Traction needed

[Cuda54]

I have a 1972 Cuda with a 525hp 440-6 auto with 3.23 gears with traction bars. L-60-15s on the rear and it still burns tires hard I would like to get it to hookup better any ideas?

[Chryco Psycho]

better tires makes a huge difference Try a Nitto DOT Drag radial
 other than that clamping the front section of the springs helps , the best raction I have ever had was with a 32" ladderbar set up , the front wheels had trouble staying on the ground that way .
  have not seen any improvemnts using Caltrac systems

[torredcuda]

Sticky tires and getting wieght transfer are the keys.Street driven a lot?depending on how the car is driven you might get by with 70/30 front shocks and maybe softer torsion bars.

[hotrod98]

Change the rear springs out for super stock springs and use the Rancho adjustable shocks from Caltrac. Set the left side one notch stiffer than the right. You need to add a pinion snubber. My 71 Cuda street radial car is set up this way and hooks hard with street tires.
My Pro/No-E 71 Cuda is set up the same way but will soon have a four link setup.
At some point you have to decide whether you want a good riding streetable car or a drag car.

[vinb]

14"x32" Slicks and a ladder-bar or four-link would be nice....
Don't forget the wheelie bars..
 

[Cuda54]

Well I do have the super stock spring on too. Which would be better AlterKtion or ladder bars or a 4 link? I just ordered a set of 15x8" Crager SS to get more rubber on the ground. The radials I have on now seam a little hard that might be some of it too. Looking for a cool cruiser and the drag strip is only 5 miles from my house. So I will go play over there too. I have a set of ET drag tires for that but I have not tried them out yet.

[hotrod98]

Most of the really consistent cars at our track run four link. You would need to back-halve the car though to convert to four link properly. One of my 71's has been back-halved but still has the super stock setup...for now.
You might try adding 75 lbs of weight in the trunk. Bolted down properly of course. Be sure and check your pinion angle every time you make any change to the suspension.

[Cooter]

If I'm not mistaken, Ladder Bars need a Floater set up to operate properly on a leaf spring car. Alot of work IMO...


I've had the best luck with Hoosier tires...Hook like hell, but you don't want to try for a mileage records though.

[Cuda54]

It is not setting any mileage records now. It is a race tho between the tach and speedo going up and the gas gage going down.

[cudadave72]

My Cuda has very simular power. At first I had some regular radial tires on it. At 60 mph I could turn the car sideways. It was dangerous to say the least. I switched over to a 275-60-15 Mickey Thompson drag radial and now the car hooks great even on the street. With stone stock suspension the car runs 11.30s. I have since invested in Cal-tracs, Ranco 9 ways and am waiting on some Calvert racing rear springs which should help out even more.

[Cuda54]

My 72 is the same color as yours but my hockey stripe is white with 440 in it. Right now I have ralley rims on it with 14" up front and 15" on the rear. I have a set of 15"x8" Crager SS coming for it. I have super stock springs 3.30 gears posi 2800 stall torque converter hemi band in a built 727 trans. My engine is a 440-6 with 525hp it has a lot of chrome on it too. My car was a 340 but the engine was changed before I bought it.

[Chryco Psycho]

the ladderbars are less work to install than a full 4 link & yes you need a floater ,but the set up is easier & the traction is awesome , I have had good luck using Nitto drag radials from discount tire

[hotrod98]

I was planning to convert one of my 71 cudas to four link but the guy at one of the dyno shops here in town said that I should go ladder bar instead. Why are they easier to set up than a four link? I thought the four links were the best way to go. I raced dragsters for 30 years so these door cars are all new to me.

[Chryco Psycho]

well a 4 link is harder to install & has about 200 possible settings , a ladder bar is a no brainer & flat out works

[6PKRTSE]

I have Cal Tracs with split mono leafs on the back of my 70 Challenger with the Doctor Diff 1" in board kit to fit 315 M/T Drag Radials. Haven't had it out to test them yet. But there are several 7 & 8 second small tire cars out there using them.
I didn't want the whole ladder bar / 4 link race car theme under my car since its still going to be a street/strip (mostly strip) car even with the twin turbo HEMI.