Old School Stability! The Perfect Addition To My 55 Chevy

You never know when your swap meet hoarding is going to come in handy! In the shop today we install some wicked old school slapper bars I found in the mysterious basement of hot rod parts. I wont lie I'm a little worried with all this new power we're going to twist up that rear end so slapper bars are a quick and easy solution...plus they just look cool.
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[@BlooMule]

Dan- Has a Chevelle and ladder bars for a Chevelle Also Dan- I'm going to cut these up to put them on a 55 Chevy

[@DDSpeedShop]

I never put that together till I read this comment....

[@daryllynhutchins8459]

This just makes me shake my head and think dum

[@DDSpeedShop]

​@daryllynhutchins8459 I thought you un subbed a month ago....

[@daryllynhutchins8459]

@@DDSpeedShop l think idid

[@DDSpeedShop]

​@@daryllynhutchins8459 well thanks for watching haha

[@hanknipper3921]

Old school ladder bars! It fits the vibe of the car

[@DDSpeedShop]

Yeah I dig it.

[@garyb.4080]

Back the day, we ran them with the rear lifted!!

[@ANOCKS]

@@garyb.4080 yes we used to call that look stink bug

[@ANOCKS]

Dan your new shop with a lift is going to be sooooo nice. No more cold cement floor. 👍

[@XCHANGEDAVE]

When you spend money like a drunken congressman you'll never get a house. Just keep throwing money at that fifty five and prove me wrong.

[@DDSpeedShop]

​@@XCHANGEDAVEwill do

[@michaelEdge-g3d]

Ladder bars back in the day

[@leftyoverton4347]

Ansen made a hell of a set back in the 60’s-70’s. A cousin drag racer had them on his Nomad drag car. They bolted to the spring perches and had an additional bracket that bolt to the front of the main leaf spring. Large bolts attached the bar arms to these brackets. Lock that rear end up so it wasn’t going anywhere as far as wrap goes. They were heavy duty but a hot setup back in the day.

[@Ronstar24u]

No pressure. Would be good to see you guys out and about again. Go on a cruise in your Chevy. I like how you started and where you are now.

[@Dowin-o5e]

The perfect addition to a Classic 55 Hot Rod !!! Lakewoods will make it Leave the Line So Fine !!! Great Job everybody !!! Rave - On - Danni and Dan !!!

[@pugliesesspeedshop]

Keeping with the old school look... Love it!!

[@Freedbird]

The last time I saw ladder bars was 78. Timmy had jyst out a line loc on his el camino. After hs let out, he did a huge smokey burnout at the intersection on the corner of school. When the smoke cleared, the cop behind him lit him up with the red and bkue lights of appreciation ! On my slightly lower pkwered 67 ford shortbed, I put some,(helliweg, maybe?), small coil helper springs. Cured the tramp. I also had the loader driver laugh at me while getting a load of sand and gravel. Came out of there with just over a ton load. Steering was very light ! The driver was laughing because, my truck had patina, rattle can black primer, kind of, where it hadn't worn off. The motor had some chop. He thought I would either break, or not be able to pull away. Lol

[@bigbow62]

Lakewood Ladder Bars.... I had a set on my 66' Chevelle SS They worked great, no problems✌️😎 (Paint 'em orig. Yellow ! ) I also remember some were bright orange.... it was many decades ago 😊 Next step: Wheelie Bars 😉

[@DDSpeedShop]

Haha

[@steelmill]

Yea a pinion snubber works well,It made a big difference on my 78 Z/28 with a super T10

[@yobentley7274]

UTG explanation off how traction bars work. Good job Dan.

[@MadRattGarage]

Been Working on my 56 Nomad on my channel. I take a break to come and watch you have the same issues I got! LoL Keep up the great work of keeping these old Chevy on the road. Now I got to get back to mine. See Ya!!

[@DDSpeedShop]

Haha back at it!

[@scottwilliams5872]

Ladder bars are the coolest. Glad to see you use them.

