[axisT6]

I have an OBS 2wd extended cab on a Fabtech 7" lift. I have a 4" blocks and 2.5" add a leaves in the rear. After I get the 4.10 gears and engine swap done, I know I will start having axle wrap. I want to fab my own trac bars. I have a welder, steel tubing, and plenty of nuts and bolts. Is there any thing I need to know before doing this. :think:

 

[Nicholas]

i wouldn't think it would be that hard to do it, Id just look at some pics of other trac bars, go off thta, and make sure whe you do it to put them on with the susp at full droop to have some preload on them.

 

[willyswanter]

Ok now listen very very carefully... All those "twin traction bars" you see on these trucks, one on each side, they are not the best way of doing things. They may look cool with their fancy chrome or powdercoating but thats about it. They bind horribly. Anyway, onto proper building.

You want to build a single traction bar for best performance. Build off to one side of the center differential. Take one tube from a pivot point on top of the axle tube up to a crossmember on the frame and attache it to the frame via a shackle. The tube from the axle will go to the bottom of the shackle while the frame mount will attach to the top of the shackle. You will then run a tube from the bottom of the axle tube to the upper tube somewhere between the mid point and the frame end. Use urethane bushings in the shackle and you will have one of the best performing non-binding traction bars ever.

Good luck

 

[Dark Eternal]

Ok now listen very very carefully... All those "twin traction bars" you see on these trucks, one on each side, they are not the best way of doing things. They may look cool with their fancy chrome or powdercoating but thats about it. They bind horribly. Anyway, onto proper building.

You want to build a single traction bar for best performance. Build off to one side of the center differential. Take one tube from a pivot point on top of the axle tube up to a crossmember on the frame and attache it to the frame via a shackle. The tube from the axle will go to the bottom of the shackle while the frame mount will attach to the top of the shackle. You will then run a tube from the bottom of the axle tube to the upper tube somewhere between the mid point and the frame end. Use urethane bushings in the shackle and you will have one of the best performing non-binding traction bars ever.

Good luck

:word:

I should be fabbing one in the next few months, ill get pics up of it when I do.

 

[willyswanter]

:word:

I should be fabbing one in the next few months, ill get pics up of it when I do.

You know I was banned from FSC for posting that same post :anitoof: Somehow the admin was convinced there was a personal attack in there...

 

[axisT6]

Ok now listen very very carefully... All those "twin traction bars" you see on these trucks, one on each side, they are not the best way of doing things. They may look cool with their fancy chrome or powdercoating but thats about it. They bind horribly. Anyway, onto proper building.

You want to build a single traction bar for best performance. Build off to one side of the center differential. Take one tube from a pivot point on top of the axle tube up to a crossmember on the frame and attache it to the frame via a shackle. The tube from the axle will go to the bottom of the shackle while the frame mount will attach to the top of the shackle. You will then run a tube from the bottom of the axle tube to the upper tube somewhere between the mid point and the frame end. Use urethane bushings in the shackle and you will have one of the best performing non-binding traction bars ever.

Good luck

That is a good idea, and sounds a lot easier. I think I may have gotten a little confused though. When you said to attach the tube from the top of the axle to a crossmember via a shackle, did you mean to attach it in the same manner the leaf spring shackles are attached?? Also, if I were to attach another tube from the bottom of the axle to the mid point of the tube going from the top of the axle, wouldn't the axle then travel in more of an arc then a linear fashon?

 

[axisT6]

You know I was banned from FSC for posting that same post :anitoof: Somehow the admin was convinced there was a personal attack in there...

Banned?? You?? That is their loss. I read your truck build up, you know your shiznit. By the way, did you get that trac bar idea out of the same literature you used to design your four link??

 

[willyswanter]

Yep, shackle mounts basically like the spring shackles mount. The shackle absorbs the front and rear motion of the axle so the trac bar won't travel in an arc theoretically.

Nope, just observations I have made over the years, but yeah it is the general consensus among wheelers.

 

[axisT6]

Yep, shackle mounts basically like the spring shackles mount. The shackle absorbs the front and rear motion of the axle so the trac bar won't travel in an arc theoretically.

Nope, just observations I have made over the years, but yeah it is the general consensus among wheelers.

Okay Willy forgive my ignorance :slap: but it sounds like the the trac bar will just swing on the shackle instead of preventing the axle from moving back and forth.

 

[willyswanter]

Nope, the shackle will not allow the anti-wrap bar to move up or down when rotating around the axle centerline... It's debatable to whether the system works better with an inverted shackle where the bottom of the shackle mounts to the frame and the top of the shack hooks to the anti-wrap arm. I would do it that way but it's not much different. It just puts the shackle in tension when accelerating so it works harder to fight wrap.

 

[KoTToN]

Ok i think i understand what your saying jason, but the only traction bars ive ever seen were those twin powercoated chroms with spinners things so im having trouble picturing it. Im trying to understand how you are explaining this so i drew it up and you tell me what is wrong with the pic. Btw bow down to my sweet ms paint skills. :anitoof:

 

[Nicholas]

I saw one on a truck on top truck challenge when i watched the video yesterday. As far as i can tell, that looks like the basic idea, and after jason explained it, it seems to me like it would work very well and not interfere with travel at all. if you need more travel, just get a little longer shackle.

 

[axisT6]

Nope, the shackle will not allow the anti-wrap bar to move up or down when rotating around the axle centerline... It's debatable to whether the system works better with an inverted shackle where the bottom of the shackle mounts to the frame and the top of the shack hooks to the anti-wrap arm. I would do it that way but it's not much different. It just puts the shackle in tension when accelerating so it works harder to fight wrap.

:slap: Now I see what you mean. :slap: Thats what I get for being tired and trying to do suspension. Thanks Willy.

 

[KoTToN]

haha i guess i was pretty close.

 

[chevysmithZ71]

Could you still put 2 (one on either side) and it be functional. I know all my buddys will ask,"Hey, Why is there just one?" And I would not really want to go into all that explanation. What you think?

 

[KoTToN]

I have no clue but thats a good question, i just learned about this since jason just posted it in this thread. He should come by sometime after hes done creating a monster and give us some feedback.

 

[willyswanter]

Well, if you do two, one on each side, it will bind. If you use an orbit-eye or johnny joint at the frame end it may help a little and let it flex a little better but the shackle is still going to bind a bit. Just print this thread out and keep it in the truck, when your friends ask why only one, just say cause Jason said so

 

[KoTToN]

and thats the bottom line? what keeps the single bar from binding? Would it flex very good with the axle if u just used bushings?