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Which would be better for a street/strip setup? Using stock springs with 10 inch street drag slicks. Will be racing In the Friday night street legal drags.

Ladders have less arc travel (think binding when going over stuff) and the heims will need to be replaced fairly often (pricey). If very limited, I can see it. One thing to think of though, is it's harder to get a race when you got ladder bars than it is with slappers. Make sure the slapper snubbers contact under the spring eye (Most are too short, ou will have to lengthen them.) Do Competion Engineering or such (Lakewoods are too flimsy, I have bent them often). I have been in the 9's 1/4 mile wise like that with a set of 26x10.5 slicks...

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What kind of motor were ypu running to hit the 9's with that setup? My 383 should produce 450-500 N/A

406 and a bottle...

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What about caltracs?

One of the members here had a sweet little truck that ran them. Not sure what was involved in getting them as I don't think Calvert lists them for a LUV. (they might now though since he got those)...

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They don't seem to terribly hard to make. A but mote involved than the slapper though. Is there much benefit over slappers?

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What about the IC(instant center) measurement should that come into play when figuring how long ladder bars or slappers to run?

IMO cal-tracks or under-bar traction devices are not really better than slapper bars, but they are much easier to tune to track conditions with a couple wrenches, that is why I like them. Slappers you wind up using shim "wedgies" to change preload or pinion angle. IC is not a major factor, but if you are fabbing your own set you can take that into account, but pinion angle seems to have the most effect on bite. Factors such as gear ratio, foot brake/trans brake and weight transfer will effect what works best for your truck. If you are after the best short time, then focus your attention on front suspension once you get the rear to "hook".

Derek

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LUV Truck Desserter!
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73 LUV (rusting away at the moment)
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63 Nova
74 Camaro

Now is a slide-A-link just basicly a length adjustable caltrac?

Yes the sliders work much the same, I have never used them yet, but they may have some street friendly benefits. They seem to be quieter on the street. Caltracs for example always slap the leaf spring when you articulate the rearend, ie. driveways, turns, speed bumps, and it can be annoying to some. Personally my nova makes so much racket on the street I really don't notice the clanks and bangs coming from the suspension however. One thing I forgot to mention earlier, is the caltracs/sliders usualy fit better, and allow more tire to fit. I had to run caltracs on my 63 nova for tire clearance more than anything, as slapper bars ran into the tire where the "J" bolts go through. Most guys saw off the ears and don't run the Jbolts for this reason.

Several years back I found a guy on ebay (DSHOP2000) that fabricated custom cal-tracs bars, and together we designed a set to fit chevy LUV leafs, simular to S10 bars but with a different length transfer bar, and they worked really well. He made the set on my nova as well. But he has since folded up and I do not know what he is doing now days, but he was not really doing any custom fab work due to legal issues. I think John Calvert is still making them though.

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LUV Truck Desserter!
76 Daily driver (SOLD)
73 LUV (rusting away at the moment)
---------------------------------------------
63 Nova
74 Camaro

IC is important . I was fortunate enough to have a chassis guy lay it out for me . He took my truc and a paint pen and started laying it out on his shop floor . It plays a key role in set .

IMO slapper bar help plant the tires due to axle rotation . Caltracs are a 4 link set up using the leaf as part of the link . Cal-tracs you can also adjust the instant center . This gives you the ability to move the IC vs just pushing on the spring eye . Slapper bars help , Cal-tracs work !

The reason I mentioned the I/C is at the track that I bogg at they got a fast track for dirt racers and I've been looking at alot of truck's since I've built mine and the ones that don't have 4 link's under them some of them that does very good have very long ladder bar's under them kinda look's like they took a jack and kept moving forward on the frame until they balanced the truck and then installed the ladder bar hook up there with three or four hole adjustment's, makes alot of sense too me for weight transfer( a longer bar under something can move and balance more weight than a short one) and I'm going too experiment with this some on my race truck and build my own. AND THEY AIN'T SAYING NOTHING!

THat is how it is done. I ran a 69 Firebird in the dirt drags, and the front heim was at the front fender, (car had a BBC). The 2wd LUV I did (SBC) had the front heim at the rear door edge...

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Thank's Mytmouz for that vote, You know what I have built and I'm trying too tune this thing in and havn't had time to get started on the ladder bars.