Grab-a-track leaf springs

nemlio65 · Jan 30, 2008

Has anyone ordered grab-a-track lesf springs from mustang unl? How many leaves for sporty driving?

Tim65GT · Jan 30, 2008

I just got a set of Grab-a-trac leaf springs (with a crap load of other stuff), but they come from Mustangs Plus not Mustangs Unlimited.

I ordered the 4 leaf rev eyes 'cause i wanted it to sit low and not too harsh a ride. I haven't had a chance to try 'em out yet to see if I should have gotten anything stiffer like the 4 1/2s or the 5 leafs. I'm sure they'll be fine, as they are definetly beefier than the stock 40 year old saggy springs I replaced.

66Restomod · Jan 30, 2008

How much were those springs with shipping?

My rear is sagging and I think I am going to order some new ones.

Tim65GT · Jan 30, 2008

66Restomod
How much were those springs with shipping?

I got mine as part of a kit, but they seem to be anywhere from around $180-260 depending on what options/type. The shipping will vary too, but probably from $20-50

mikethebike · Jan 30, 2008

Check out Flex-a-Form fiberglass leafs springs. Save a ton of unsprung weight, single leaf so you elimate sticion and they come standard with poly bushings.

reenmachine · Feb 1, 2008

TCP has some nice leafs now in that same price range. Mid-eye 4-leafs are $219 and reverse-eye add $10. There's also 4-1/2 leaf of either eye for $20 more and 5-leaf of either eye for $40 more.

And there's a whole kit with poly bushings, beefy shackles, shock plates w/tie-down loops, U-bolys, and adjustable shocks if you need the full meal deal:

TCP Leaf Spring Suspension

12sec67 · Feb 1, 2008

I have the 5 leaf mid eyes and they are not to rough at all.

Mustangunlimited also sells grab-a-track

4MuscleMachines · Feb 2, 2008

I've had four early Mustangs all with Global West rear springs. Very happy, didn't adjust the height, not harsh at all. I would pony up the extra bucks and do it right the first time. Aside from GW, I have heard Maier Racing has good springs as well.

Rusty67 · Feb 3, 2008

mikethebike said:
Check out Flex-a-Form fiberglass leafs springs. Save a ton of unsprung weight, single leaf so you elimate sticion and they come standard with poly bushings.

I'd like to hear some more about this. These sound INTERESTING.

Jimmys66 · Feb 3, 2008

We've done a couple of threads on them over the last few years but no one has really bought a set a given us a "2 thumbs up" on them.

I almost bought a set last year until I spoke to a rep from flex a forms. He told me that they would not solve any wheel hop issues and the spring needed to be run with some sort of traction device (slapper bar, cal track, etc).

The springs are $400 and add a set of cal tracks for another $300 and it started to get expensive. Not to mention the caltracks start to negate the weight savings.

I ended up buying a set of Maiers' 185 race leafs and love them. All my wheel hop is gone and this car handels great without a traction bar hanging down.

Rusty67 · Feb 3, 2008

I ended up with a free set of those Cobra Automotive traction bars. The ones that look like a strut rod with a spring. They are made by AFCO. I was going to install those anyways. I don't really like my grab-a-track springs. They are VERY harsh but mine are 4.5 or 5 leafs so I'd imagine thats why. Also, I'm sure my Monroe shocks don't help matters.

mikethebike · Feb 4, 2008

Jimmys66 said:
We've done a couple of threads on them over the last few years but no one has really bought a set a given us a "2 thumbs up" on them.

I almost bought a set last year until I spoke to a rep from flex a forms. He told me that they would not solve any wheel hop issues and the spring needed to be run with some sort of traction device (slapper bar, cal track, etc).

The springs are $400 and add a set of cal tracks for another $300 and it started to get expensive. Not to mention the caltracks start to negate the weight savings.

I ended up buying a set of Maiers' 185 race leafs and love them. All my wheel hop is gone and this car handels great without a traction bar hanging down.

Well, what would the cal tracks have added to a set of 40lb steel springs? The same as the would add to a set of 8 lb fiberglass springs. You still save 32 lbs of unsprung weight. And ALL Corvettes springs have been made by them since Corvette started using glass springs.

I know guys who have used them on Camaros, Mustangs and Mopars and none of them will go back to multi-leaf steel springs.

Z06killinSBF · Feb 4, 2008

I have 4-1/2 rev eyes with GW Del-A-Lum bushings and KYBs and the ride isnt harsh at all. I owned a 5.0 that had kidney buster springs in it and this thing rides like a Caddy in comparison. I also have nice seats too though that cushion the blow.

mikethebike · Feb 4, 2008

Z06killinSBF said:
I have 4-1/2 rev eyes with GW Del-A-Lum bushings and KYBs and the ride isnt harsh at all. I owned a 5.0 that had kidney buster springs in it and this thing rides like a Caddy in comparison. I also have nice seats too though that cushion the blow.

