Got my new brackets in today. I think they feel heavier than the other ones, so that is a good thing. Guess I will put them back on and try them out. If these break I will be P*SSED.

 

Thats good to hear.

 

What do you think of your lift bars (aside from the obvious quality control problems)? Do you think it would be a good addition to a car running low 13's?
Did they affect handling (other than straight line) at all?

Gimme all your impressions, nobody else seems to want to volunteer any info on the lift bars.
Thanks!

 

Bad84Z:

You're a gluttin for punishment. Those traction bars just bind up and lock up the rear suspension.
Sell them to someone else before ya kill your self.

Get some boxed control arms, new bushings and rear control arm lowering brackets. A Air-Lift air bag kit works much better too.
Those bars broke cause they are binding with the suspension.
They are also extremely dangerous if you happen to get a flat tire.

 

Traction bars and lift bars aren't the same thing, are they?
Did you just mistype, F-BIRD'88, or did you actually mean traction bars (like slapper bars, which he doesn't have)?

 

No I did not miss type or confuse the bars he has.
they are not lift bars. They are binder bars.
Lift bars work in the the same geometry arc as the factory control arms. These bolt on bars just interfer in the normal travel of the factory control arms.
They may reduce squat/ wheel hop during a launch but are doing it by binding up the suspension. That is why they cracked.

You can get a lift effect on launch by relocating the lower
control arm mounting point with a weld-on bracket.
This changes the factory built in anti dive geometry with a
anti squat geometry, and is free to travel normally and is tune able. And easy and effective way to preload the suspension (WITHOUT BINDING IT) and adjust the control arm geometry and pinion angle for different track/ traction conditions is with an air lift air bag kit.

He's going to kill himself or some one else with that junk.
A bad piece of engineering.

http://www.spohn.net/

I think if you asked Steve Spohn on the suspension board
he'll straighten you out on this.

A nice example of a real lift bar is Caltrac bars.

http://www.calvertracing.com/

 

Well, that is kinda hard for me to answer, because I got the car with them on there. And I am sure since they were cracked I was not getting the full effect of them. I can tell you since I took them off it seems like it handles a little more loosley. Like the suspension is not as stiff. Seems like with them you get less lean around turns, because they do plant the rear tires to the ground allowing the suspension to only give so much. It just gives the car a more stiff feeling. I am sure that I will notice more of a difference now, because the metal is suppose to be much stronger than the other. So I am sure I will get less flex than before. Hope this helps some. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask. Lifter bars would be a good addition, You just got to make sure you get them adjusted right for them to work properly. I will make sure and post on here whether or not the new brackets hold up or not.

 

F-BIRD'88, what do you think of the ssm lift bars. I know they are a totaly different design, and everyone I have talked to that has them seem to like them. Well, just what do you think of them?

Ben

 

Your confusing a stiffening of the suspension with and actual binding of the suspension.
All they are doing is stopping the suspension from compressing in corners. This will not improve handling. This is a dangerous condition. Thicker sway bars and stiffer springs are the right way to reduce body roll oin corners.
Replaceing the control arms and and control arm bushings
is the proper way to reduce suspension deflection.
When those bars are binding the suspension in a corner
the wheels can/will loose traction with the ground over bumps.
The car may feel stiffer but it will actual handle worse
especialy on an uneven road.
You'll never see those on a road race car. Not one that wants to win races.

 

Actually, I do not have factory control arms. These were purchased as a set. And they are traction lift bars. They were not just thrown onto the regular factory control arms.

 

Man, F-BIRD'88, quite a bit right now arent you? Anyway, you didnt answer my question about the ssm lift bars? What do you think of them?

Ben

 

http://www.lmperformance.com/1689/1.html

 

The SSM lift bar are ok for drag racing.
they don't really do much without the frame connectors thou.
thats why they are sold in a whole kit with other supporting parts.

There are better way to get improved traction and handleing on a street griven car. I'd only use them on a strip only car.

