IT Truck Suspension?

[Brad]

Anyone race IT Truck, and how do you get a mini-truck to handle good?

What can be done with rear leaf spring suspension to make it handle?

Thanks!

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--Brad--

[lobster]

We race a ITB Pinto same thing HA-HA. 1st off what kind of truck is it? A few things de arch and add a small leaf to it, pannard bar, sway bar posi or locked? Lowered etc Glenn

[Knestis]

Rear axle control is your friend. It needs to be located both side-to-side and longitudinally. I had a Ranger for a while and it was AWFUL in this respect. I could feel the spring wind-up and release stopping at lights on the street.

Unfortunately, I think that there's probably only a handful of IT Trucks out in the world and I don't recall anyone here mentioning that they have one...?

K

[Brad]

What's the advantage of dearching the leafs and then adding a small leaf? Would I be better off just removing a few of the stock leafs?

Open diff, that needs to be addressed.

Suspension books I've read say to clamp the leaves together in front of the axel only. Turning the front half of the leaves into a solid unit: a trailing arm as it were. Therefore making the leaves behind the axel do all the springing. Any good?

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--Brad--

[kthomas]

Ha, he said "race" and "truck" in the same sentence.

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katman

[JohnRW]

Search "Landrum Spring" and read their website.

Clamp the front of the leaves together ? Whoever told you that....well...just don't answer the phone if they call again.

Important things
Lateral location (search 'Panhard rod').

Spring arc - as 'arc' translates into 'toe-in/toe-out' as the suspension loads in corners.

Over-riders/Under-riders...3rd/4th/5th link...all things that control the axle under braking, accel or corner loads.

Shocks and rates - solid rear axles are HEAVY, and have a much slower period of resonance. If you can't control it, you get axle tramp and studder during accel and braking.

There is no 'magic bullet' for leaf spring suspensions. You need a combination of knowledge and hardware.

[Wreckerboy]

I crewed a middle 70's ITC Corolla which had the ox cart technology rear suspension set-up you describe. (Leaf springs, live axle, TRD limited slip). We ended up creating a Panhard arrangement with bits and pieces from the Speedway catalogue.

The driver (Steve Colletti, formerly of World Auto Imports) reported that there was a huge difference in the way the car handled and that the car was reasonably sensitive to how the bar was set.

[ITANorm]

Originally posted by Wreckerboy:
We ended up creating a Panhard arrangement with bits and pieces from the Speedway catalogue.

The driver (Steve Colletti, formerly of World Auto Imports) reported that there was a huge difference in the way the car handled and that the car was reasonably sensitive to how the bar was set.

NASCAR would be proud of you. You created a "track bar".

[lateapex911]

I love how NASCAR fans speak volumes about the effect of the "track bar" and how it' "loosened Junior up", but then go blank when asked to define the difference between a Panhard rod, and a track bar....

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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[ITTdriver]

Brad
THE resource for all info "race truck" is Fletcher Williams in the Atlanta Region. Shoot me an email and I'll return his email address to you.

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Auto racing, bull fighting and mountain climbing are sports. The rest are just games.
Hemingway.

[Brad]

ITTDriver, I can't see how to send an email.

My email addy is **edited out, thanks for the email**; please have your friend contact me; desperately looking for good info from someone who has successfully built/raced ITT.

Thanks for the info guys.

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--Brad--

[This message has been edited by Brad (edited February 18, 2005).]

[This message has been edited by Brad (edited February 21, 2005).]

[Brad]

Originally posted by JohnRW:

Clamp the front of the leaves together ? Whoever told you that....well...just don't answer the phone if they call again.

Carroll Smith


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--Brad--

[ITTdriver]

Brad
I sent you an e-mail with the contact info for Fletcher. Come to Rd Atlanta this weekend to see the trucks run in the PRO-IT event. You can pick up tons of pointers when you investigate the trucks in person.
There is a truck being built in Aiken SC that may be for sale.

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Auto racing, bull fighting and mountain climbing are sports. The rest are just games.
Hemingway.

[Brad]

Any idea what spring rates, sway bar sizes, and alignment settings work on mini-truck?

I would have loved to stop by and look but I'm in Southern California!
Brad

[Brad]

Originally posted by Brad:
Any idea what spring rates, sway bar sizes, and alignment settings work on mini-truck?

I would have loved to stop by and look but I'm in Southern California!
Brad

Bump for suspension help!