will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

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71 chevy
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will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#1 Post by 71 chevy » Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:22 pm

hi guys, Im setting up my car for the track. its a 71 nova stock suspension with multileafs. I already have 1" solid lowering blocks from supernova but its still not low enough.

my question is, if I remove a leaf to lower it some more(or have the springs dearched at a shop) which reduces the spring rate, will it hurt my traction?

the rear setup is
mt et drag 275/60/15
smith max trax bars
multileafs
not decided on shocks yet.

thanks for any information

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Craig W.
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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#2 Post by Craig W. » Wed Mar 31, 2010 8:39 pm

My car responded favorably to a softer rear spring, so I think you may find increased traction with the proper setup.
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supernova
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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#3 Post by supernova » Wed Mar 31, 2010 9:06 pm

Do you have a picture of your car? And can you post it here?
Blackhoodmafia!!!! :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

1972 Nova SS
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John_Heard
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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#4 Post by John_Heard » Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:00 pm

Skip all that and buy a set of calvert split mono springs. If money is an issue, find a set of stock mono leafs, if that don't work, start taking the leafs out.

PS - Also get rid of the stock rubber stuff.

71 chevy
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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#5 Post by 71 chevy » Wed Mar 31, 2010 10:14 pm

John_Heard wrote:Skip all that and buy a set of calvert split mono springs. If money is an issue, find a set of stock mono leafs, if that don't work, start taking the leafs out.

PS - Also get rid of the stock rubber stuff.
I will be changing to a 4 link down the road so I dont want to spend a lot of money on the leaf spring setup. on the stock monoleafs, what kind of spacer or bracket do I need to run to allow them to work with my multileaf mounts?

plus, I saw a nova on saturday at pinks all out racing on multileafs and slidealinks, untubbed, and he was leaving out HARD. 427 sbc and he was hanging with a bunch of the big tire cars. he got eliminated for going too fast lol.

supernova, I dont have pics of my car. I'll get some

craig, thanks for the input. I think I'll go ahead and try removing a spring.

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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#6 Post by 427belair » Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:03 pm

My nova was running in the 10.5x with a low 1.5 60' range with stock multi leafs on a 28x10 tire with STOCK suspension and napa shocks with slapper bars, not cal tracs or slide a links. My dads an old hot rodder and we did what they used to do back in the day, which was a mopar style leaf spring, added 2 leafs in the center, and bolted the slapper bars tight to the springs. This took me to 1.47 60' and high 10.30's. The rest of the guys on here have way more experence and way faster cars than I do, but this worked for me.
If you look into it a bit you could get some better shocks that will help your launch and still be able to reuse them with the 4 link.
Also I did 4 link the car and with a change to 28x10.5w's and some no name single adjustable shocks got my 60's down to 1.31 and 9.79's in the 1/4 with no changes to the motor. Jason

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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#7 Post by John_Heard » Thu Apr 01, 2010 6:56 am

To you the stock mono's with a multi-leaf mount, If memory serves me right you'll need to rig up some kind of spacer because of the way the spring mount works on the rear end. You'll need to make sure that the spring centering pin locates correctly also. I remember drilling those pins out to put a bolt in them to work with Mopar Style leaf mounts years ago, that was fun. Spring steel is tough to drill.

Why are you switching to a 4-link? Are you going to run Outlaw 10.5?

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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#8 Post by 71 chevy » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:46 am

Thanks guys.
427belair,how much did it cost you to do the 4link with cheap springs. I'm just trying to establish an estimate on price.

John, thanks. I know it must be tough to drill those spring because smith gave me a carbide bit lol when I went to pick up my max trax. The new design has you drilling one hole in each spring.

I'm considering a 4 link because I want to radically lower my car and put some very big tires under it

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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#9 Post by 427belair » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:50 am

I cant remember right off hand but I bought the welded 4 link kit from checkered racing made my own tubs and tin from sheet aluminum. I think I had right around $2000 in it give or take $200. We also narrowed our rear end ourselves. Dont make the same mistake I did and not narrow your rear end enough, I wish now that I would have gone 4" narrower on each side to be able to fit a taller tire. Because of the rear being too wide we can only fit a 29" tall tire were as we could have fit a 32" tire if it were narrower.

Take into consiteration your going to need
4 link kit
shocks
narrowed rear end
new axles
interior tin and wheel tubs
new rims and tires
subframe connectors if you dont already have them and Im sure I am forgetting some thing
good luck Jason

71 chevy
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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#10 Post by 71 chevy » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:18 pm

thanks for the info 427belair

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Re: will removing a leaf spring leaf reduce traction?

#11 Post by sc racing » Fri Apr 02, 2010 9:11 am

If you have to drill spring steel use a Cobalt bit at slow speed,light pressure and spay it with machining oil to keep it cool. You can drill new holes with no problem. If you decide to do a mono spring swap with the multi leaf pads just measure how deep the pad is add a block or a few short pieces of leafs to the spring so it doesnt sit in the pad.

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