Caltrac initial adjustment

[64sleeper]

So I just ditched my 454/455 3800 lb super stock springs for Caltracs and split mono's. Just wanted to get some advice on a good starting point as far as pre load on the bars and also shock settings on the double adjustable vikings in the rear. Car weighs 3915 with me i

n it and a best of 10.97 @ 121 and a 1.51 60 ft. Stock front suspension with 6 cyl torsion bars and cheap gabrielle shocks. (Thinking about going double adjustable up front too if need be)

 

[dadsbee]

@cdr

 

[RemCharger]

I would start with 1 flat preload sitting at ride height. On the shocks you would want to tighten up the extension. Looks like you have a fiberglass bumper, very surprised about the weight.. but I do have a good friend that races in the 400lb range

 

[Crackedback]

IIRC a decent start point is just touching on pass side and a nickle or dime thickness air gap on pass side

Put your weight in the seat when setting it up.

 

[33 IMP]

A-bodies racer forum has an 8 page sticky on caltrac setup.

 

[64sleeper]

I would start with 1 flat preload sitting at ride height. On the shocks you would want to tighten up the extension. Looks like you have a fiberglass bumper, very surprised about the weight.. but I do have a good friend that races in the 400lb range

Me too. And I'm 180 lbs. Thanks for the input btw!

 

[64sleeper]

A-bodies racer forum has an 8 page sticky on caltrac setup.

Ok thanks!!

 

[RemCharger]

Me too. And I'm 180 lbs. Thanks for the input btw!

Sounds like you've got about 250~300 lbs hiding in there somewhere.

 

[Racer1210]

This is what worked great on cal-trac start up for me.
@ race weight and you or someone same weight in drivers seat and car on ground.
Right side (passenger) adjust bar to no end play.
Left side (drivers) adjust bar to no end play.

Now you have the bars set and ready to have pre load put on them. Since they are already set at no end play weight in car or jacked up for access will not affect no end play setting.

Pre load right side 1-1/2 turn from the original no end play setting.

Pre load left side 1/2 turn from the original no end play setting.

If car launches to the left or right put 1/4 more in that side bar until car launches straight.

As far as double adjustable shocks I cannot help as mine are single adjustable.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE 5” OF TRAVEL IN FRONT END FOR BARS TO WORK THERE BEST (WEIGHT TRANSFER). IF TOO MUCH WHEELIE LESSEN TRAVEL WILL CALM DOWN WHEELIE.

 

[fourgearsavoy]

All cars will be different but my 3500# stick car liked the bottom hole with 3/4 turn preload on the right and 1/2 turn on the left. I had the shocks set at 8 and the front shocks set at the 50/50 setting with the original slant 6 bars.

 

[6PKRTSE]

This is what worked great on cal-trac start up for me.
@ race weight and you or someone same weight in drivers seat and car on ground.
Right side (passenger) adjust bar to no end play.
Left side (drivers) adjust bar to no end play.

Now you have the bars set and ready to have pre load put on them. Since they are already set at no end play weight in car or jacked up for access will not affect no end play setting.

Pre load right side 1-1/2 turn from the original no end play setting.

Pre load left side 1/2 turn from the original no end play setting.

If car launches to the left or right put 1/4 more in that side bar until car launches straight.

As far as double adjustable shocks I cannot help as mine are single adjustable.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE 5” OF TRAVEL IN FRONT END FOR BARS TO WORK THERE BEST (WEIGHT TRANSFER). IF TOO MUCH WHEELIE LESSEN TRAVEL WILL CALM DOWN WHEELIE.

Pretty close to how mine are set up. We did it with me in the drivers seat with my firesuit, shoes and helmet, full fuel cell, both full bottles on the trunk. Mine has an anti-roll bar also. We left that unhooked until Caltracs pre-load was set. Then hooked up the ARB with me still in it. A buddy did all of this underneath while I waited patiently and comfortably inside.
I then double checked their work to make sure everything was tight.

 

[64sleeper]

Sounds like you've got about 250~300 lbs hiding in there somewhere.

Sounds like you've got about 250~300 lbs hiding in there somewhere.

My apologies 3910. But this was at cecil county dragway right after I got my time slip. 3/4 tank of gas. I'd like to think a NHRA track's scale isn't too far off but ya never know

 

[fourgearsavoy]

Man that thing is a porker for sure. I hope you got the plus 1" springs when you ordered because my monoleafs sagged pretty bad after about 2 years of abuse. They went flat with no arch at all.
Gus

 

[Gunner1]

Mine are set for the street. Contact plus 1/8 turn. It did really help my tendency to smoke the right rear with 2.93 open punkin. New 3.73 gears and locker should make hooking up easier. Still on very old stock type shocks.

 

[64sleeper]

Man that thing is a porker for sure. I hope you got the plus 1" springs when you ordered because my monoleafs sagged pretty bad after about 2 years of abuse. They went flat with no arch at all.
Gus

Thanks Gus, I sure did and it's already on the low side to start with. Thanks for the warning, I'll definitely keep an eye on them

 

[Dodge 330]

I do a nickel width gap, bottom hole and Cal-Trac shocks on the #9 setting (stiffest). I have new Viking Crusaders for the rear but have only tested a couple of times.

With slant 6 bars and 3 way front CE shocks, we've been 1.36 60 ft. When it's slower (1.54 60 ft.) it likes the 90/10 setting. As we got faster it and deeper into the 10's it was rising too quickly and crashing down so the 70/30 setting helped with that.

 

[cdr]

I run the bars one flat tight left side, 2 on the right side, on rear shock start 4 & 4, front 4 extension, 6 compression. just a starting point, my car is 4100 race weight, also use the lower hole on the front of the bars