Traction Bars

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wickedmach1

New Member

Apr 8, 2003

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Austin, TX

Oct 25, 2003

#1

• Oct 25, 2003

• #1

I am rebuilding my rear suspension for my '70 Mach. Anyone have an opinion on who makes the best traction bar? I have my own mig welder if welding is required for a certain bar. I will upgrade to a Detroit Tru-Trac posi unit with 4 1/2 leaf rear springs and Koni shocks. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks.

 

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fastback brian

Founding Member

Jul 15, 2002

540

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So Cal , I.E.

Oct 25, 2003

#2

• Oct 25, 2003

• #2

the best traction bar would be the caltrac bar. great ground clearance, very simple to adjust for street or track driving and very high quality parts. But if set right just about all top brand traction bars work well. Traction comes from tire grip combined with suspension/shock setup, the bars keep the rear spring from twisting. The caltrac bar just makes the setup easier in my opinion.

 

71Hoss

Founding Member

Jun 27, 2001

973

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16

Virginia, CSA

Oct 26, 2003

#3

• Oct 26, 2003

• #3

I like the Southside Machine Shop traction bars the best. But the Caltracs are certainly nice.

 

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1badII

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Aug 5, 2003

796

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16

Durham, North Cacalaky

Dec 9, 2003

#4

• Dec 9, 2003

• #4

71Hoss said:

I like the Southside Machine Shop traction bars the best. But the Caltracs are certainly nice.

Click to expand...

Good luck getting a set of those.

 

66P51GT

New Member

Nov 7, 2003

721

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Cerritos, CA

Dec 9, 2003

#5

• Dec 9, 2003

• #5

Cobra Automotive also has several different designs available including the standard rigid type (not pictured).



-Chuck

 

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69stanger

Founding Member

Oct 20, 2002

102

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CA

Dec 9, 2003

#6

• Dec 9, 2003

• #6

would a caltrac bar be effective on a road course or is it only effective for drag racing??

 

Swede958

Founding Member

Dec 17, 2001

712

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Austin, TX

Dec 9, 2003

#7

• Dec 9, 2003

• #7

I have heard that the Caltracs are some of the best you can buy. If you don't want to pay the price, there should be a link on oboebrian's site to directions for building a similar setup. And 2BAV8 I believe is using them for road racing on his 65 coupe, so they should be good for either.

The Swede

 

66P51GT

New Member

Nov 7, 2003

721

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Cerritos, CA

Dec 9, 2003

#8

• Dec 9, 2003

• #8

Did a quick search so I know what you are talking about...

Calvert Racing manufactures this bar and offers it for $319. Excellent design and similar in cost to the bars offered by Cobra Automotive

 

classic boost

Founding Member

Feb 3, 1999

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canton, oh

Dec 10, 2003

#9

• Dec 10, 2003

• #9

1badII said:

Good luck getting a set of those.

Click to expand...

why? do they no longer make them for classic stangs or is there supply problems?

 

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68restoman

New Member

Jun 5, 2003

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Dec 12, 2003

#10

• Dec 12, 2003

• #10

paul302 said:

why? do they no longer make them for classic stangs or is there supply problems?

Click to expand...

They're out of business...

 

66P51GT

New Member

Nov 7, 2003

721

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Cerritos, CA

Dec 19, 2003

#11

• Dec 19, 2003

• #11

Found Caltracs at Delta Bay Mustang. Scroll to the bottom $319.

 

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cobra1

New Member

Apr 8, 2003

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oklahoma city, okla.

Dec 19, 2003

#12

• Dec 19, 2003

• #12

if you have a good welder and know how to use it you can make your own caltracs for about 60 bucks. the most expensive parts are the stainless steel eye ends. 2 left hand threads and 2 right hand threads. you also need 2 machined aluminum inserts to replace the front spring bushings. use your shock mounts as a template for the mount under the rearend. the tubing needs threaded inserts welded in for the eyes. if you have a buddy at a machine shop it will be a piece of pie. reuse the hardened steel inserts inside the front rubber bushing with a bolt for the contact point on top of the sping: with a strong bolt and nylock nut. lock nuts on eye ends x 4 for locking in place.

 

66P51GT

New Member

Nov 7, 2003

721

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Cerritos, CA

Dec 19, 2003

#13

• Dec 19, 2003

• #13

It will probably cost more than $60 for the spherical rod ends. However, you could construct it with a solid rod instead and save some $$$.

 

dodgestang

Active Member

Dec 15, 2003

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37

Cecil County, MD

Dec 19, 2003

#14

• Dec 19, 2003

• #14

wickedmach1 said:

I am rebuilding my rear suspension for my '70 Mach. Anyone have an opinion on who makes the best traction bar? I have my own mig welder if welding is required for a certain bar. I will upgrade to a Detroit Tru-Trac posi unit with 4 1/2 leaf rear springs and Koni shocks. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Not to go against the grain here, but I love my shelby style under riders. I added the TCP sub frame bars and the under riders welded right into a new pocket built into the sub frame bars. The car has no wheel hop and just takes off. I realize they are lower tech than an item like cal tracs.....but for $60-80 depending on where you shop, I think they are the best bang for the buck.

They out perform in my opinion slapper bar style traction aids, and offer many of the same beneifits the cal tracs have, the only thing you don't have is the adjustability. I also know someone who upgraded their bars by swapping out the old interlink bar and installing this http://www.secureperformanceorder.c...D=14&ClassID=186&SubclassID=889&ProductID=765
which almost makes them into a suedo cal trac setup as I understand the upgrade....what the benefot for you is you can install a less expensive solution and see if if suites your needs and driving habits and if it does you are done, if not, you can upgrade to something better without having to start over.