he's ever street raced

See my first post about doing something stupid/illegal/both? The original poster never said anything about street racing, which falls under the categories I just mentioned. For street driving, traction bars are not needed.
I have seen far too many jails/impound lots, etc. Plus, I got tired of standing around for hours listening to whiners begging for 10-20 car lengths from my Nova on street tires with a Q-Jet/Performer RPM, with their trailered cars!
I beat a 14 second car one night and couldn't find a race for months, because the rumor was the 14 sec. car ran 11's, so mine must have been in the 9's!! Mine might have run low 12's that night.

 

[6NOVA4]

true you were right about "street driving" and why would you need to worry about traction if your just " street driving" was I reading something into it perhaps???
then again he is from Long Island....a lot of stuff goes on out there that requires needing traction on the street.:devil:

 

[klleetrucking]

Removing front spring bushing

I used 1/2" allthread, one socket slightly smaller than the bushing, one socket slightly bigger than the bushing (to receive the bushing as it comes out). 2 washers 2 nuts, WD40. tighten the nut next to the smaller socket,
viola, bushing slides right out. Plus no need to pull the springs.

 

[nutcase]

I forgot to ask. Any issues with these bars interfering with the tires? Since my shocks are in the stock mounting location things are tight to begin with.

 

[NOGOHA]

kleetrucking question. How did you get a socket to go around the bent end flange on the bushing for it to seat on the spring eye or are the 60's spring bushings not like the third and fourth gen ones? The allthread sounds like a great idea if the bushings are smaller than the spring eye but mine had a metal flange that was actually the same size as the spring eye and I had to use the flat part of the spring as backing when pressing them out with the press. And as far as interference with tires there are none with either the caltracs or the ce slidealinks. Shocks mount in the stock locations.