HotRod

Let talk about the differences in the way the two main bars (Rancho and CalTracs)funtion.

Ive had some questions on this subject for a while, now is the time to ask.
It seems to me, the longer bars on the Ranchos would have more leverage to press the tires into the pavement. The shorter C-Ts might hit harder initially and then unload a few feet out of the hole. Is this true? I feel I need a more overall bite than a quick hit and maybe spin.
Compare the Ranchos to a ladder bar setup. The ladders are 32" long, and they are said to have VERY good traction control. The Ranchos are longer than that, even. Not being an engineer, I dont know if the Ranchos are emulating the ladders or are totally different. The C-Ts seem to be more like a Southside bar on a Mustang. They hit hard and can unload the tire a few feet out.
If any of this makes sense to you guys, please add your input. Im looking to buy a set of bars in about 2 months and want to buy the best, first. How much better will my 60ft times get? Ive gone 1.75 with only the shim trick. Thanks for your input.

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Rod K.

'93 Lightning #1529 NLOC #675
13.27 @ 101.55 Au Natural
12.67 @ 102.52 Kinda juiced..
'98 SVT Contour E1 #5782
'00 Suzuki Bandit S1200 10s??

crashbach

I am looking to buy some bars in a few months too but I don't know which ones to get either. I went on Calvert's website who is the guy that makes Cal-Tracs and they look pretty good but I also wonder about their length (I'm no engineer either). Any help on this would be greatly apreciated, I am already having to put a new trans in and don't need anything else to blow up!

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Black 95 # 1356
NLOC # 218
13.24@99.04 1.78 60'
There is nothing made
that can't be sprayed

Don's Bolt

I have had both the Caltracs and the ranch bars on my Gen2 Lightning. The Ranchos are much better. The Caltracs were a pain in the but, on the street they rattled, clanked, loaded and unloaded all the time over bumps even when adjusted properly.

The Ranchos you install and forget. No adjusting for the track and readjusting for the street.

I highly recomend the Rancho bars

http://public.fotki.com/dhco/lightning/jdmtracbar1.html

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12.454 @ 109.49MPH

HotRod

Thats interesting. The Ranchos dont bind up and the CalTracs do?? Thats good to know for a daily driven street machine. They are quiet and dont have any adjustments, too.


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Rod K.

'93 Lightning #1529 NLOC #675
13.27 @ 101.55 Au Natural
12.67 @ 102.52 Kinda juiced..
'98 SVT Contour E1 #5782
'00 Suzuki Bandit S1200 10s??

JR

I believe Jim's [JDM]short time is 158
I took off the cal-tracs. Ins. JDM ranchos,
much much better.Like Don said install and
forget.
JR

Thundrn_Lightning

Rod,

The CalTracs use a solid bushing in the leaf spring, thus all the clanking and general noise and vibration. That alone has steered me away from them. The Ranchos use urethane bushings and swing through such a broad arc that there is very little bind in the motion - better for the street scene.

Also, it has been suggested that the geometry of the Ranchos somewhat make the rear suspension act like a 4-link. I have not gotten out my chassis books to study that yet (yes, I am a geeky engineer ), but I will check it out. Like I said above, I bought my Ranchos simply on the notion of not having solid bushings. Solid bushings = bad on a street vehicle.

I will get back with ya on the Rancho geometry thing.

Hope that helps.

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- Kevin
Black '94 #907


[This message has been edited by Thundrn_Lightning (edited 12-02-2001).]

HotRod

Yeah, thanks guys for the input. I am wanting to get as much info on this subject as I can. I just have the feeling the longer Ranchos have the upper hand in the ability to plant the tires.
Kevin, thanks for doing the research for us. I dont really know where to look for something like this. You cant go by what the companies tell you, their product is always the best.

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Rod K.

'93 Lightning #1529 NLOC #675
13.27 @ 101.55 Au Natural
12.67 @ 102.52 Kinda juiced..
'98 SVT Contour E1 #5782
'00 Suzuki Bandit S1200 10s??

MO351

I've never seen a price for the Ranchos (or even the Cals). How much are the Ranchos???

How will they affect handling on the road?

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Adam B.
1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019
A few more L pics

[This message has been edited by MO351 (edited 12-03-2001).]

FMOS Racing

Let me see if I can save you a little time, Kevin, since I'm another geeky engineer and did pour over this quite a bit.

This may wax long, so take a deep breath, get a soda, and have a seat. LOL!

::Fires up the Robert Palmer MP3s::

Ok, first the basics about what we're trying to prevent by using traction bars. I'm sure you've all at one time or another felt the rear end of the truck stutter step and shake when you've made a hard launch. What you're feeling is called "wind-up" or "axle-tramp" and is caused by the axle loading and unloading the leaf springs around the axis of the axle.

What happens is that as the driveline transmits torque to the ground, the axle has to react in direct opposition to that - Isaac Newton decided that for us. That equal and opposite reaction causes the axle to rotate opposite to the direction that the wheel turns and as it does it bends the leaf spring into an "S" shape, arcing the forward portion of the leaf upward and the rear portion downward (see the diagram).



When this happens, the axle and differential rotate out of position and that changes the angle that the driveshaft meets the differential at. This can lead to u-joint binding and failure, pinion failure, spring failure, etc etc.

Eventually the energy stored in the “wound-up” spring has to be released. When this happens, the axle “snaps” back into place, usually lifting the tire off the ground when it does. As you can imagine, this isn’t particularly good for traction and can also damage other rear end components like the axle gears because of shock and movement. Again, not a good thing. So, in history or racing, some creative methods have been invented to reduce or eliminate axle tramp. These include everything from the simple – stiffer springs and snubbers – to the elaborate – 4-link rear suspensions. The two gizmos we’re most interested, the Calvert Racing Cal-Tracs system and the Rancho Torque Arms, lie in-between.

