FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: james on March 15, 2018, 08:31:11 PM
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In all the cumulative years of experinece from you boys, what would be the best type of rear end suspension for getting traction? Would it be a four link, cal tracs, the maier system or something else. The car in question is a 1966 mercury comet cyclone pushing close to 900hp. And what is the biggest tire I can use? Even considering the crites system of gaining 2" (I think?) or some other way of making more room. Thanking y'all in advance.
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It all depends on the application. What works best for drag racing traction, will not be the best suspension design for road racing traction. A multi-link solid axle is usually better for drag racing, but IRS is better for taking corners.
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Yes, and you didn't say what the primary use of the vehicle is. Drag-only, street-strip, road-racing, primarily cruising with an occasional WOT blast ?
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I've run as fast as 9.30 on Cal-Tracs, and they are reasonably street friendly. Unless its a strip only car, that would be the way I'd go...
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Yes, and you didn't say what the primary use of the vehicle is. Drag-only, street-strip, road-racing, primarily cruising with an occasional WOT blast ?
My bad, I kind of knew I should have been more specific. This is primarily for street use and no cornering. Thank you!
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I've run as fast as 9.30 on Cal-Tracs, and they are reasonably street friendly. Unless its a strip only car, that would be the way I'd go...
X2 on the CalTracs. I have a friend who has an early Camaro with leafs and CalTracs and he's run 7's. Nitrous 10.5/275 car. They can be set up to work very well.
Biggest tire is whatever you're willing to work under the car. Mini tubs you can run 315's (12" tire) or bigger, depending on the metal work. I'm doing a 67 Fairlane right now and about the biggest you'll get under that with stock sheet metal is a 275/60. Your car should be very similar.
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In all the cumulative years of experinece from you boys, what would be the best type of rear end suspension for getting traction? Would it be a four link, cal tracs, the maier system or something else. The car in question is a 1966 mercury comet cyclone pushing close to 900hp. And what is the biggest tire I can use? Even considering the crites system of gaining 2" (I think?) or some other way of making more room. Thanking y'all in advance.
I had 325 50's on my '66 Cyclone
x3 on the Caltracs. Put them on my truck and a HUGE difference.
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my 66 comet has hoosier quicktime pro 26x9.5 dot slicks on it with stock leafs with traction bars and thats about all i can get under it stock.but they fit good and i like them.
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Doesn't matter what suspension you hang out back. 900 hp on the street and you are going to die. Cheers!
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Doesn't matter what suspension you hang out back. 900 hp on the street and you are going to die. Cheers!
Were all going to die :) it would just be more fun with 900 hp.
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im guessing the 900hp engine is not fe
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im guessing the 900hp engine is not fe
You would be guessing wrong. I've been a Ford guy since the early 1960's and my dad worked for
Ford for about 35 years. Born and raised in Detroit Michigan. The following is engine parts. https://i.imgur.com/LrnabJa.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/g1YQTCz.jpg https://i.imgur.com/sz3EC9L.jpg K-9 Kasse heads and hemi valve covers. Here's the 460 block at my engine builders. https://i.imgur.com/fZYydqx.jpg
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But a 460 aint a FE ???
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Doesn't matter what suspension you hang out back. 900 hp on the street and you are going to die. Cheers!
Were all going to die :) it would just be more fun with 900 hp.
^^^ This ;D
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Another vote for CalTracs, leafs (either stock or Cal mono) and matching shocks. They just work. I haven't changed the settings on mine in years. As for tire, I'd not be sure on a Cyclone. My Falcon is tight, with rolled lips and 4.5" back space I can run 275-60x15 drag radials or 28x10.5 slicks and just barely clear the leaf springs. Slicks grow enough to leave rubber on the leading edge of the rocker panel at the rear wheel well. In fact, I did some "drag strip body work" in that area. (several blows with a 2lb hammer - do what you gotta do to clear the tires, fix it right later)
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On four links, a drag-only set-up, they work great once set-up but wow, too many stories on fellas who really had a hard time adjusting the bars to get the set-up they needed or wanted. A true trailered race car suspension. That and a broken Heim joint (they always seem to break at the first thread after the Y shape of the bearing end) or cracked weld on the tubes will put you in a world of hurt!
Never saw or even heard of any Cal-Trac suspension break or bend on some mighty fast cars. That and the set-up is as pretty straight forward and, as mentioned, once it's right, leave it forever. Not so true with four links as 'messing' with a pretty good set-up gets fellas, looking for a tad better hook, way off track afterwards unless they keep a measurement log book.
Heck, even some old slapper bar cars (think: Lakewood) run darned fast too!
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I know these work god
http://southsidemachine.com/product/1971-1973-ford-mustang-lift-bars/
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Those SSM bars are decent, better than slapper bars and not as good as a CalTrac. So in the middle more or less LOL.
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Any suspension will work, but remember shocks. Tuning that suspension takes ALL the components set correctly to work the best. ESPECIALLY with 900 hp. That is something you have to take into account. There is huge difference between launching/controlling a 500 hp engine and a 900 hp engine.
I'd vote for Caltracs in your "street car" situation. Thought I think it will be a moot point on the street. No matter how much street idiots....I mean street outlaws you watch you can't hook 900 hp on the "street", and I mean a real street. Not some overly prepped back road or parking lot.
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I know they are not perfect, but not that bad that they are a laughing mather ???