 

Actually I was reading the add that bad84z posted, and it says "These bars feature an ''adjustable'' load control strut to allow right or left side suspension pre-load for fine tuning the chassis under various track conditions." This would lead me to believe that the lift bar acts as a strut and if that is the case if it is adjusted properly it should alow the suspension to travel because it would slide in and out it would just slow the movement of the suspension, and push the tires down suposedly when the pinion angle tried to turn.

Ben

 

Well, the reason I am considering them is because it will get rid of the torque arm and give me more room for my dual exhaust. I dont know if I will need the room or not yet though. I have one side of my dual exhaust up on the car now for a test fit, and it seems to be fine on the passenger side, but havent tried the drivers side yet. Hopefully I will have the exhaust finnished tomorrow. I just know that the without the torque arm I may be able to move the exhaust up in the edge of the driveshaft tunnel on the drivers side a little better. I talked to one guy who was runing them on the street and he told me the car still handled good, but the ride was pretty rough.

Ben

 

Fbird88 Is this the setup you thought I had, or did you just think I had thrown the lifter bar on the factory crap???

 

I am pretty sure he knew what you had, but I was wondering is that lift bar solid or does it function like a strut kind of like that ad makes it sound.

Ben

 

I wouldn't get rid of the torque arm if I was you man. Sounds like problems.

 

I have the lakewood adjustable rear panhard rod kit part #20440 on my car.

 

You really should look into the design and function more before
you get them for your car. A race car makes a real crappy street car.
this set up will not allow your car to pitch or lean in a corner
The rear can only raise or fall with this set up.
Sort of like a crude buggy wagon suspension.
Works great on the drag strip in a straight line but kinds sucks on a street car that had to do more things well like go around corners and over bumps. The rear wheels can't move independently.

About as bad an idlea as trying to cram in dual exhaust on a third gen. I have real dual exhuast on my car. I custom made it my self
It is dual 2.5" welded mandrel bent pipe systen with twin ganged
turbo mufflers behind the axle. It follows the stock factory exhaust path under the car. It rattles a bit but works well
and has good ground clearance ( modified trans crossmember.)
But I'd never do it again. A good mandrel bent 3.5" big single
pipe gives absolutly nothing up to this.

Sorry, but on a street driven car your going to be disapointed.

You should look into this to see if this if really right for your car.
Just my 2cents....

 

Well, I have not completely made up my mind on the lift bar setup, however, I do not believe I will be dissapointed with my dual exhaust. I already have hooker long tubes, and my car makes it in and out of the driveway fine(about the worst bump I have to go over). The rest of my exhaust will have at least as much clearance as my headers. I am using 2.5 inch pipe also. I start out with the s extensions. Most people use these to clear the frame with headmans but since I have the hookers I did not need them for that reason, however I did want my exhaust in by the trans tunnel which they seem to do about perfectly. It the goes to a h pipe then pipe runs back to the dynomax bullet mufflers and to turndowns. I would run it out the back if I could weld or if there was a shop around here that could do mandrel bends, but that will have to wait. I will post pics of that as soon as I can. Anyway, as far as the lift bar setup, I do want to be able to handle, but have talked to a couple of people that use it on the street and have been told that it has either helped their handling or at least not made it worse, just a rougher ride. I plan on doing the stuff like lower control arms and relocation brackets along with a panhard bar first and if I am able to get traction that route and my exhaust will have decent clearance with the torque arm there then all is good, but if I am not able to get good traction with this setup I am considering the ssm liftbar setup. Just so you know I am taking what you say into account(other wise I wouldnt have asked). I am just also letting you know the reasoning behind why I am considering what I am. As far as being streetable or a street car I think that different people think of this different ways or have different tolorances for different things. The one thing that does bother me about the ssm kit though is I do want my car to be able to handle well, and some people say that it wont with it, but everyone that I have talked to that actually had it has been pleased with the handling.

Ben