Cal-tracs and relocated springs

[mopowers]

Is it okay to notch the spring box of a relocated spring to use with cal-tracs?  I noticed in the tech article about wideing a wheel opening, there was a picture with a notch cut out of the frame box.  Is there anyone here that has cal-tracs with relocated springs that can share what they did?  I was just concerned if that would weeken the frame at all.  Thanks.



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[drew54]

I just relocated my springs w/the mopar kit and installed caltracs.  I didn't have to notch anything.  caltracs fit nice and tight in the spring box.  About the only thing I haven't had problems with

Drew

[mopowers]

Hey Drew, you don't happen to have any pictures of the front pivot plate installed do you?  I'm making the cal-tracs and spring boxes by hand, so I'm just fishing for ideas.  Thanks man

[drew54]

I'll go out tonight and get a pic, I'm working on installing sliders anyway.

Drew

[drew54]

Here are a few pics, hope it helps.

Drew

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[mopowers]

Hey thanks a lot Drew!  I'm going to make my own cal-tracs, so I was trying to get this figured out before I get started this weekend.  Did you make those relocation boxes yourself?  Does the bolt on the pressure point of the spring have a full size nut and head on the bolt, or are they slim?  I'm thinking I can grind down the head on the nut and bolt a bit for clearence.  And maybe widen the box a smidge and use washers for spacers on the pivot plate.  Thanks again man, now you really got me thinking.
-Evan

[drew54]

Glad it helps, I just used the mopar boxes and added another 1/8" plate to reinforce the wholes, I also used a grade 9 bolt, think it was a 5/8 bolt, anyways it was bigger than the stock one and fit pretty tight in the holes I drilled.  I don't remember there being a bolt on the pressure point, I think it was just part of the pivot plate.  The mopar boxes are pretty wide and the caltracs had a bushing that fit tight from side to side in the box that went throught the leaf eye and then the bolt held it in place.  Also, there was a washer on the sides of the bushing to keep it all tight.  Good luck and post some pics when you're done.

Drew

[bentwheel43]

Here are a few pics, hope it helps.

Drew

Hey drew, I am a AWS-CWI and I look at welds all the time,that wire that you used mite crack so keep an eye on it. I don't like that kind of welding wire for that job.    Did you weld it down hill  ?   I think I seen where you stopped at the bottom but in some places it looks to be uphill.     That wire needs to be welded uphill.   YOUR FRIEND,  MAX43

[mopowers]

Max, can you explain the uphill welding technique briefly for me.  Tom did before, but I need a little refresher.  Is it where you start at the bottom and work toward the top angling upward?  How can you tell what welding wire was used?  And what kind was it? 

Also, Drew, on the pivot plates, is there just a spacer connecting thet two plates that puts the presure in the spring?  I may just do that.

[drew54]

The whole pivot plate was one piece so it all came together. 

Max-thanks for noticing that, I think .30 wire was used, but it was just to fill the gap that was left to keep crap out of the open frame rail.  I plan on using 1/8 plate to attach the box to the back, welded uphill.  What size wire do you recomment for the job?

Drew

[bentwheel43]

Max, can you explain the uphill welding technique briefly for me.  Tom did before, but I need a little refresher.  Is it where you start at the bottom and work toward the top angling upward?  How can you tell what welding wire was used?  And what kind was it? 

Also, Drew, on the pivot plates, is there just a spacer connecting thet two plates that puts the presure in the spring?  I may just do that.

All fluxcore wire needs to be welded uphill( gas or non gas) it will trap junk and not be solid, and thats just one thing. The heat raises and that helps the cleaning action of the weld.      With downhill welding will just lay on top,instead of going in to make it 100%   That steel looks to be .125 or 10ga. thats not very much it needs to be weld solid.    There just a few kinds of welds that are OK to be welded downhill high pressure pipelines with E7010 which gose deep,thin stuff like car bodys (hard wire not flux core).      getting back to that weld I think a E6011 would be better than that non gas fluxcore wire even if its uphill on those parts,but just keep an eye on it. I just had to say something  if I thought that someone could get hurt. I didn't say it because the weld looks bad that wire is the problem.    it also could have been welded with AC7018 by the way it looks, thats has to be welded uphill bottom to top or trap junk.

[bentwheel43]

The whole pivot plate was one piece so it all came together. 

Max-thanks for noticing that, I think .30 wire was used, but it was just to fill the gap that was left to keep crap out of the open frame rail.  I plan on using 1/8 plate to attach the box to the back, welded uphill.  What size wire do you recomment for the job?

Drew

If you use gas(75/25) use .023"hard wire or 3/32" or 1/8" E6011    that was .030" non gas fluxcore wire.

[Blue]

Relocated my superstock springs years ago, picked up a good deal on a used set of Caltracs and mono's, unfortunatly they are a tad wider at the front bush so I need to widen the box a touch. Afco sliders designed for Chrysler springs don't fit either, the mono's have a much larger rear eye, the sliders need widening and making taller. Bet the pinion angle ends up wrong as well so the whole job can wait till the winter, can't waste good weather in England, it's not like we get much of it...

[AdamR]

Calvert has a new set of bars made just for vars with relocated springs so they fit in the box now. No more notching for clearance.

[Crazy68Dart]

I had a few problems with my setup, but got it all figured out.  The major one was the Caltrac bracket was not welded accurately and caused binding issues.  They sent me a new one next day, so I cannot complain, good guys to deal with.

[drew54]

Relocated my superstock springs years ago, picked up a good deal on a used set of Caltracs and mono's, unfortunatly they are a tad wider at the front bush so I need to widen the box a touch. Afco sliders designed for Chrysler springs don't fit either, the mono's have a much larger rear eye, the sliders need widening and making taller. Bet the pinion angle ends up wrong as well so the whole job can wait till the winter, can't waste good weather in England, it's not like we get much of it...

I just installed a set of Afco sliders from Bill and they work great w/caltracs and monos.  Just had to use the regular bushing instead of the smaller chrysler one.  That's strange yours didn't fit

Drew

[vitamindart]

yep me also got sliders and smaller bushings from bill fit great, can't wait to try them out 

[Blue]

Damn! My mono's have a huge 2" rear spring eye, must have changed the design, mine are about 5 years old.