[F-1Rodder]

Someone recommended "Cal Tracks" as a device to help eliminate wheel hop on my leaf sprung truck. Anybody know what they are?

[Frisco]

Hello F-1.

CalTracs are a slightly different design of the original "traction bars". They work excellent with leaf spring suspension. Here is a link to them.

Cal Tracs

Here is another link on how to build your own and how they work.

How to build your own

[F-1Rodder]

Frisco: thanks a lot. I was pretty concerned about putting slapper bars on because the ride is stiff enough already. The Do- it- yourself solution looks like an effective and inexpensive way to work the problem. I will give it a try.

[F-1Rodder]

Frisco: I want to thank you for the link to Cal Trac and the information about fabricating them at home.

I took the fabrication idea a little different direction. I welded a drop-down bracket onto each side of my axle and hung both my shock absorbers and a connection point for the traction bar on the bracket. The bracket aligns with my frame rail forward of the axle. I then welded a bracket onto the bottom of the frame rail. I made a reinforced "L" bracket (Bell Crank) which pivots on the frame bracket and ran the link back to the differential bracket with a an adjustable ball joint on each end. On the top of the "L" bracket I mounted a sturdy rubber bumper. So I adjust the traction bar length to the point where the rubber bumper nearly touches the frame.

It works great, there is still normal suspension travel, but under acceleration, the differential winds up a very small amount, the rubber bumper contacts the frame rail and the torque lifts the nose of my truck about 2". There is absolutely no further rotation of the differential.

[Frisco]

Sounds great F-1!!!

If you get the opportunity; post some photos. This would be a great help for others.

[F-1Rodder]

I have digital picutures, but I don't know how to post them. Do you know how?