John Calvert came up with the Cal-Tracs system for drag racing. He raced in NHRA "stock" classes that mandated certain suspension components and tire sizes. Only bolt-on options are usable in these classes and prior to Calvert's work, that limited the class to stiffer leafs and snubbers. What Calvert came up with was radically innovative and I personally admire the simplicity and effectiveness of the piece.

Physically, the Cal-Tracs consists of three pieces - a connection to the bottom of the axle, a pivot around the front spring pearch, and a bar that links the two together.

The Cal-Tracs works by taking the rotational energy of the axle and using it to hold the spring straight. Again, the axle tries to move opposite the rotation of the wheel with equal and opposite the force of the wheel pushing against the ground. The Cal-Tracs takes this force from the bottom of the axle and transfers it forward. Part of the force is turned about the pivot at the front of the spring to push back against the spring itself and prevent it from winding up. The rest of the force is used, like a ladder-bar or 4-link, to enhance weight transfer. The downside here is that only part of the force is used and the lever arm is only as long as the front half of the leaf spring.

They work great. They're compact and hide inconspicuously behind the rear wheels and against the leaf springs. Great pieces of work.

The Rancho Torque Arms are originally from the Rancho 4x4 suspension setup and as far as I know, my truck pioneered their use on Lightnings. They're just an adaptation of the tried-and-true torque arm suspension components that are used in everything from road racing to offroading. I'd stop well short of calling them a "handling improvement" on the Lightnings, but they certainly work perfectly as a traction enhancer.

The Torque-Arms work by taking that rotational force from the axle and transferring it to the frame of the vehicle. Rather than working back against the spring to keep it from bending, they simply form a rigid lever against the axle's rotation so that there is simply no way the axle can wind up. All of the rotational force (multiplied somewhat by the offset of the tube mount from the bottom of the axle) is transferred via ~4' long torque tubes to the frame of the vehicle, which enhances weight transfer.

The tubes pivot at each end and their length is matched to the vehicle so that the rear suspension will continue to move through it's normal arc with no binding.

They work amazingly well. They're a bit more in-your-face and take up considerable real estate under the truck compared to the Cal-Tracs.

It's my opinion that the superiority of the torque arms come from two things - the length of the arms and the rigid (along the axis of force) mounting. They work basically like ladder bars without the downside of the ladders - the rough street handling. They're definitely not in the same league as a properly tuned 4-link, but I don't think many of our trucks are in need of that league either! ($$$$)

Anyway... that's my take on the subject.

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Later!
Jeff S.
NLOC #025, VP Gen 1s
Lightning #74 in '95 - Stroked and soon to be blown
Lightning #582 in '00 - Traded
1999 SVT Contour
1993 Probe GT - 15.36@89.7 stock daily driver

[This message has been edited by FMOS Racing (edited 12-03-2001).]

HotRod

Thanks a TON, Jeff. What you just stated were my thoughts exactly. The Ranchos are better because, Well, Yeeeaahhhhh. I do think the Ranchos are going to find their way under the Big Red Machine in the spring.

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Rod K.

'93 Lightning #1529 NLOC #675
13.27 @ 101.55 Au Natural
12.67 @ 102.52 Kinda juiced..
'98 SVT Contour E1 #5782
'00 Suzuki Bandit S1200 10s??

CATMAN

If you are going the track alot I would go with the Cal-Tracs,you may find a slick track one of these nights and with the power we are making now you need to be able to put a little more pre-load in them.I don't have mine anymore kinna got out of racing for a bit but I did it for a living back a few years ago. If you are not going to the track on a regular basis then use the one you are most comfortable with.

sstock

Yeah what Jeff said, lol!
Nice engineering lesson.
I followed suit and put mine on last winter, I have only one regret, and that is that it should of been my first upgrade, before exhaust,before blower etc.. I learned the hard way and had Jeff's engineering lesson taught to me through my wallet! To make the long story short, axle windup then release causes the dreaded hop. When your truck goes to the hop it is cycling between axle windup and unloading of the tires which causes severe fluctuations of the pinion angle at the rear yoke. This can and will cause u-joint failure in short order, and if unlucky like me you will replace the spicers,input, and driveshaft,ouch. If your truck is lowered with hangers it futher worsens the effect with even poorer pinion angles. BTW if you have lowered your truck with hangers make sure you spend the $9 and put the shim kit in.
Remember if you like holeshots and dragstrip action get some kind of traction device.
BTW, I paint matched mine and I like them alot. Have had many people ask me about what those bars do, I grin and tell them, it keeps me from poppin a wheely.
Later
Steve

Thundrn_Lightning

Thanks Jeff!!!



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- Kevin
Black '94 #907

FAT

My next purchase!!!!!!!!

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2001 WHITE XXX LIGHTNING
BD 02-19-01 #1045
RD 02-26-01
JL diablo chip
JL Lower pulley stock belt
JDM filter kit
BASSANI headers and catbacks
NGKTR6 PLUGS
FRPP single blade throttle body
FRPP 2" drop all around
FORD 4x4 trany pan

MO Lightning

Thinking more and more about selling the Cal-Tracs...


But they are such a pain to take off...

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Brendon Hale
Black '94L #620 born Thursday, February 24, 1994 NLOC #662
Green(ish) '84 Bronco II-hoosiermobile
'86 Honda CR125R MX'er