[@jamesf4405]

Dan, Daniel my brother.. Once again, excellent work. Car is looking good. I want to give you some old head advice, from an old drag racer..... That big engine makes a LOT of torque. Everything depends on the tire you run. If you're just gonna run typical cheap radials, I think you'll be fine. But, if you use a tire that hooks up, those bars aren't beefy enough. Also, install a driveshaft loop. If you hook up and that front U-joint gives out, you could get hurt. I don't want to see that. Loops are easy to install, cheap and the car is already in the air. Just do it. Its $20 and 20 minutes. Danni is gonna be riding in this car...It might save your rear... literally. Signed - Your friend, Cancer guy. 😊

[@kstar9331]

Hi Dan, your master cylinders you bought are perfectly fine. You were pushing the cylinder in to far when bench bleeding. When you push to far the front O-ring(front of car) goes past the hole and lets fluid in front of the o-ring letting it leak out the front of the master cylinder. Short strokes will solve your problems.

[@rickandsueq]

There are many ways to add traction control to rear leaf springs. you can use rubber snubbers instead of welding the front pivot to the frame. Consider a second set of leaves at the rear edge of the bottom plate, doubling up on the front half of the leaves makes them stiffer, in effect control arms. Dodge drag racers experimented with facing the ladder bars rearward so they pulled downward on the rear of the frame.

[@charleykeenan6171]

Used a "Pinion Snubber" on my Road Runner. Oddly the mount was there all I had to do was go pick it up at Chrysler.. My Dad clued me in. Very "stealthy".. 😂

[@dodget7004]

Ladder bars are for coil spring cars, traction bars go on leaf spring. Ladder bars will put the leafs in a bind and break stuff. Just my 2 cents.

[@DDSpeedShop]

I've seen lots of ladder bars on leaf cars. It'll be fine....

[@dodget7004]

They make a kit to use ladder bars on leafs. They are slotted where the leafs attach. That way they can compensate for when the leafs get longer and shorter due to flex. No one ever used ladder bars on leafs in the old days. But hey it’s your car

[@richardsmith-qy6vl]

You were right those are made for a coil spring cae and those brackets that were on the front bolt up to the front trailing arm torque box I had them on my 69 and 70 chevelles I had them fully welded to the rear-end on my 70 the weld on the left side always cracked.

[@marinaglaze9357]

Dan ladder bars with leaf spring will create a radial bind because of the different front mounting point of the bars and the leafs. When the bind occurs on a hard launch you will lose traction You fix this by making your axle a floater. This allows the axle to move forward on launch and the ladders become the anchor point for the rear housing.

[@dogpatchfab]

While everything you say is spot on, as little travel as this setup has, I don't think there's even enough travel to get Into a bind.

[@markhowley6537]

I agree. The two different swing radii will be fighting each other putting stress on the axle tube. The only travel will be what is allowed by the spring eye bushing and flexibility of the front half of the spring.

[@DDSpeedShop]

Works mint

[@DDSpeedShop]

@@FlashBangMafia 220

[@gasserdavegarage]

So I gotta ask…How many times have you lit your hair on fire or caught it in the Creeper! Lol

[@AdventuringwiththeS.G.O.C.C]

As I understand "ladder" vs "Traction/slapper" bars. Traction/Slapper bars are installed allowing the bars to "flex" into the body, whereas Ladder bars are installed tight to the frame allowing zero flex.

[@mzaccagnini7179]

Those ladder bar would work great and look cool😊

[@benblackburn6620]

Great shot of welding sparks and burning hair and smoke under the car, Dani. 👍👍👍

[@DDSpeedShop]

How bout dan looking good while doing it haha

[@benblackburn6620]

@@DDSpeedShop We both know 'the talent ' doesn't read the comments. 😆

[@shawn.8496]

They work really well.

[@Tim-57]

Hey Dan&Dannie Cool slapper bars. Take care 😊

[@Okie-Tom]

I watched Two Lane Blacktop back in the early 70’s at my local drive in. Probably why I have owned three 55 Chevys over the years! Loved the movie!

[@kevinwright1551]

I love your ladder bars. In your 55 Chevy. Keep up the great work.

[@andrewelliot5516]

I think you will find that ladder bars with Leafs will bind up, usually you need housing floaters to allow it to work, but it may work for you without.

