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Author
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Topic: A few questions about ladder bars.
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70coupe
Gearhead Posts: 483
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 08:09 AM
  
I'm going to install ladder bars in the next few weeks and was wondering if there's a particular brand that you would recommend? I thought about cal tracs but this car is for the track only and there are no restrictions on traction aids.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 6405
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 08:28 AM
Regardless of brand, get double adjustable bars, preferably with the adjuster on the bottom. They may cost a bit more, but are much more user freindly when you want to change preload (which you will do from time to time.)Personally, I really like Chassis Engineering's stuff. http://www.chassisengineering.com/
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70coupe
Gearhead Posts: 483
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 08:57 AM
These bars look like the ticket.
No. 3608: 32" Double Adjustable Ladder Bars.
Are these the ones that you are running?
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 6405
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 09:02 AM
Honestly, I don't what brand of bars are on my car, they were already on it when I bought the car. But, they are double adjustable like those. The bars that were on my granada weren't double adjustable, and they were a royal PITA when I wanted to change anything. I had to take them clear off to adjust preload or pinion angle. If I were going to buy bars for a new car, the Chassis Engineering bars you listed would be the ones I would get. I do have a set of their wheelie bars on my car, and they are some of the nicest I have seen.
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70coupe
Gearhead Posts: 483
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 09:15 AM
If you dont mind me asking another question. Have you ever run cal trac type bars? It seems to be a 50/50 split between the two. They are fairly close cost wise but want the best bang for my buck. I want the best traction I can get for a resonable price.
thanks again.
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kid vishus
Gearhead Posts: 6405
From: middle of NC
Registered: Oct 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 09:29 AM
Nope. I sure haven't. I went from slapper bars to ladderbars. I think for a race only car, ladderbars are better. But, I'm almost positive it would be easier to install Caltracs. To 'do' ladderbars correctly, you need to install a front crossmember, and if you want to retain leafsprings, you need to buy a good floater for the housing to sit on. Otherwise the bars/springs bind up and you dont get the full benefit (if any) from them. I guess it all depends on how much you are willing to spend, and how much work you are willing to do. I think ladderbars and coilovers is the 'best' way to go, but also the most work intensive and money expensive. 
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Moneymaker
Administrator Posts: 26813
From: Lyons, IL, USA
Registered: May 99
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posted 04-03-2004 11:03 AM
I have found that for most 65-70 Mustangs a 30 inch ladder link (double adjustable) bar works best.
As KV mentioned, they are useless without a floater. Also, don't forget the shocks.
Chassis Engineering has high quality products.
With labor, you are looking at probably three times the investment using ladder bars over Cal-Tracs and good shocks.------------------
Alex Denysenko
Co-Administrator and Moderator NHRA/IHRA/SRA member and licensed Superstock driver
MCA member# 53321
NHRA and IHRA SS/LA & SS/MA National Record Holder '00,'01,'02,'03,& '04
First SS/MA in the TENS!
IHRA division 5 Superstock Champion
Fleet of FoMoCo products including 88 ASC McLaren Mustang #28 The Barry of BarrysGrrl Quote #1: "I never met a magazine mechanic I liked."
Quote #2: "Make sure brain is in gear before engaging mouth!"
Quote #3: "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!"
www.moneymakerracing.com
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70coupe
Gearhead Posts: 483
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 11:31 AM
Thats a good point!
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Rory McNeil
Gearhead Posts: 1614
From: Surrey, B.C. Canada
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 12:33 PM
We ahve a couple of local guys running in the 9`s on CalTracs, they both like them them. As for ladder bars, like KV said, double adjustables are the way to go. When we built my Fairmont back in the mid 80`s, I bought a ladder bar kit from Art Morrison in Fife Washington, as it was only a few hours drive so I picked it up myself. The kit included single adjustable ladder bars with all solid rod ends, a crossmember, wheel tubs,a diagional link, & Morrisons "sort of a coil over" kit. This spring kit uses a small diameter coil spring with a conventional adjustable Gabriel shock inside. The cost at that time was $489.00 US which I thought was pretty decent. Despite having 58% of the weight over the front wheels, it still has gone 1.32 60 foots, with the front tires a foot or 2 in the air, so it works pretty good. Other than converting the bars to double adjustable, and replacing the solid front ladder bars rod ends with C/M sperical "Heim ends" , I havent done anything than minor adjustments to it. Replacing your leaf springs with something like that would knock a fair bit of weight off your car. Since you are in Ontario, have you tried contacting Bears Performance?------------------
78 Fairmont 428 4 speed 10.20@130mph
80 Fairmont 302 5 speed 12.8@105mph
85 Mustang NHRA Stocker 302 5speed. 13.04@101mph
59 Meteor (Canadian Ford) 2 dr sedan 332, auto
74 F350 ramp truck 390 4spd
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F551
Gearhead Posts: 263
From: Manitoba, Canada
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 12:39 PM
I don't know how fast your car is - but Cal-tracs are a bolt on and work!We use the Rancho shocks, brother uses Koni - as is pointed out on this site quite often, the HAL are the way to go if you want to spend the money. If you go to the effort of ladder bars, you might as well tub the car, narrow the rear end and be able to run the big tire. And if you go to all that trouble you may as well do a 4 link.  ------------------
Fred
68 Mustang 500CID/Powerglide - "No Tubs"
86 Mustang GT Cobra
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70coupe
Gearhead Posts: 483
From: Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-03-2004 01:55 PM
The car runs 11.70's but I'm putting a stronger 351c in next week. I'm hoping for mid to low 11's. I run a 28x10x15 slick with slapper bars. Best 60' is 1.58.I will try Bears perfomance on Monday and ask for their opinion as well. thanks [This message has been edited by 70coupe (edited 04-03-2004).]
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