There is a procedure described in later SHOP MANUALS to verify clutch setup using a torque wrench to measure turning resistance at the wheel. You did add the friction modifier additive?

Is there any chance of a photo showing how you have the bars anchored? I am having trouble visualizing what you are describing regarding them.

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Thanks. I will check it out.

The first time I broke my traction loc was at the pinion shaft.  It sheared and slipped a few revolutions, and one tire would grip, but the other one would not.  If you jack up one side of the rear axle and try to spin the tire by hand.  It should be very difficult to rotate by hand.  Now do the other side the same way.  Try to rotate the tire backwards to check for tension on the clutches.  Something should make a noise if it is broken.  If you can't rotate a wheel by hand, then it is working properly.  Joe-JDC

JDC

Since the only real change made to the rear end was the Traction lock I am still thinking the problem could be it. Any easy way to check it out to make sure it is working right without doing damage if there is a problem with it? All new parts in it and had it built by a friend who is a professional mechanic I have know forever. There was a problem with the first ring and pinion in it and the gears self distructed in a few miles. No gear noise in it so far. Put some miles on it before trying a hard launch per the instructions that came with the parts.

I don't know if the 57's are like the 55's but I had to relocate my shocks vertical because they were at such an angle. The 55's have a narrower spring and I had Eaton spring make me a stock set and then a beefed up set, clamped them, added Caltrac's but the relocation with double adjustable shocks is what seems to have fixed it for me.

  Vic Correnti

Car is '57 T-Bird. Shocks are new KYB gas. Springs are from a '57 Ford station wagon which have one more leaf than the T Bird. I put them on the car in 1965 or 66 after breaking a spring. Pulled them off a car in the junkyard at that time. No broken leaves and don't apear to be saging. Ride height is within spec's. Traction lock was just built with a 2 pinion carrier and all new gears, bearings, and traction lock. Only has a few hundred miles on it. Front traction master bolted to the spring bracket should work the same if the bracket was welded to the frame. No way it can move. Only did two hard launches with it since I got it on the road and that was after some break in miles. Spring bushings are fine. Installed the traction masters with the car setting on the floor per thier instructions. Nevefr had a problem before with the same springs and home made traction bars and cheap bolt on slapper bars later on. Used to lauch it on the strip at 5500 rpm with cheater slicks and 3.89 open rear end. No wheel hop and most competitors had to try to catch me. 

Installing new shocks with integrated coil springs was a lot simpler than re-arching/replacing my leaf springs. Brought the ride height back to stock....couldn’t be happier. But, too worried re: u-joint damage to test for wheelhop.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

If wheel hop is the problem, then any tire marks on the ground would look like dashes not a single black line.

Regarding the wheel hop, the rear suspension springs are weak and you’re simply experiencing ‘spring wrap up’.  Clamping the springs is a viable short term fix.  Something appears to be amiss with your traction bars as those should be eliminating the wheel hop you’re experiencing.  I’ve added additional leafs to my car to compensate for sagging springs and that restored both the back end height and eliminated the wheel hop.  I have had the rear springs re-arched in the past but it seems the springs have a memory of where they were and the re-arching simply doesn’t last long.
 
If you didn’t pull the traction lock apart and examine the clutches, then you may simply have a worn posi-unit that’s not holding the power.  Besides the wear that occurs to the fiber posi clutches over time, the clutch material itself is known to break down and deteriorate over time.   A disassembly of the unit and a thorough examination will determine if it needs a rebuild or not.  If the unit had been rebuilt before using it, then I'll suggest shimming the clutches so that they are tighter.  Not all traction locks are created equal either.  The later model four pinion units would appear to be more robust than the earlier units.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Can you have someone watch a launch to see of the right tire is lifting (or better yet video)? Are the leaf springs new or take-offs. Eye bushings good? Are they clamped?

I would think you would want to anchor the TM to the frame rather than the front bushing hanger.

Extra leaf on right spring...pinion snubber...50/50 shocks?

What car and engine?

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