[@QUICKSILVERappletree]

I used roller housings with leaf springs so it wouldn't have leaf spring bind, also used a ladder bar cross member, competition Engineering on a 72 Maverick Grabber with a built 69 351w 4 spd and 9" 4:11

[@Rubiflake]

I had a set of these on my '69 SS Chevelle way back, like others have said, they're meant for coil spring cars, I think these will bind up on a leaf spring.

[@DDSpeedShop]

Well find out

[@Rubiflake]

@@DDSpeedShop Hope I'm wrong and they work for you. I will say on a Chevelle they make it ride like crap.

[@The_Kman]

Time to go on a cruise Fan and Dani. I bet Fan will say "Man this sounds Good!" 😂😅😂😂

[@kevinl.2291]

Very cool Dan. Love the old school traction bars. Nice touch to the car.👍😎✌️

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

Ladder bars are super cool old school, but you will need a housing floater set up for them to work as designed. I mean they won't keep the car from being moved, but suspension movement will be sparse since the rear end moves thru suspension travel with leafs on the front bushings and it won't pivot on the same axis with the ladder bars, as is....Assuming you make a solid weld holding the ladder bar mount in place. A couple good launches with traction and you'll know. Like door hinges on different axis, hope that makes sense. :)

[@johnd21]

Oooo it’s burning soo bad 😂. Sorry your pain makes us laugh but it’s quality entertainment. Great content as always! John can come but most of these people are beyond being educated.

[@MissionRestomod]

These old school traction bars have bind under load. And improvement would be having a shackle at the front mount of the bar or a sliding tube (kind of like a driveshaft slip joint) to allow forward and back movement under throttle and braking. But as you said, little movement and stiffer ride will be the result.

[@VATION3RD]

Dan I'm surprised you didn't order you some Caltracs from Speedway Motors

[@wingingittracy8508]

Caltracs are the way to go for sure

[@chevypower4772]

Skip caltracs. Go to smith racecraft for their assassin bars. Like caltracs but way more adjustability

[@DDSpeedShop]

Kinda a last minute thing haha

[@treetop.garage]

@@DDSpeedShop I love the old ladder bar set ups

[@alphabetatiger]

You two are my favorite KZbin couple. And I am a crochety old man. :)

[@DDSpeedShop]

Haha thanks!

[@mohoward9968]

Time stamp 32:16 for a great Dani remark! Love the show!

[@karensavarese5684]

Ladder bars would be the correct vintage look, and they do work. We had them on 2 tri fives, 55&57. Longer would be better, and yes, axle bind on hard launches can happen. For what your doin, should work good, and ya really cant beat the look! Love, Dubs.

[@karensavarese5684]

Why didn't ya just cut the threads deeper on the U bolts, and trim to length instead of those stupid, lame azz washers??

[@combustion-junkiecustomart8083]

Work through the pain!

[@DavidTerrill-tc2js]

Hay Dan love your videos , this is the second time I have watched this vid . Looking forward to seeing this car run Peace out !

[@johnathanharris8686]

need housing floaters now. its gonna bind

[@DavidKing-py9dt]

could be my old memories but it seems to me if you had coil springs you used ladder bars if you had leaf springs you used slapper bars. or maybe its just me.😊

[@aprilhilliard3302]

Always liked the ladder bars better...and most of my hot roddin' buddies back in the day used them. To me it's a better solution as the the slappers have to torque the axel a bit before effect, while the ladders are working from the git go Oh, and btw, have I ever mentioned that you two are entertaining as all get out! Love ya!!!!

[@garrykellogg3215]

32:40 Damn Dany, that one hurt. LOL!

[@1944chevytruck]

Nice job!

[@unchained20000000]

Get-R-Dun Dan. We want to see you and the Mrs. cruising around in it scoping out property.

[@billyduffany3387]

I remember when you was a little KZbinr and sometimes answered the comments. Keep up the good work, love that car.

[@DDSpeedShop]

Yeah the good ol days

[@Stevop79400]

I dig the bars. its going to look sweet. With the sound of that RAT!

