Traction control
Does anyone know of a company that makes a bolt on traction bar kit for a 57?
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Re: Traction control
Tony -
The original "Traction-Master" company is still in business, and makes a kit specifically for '56-'57 Corvettes:
TMC Motorsports, 2917 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90006, (213) 382-1131, TmcGroup@aol.com.
The front pivot bracket will need to be welded to the front spring hanger bracket. -
Re: Traction control
Tony;
There used to be. Traction bars were common back in the day for all live axle cars with leaf springs, well perhaps not all, but all the popular ones like Vettes and tri -five Chevies. It is possible that some one has some laying around or still is able to make them. On later C-1's, as I recall, the bars were above the axle. Some aftermarket kits for early Vettes were below as with the passenger cars. They would bolt on, but in addition you had to weld the front bracket to the frame to secure it well. Even then, with a hot car like my 57 post, you can break the welds loose.
Stu FoxComment
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Re: Traction control
John;
Thanks for adding the company name. Try though I might, I just couldn't think of the name. You are still sharp man!
Stu FoxComment
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Re: Traction control
I remember Lakewood Traction bars, they were the bright yellow ones. They also made ladder bars for coil spring rear suspensions, and blow proof bell housings. I would check Jeg's.com
Bill
1961 Black/Silver/Red Int. 283/315 FI
power windows. Frame off 65% completed.
1989 White/hard top/Grey Int. daily driver 167,000 milesComment
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Re: Traction control
i bought a set of Lakewoods for my 57 vette in the early 90's when Dennis Clark and i were grudge racing our 57 Fuelies. they are still on the car. i applied an NCRS Decal to each bar and magic-markered "NCRS Approved" next to the decals. They work extremely well in preventing leaf spring wind-up. mikeComment
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Re: Traction control
Mike;
Are your Lakewood Bars above or below the axle? I guess probably below. Who made the ones for above the axles used on C-1's? Were they after market or factory?
Stu FoxComment
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Re: Traction control
Here's a photo of the original-owner-installed Traction-Masters on my '57; I left them on the car when I restored it in '96. They're FAR more effective than the factory top-mounted radius rods on later C1's, don't add any rear roll stiffness or harshness, don't bind up the suspension, and result in ZERO axle tramp, regardless of how hard you launch the car.
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Re: Traction control
Thanks for the great pic John! Any of us who have ever done a hard launch knows how violent the "hop" is. I remember the first time I did it I got out of the throttle quickly and stopped the car to see what I had broken!Here's a photo of the original-owner-installed Traction-Masters on my '57; I left them on the car when I restored it in '96. They're FAR more effective than the factory top-mounted radius rods on later C1's, don't add any rear roll stiffness or harshness, don't bind up the suspension, and result in ZERO axle tramp, regardless of how hard you launch the car.
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Re: Traction control
John - With the pivots front and rear of what looks like relocated strut axle rods can only give you stabilization for the horizontal movement of the rear axle, and minimizing torque steer. Much as same result of the stock C-1 as you stated that are located on the upper side of the axle housing.
Traction Bars (aftermarket) are mounted to the bottom of the leaf springs controlling or piratically eliminating "wheel hop" that is notorious when launching a car with this particular set up leaf spring suspension.
Bill
1961 Black/Silver/Red Int. 283/315 FI
power windows. Frame off 65% completed.
1989 White/hard top/Grey Int. daily driver 167,000 milesComment
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Re: Traction control
How is a double pivot rod going to eliminate leaf spring bounce "wheel hop", imposable because it pivots and moves with the suspension up and down! I agree it will prevent twisting of the spring but that will not give you any traction. The traction bars eliminate the travel of this movement by not allowing any pivoting but adding stabilization of the spring by transferring torque from one side of the leaf to opposing sides. Thus eliminating the bounce and controlling the stabilization and forcing the tires to stay in contact with the ground.
Bill
1961 Black/Silver/Red Int. 283/315 FI
power windows. Frame off 65% completed.
1989 White/hard top/Grey Int. daily driver 167,000 milesComment
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Re: Traction control
"Wheel hop" (the axle tramping up and down during launch) only occurs if the axle housing rotates and distorts the spring, which then loads and unloads; The Traction-Masters don't allow the housing to rotate, so there's no spring distortion or resulting "wheel hop". The design prevents any forward or rearward motion at the spring attachment to the axle housing (preventing rotation of the axle housing), while allowing free vertical motion of the axle for suspension jounce and rebound.
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