[Scooter]

I want to get some slapper bars and use lowering blocks to lower my car two inches. I just realized that the two might not work together. With the lowering blocks spacing the bottom of the spring pad away from the spring, won't there be a lot of space between the slapper bar snubber and the leaf spring?

Also what do you recommend for some traction bars? I don't need super duper ones since I only have a six cylinder and I don't drag race it. I just need something to stop wheelhop. Do the traction bars replace the lower spring mounting plate or bolt on underneath it?

I found some Lakewood traction bars for $99 at Jegs. These look any good?
http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stor...goryId=13131&parentCategoryId=10083&langId=-1

Thanks
-Aaron

 

[NovaResource]

I want to get some slapper bars and use lowering blocks to lower my car two inches. I just realized that the two might not work together. With the lowering blocks spacing the bottom of the spring pad away from the spring, won't there be a lot of space between the slapper bar snubber and the leaf spring?

A lowering block does not affect the slapper bar geometry. The lowering blocks go between the top of the spring and the bottom of the rear axle. However, slapper bars bolt to the bottom of the spring.

Also what do you recommend for some traction bars? I don't need super duper ones since I only have a six cylinder and I don't drag race it. I just need something to stop wheelhop. Do the traction bars replace the lower spring mounting plate or bolt on underneath it?

Lakewood makes 2 types of slapper bars:
"Universal" = loop over the spring and do not replace the lower shock mount; Thise are junk and should be avoided)
"Street/Strip" = replace the lower shock mount but are too short for Novas
"Competition" = replace the lower shock mount and are the correct length

 

[Scooter]

"To avoid spring damage, this unit is not recommended for use with monoleaf springs."

In the item details for the competetion traction bars on jegs it says the above quote. I have stock monos so should I not buy these? Or do they say this just so that they wont be sued?

-Aaron

 

[Custom Jim]

Did it say that on the ones that do not hit the front spring eye or all of them ?. I would think if it hit the spring eye there shouldn't be a problem however if they hit behind the spring eye the mono leaf may be thinner and maybe can't take the upward force ?. I know I have the slightly shorter ones on my 73 with multileaf and I have bent the main leaf above the bars bumper.
Jim

 

[Scooter]

the only ones it doesnt say not to use with monos is the universal ones. Both the street/strip and competion traction bars say not to use with mono springs..

Wouldn't the mono spring be bigger than the main multi leaf spring since the mono has to do all the lifting but the main multileaf spring only has to do part of the lifting since the other leafs help it out? Isn't it like 3 thinner springs = multi and one thick spring = mono? And since according to Custom Jim only the main leaf of the multi springs gets the traction bar force, why is there any difference between mono or multi?

-Aaron

 

[VonSwanko]

Does anyone have pics as to how the corect way the snubber would hit the spring?Sorry to hijack here.

Rob

 

[Fatcat]

You want the snubber to hit the spring eye. There should be a gap of 1/2'' or more, you might have to vary this gap to see what the car wants.

 

[Scooter]

I guess I am planning on getting some of the "competition" lakewood bars. On the Jegs site, they say that you need some special j-bolts. I looked up the kit and I don't really understand what they are for or how they mount. I thought that you just use some U-bolts and run them through the top springpad and then down into the traction bar with acts as the lower spring pad.

Here's the j-bolt kit
https://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/sto...eId=10001&categoryId=13129&searchItemId=13053

 

[NovaResource]

Don't worry, if you buy the Lakewood Competition bars, you don't need the J-bolts (just good U-bolts). The nice thing about the Lakewood Competition bars is that you can run BOTH U-bolt and J-bolt if you want.

The above pic only shows the use of both bolts. If you run only J-bolts, they use the rear inner holes and you use T-bolt for the front holes.

Competition engineering sells a similar traction bar but you can only run one or the other (U-bolts only or J-bolts and T-bolts only) because they only have one set of rear mounting holes.

Part number: 247-2101
Price: $155.99

 

[onequiknova]

Does anyone make a J bolt long enough to use with lowering blocks? I've never seen one.

 

[69NovaSS]

Does anyone make a J bolt long enough to use with lowering blocks? I've never seen one.

hmmmm.....they must be cause my car has the J bolts and 1.5" lowering blocks....not sure where to get then however as they were on the car when I bought it

 

[NovaResource]

Does anyone make a J bolt long enough to use with lowering blocks? I've never seen one.

No because the angle would be wrong. Think about it, a lowering block makes the distance from the top of the axle tube higher. Now the J-bolt (that goes from the top of the axle tube) has to be at a steeper angle. The attachment point on the bar is still at the old angle.

Don't do it. Use regular U-bolts only for that setup.

 

[VonSwanko]

So you shouldnt use the CE j-bars with a lowering block?My car has them with a 2in block.Should I take the block out?Or use a different lowering method?

Rob

 

[NovaResource]

I wouldn't. Look at the picture. The J-bolts and the forward bracket are designed for the top of the axle tube to be a specific distance away. Adding an extra 2" changes that distance and geometry.

 

[69NovaSS]

ok...I thought I would give a little update on the lowering blocks/J bolt controversy...YES THEY WILL WORK...I just took my diff off my springs this very morning...I have 1.5" lowering blocks and I have slappers with "J" bolts. The "J" bolts were all done up ..well...all except for one of them which was broke at the rear of the slapper bar and about 1.5" of "J" bolt was missing likely to be found on some drag strip in southern ontario I suspect (Just kidding ). Anyway all of the others were completely done up....I have to say I believe it can be done....I'm not sure if the J bolts themselves are an off the shelve item or if they were made up by the last owner...they really dont look too hard to make.

 

[TimSS]

I wish they still made the mainstreet machine lift bars , I am running those on my 62 with 9 " rear 2 " lowering block and mono leaf . I had bought a set on Ebay right after they had went out of business. My injected \modified LT1 cranks some respectable horse/ torque and knock on wood No problems , no wheel hop, no breakage so far.........Tim

 

[73 Nova]

Lakewood Street and Strip Traction Bars

A lowering block does not affect the slapper bar geometry. The lowering blocks go between the top of the spring and the bottom of the rear axle. However, slapper bars bolt to the bottom of the spring.



Lakewood makes 2 types of slapper bars:
"Universal" = loop over the spring and do not replace the lower shock mount; Thise are junk and should be avoided)
"Street/Strip" = replace the lower shock mount but are too short for Novas
"Competition" = replace the lower shock mount and are the correct length

What if I bought the Lakewood Street and Strip Traction Bars will they fit my third gen. nova???