I'm starting to figure out a ladder bar set up for my 55' and it seems like a floating axle housing makes alot of sense. can someone say whether, or how much, the floating housing changes the rear end hieght of the car? i like the stance I have now but just looking at the pics of the housing it looks like it's going to be quite a bit lower. like I said I'm just starting to think the ladder bar set up through. thanx Charlie
The floater goes on the axle tube, beside the mount point, nothing to do with the ride height. Scotty
Dammit, now I can't find the pics, you're looking at the ones that slide on the leaf springs, I've seen others that go beside them. Scotty
It depends on the exact design of the floater ***embly. There are a few designs out there: The ones in the first picture are the only type that I have actually used. They were within 1/2" of the spring-to-axle distance as the stock spring perches, so, a 1/2" drop, on a spring-under-axle setup.
With a ladder bar and leaf springs, using housing floaters would would be a benefit. I prefer to build them with a rotating collar, and a lower pivot. Here are some we brewed up for a '55 Chev G***er.
The last two pictures that Gimpy has allow you to adjust the ride height if you need to. I thought heavily about using these until I decided to just do coilovers for the added tuneability at the strip.
On another note, my old man is running an adjustable 4-link with leaf springs in his '38 Chevy sedan. We have the Compe***ion Engineering floaters shown in Gimpy's first pic, but never got around to installing them. That thing binds so bad it snaps grade eight bolts regularly on the 4-link mount. We HAVE TO install these floaters soon. Anywho, definitely make sure your going to use floaters if you use ladders and leafs.
thanks guys this is exactly the information I'm looking for. Both Summit and Jegs carry the floaters in the first and third picture but not the second one. Anyone have a source for those? I'm leaning towards the floater in the third picture if they all work the same. I like the cheaper price and I'm using a 1" lowering block right now, which I should be able to ditch with the floating housing in the third picture.
Marty, thanks for the sharing the pics, beautiful work. Any suggestions for the axle bracket that I use? My plan is go with a set from Summit and also use their ladder bar cross member and bracket kit.
Chris Alston Ch***iworks has a nice one. Pretty reasonable price, too. I'd lean towards the ones that allow you to adjust ride height. www.cach***isworks.com (I think)
Of the three pictured, my choice would be the 3rd one as well, however the top straps look light to me. For the street, you might think about welding an 1.1/2" wide plate to tie the vertical brackets together, to prevent side flex.
Hi guys can you please explain the benefit of using this instead of a coil over? Just the pros and cons I guess. Thanks Andy
Um one benifit is that you already have leaf springs and you don't have to add a cross member to mount the coil over to? You also don't have to figure spring rates for the coil over or shell out the cash to buy coilovers. Another benefit is that if you by some freak of the imagination bust a spring in Stayl Sandwhich, OK or Pig Snarf, MO you are more likely to find a spring shop that can repair your leaf spring or a junk yard that has something that will work than to find a coil over. I could go on but you get the point right?
Well, you wouldn't have to totally re-engineer the whole rear suspension if you stick with the leaves that are already in place. Sometimes its just a preference thing also.
Hey Eric, thanks for the link. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow and see what they'd recommend. the floating axle looks an awful lot like the one in the third picture above...same as Summits product but I give those guys enough business already, might spread the wealth a little bit to the local guy. As far as the four link versus the leaf spring I hadnt really thought about the suspension so much until later in the build an I alrleady had bought a new 5-leaf, leaf spring so I"m pretty much married to it at this point. today the body goes back on the frame (the wife is tired of seeing the body on sawhorses in the driveway) so the suspension work will be done with the body on. I actually think that a good thing though. The angle and hieghts of the pivot points for the ladder bar seem to be important to get neutral...as far as I can tell from reading other guys posts.
No problem. Your work looks good. What are your intentions? All strip or some street too? Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I totally get how this works on a dirt track racecar....but on a drag car are you guys trying to lift the front end to transfer weight back or are you trying to create anit-squat by floating the rear end? I totally understand how combining a four-link with leafs would create a ton of probs.
You float the rear to keep the springs from binding. The rear has to rotate because the length of the ladder bar will not change nor will it let the pinion agle to change. Same with a 4 link. What the ladder bar or 4 link bar does is allow you to use instant center to plant the rear tires sollidly against the pavement. Yes is is a form of weight transfer. let me see if I can find an illustration for you.
It'll be for both. I have one major trip with it planned when I'm done to go down to Bakersfield in March of 2014. 500 mile round trip
Anderegg: The ladder bars and rear end travel in different arcs which create a binding condition in the rear suspension. If the rear can move freely back and forth it takes the bind out. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
So pork's picture shows a four link but what I understand is when a ladder bar is used with the leaf spring the different radius lengths between the leaf spring and ladder bar tend to result in binding and broken parts. so the key is to use the floating housing and also to get the ladder bar set up in a neutral position with relation to the leaf spring. There's a picture of what i wish i could explain better on the internet...I'll see if I can find it and post.
Nice. I'm a big fan of street/strip, I just love the idea of race cars for the street. Mine is heading the same way, but will lean more towards the strip side of things. Good luck with it! Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
OK, this is off topic but does anyone know why the pictures flip upside down? I try to attach it either upside down, or right side up and either way it show up upside down! my daughter posted it on FB and it came out just fine.
I have only used the first set, Compe***ion Engineering[SIZE=-2][FONT=Arial,Helvetica] [/FONT][/SIZE](Moroso) C2030, because I grew up a short drive from Moroso. Tradition, habit, you know. I have been able to get them to work really well, but others might work better. I just don't know. http://www.compe***ionengineering.com/catalog/CategoryDisplay.asp?CatCode=10047 Oh, and Cktasto, I am on the other side of the big pile of rocks to your West, if you get stuck, or need a pair of hands not likely to stab himself in the eye, with a hammer. Be aware that this will change the street handling. With a pair of ladder bars, going straight forward from the axle, solidly mounted to the axle, with heim joints at the front, you are essentially turning your axle housing into a big anti-sway bar. Take it easy on the street, until you learn how the rear suspension then works. Oversteer can be an issue, but that is manageable with prudent cornering speeds, and responsible use of the big pedal, in corners.
ok, so as I understand it there is a difference between "floating" a housing and "sliding" the housing and or combining the two. My understanding is floating is on its rotational axis then sliding is to compensate for the two or more different arcs combining suspension styles will create. Seems like a bunch of over thinking and over engineering to me unless there is some kind of rule restriction that is being worked around. Guess its a left turn brain thing. When that happens to me on my pics, its because when I took them my phone didnt have the opportunity to orient itself before I took the pic....if that makes sense. Make sure your icons on your phone screens are pointed in the right direction before you take the pic.....I hate that I know this....bleh
Hey Gimpy, how do you play in this hobby in SF? I cant imagine anyplace in the city with a garage! I have an office in SF that I go to occ***ionally but mostly on the road. sure appreciate the offer of help, I may take you up on it, let me know if you go to the GG shows out here. Charlie
I work for other people. I had my own shop, for a decade, but have been working for other shops for the last few years. Nowadays, I mostly hire out, since nobody seems to want to hire-on somebody permanently, or if they do, they want them, part-time, no benefits, at $13/hr. (in the SF Bay Area!) If I can find the magic combination of zoning, and achievable rent, I will get another shop.
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