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Re: Koni version of Traction Masters

To: Steve Laifman <Laifman@Flash.Net>, Carl Halgren <cghalgren@home.com>
Subject: Re: Koni version of Traction Masters
From: Bob Palmer <rpalmer@ames.ucsd.edu>
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 17:24:55 -0800
Steve, et Listers,

I've never had anything work as well as the weld-on Traction Masters. 
Absolutely zero wheel hop; just dump the clutch and it launches. Never got 
quite that good a response with the torque arm.On the other hand it damn 
near tore the front spring perches out. The problem that Steve refers to is 
very sensitive to the angle of the traction bar relative to the springs. As 
normally installed, there's quite a strong angle upwards from where they 
mount under the springs to the front mounting point. This is not too bad a 
problem with the big rubber bushings that allow for some relative movement. 
It's a big problem though if you have solid bushings like I do. If you 
modify the forward weld-on hardware piece to lower it so as to get the 
traction bar approximately level with the road, then it should work OK, 
even with Urethane or solid type spring-eye bushings. I believe if the 
traction bar (or shock) is able to rotate freely in the bushings at each 
end, then there can be no bending force, just straight compression or 
tension.  Maybe someone like James (351C) Barrett could put down enough 
torque to collapse the traction bar, but not likely. Maybe one way they get 
bent is by trying to use them to jack up the car? Otherwise, they should 
stay straight, even while tearing out your rear suspension. The horizontal 
shock idea is interesting and must work because they used it on a lot of 
the newer Mustangs. Is this traction control method still used on the 
latest models? Maybe the same shocks and perhaps some of the mounting 
hardware from the Mustang could be applied to the Tiger rear suspension.

Bob

At 04:36 PM 2/18/00 +0000, Steve Laifman wrote:
>Karl,
>
>My Koni's dont have a bulge.  A dampened wind-up control sounds interesting.
>
>The Alpine Traction Masters (wish I have NOS originals in the original box)
>mounted just below the front spring hanger, eliminating the axle  control 
>fight.
>The front spring eye brackets are the weld-on front mount location.  Probably
>needs some additional metal plate around the mounts to make it stronger.
>
>There is no need to worry about wheel clearance on any of the Traction 
>Masters, as
>they are narrower than, and right under the spring, which would hit 
>first.  There
>is a little ground clearance change, but the rear exhaust tips are more 
>likely to
>his something than the Traction Masters.
>
>Those would have to be pretty highly dampened shocks, and take bending 
>loads as
>well.  The Traction Masters have 1 inch pipe, and some of the weld-ons seem to
>bend.  This may be because they are fighting the spring path, more than the
>compression load buckling.  But it is a consideration.
>
>
>
>--
>Steve

Robert L. Palmer
UCSD, Dept. of AMES
619-822-1037 (o)
760-599-9927 (h)
rpalmer@ucsd.edu
rpalmer@cts.com
rlpalmer@lyonlyon.com


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