Ladder bar settings - confusion

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Oct 29, 12 11:43 am

I was reading the "Chassis Engineering" installation instructions again, and they stated to give the tyres a HARDER hit, move the front Ladder Bar DOWN on the car chassis (i.e. LOWER front hole - no jokes please.....).

I thought the opposite applied as you moved the instant centre....

Any views from the team????

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Mon Oct 29, 12 12:06 pm

"Competition Engineering" say the following:

"CAR DOES NOT LEAVE HARD:
- Poor weight transfer. Raise front of ladder bars to top hole.
- Check front suspension travel. If front travel is too tight it will not allow the vehicle to transfer weight to the rear. Add Competition Engineering 3-Way Adjustable Shock Absorbers and Front Drag Race Springs.
- Change front to rear weight bias by moving heavy items (Battery, Fuel, and Ballast) as far to the rear of the vehicle as possible.

I am onboard with some of the comments regarding weight distribution, but still confused on front hole...

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Mon Oct 29, 12 12:15 pm

I would have thought you would have to move the front ladder bar mounts down to "lengthen" the leverage towards the front in order to transfer more weight to the rear.

No experiance of this. I am just trying to visualise the leverage in my head.

Pete.S · Post by **Pete.S** » Sat Nov 10, 12 12:52 am

Shorter ic = more weight transfer .

Think of the axle and bars as a big lever pulling the front down.

Send me all your rear shock And spring details Pete will go over it for ya before you start putting weight I a heavy car

Cannonball · Post by **Cannonball** » Sat Nov 10, 12 1:11 am

Pete.S wrote:Shorter ic = more weight transfer .

Think of the axle and bars as a big lever pulling the front down.

Send me all your rear shock And spring details Pete will go over it for ya before you start putting weight I a heavy car

nice one who are you or am i being thick, ??????????????

DaveB · Post by **DaveB** » Fri Nov 16, 12 8:42 pm

Hard to explain with out pics,but imagine balancing the car on triangle,the centre would be inline with steering wheel or front edge of seat.
then draw a line from the tyre,were it touches the floor to the centreline of car at the sill.the front eye of the ladder bar wants to be inline with imaginery line,instant centre.This is why ladder bars are easier to tune.hope this helps Pete.

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Fri Nov 16, 12 9:01 pm

Thanks Guys.
Borrowing a great book called "Doorslammers - the Chassis Book"; really good

That has helped out a lot in terms of understanding. However, I still think it is predominantly down to the Slicks. I seem to remember that you can buy a product that "rejuvinates" Slicks; is this an old wive's tale???

andyrob · Post by **andyrob** » Sat Nov 17, 12 9:22 am

tyre softener ? in a yellow can
If so Mr Hauser sells it

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat Nov 17, 12 9:26 am

Ahhh!
Worth knowing, thanks Andy

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Nov 17, 12 12:22 pm

I knew I had this somewhere but all my books are in a pile in the loft due to me decorating the upstairs rooms. But I just had a good look and found this diagram which I remembered from a book I was given by the old fella that used to own Rodley Motors some 30-odd years ago.

Dave-B made me remember it with his post.

As Dave says, the ladder bar does not need to be that length as long as it points to that intersection point.

db · Post by db » Sat Nov 17, 12 3:50 pm

Does this make me an old wife?

Pete · Post by **Pete** » Sat Nov 17, 12 5:43 pm

Thanks, Mrs Mabel!!!

Does it work, though??

Blue · Post by **Blue** » Sat Nov 17, 12 7:18 pm

Yea we always used to use stuff like that back in the 80's, gorilla snot we called it, yes it works.

shovelheadrob · Post by **shovelheadrob** » Sat Nov 17, 12 7:26 pm

Used to use grip juice to, the stuff you had to pour on the track after you'd done a burnout then a quick spin of the tyres as you roll through it. Then you ended up with the back end of the car covered in glue!
Oh those were the days!!!

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Sat Nov 17, 12 11:11 pm

Gorilla snot is something different to tyre softner. It is more like the stuff they prep the track with.