Rear suspension history question

[hjr2]

When did Late Models start lifting the rear end and pushing the left rear so far forward going behind the door?

[Jking24]

Around 1998 when spring/shock behind took over. It has been a continuing progression since then

[bullittwrench]

GRT, Joe Garrison. I think Skip Arp drove the first one. Memory is failing though.

[hjr2]

Was it something that was faster right out of the box?

[bullittwrench]

From what I remember, yes. But technology and not enforcing rules have made them a very expensive beast.

[fastford]

i think your right bullitt , skips car was first i remember and im pretty sure mike head got one from him about that time...

[flagone]

It was Skip's idea. Skip said the first time they tried it, it was not very good. But the next time the had it figured out and clicked off several wins.

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

When did Late Models start lifting the rear end and pushing the left rear so far forward going behind the door?

The LR did the same in the clamp days.

Yes, spring behind rear won right off the bat.

[No_Weak_Links]

If I remember correctly Bloomquist even tried to reinvent the leaf spring in some form with no success.

[flagone]

Skip told the story at his HoF induction. The first time they tried it, they had trouble. The second time the won and then won like 6 in a row.

[ZERO25]

It was Skip's idea. Skip said the first time they tried it, it was not very good. But the next time the had it figured out and clicked off several wins.

I believe it was at the 98 June Havatampa race at Dixie, when Skip told us he would be testing the spring behind the next week...…...and the rest is history!

The transmission and driveshaft builders sure owe Skip a lot of money for all the broken parts! lol

[ZERO25]

Actually, it was 1997.

I know that is correct because Epj was running for roy!

[HRT2332]

The problem is that Skip and Joe didn't tell where they received their info from. I was helping an a helmet painter when certain people saw the rear design of the car that we were building in his garage. Those people ask him what he!! he was thinking and trying to do as they looked at him like he was stupid. He told them and there u have the shock and spring behind. We were also doing the double RR shock and spring during the build at the same time. By the time we finished building the chassis the rear suspension had already taken off. We will just leave it at that.

[hardracer32]

MasterSbilt_Racer I wondered if anyone would bring up the ol' clamped birdcage set up. I remember the first time I saw a car run with that and they carried the left front all the way down the back straight. That was being run for quite a while before the shock behind set up took off. I kinda wish neither of those set ups had ever been allowed. I think the evolution of DLM's would have been much different had we not let that Pandora's Box open.

[fastford]

i learned about the lf rear shock clamped in 98 from a book joe garrison helped write , we were getting beat in a old shaw sportsman that we converted to a 4 bar , i could stay with the guy , but could not get enough drive of the corner to pass him , after several weeks of trying every thing i could think of , i picked up this book and read a small piece he done on clamping the lft rear shock to the housing , once i got it in my head how it worked , we blew by the leader and won the next 13 races in a row , those days are gone now with all the new shock tech and suspension of the modern era.....

[Austin34471]

MasterSbilt_Racer I wondered if anyone would bring up the ol' clamped birdcage set up. I remember the first time I saw a car run with that and they carried the left front all the way down the back straight. That was being run for quite a while before the shock behind set up took off. I kinda wish neither of those set ups had ever been allowed. I think the evolution of DLM's would have been much different had we not let that Pandora's Box open.

The spring behind just showed that everyone was running way to stiff of a LR spring back then. Nothing magical about the spring being physically behind the axle tube. If skip arp woulda said “ay joe let’s put a 50lb spring in the LR and try it” he would have had a similar result.

[ZERO25]

The problem is that Skip and Joe didn't tell where they received their info from. I was helping an a helmet painter when certain people saw the rear design of the car that we were building in his garage. Those people ask him what he!! he was thinking and trying to do as they looked at him like he was stupid. He told them and there u have the shock and spring behind. We were also doing the double RR shock and spring during the build at the same time. By the time we finished building the chassis the rear suspension had already taken off. We will just leave it at that.

Not to argue with you, but that's not Skips version!

[fastford]

austin , the spring behind utilized the indexing of the bird cage to help keep spring loaded , but your right about to stiff of a spring but a stiff spring utilized this action more , today with the stacked or long soft spring , i dont think the indexing is as important....jmo.....

[MasterSbilt_Racer]

austin , the spring behind utilized the indexing of the bird cage to help keep spring loaded , but your right about to stiff of a spring but a stiff spring utilized this action more , today with the stacked or long soft spring , i dont think the indexing is as important....jmo.....

There is more than one way to get a soft wheel rate. Pluses and minuses no matter how you do it.

[anissa5]

There is more than one way to get a soft wheel rate. Pluses and minuses no matter how you do it.

Was the birdcage clamped or just shock and spring