[@tmackinator]

This may be helpful to get the best results. This is from some installation instructions: Now that the ladder bar suspension is installed, there essentially are two suspensions. The factory suspension and the ladder bar suspension. If the factory suspension uses control arms, they MUST be removed. Failure to remove these bars will put both suspensions to a bind against each other. Creating a situation where nothing will function as designed. If the car is equipped with leaf springs and there is no intention of converting to coil overs, you must install housing floaters. (Jegs, summit etc.) These attach to the rear end housing allowing the housing to slide on the leaf springs. This keeps the rear end housing and ladder bar system to work freely through the travel arc created by the ladder bars. Failure to use housing floaters with leaf spring suspension will cause suspension bind.

[@pedrotheswift5937]

Yep, cant see the reason to attach to the body. when the axle drops the arm now twists the axle/leaf spring- not the engine..

[@RetrogradeThinker]

Funny that Dan makes a comment about hanging on to the ladder bars for 5 years as if thats a problem. I have car parts in the shed from a 66 Mustang that I sold in 1987 just on the odd chance I might need them before I die. 😂

[@MissionRestomod]

You are rights. The last 10% of a project is 90% of the work!

[@johnvandertoorn3234]

I had a similar setup on a prostreet s10 and got some terrible wheel hop, hope you have better luck 😊

[@corydriver7634]

Dan here, DD Speed Shop. Sweet.

[@Terkamer]

Found your 9/16 Wrench ?

[@johnkranz4004]

Coming along Nicely Dan and Dani

[@zooki4x4.]

I'm thinking that bump stop spacer needs to come out. Every bump is going to jar ya teeth out. lol

[@ronsherfy6291]

You are not going to be happy with the ladder bar setup on a leaf spring car unless you install a floater. Suspension bind and a very harsh ride can be expected without a floater setup!

[@brianbaltus5757]

Thanks DDSS I have that exact set of ladder bars but yellow and I’ve been looking for examples of how to put install them.I think it’s a cool old looking set and they will get the job done.

[@JakeWeddle-zo4xv]

Ladder bars are old school cool!! Sweet ride Dan!

[@johnhines5402]

We had Lakewood bars like yours with coilovers on our '34 pickup, and the ride was great. Would use same setup again.

[@ThomasSmith-hh8fp]

And if they dont work/ ride too rough- check out what Carrol Shelby did to the rear axles on the 1965 GT350 s.. those over rider bars might be the ticket for your 55..

[@DaytripperXX]

I hope you plan on repainting the door Dan, that rust is getting on my nerves! lol

[@Freedbird]

Lol

[@DDSpeedShop]

It's on the list....

[@swamppy4880]

There's a bracket that goes over the top of the rear axle,that attaches on the top of the ladder bars

[@galaxie500xl7]

I hope you have better luck than I and several other racing buddies had with these type of traction bars. None of us could ever get the U bolts tight enough to keep the housing from twisting inside the U bolts. Plus, they squeak. And the only way to stop it was to grease the axle housing. I really grew to hate these type of bars. The only way to get them to work right was to weld them to the axle. Because of the way these bars are made welding didn't last long. They have to move with the axle. I got a belly full of them. I made my own out of 18-wheeler steering drag links. They worked great. And no squeaking.

[@mamma7119]

Two lane was so much more simple and darn it worked now with the suspension you are going American Graffiti with the 427 not putting down your engine choice but the best sound was the rock crusher and the rear end working together

[@robfox5892]

sick 66! you gotta put that thing in the sick ward!

[@spicedude6230]

I think those Ladder Bars would be perfect if you paint them PINK and let the Camera crew put GLITTER all over them...

[@roymceachin7409]

You are making another cool ass ride Dan . And your appearance is really getting the hang of shop Forman.😂 Dani is doing a great job. DDSpeedshop

[@kellyd887]

Personally I'd have put the entire drive line in the Chevelle but... that's me. Still... kool car Dan.

[@bobcuomo5122]

Dan if you use ladder bars with leaf springs you need to put floaters on the springs or you will bind the suspention !!!

