Suspension Set-up/ Tuning

You might get some info from this website.... www.dickmillerracing.com
No cost to check it out........

[FireSale]

Bought a package similar to this from MoneyMaker last year and it was around $1200 without rear shocks. I have since added the suggested Strange adjustable units back there. Alex always did know his stuff.

Dale.

[1700camaro]

Originally Posted by Vonboxer

Hello all, trying to set-up a 1980 Camaro.. leaf spring car. 3680 lbs. 90-10 70-30 summit shocks, moroso coils, slapper bars set to hit eye of spring there is about an 1" travel between rubber stopper and eye resting. Not sure of pinion angle or front and rear separate weights. Essentially stock other than what listed.
26" slick. Aluminium headed BBC, TH350 JW converter flashes to 5000 with current set-up.
Aside from Cal-trac's is there anything I can do to launch better? Don't have any numbers with current engine, but it did 60 ft. a best of 1.78 with the previous SBC with a best et of 12.01 @ 113. Car does squat a bit. Does have new solid bushings in rear springs, rubber trans and engine mounts.

Thanks

Just need to work with what you have. It takes a little more time, but you can get great results.


I had & still have the cheapest slapper bars collecting dust. They were not the more expensive J-bolt style. I think they cost me $40 many many moons ago. I extended them out so the snubbers hit under the spring eye. I had zero preload on the drivers side & preload on passenger side. Don't know how much, just a trial & error deal. I also used 1/8 thick shims between rear mount & springs to make bars level with the ground. I used the cheap adjustable shocks front set @ 90/10 & rear set @ 50/50. The coil springs were stock with about 2 coils cut.


The car weighed 3200-3300 with me in it with an all cast iron 385 SBC. That went a best of 10.40 with 60's in the low 1.40 range. Below is how the car reacted with this set-up.

[Vonboxer]

Thanks, your car leaves nice and straight.. 10.40s is moving pretty good . I made my own bars too. I will get a picture of them tomorrow just to see if the are. I used 1/4" plate with some square tubing.. I had to replace the frame rails about 4 years ago and repair the spring eye mounting points. I ended up putting some frame connectors in also.

[David Barton]

If you post a simple video of the car launching it would be much easier for people to give advice. At the very least you can have someone use their cell phone. You might be surprised how well it turns out. I have solved many problems by watching videos.

[Vonboxer]

here's a couple of the most recent videos 2013. Aside from putting a bbc in, nothing has changed suspension wise other than what the weight difference will do.

I don't think I can upload any videos.

[rod]

to set the slapper bars right, first the pinion angle must be correct. then the car must be race weight and race ready. either weight the driver seat [some weight must be on the floor board, to simulate leg weight] or find someone exactly the same size and weight to set in the driver seat. then set the bars. both should be the same-distance or compressed. with the weight out of the driver seat, the pass side should remain the same and the driver side should have a gap. more gap, on both bars, will equal a harder hit, less air gap will equal a softer hit. adjust the bars depending on what the car requires to get the 60 you want. leaf spring cars should rise at the rear [not squat] if the car does not rise, you must change the angle of the bar [read higher in the front]. most Camaro/Firebird cars have the front spring eye the same height or lower than the center of the axle tube. the only way to make the car rise in the rear, especially if the front of the car is lower than the rear, is the make the front of the bar contact the spring some distance behind the spring eye. it will be hard on the spring over time. however, if the car does not rise, you are fooling yourself.
some thought should be given to putting both shocks on the same side of the axle [if rule legal]. shocks should be as straight up/down as possible.
you should also fab up some sort of safety loop, at the front of the bar, in case the bar should break and dig into the strip.
over the years I have seen a lot of really fast slapper bar cars. I once watched a big block Camaro almost pull the rear tires off the ground on gear change. I made a few suggestions and the car picked up 4 tenths. with only a slapper bars angle change, totally free, that is a deal.
when it is race time, you need lots of videos. I dont care how much you think you know from the driver seat, nothing beats a photo.
Rod in AZ