home made traction bars
I fell asleep after work today and woke up around 9:30 completely rested LOL
So, I decided I might as well start work on the traction bars. I was only going to tac the brackets in place and mock up the bars but then decided to go all out.
All that is left is paint and get some 3/4" bolts (I have 1/2's stuck in just to hold them in right now)



I also may have found my vibration issue when braking. Not sure how in the hell this happened since my lug nuts were extremely tight:
i'd think it would be better to put the links forward pivot right under the spring shackle so that it acts like a 4 link
and are you really having that much axle wrap?
i'd think it would be better to put the links forward pivot right under the spring shackle so that it acts like a 4 link
This makes no sense. Please elaborate how you think my bars will bind and not work, so I can then explain to you why this is the proper way to do it.
and are you really having that much axle wrap?
I know, hard to believe an IDI needs traction bars, but thats what happens when you're making real power

EDIT:
I'm really lost on what you are trying to explain with the traction bars, and I'm racking my mind trying to picture what you're saying. Are you talking about caltracs style bars?
it kinda looks like since your track bar is mounted so far forward that when loaded it would try to rotate your pinion upward since our spring pack is pretty much a solid bar in that direction.
if i were to i would put the spring pack and traction-bar's pivot perpendicular to the ground so that it better matches the pivot point and the point of attachment on the spring pack.(like a 4 link rear suspension on a straight axle)
will that not work correctly?
the other way i have seen it done is to use a solid mount on the axle and have a shackle on the front pivot so that the traction bar can swing but still keeps the bar from tilting upwards or downwards. i still think that would make the pinion tilt.
where did you get the greaseable heims joints at?
it kinda looks like since your track bar is mounted so far forward that when loaded it would try to rotate your pinion upward since our spring pack is pretty much a solid bar in that direction.
if i were to i would put the spring pack and traction-bar's pivot perpendicular to the ground so that it better matches the pivot point and the point of attachment on the spring pack.(like a 4 link rear suspension on a straight axle)
will that not work correctly?
the other way i have seen it done is to use a solid mount on the axle and have a shackle on the front pivot so that the traction bar can swing but still keeps the bar from tilting upwards or downwards. i still think that would make the pinion tilt.
where did you get the greaseable heims joints at?
as the suspension cycles (what very little my dually suspension moves), up and down the axle changes position. As the springs compress, the axle moves back. As the springs extend, the axle moves forward.
Traction bars are parallel to the d-shaft, and this is important because as the bars move up, they get "longer", and as they drop, they get "shorter" moving with the axle. You want your axle side mount about 3 - 4" below the centerline of axle to best control wrap.
The traction bar you are speaking about with 2 solid axle side mounts, and a frame side shackle is best suited for offroad applications, so it doesn't interfere with articulation. In a tow rig this will put a lot of tension on the bar and bend/break stuff.
Those aren't heim joints, they are bushed ends.
I'm about to pull everything apart to paint, I'll take pics of everything out of the truck and the finished product.
we no longer put them on with an impact

how would you go about building a set on a truck that ground clearance would be a problem?
could you put them above the spring by say 6 inches? that way there would actually be tension on the bars instead of compression? it would try and pull the axle to the front of the truck though. and i guess it would put even more load on the front part of springs that way.
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Where did you get the ends and mounts?
Just in case people don't know.
I've never been ripped by them, and I ordered a bunch before last year, but as said... you need to know you are taking a chance ordering from them.



