Ladder bar leaf spring guys

[Mark Yacavone]

Originally Posted by joespanova

Nothing has changed except the ride height in the rear..........IIRC.
Mark seems to know you................?

No, I don't, but he seems to know something about chassis (plural) and suspensions

[Tom Broome]

Originally Posted by joespanova

Nothing has changed except the ride height in the rear..........IIRC.
Mark seems to know you................?

Thanks for the compliment Mark.
Actually Joe we might, I have made more than a few passes at Atlanta Dragway a couple of decades ago.

As I recall your car is more of an "old school" setup. A lot of folks used to basically lock the front end down and didn't pay attention to the quality of the (limited) front end travel.

The front end needs to be (very) free to travel, the springs need to contain a lot of stored energy to allow the weight transfer to take place, and the shocks need to control the rate of reaction. Then you can control the height of the wheelstand (if need be) with front end travel.

I'll enclose a picture. This truck was built as a super stocker, with ladder bars and coil overs, they upgraded the front end components and got this result.
I haven't seen it on scales, but it's pretty nose heavy. No big chunks of lead in the back of the truck.

[Bruce Fulper]

Buy Dave Morgans book. ""Doorslammers. A Chassis Book" It has everything you need to learn

[Mike Rietow]

One size doesn't fit all. In terms of weight transfer a lot depends on stored energy-weight on the rear springs whether it be leaf or coil vs shock settings/valving. High bar pick-up points are fast reacting, low are slow. The first movement of the rear dampers(shocks) is to extend. The longer you can prolong/manage that movement the less the wheelstand. Specific damper valving plays a huge role as well .... linear-progressive or the modern regressive valving (pressure drop). Look at the rearend seperation on high hp cars in classes where wheely bars aren't allowed for clues. I'd say Bickle's Chassis book is far and away the best. You'll never stop learning from it if you have the ability to read between the lines and/or critically think. Generic idea's/explanations never reach the levels most all strive for.

[b.guggenmos]

Originally Posted by Mike Pearson

Just don't move the bars past level with the bottom of the rocker panel. Mine has a down angle of 1-2 degrees. Horsepower and good chassis is what will make the car get up in the front. Moving the bar down will make it hit the tire harder.

I have been racing a ladder bar leaf spring car for a very long time and admit I struggle with them. I bought Tim Morgans Doorslammers The Chassis book many years ago and have always thought moving the bars up hits the tire harder not down as stated in the book? So I just did a search and talk about information overload! Total opposite diagrams from different vendors for hits tire harder by raising or lowering the front of the bar. No wonder people are confused. I am! I don't post here often but read a lot. Thanks and hopefully some of this will help the person that started the thread.

[joespanova]

Originally Posted by b.guggenmos

I have been racing a ladder bar leaf spring car for a very long time and admit I struggle with them. I bought Tim Morgans Doorslammers The Chassis book many years ago and have always thought moving the bars up hits the tire harder not down as stated in the book? So I just did a search and talk about information overload! Total opposite diagrams from different vendors for hits tire harder by raising or lowering the front of the bar. No wonder people are confused. I am! I don't post here often but read a lot. Thanks and hopefully some of this will help the person that started the thread.

I've SEEN THE SAME THING. Apparently the theory for 4 links and ladder bars is not quite the same.
Trial and error............