No Factory torque boxes...USCT front and rear Torque Boxes ordered, What else would you do?

[biomedtechguy]

American Powertrain is sending a 18 spline (correct size for the Passon a855) hydraulic throwout bearing assembly, new spin spacer, positioning shims, and bearing retainer studs. I already boxed up and shipped out the associated 23 spline parts back to AP this afternoon with their "ground" FedEx label, so that will be a week before I get the replacements.
Good thing the shop owner is not in a hurry...

 

[biomedtechguy]

On the other hand, I just received the correct inner fender splash shield seals from Kramer. Last week I finally tried to install them and they were for a different model so I called and they shipped the correct seals. My initial order was placed in 2011. I sent the incorrect seals back Monday. That is good service!
Mike

Summit Racing has been GREAT for customer service so far.
I had TWO of the wrong pressure plates and they gave me full credit about 8 months later when I finally sent them back. They also price matched the one online vendor that had the SPC UCAs for a lot less than anyone else, but that was part of a $1,750 order. I'm not saying they wouldn't have matched the price anyway, but the size of the total order couldn't have hurt. All of the QA1 parts I bought in that order were on sale too, and I got free shipping which is significant with a K-member and all the rest of a complete front suspension.

 

[biomedtechguy]

@440+6 ...neener-neener!
Torque boxes, subframe connectors, and inner and outer front spring hanger plates are installed!

The floor pans are in good shape, and it's great how the USCT subframe connectors follow the zigzag pans. Welded the length of the connector, body seam goo, and painted.
Rear torque box and subframe connector

Subframe connectors:

AR plates (pic taken through the opening in the torque box)

Front torque box:

 

[biomedtechguy]

And a couple of close ups of those SWEET Assassin traction bars

Shock bolt is loose because the 3 way CE shocks are being replaced by TRIPLE adjustable Viking B517HF XS shocks this week. Rebound, and Low and High speed compression.

The unique mechanism to preload the leaf springs:

 

[493 Mike]

And a couple of close ups of those SWEET Assassin traction bars
View attachment 972623
Shock bolt is loose because the 3 way CE shocks are being replaced by TRIPLE adjustable Viking B517HF XS shocks this week. Rebound, and Low and High speed compression.
View attachment 972624
The unique mechanism to preload the leaf springs:
View attachment 972625

How, functionally, are these traction bars different from Cal-Trac bars?
Mike

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Make sure he cuts the u=bolts off above the nut, excess weight..........

 

[biomedtechguy]

How, functionally, are these traction bars different from Cal-Trac bars?
Mike

I'll give that my best shot Mike.
The Cal Tracks seem to focus their spring preloading in a slightly different way than the Assassins, best shown here, at the front end of the spring:
Assassin:

The Assassin looks like the manner of attachment to the part of the spring that has a downward force imparted to it spreads that force out over a slightly larger area vs just that round bar that pushes on the leaf spring with the Caltracks, and a little different pivot force mechanism.

Caltracs:

On the Assassin there's multiple holes in the front and for the shock mount too, and the handy tie down loop.

They're closer to each other in function than they are different.

 

[Kern Dog]

See post # 626.

https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/mopa...t-5000-buys-you.178346/page-32#post-911608825

 

[493 Mike]

I'll give that my best shot Mike.
The Cal Tracks seem to focus their spring preloading in a slightly different way than the Assassins, best shown here, at the front end of the spring:
Assassin:
View attachment 972638
The Assassin looks like the manner of attachment to the part of the spring that has a downward force imparted to it spreads that force out over a slightly larger area vs just that round bar that pushes on the leaf spring with the Caltracks, and a little different pivot force mechanism.
View attachment 972643
Caltracs:
View attachment 972645 View attachment 972646
On the Assassin there's multiple holes in the front and for the shock mount too, and the handy tie down loop.
View attachment 972647
They're closer to each other in function than they are different.

Thanks. It appears to me they are very similar in function. Just have more adjustment. I have Cal-Tracs on both my Belvederes.
Mike

 

[4406bbl]

Looks good, your guy works fast. Looks to me like the assasine setup is way less likely to bend the spring. Caltracs like to do that.

 

[biomedtechguy]

Looks good, your guy works fast. Looks to me like the assasine setup is way less likely to bend the spring. Caltracs like to do that.

Thanks. The shop owner is doing almost everything himself. He is very detailed and dedicated to excellence. Also very experienced. One reason why I waited 6 months for him to do the job.
I have read the Caltracs have broken and bent a few springs, but the main reasons why I chose the Assassins is the appearance of a high quality construction, the added flexibility of multiple attachment and adjustment points, and Mr Kim Smith was very helpful when I first called them, and he's a "neighbor" in a sense that he has a house about 25 minutes away from me.
The tie downs are cool too.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

I have never heard of the CalTraks bending..........

 

[biomedtechguy]

I have never heard of the CalTraks bending..........

Did you see the pictures of my Smith Racecraft Assassin traction bars??

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

But why of course! I like the tie downs!

 

[4406bbl]

The caltrak does not bend, some springs bend with them. The assasin looks to spread the load better is all.

 

[biomedtechguy]

The caltrak does not bend, some springs bend with them. The assasin looks to spread the load better is all.

Agreed.
I'm looking forward to conducting the symphony of all of these traction aids working in harmony with one another.
After getting down to fairly consistent 13.3s but crappy 2+ second 60 ft times, I have 12s to look forward to, by just getting down to 1.7 60 ft times.
Plus it's all good prep and practice for when I have a fire breathing stroker under the hood.
I wouldn't want to have to learn the ins and outs of tuning my traction aids AND try to wrangle a 541 cu in engine at the same time.

 

[RoasterStrudel]

Sorry if I missed it, what brand of monoleafs are those? I was kind of interested in the Assassin bars, but I really wasn't crazy about the idea of drilling a hole through the spring to support the front side.

Looks a lot lower profile than the other versions I've seen! The other pictures I saw looked like it would drag the mount below the spring perch if you ever got a flat tire (for 15" rim folks). All your frame reinforcement looks great!

 

[66 Sat]

Make sure he cuts the u=bolts off above the nut, excess weight..........

Haha, I did this job last week after the leaf spring guy I went to see said they were too long. I actually weighed the off cuts on my wife's cooking scale - saved nearly half a pound!

 

[66 Sat]

@440+6 ...neener-neener!
Torque boxes, subframe connectors, and inner and outer front spring hanger plates are installed!

The floor pans are in good shape, and it's great how the USCT subframe connectors follow the zigzag pans. Welded the length of the connector, body seam goo, and painted.

Looks good - did you need to remove the carpet before welding in the subframe connectors?

 

[biomedtechguy]

what brand of monoleafs are those?

Calvert

I was kind of interested in the Assassin bars, but I really wasn't crazy about the idea of drilling a hole through the spring to support the front side.

I don't give that a 2nd thought. They should provide 2 bits though. Mechanic said the bit went through the first mono leaf spring easy, but the other one took a few bits. I like the way it loads the spring over a slightly wider area, and additional holes for greater flexibility in function,
but I mainly like the build quality and customer support, not saying Calvert doesn't have good tech support, I've heard they do and that's been my experience. Maybe I just wanted to be a little different.

Looks a lot lower profile than the other versions I've seen!

They are in between the low profile Caltracs and the regular Caltracs.

All your frame reinforcement looks great!

Thanks!

Looks good - did you need to remove the carpet before welding in the subframe connectors?

The shop rolled the carpet up towards the center hump, so it was out of harm's way.