Slide-a-link or lakewood traction bars

[djennings2]

Which work better and where can I find a Slide-a-link? I will be lowered 4" in back and 450 HP

[Melonhead]

Depending on application, The slide a links are the best. The only pain is adjusting back and forth for road or track. The Lakewoods would be better for all around driving. The next situation is how are you lowered? If the 4" is just block, the ground clearance will be tight.

[JAMCAR223]

Competition Engineering makes slide-a-links, available at Summit. Caltrac makes the caltracs,which share the same type design as slide-a-link.Both of these brands will set you back almost $400 a pair. Lakewood makes the

slapper bars specifically for s10,and i think they are like $125 pair. Your budget may make up your mind on this decision,but i think the general concensus is the Caltracs arethe best.

Do a search on this site,and you will find plenty of info here.

[grimpuppy]

There are trucks on here hooking very well and pulling the front wheels with the Lakewoods, Caltracs, Slid-a-links, and SSM lift bars. All of them will work and when setup correctly, none really out preforms the other. You just have to decide which style you want to use and tune the suspension to work with them. No matter which one you go with you will have to tune the suspension to work with them. None of these will eliminate all your traction problems just by bolting them on.

[JAMCAR223]

Well said Grim. Which setup are you running??

What rear?? Gears?? I'm building a 620hp 468"

glide,and 8.8 rear w/4.10, 10.5 tire.Since im on a halfass budget,i'm thinking Lakewood slapper bars,wrapping my leafs with flat bar,and playing with my pinion angle.What do you think?? Ray what do you think??

[grimpuppy]

I have the lakewood setup. 9" rear and 4.10 gears. Ray has SSM lift bars. He is putting a lot more power to the ground than I am and he does it on drag radials. If you go with the lakewoods, consider lengthening them so the snubber hits the bottom of the frame in front of the spring eye. Lot more leverage that way.

[stroker1]

Here's my vote. I too have been running a modified set of slapper bars. Budget had alot to do with it. I was knocking out 1.55-1.56 60ft times. 7.08-7.10 in the eighth. They work. Just dont have much adjustment. They need some creative engineering. I just bought a set of caltracs from Zerogravity. I don't have them installed yet, but I have been exposed to them and helped adjust them on other cars for a long time. They are the most adjustable thing going for a stock suspension leaf spring set-up. Like Grim said they all will work if you know what your doing. But they are my choice. SSM lift bars are my 2nd choice. Just my opinion.



Stroker1 http://www.s10v8.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

[RopeS]

I'm thinking about this very same issue. I'm lowered in the back with 3" belltech springs and 2" blocks. Any opinions on which is the best for my setup? Wheel hop is uncontrollable right now. I have 8.5 posi rear with 3.42's. Money is not too much of an issue right now. I just hope I don't have to go back to stock leafs.

[rayL]

right now for best bolt on traction aid IMO is the cal trac or slide a link. a 600 horse big block is gonna make some torque so your gonna have to have something to stop the springs from wrapping up. moving the pinion angle positive will take some bite out of one but unless your controling the spring wrap putting negative pinion angle isnt gonna do much except make the springs wrap harder and unload. i would also consider dropping the gear a hair if it was mine. i run 4.10, grim runs 4.10, and the truck i just set up has 4.10s. I like a 4.10-4.30 gear with a small block. Big block i would look more towards a 3.70-3.90. Taking just that lil bit out makes a huge difference when trying to plant as much torque as your gonna make. Your on the right track. Good luck and let me know if i can help in anyway.

[rayL]

On 2007-06-22 01:26, djennings2 wrote:

Which work better and where can I find a Slide-a-link? I will be lowered 4" in back and 450 HP





slide a links

[JAMCAR223]

Thanks Grim & Ray! I will be talking to ya.

James-

[DMONOTJR]

i'm going to build me a set of "caltracs" for my truck. i believe it was grim that gave my the plans for them. they don't look to difficult to build.

[mzoomora]

On 2007-06-23 03:36, rayL wrote:

Big block i would look more towards a 3.70-3.90. Taking just that lil bit out makes a huge difference when trying to plant as much torque as your gonna make.



Or stay with the same gear and try a 28" tall tire. More contact patch and it will have the same effect as de-gearing the car.

Especially if you know someone who might let you try theirs for a few runs.

[djennings2]

I have 2" lowering leafs and 2" blocks 9" rearend 3.82 gear with detroit locker