[mrtleavitt]

So are these things really cracked up for what they are advertised for?
Will they provide a good ride for a street car?
Let's hear your thoughts, opinions, and experiences!

http://www.globalwest.net/64-66-must...ckle-kits.html

"Del-A-Lum Shackle Kits: A bushing that works like a bearing!

Del-A-Lum bushings are perfect for street, drag and autocross applications. Installation requires the bushing housings to be pressed into the frame and the leaf spring eyelets. Inserts and thrust washers separate the housings and springs from metal to metal contract and provide total isolation. The inserts and thrust washers also provide a bearing surface for the bushing. This design makes the bushings operate similar to a bearing. Grease fittings are installed and the housing is grooved internally for grease penetration. Del-A-Lum bushings also provide lateral control of the leaf springs.

TECH TIP- When a vehicle leaves the line hard in a drag race application, the forward portion of the leaf will try to deflect inboard. This action will make the car walk sidewalks. Del-A-Lum bushings will stop the leaf from walking inboard.

TECH TIP- For drag racing applications, a lot of people place a solid type bushing in the front eyelet and leave the rear bushings in rubber or poly. Do not do this!!! Rubber and polyurethane will allow the rear portion of the leaf to walk laterally. If the front bushing is solid mounted, the length of the leaf becomes a long torque arm reacting on the forward mounting point. It is trying to rip the mount out of the car. The solution is to use a Del-A-Lum shackle kit and remove the problem.

TECH TIP- Autocross applications: Leaf spring bushings during hard cornering allow the rear end to move laterally. This creates a rear end tracking problem that is evident with tire rubbing and sluggish suspension response. This can also promote oversteer."

[MustangOne]

I would use New stock leaf springs with Cal Tracs Works a lot better.

[Countryboy_99]

And what do Cal Tracs do exactly and how do they work? I'm not excessively knowledgeable about handling, suspension, and its components so I would appreciate any light you can shine on that subject for me.

[mrtleavitt]

Caltracs will keep the leaf spring from wraping up under hard acceleration...aka wheel hop. Where Caltracs exceeds other brands of traction bars is that the front mount of the Caltracs is allowed to pivot with the leaf springs so that there is no binding as where most traction bars have one end of the bar is fixed and one end pivots so it does in fact restrict leaf spring travel. But I was under the impression that the del-a-lum bushings aren't for that, but for lateral movement meaning that a panhard bar would not be needed. With the del-a-lum bushings the information about them says that they will pivot freely as compared to rubber and poly bushings meaning that there is no bind or friction and the leaf spring and shock will work without the bushing bind.

This is what I've gathered so what I am understanding is that caltracs does not provide lateral stability. In other words these two parts do two different jobs.

[Countryboy_99]

Ah. Thanks for the info.