Thread: 4 Link or Ladder bar?

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Ok I have an 81 Z28 .Just finshed the moter pushing 675hp no traction at all. Thinking of going with either a 4 link or full ladder bars. The rear end as it stands is mostly stock 8.5 30 splin on leaf springs. Keep in mine I wont to keep my back seat. I am plainning on driving it on the street also. so any help please and if any one has do this please let me know.

ok can any one tell me the Dif between a pan rod ,wishbone track locator and a rear end locator?? thay all look as if thay do the same thing. And for my dyno slip as soon as i get a scanner or a better slip I will post it for ya.I think I can still pull a few more ponys from her.

Originally posted by Streets
4-link=Street
Ladder Bars=Track

Streets, is it possible that you may have that backwards?

Nope I believe he has it correct, the ladder bars (without modification) are to keep the vehicle straight (its rigid no give). and keep it going that way. 4link will allow the rearend to move as you corner. At least thats the way it was explained to me.

Originally posted by joker51
Nope I believe he has it correct, the ladder bars (without modification) are to keep the vehicle straight (its rigid no give). and keep it going that way. 4link will allow the rearend to move as you corner. At least thats the way it was explained to me.

I don't think so.

Ladder Bar Suspension

The Ladder Bar is a more sophisticated traction device because it serves as an extremely rigid, bridge-type truss that locates the rear axle housing directly to the chassis. With the axle housing held firmly in place, the torque applied to the differential is now transferred immediately through the Ladder Bars and into the chassis. By using the Ladder Bar to carry power to the chassis, the front end reacts by rising. As the front of the car travels upward, rapid weight transfer is created which "plants" the rear tires and propels the car forward.

4 Link Suspension

4-Links offer more adjustment over Ladder Bars and can handle higher torque loads. With two bars per side, one on top and one on the bottom, you basically have an open ended Ladder Bar. You can adjust the suspension for different track conditions by manipulating the mounting positions in the frame and axle housing brackets. This gives you the option of making the intersection point, or point of "instant center," as far forward or rearward to suit your particular needs. The point of instant center is the location where the upper and lower links would intersect if imaginary lines extended from the front of the 4-Link bars. Unlike a Ladder Bar where the point of instant center is always located at the bar’s front mounting point, the instant center on a 4-Link changes quickly as the car is launched.

So Pro, you're saying that for street use you can use both the 4 link and the ladder? Another board told me what I posted earlier so I got rid of my ladders, Damn it.

Ok Ladder bar street and 4 link track. sort of leaning towards ladder bars just b/c thay look easyer to hook up,and I have never done a full out pro street like this before.
I heard that you can set the coil overs at 5 or 10 deg to help out on the street. is this true.
And does the anti roll bar really work or help with this type of set up?

Ok now I am confused. is this one of those thing where every one has an opinion and everone is right, it's more of a personal choice?????I realy need an old time gear head on this one that has done both so he can give me the pros and cons of each. But I muss say you guys are realy giving me some good info to base my decision on . So who has what and what do thay think of it???? 4 link looks as if you could realy make a mess of it if you did not know what you where doing.

This all boils down to what you intend to do with the car. If you're going to drive it on the street most of the time, and occasionally take it to the track, then a triangulated 3 or 4 bar suspension with urethane bushings like techinspector1 said. If you are leaning towards the 4 link, you'll have to eliminate the leaf springs, and install coil over shocks. By using a ladder bar type suspension, you can retain the leaf springs, but will it will give you a stiffer ride. I'm not saying Streets was wrong, as both types of suspensions can be used in either application, it's just that one is more adjustable than the other. A 4 link can be made to run very easily on the street, as well as the ladder bar type. I have a 4 link on my 60, but the car is only used only the track. Attend some cruise nights in your area and check out what people with your type of car are running for suspension, and talk to them. Then go to the drag strip and do the same thing. That is the only way you will be able to make a decision without getting hundreds of different opinions from internet boards.

My preference would be the 4-bar with urethane bushing for the street, but with the limited room on an 81 Camaro I doubt you will be able to retain the back seat. If you are running that much horse, gonna take some big tires and wheel tubs to hook it up.

You can run a set of ladder bars with your leaf springs, but you have to use a set of housing floaters on your leaf spring mounts.

Dave I think your right on that back seat.took the tape to the inside of my tire wells not much room to work with.maba nice carpet well still make it look like it has a nice inside to it.
As for the leaf spings.I do plain on taking them out,and running coil overes.
I seen where Jegs has a 4 link rear frame kit. Will this make it easyer to install??
And what do I do with my frame connectors now???Thanks guys

The pre-fabbed rear half frame kits are the way to go. Might want to check with Chassis Engineering in Florida or Morrison to compare prices and components. To really tie the car together and improve the hook, might want to consider at least a 6 point roll bar in the thing, too. These kits will eliminate the back seat, so you might as well go fast and be safe at the same time.

Originally posted by cybersmoke
Ok I realy need an old time gear head on this one that has done both so he can give me the pros and cons of each.

O.K........ I'm a geezer ........... Allow me to confuse you further. I had a ladder bar set up on my 40 Chevy panel truck. If I remember right I found some plans in a magazine to build them. I forget what the formula for length was, but mine were Loooong. The rearend was stock width so i had plenty of room for a panhard bar. It rode great actually. Seemed the faster I went the smoother it rode. Can't say it cornered real well, but that's not what I built it for. I had coil over adjustable front shocks from Speedway on the original straight axle front end. I pulled a camper with it to rod runs all the time. Drove 2 days each way from Iowa to Culumbus Nats. once. Hooked up purdy good too, ran mid 8's in 1/8 mille, respectable for a panel truck 30+ years ago.

I'm building a Camaro now with 4 link. Art Morrison told me to use chromoly rod ends, because of the the h.p. I will be runing, He said I would tear up urethane bushings. And, since I am NOT looking for a nice ride at all, I went with the chromoly ends. (Pics. in my gallery of the chassis). I decided early on with this project, to go fast. When my behind gets sore, I'll park it and drive the family car fer' awhile. If I build another after this it most likely will be a sensible driver. But just once I would like to build a fast car.