Mopower Garage

Published by Christopher J. Holley | Mopar History & Tech | January 2026

1. Overall Philosophy

1. The front and rear work together: The front controls weight transfer, and the rear controls tire loading and axle rotation.
2. Shocks control the speed of movement, and limiters control distance of movement.
3. Bias-ply tires need progressive, predictable motion: overshoot causes spin or bounce.
4. Front geometry and TOOT / camber must be controlled to minimize camber change on launch.
5. Rear geometry and instant center (IC) position must be controlled to maximize traction without oscillation.

Rule of Thumb:

“Allow the car to move naturally, then control it with damping.”

2. Front End Setup

Front suspension: Short/Long arm (SLA) with torsion bars.

Goal:

• Smooth front rise for weight transfer
• Limit camber change during launch
• Controlled nose drop after the hit

Front Shocks (Viking dual-adjustable)

Direction	Setting (Clicks from soft)	Purpose
Rebound / Extension	4–6	Allow the front to rise smoothly and transfer weight to the rear tires
Compression / Bump	12–14	Control nose drop, prevent overshoot, stabilize steering

Front Camber and TOOT Notes:

• Static camber: –0.25° to –0.75° (negative to offset front rise)
• TOOT: minimal (0–1°) for drag stability
• Positive caster: +5° to +7° to aid self-centering

Travel Limiter:

• Target front rise: approximately 2–3 inches
• Controls excessive camber gain

Teaching note:

The front is “the throttle control for geometry”: rise allows the rear to load, limiter plus compression controls camber and steering.

3. Rear End Setup

Rear suspension: Mopar leaf springs with CalTrac or torque-arm style setup.

Goal:

• Load tires consistently
• Maximize traction
• Control axle rotation (instant center management)
• Prevent wheel hop

IC Consideration

• IC above neutral line (common in Dart / A-body)
  • The rear wants to rise on launch, and the nose comes up
  • Solution: rear extension soft, rear compression stiff
• IC below neutral line
  • The rear wants to squat on launch
  • Would require the opposite adjustments (not the case here)

Rear Shocks (Viking dual-adjustable)

Direction	Setting (Clicks from soft)	Purpose
Rebound / Extension	4–6	Allow the rear to rise and load the tires properly
Compression / Bump	12–14	Control settling, prevent oscillation, maintain predictable pinion return

CalTrac / Preload Notes:

• Slight preload on driver side to load rear tires evenly
• Passenger side neutral
• Preload is not the primary solution for IC issues or shock damping

4. Hot Versus Cold Track Adjustments

Hot Track (grippy surface):

• Rear compression: tighten 1–2 clicks to control overshoot
• Rear rebound: tighten 1 click to prevent bounce
• Front rebound: tighten 1 click if the nose rises too fast
• Front compression: tighten 1 click only if steering wanders

Cold Track (slick / low VHT surface):

• Rear compression: loosen 1–2 clicks to allow tire to wrinkle
• Rear rebound: loosen 1 click to increase rise and weight transfer
• Front rebound: loosen 1 click to increase weight transfer
• Front compression: usually leave unchanged

Rule: Always adjust the rear first, then the front. Make 1–2 click changes maximum per pass.

5. Bias-Ply Tire Notes

• Rear bias-ply tires are sensitive to sudden motion; shocks must smooth movement
• Front bias-ply tires tolerate slight rise; use a limiter to control camber
• Make small incremental changes on shocks; avoid large swings

6. Summary – Baseline Track Settings

Front:

• Rebound: 5 clicks
• Compression: 13 clicks
• Static camber: –0.25° to –0.75°
• TOOT: 0–1°
• Front rise: 2–3 inches
• Caster: +5–7°

Rear:

• Rebound: 5 clicks
• Compression: 13 clicks
• CalTrac preload: slight driver-side, neutral passenger
• IC above neutral line

7. Trackside Tuning Order

1. Rear compression → traction and launch
2. Rear rebound → axle control and settle
3. Front rebound → weight transfer and nose rise
4. Front compression → nose drop and steering stability

Never adjust more than two items per pass.

8. One-Line Philosophy for Students

“Front: allow it to rise, control the drop. Rear: allow it to load, control the settle. Shocks make the car predictable; tires make the car fast.”