What kind of seats? If I keep the 65 it needs something a lot better than stock.

Jimmys66 · Feb 4, 2008

mikethebike said:
Well, what would the cal tracks have added to a set of 40lb steel springs? The same as the would add to a set of 8 lb fiberglass springs. You still save 32 lbs of unsprung weight. And ALL Corvettes springs have been made by them since Corvette started using glass springs.

I know guys who have used them on Camaros, Mustangs and Mopars and none of them will go back to multi-leaf steel springs.

Please have them post here I'd love to talk to one of them. Esp. someone using them behind a stick. I have a few questions.

It wasn't the weight savings that I walked away from them..... it was the $700 price tag. They may be worth it, but I can't find anyone to atest to it. Spending that kind of money to "try something" is out of my budget. If I knew how well they worked spending that kind of money is a different story.......

I also couldn't get the rep to explain how glass spring rates corresponded to steel rates. He told me a 205lbs glass rate is not the same as a 205lbs steel rate. When I asked what it compared to he told me he didn't know. I was also told that I could only get the glass spring in one rate unless I custom ordered a set.

Too many, "I don't knows", to spend $700+.......

CraigMBA · Feb 4, 2008

Maier Racing used to use the 'glass springs almost exclusively. You might want to call them and ask why they stopped.

I had Eaton replacments which rode okay but were too soft and too high. I replaced them with 4 leaf mid eye Grab A Trac springs because my neighbor had an extra set. I am pretty happy with them - the ride is acceptable and they are stiffer without being overly harsh. My neighbor had a set of five leafs on his car and yowza. It wasn't too bad untill you had to cross a series of small bumps (like a railroad crossing) and then it could be a pucker moment because the car would try to get sideways on you........

Jimmys66 · Feb 4, 2008

I actually bought a set of Maiers 165lbs steel race springs. I'm pleased as punch with them. The car handels great. The ride is firm, but not harsh and best of all no more wheel hop.

mikethebike · Feb 4, 2008

Jimmys66 said:
Please have them post here I'd love to talk to one of them. Esp. someone using them behind a stick. I have a few questions.

It wasn't the weight savings that I walked away from them..... it was the $700 price tag. They may be worth it, but I can't find anyone to atest to it. Spending that kind of money to "try something" is out of my budget. If I knew how well they worked spending that kind of money is a different story.......

I also couldn't get the rep to explain how glass spring rates corresponded to steel rates. He told me a 205lbs glass rate is not the same as a 205lbs steel rate. When I asked what it compared to he told me he didn't know. I was also told that I could only get the glass spring in one rate unless I custom ordered a set.

Too many, "I don't knows", to spend $700+.......

If the spring is rated at 200 lbs./per in. of compression it would seem to be the same thing, although I have heard the glass reacts much quicker. Bet all those Corvette guys who have upgraded from a multi-leaf steel to a single glass could answer your questions. Think about this...the Zo/6 and ZR/1 Corvette use glass transverse leaf springs. There is a reason.

reenmachine · Feb 4, 2008

I've got to point out that the 'Vette comparison doesn't apply as the demands on the spring are very different. The transverse spring on a 'Vette only has to provide spring force -- all of the rest of the suspension's motion is controlled by other devices. On a Mustang, the leaf spring must act not only as a spring, but it also has to react axle torque, lateral loading, etc. What's right for one application isn't necessarily right for the other.

Spring rate is spring rate, but I can see how a fiberglass spring can react quicker due to lower inertia.

Making more of an apples-to-apples comparison, I would wager that a Mustang with cal-tracs and a Watts link would perform better overall with fiberglass springs than with steel springs. But without those other devices, the fiberglass spring will never perform as well overall as a front-loaded heavy duty steel leaf.

Jimmys66 · Feb 4, 2008

Here is the page if someone wants to look.http://www.flex-a-form.com/products.asp

The person I spoke to told me that the standard spring came in a 205lbs spring rate. I thought that it was going to be too stiff for the street. That's when he told me that the glass and steel rates were different. A 205lbs glass would be much softer than a 205 steel spring. I could order any rate I wanted, but without being able to compare it to a steel spring rate I'd just kinda be guessing.

Again, alot of money to be guessing......

He did tell me that I would not need a watts link to keep the rear centered under hard driving. I figured the glass springs wouldn't be as stiff laterally.

I'm not putting these things down by any means. I just want some customer testimonials.

Grab-a-track leaf springs

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