What is the best way to make a leaf-spring car hook-up?

Question

67 Mustang, 302, 450hp on the dyno with nitrous, 4.86 gear, 4 speed, 28x9 MT et-drag slicks. I know nothing about making a leaf car hook.

Traction bars helped wheel hop, but not traction.

I rev the engine 8 grand, thus the 4.86 gear. I agree that with NOS a higher gear would be better, but it needs that low gear without it.

Answer 1

Traction bars installed on the leaf springs is the best way>

Answer 2

Sounds like you have over kill on the gears. What you don't mention is this, was this a V8 car to start with. The rear leaf springs are possibly a light weight set. If they are stock and from a small block or 6 cylinder car originally they won't support the amount of torque you are adding to everything. Try finding replacement rear leaf springs that are heavy duty or for big block specs. The Mustang GT had a different set of springs front and rear to support the extra horsepower and weight. I would suggest going with a rear leaf with a 5 leaf configuration, you might have a 2 leaf or 3 right now and it is not enough. Look up Year One or JEGS for hipo suspension parts. I use to work at classic industries and a lot of people would build cars with stock 6 or small block 8 suspension and had a lot of problems with handling and racing.

Answer 3

put lighter gears in... 4.86 are way overkill, you should be running 4.30s or 4.10s if youre running a quarter, or at the end youll be over-revving. if youre running an eighth its not so much of a problem. also, be careful with the nitrous on a production 302 block, they tend to split down the middle- right through the lifter valley.

Answer 4

Try air bagging the suspension on the car, kind of like they do on pickups that tow a lot of weight. Basically, they place air bags on the rear of the vehicle and then inflate them when needed with an internal air compressor controlled by the operator. It applies pressure to the axle helping to balance the whole platform and thus should keep axle hop to a minimum. It also improves regular riding in the car, as you can adjust pressure in the bags to soften or stiffen the suspension.

Answer 5

Agree with all the answers given,there are some savy people out there evidently. One other suggestion and that would be to add torsion bars and also brace up in the engine compartment tocounteract the twisting motion from the torque. Also a good idea is to brace the frame to add rigidity and keep it from twisting and flexing either in a X pattern or H pattern. Good luck sounds like you got one mean machine there.

Answer 6

Traction bars, 80/20 or adjustable front shocks to help the front rise and transfer weight to the rear, adjustable rear shocks to dial in the squat, trunk mounted battery---same as moving the engine back a foot for better weight distribution especially on pony cars. 60 lb battery moved back 10 feet = 600 lb engine moved back 1 foot.

Answer 7

do a search for Cal Tracs or Caltracs

Answer 8

pray you need at least 12" tires to hook that power. sounds like its time to tub