[@LeonardMagnusson]

hey, i love reading comments. a lot of us have talked about your show on other peoples shows

[@karriefalon7779]

with the torque you are thowing at that car. the ladder bars are useless unless they are welded to the axle tubes. because the axle will just spin in the u blot. and there is sience to it. you got to have total acr weight on the suspention so they are where they wanna be while under no load. some did not wanna weld to the axle tube, so they made center bolt pads like what the leaf sit on and a mached flat pad on the ladder bar so it could not spin on the axle tube. when dialer corect they are great low budget traction control.

[@dumpsterguy85]

This old Chev is just mint

[@raymiehershey1430]

I like those bars, nice find! Got to square um up relatively good or the rear goes in a different direction than the front.

[@born2wrench]

Dan i hate to tell ya but when you were lying under 55 .you looked like the lion from the Wizard of Oz Lol

[@dogpatchfab]

Guys I don't care what anyone says, the Chemistry between you two is so refreshing and awesome to witness episode after episode...

[@DDSpeedShop]

Thanks man!

[@geraldscott4302]

Finally something I would have painted black (those red things) to make them invisible. I put Caltracs on my S-10 when I was racing it, which worked fine on the track, but on the street it pretty much had no rear suspension. It would bounce like crazy over small bumps.

[@DDSpeedShop]

Haha cmon! Hot rod red

[@kodiak2005]

AND, most times, with Leif springs, you would use traction bars, ladder bars with coil springs... But, this is DD Speed Shop, so anything goes. Especially, the norm.

[@Odawg3709]

I love how old school you are with this build, because I am as well, but I think there are better options for rear ends to stick.I hated ladder bars even when they were “cool”. I probably would go with 4 link! Jmo! Carry on

[@moosekoot6331]

Wow, air filter, must be a keeper

[@steal0119]

Cool Car.!!!!!!!!!!

[@shanewright6958]

It’s time for another great video 👍👍

[@ralphhayward5693]

A true hot rod come to life. 🇨🇦

[@timward3043]

That's a great idea put it away right beside the Nova

[@paulfarley9542]

Love the 55 looking good

[@patdeeker7463]

Hey John 🤘🏻

[@gregpratt1007]

Hey Dan I had to set up those Lakewood ladder bars on 68 Chevelle drag car drag car and they work great I had trouble with it will happen because of rear end rotating because of the Cold Spring after I put those on and a set of call over shocks I never had another truck problem with it and a car ran 660 and 84 me and that was back in the eighties when that was really quick now you have to be Enloe 5S to be really quick but in the 80s 660 was about as fast as anything in the 8th of a mile just thought I'd let you know about those ladder bars that they're great and mine was the same is what you got on yours anyway love the show man

[@bat5917]

🤔

[@craigtaylor2953]

Another fun video! Thanks

[@jessieharris1676]

I have a factory OD, in my 57 Ranchero, up shift and down shift are a switch under the accelerator pedal, shifts just like an automatic, push the pedal down it shifts down let off slightly, and it shifts up into OD.

[@stephennovotny6157]

Nice car 🚗 👌 👍 👏 😎 😀

[@barrybazile1294]

Dan back in the day I had a 53 Chevy pick up truck I want to put in a 68 nova rear rim at it I use the same lake with ladder bars what the cool thing was when I rode at night because I painted them yellow rear end black my shocks were white and I had a 12 bolt rear rim cover on it and when you ride behind it at night it would glow and it look cool and bad ass take that in consideration call looks great keep up the good work

[@DDSpeedShop]

Heck ya. Thanks buddy

[@pontiac411]

Those went away in favor of slapper bars because they work against suspension movement.

[@scottlance2404]

Dan!! Don’t cut them up!! You have a Chevelle!!! Lmfao. Damn!! Sorry I tried!! Hahahaha

[@EndOfTime.]

They look cool also !

[@rajcam80]

You might be the one that is convincing me to be a Tri Five "GUY"? Even though I had mentioned in the past I am not. The reality is ,your video's make me tune in. Keep up the good work my friend! JAM JAM ! P.S. I am a A body guy at heart. The 70 is going to be amazing.

[@christhompson9036]

I love it very nice go boy that is one bad ass hot rod 55

[@Zazu2You]

Lots of comments on the ladder bars. It will be interesting to see what happens. Cheers!! 😊

[@Stupidfastracing]

Can't wait to see it doing burnouts