Ladder bars
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 290
Likes: 0
i installed the same ones that andrew did. there is no change in the ride quality? i have the rancho 9000xl shocks and also added a leaf and 4" blocks under the rear end and added a 2.5" leveling kit and with all this done my truck rides like a dream, loaded and unloaded. it embarrasses the stock ride thats for sure! love the way it handels unloaded and loaded. and also, if you do tune your truck and drive it with no tractions bars for for a few hundred miles then add the bars, you do notice a difference in the way the truck drives/shifts after and thats a good thing!
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Bismarck,ND
Thanks for all the input and opinions guys, I still think i will just wanted to see what you guys thought and delt with.Ive seen huge problems with twisted leafs and major stress on U-bolts on stock trucks,not the newer ones yet but still, just the same IMO.Talk to you soon.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,302
Likes: 1,153
From: Edmonton Alberta
I will put a camera under the truck and see what is going on at some point but for a year and a half I have been doing fine without ladder bars.
When I asked Carli if I need them because of the tuner this is what they said:
"For traction bars, I recommend you hold off for the time being. Our Add-A-Packs will help support the stock leafs and should prevent axle wrap up to a certain point. When the power gets high and you start getting silly with torque, you might need them. An important thing to know is that Traction Bars will degrade your ride quality, they force the springs to swing in an un-natural arc. This causes a problem with the leaf spring bushings, it can blow them out prematurely."
They have not steered me wrong thus far so I will go with their suggestion. They know a bit about suspension.
Maybe if you are just adding larger blocks to stock suspension you need them. With the Carli system you don't. At least not until we can get some more power out of these trucks
When I asked Carli if I need them because of the tuner this is what they said:
"For traction bars, I recommend you hold off for the time being. Our Add-A-Packs will help support the stock leafs and should prevent axle wrap up to a certain point. When the power gets high and you start getting silly with torque, you might need them. An important thing to know is that Traction Bars will degrade your ride quality, they force the springs to swing in an un-natural arc. This causes a problem with the leaf spring bushings, it can blow them out prematurely."
They have not steered me wrong thus far so I will go with their suggestion. They know a bit about suspension.
Maybe if you are just adding larger blocks to stock suspension you need them. With the Carli system you don't. At least not until we can get some more power out of these trucks
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,406
Likes: 3
From: Altoona, Ia
I will put a camera under the truck and see what is going on at some point but for a year and a half I have been doing fine without ladder bars.
When I asked Carli if I need them because of the tuner this is what they said:
"For traction bars, I recommend you hold off for the time being. Our Add-A-Packs will help support the stock leafs and should prevent axle wrap up to a certain point. When the power gets high and you start getting silly with torque, you might need them. An important thing to know is that Traction Bars will degrade your ride quality, they force the springs to swing in an un-natural arc. This causes a problem with the leaf spring bushings, it can blow them out prematurely."
They have not steered me wrong thus far so I will go with their suggestion. They know a bit about suspension.
Maybe if you are just adding larger blocks to stock suspension you need them. With the Carli system you don't. At least not until we can get some more power out of these trucks
When I asked Carli if I need them because of the tuner this is what they said:
"For traction bars, I recommend you hold off for the time being. Our Add-A-Packs will help support the stock leafs and should prevent axle wrap up to a certain point. When the power gets high and you start getting silly with torque, you might need them. An important thing to know is that Traction Bars will degrade your ride quality, they force the springs to swing in an un-natural arc. This causes a problem with the leaf spring bushings, it can blow them out prematurely."
They have not steered me wrong thus far so I will go with their suggestion. They know a bit about suspension.
Maybe if you are just adding larger blocks to stock suspension you need them. With the Carli system you don't. At least not until we can get some more power out of these trucks
I would agree that traditional "ladder bars" that are fixed mounted to the axle and use a hyme joint (or similar) would degrade the ride quality some. My bars aren't fix mounted on either end and there's significant "play" in the urethane bushings on each end. I guess you would need to see them first hand to truly understand how it is.
I'd be curious to see the video if you do put a camera under your truck. I think you'd be surprised at what you see.
My bars don't hang down below the axle and are significantly higher than the pumpkin.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 7,302
Likes: 1,153
From: Edmonton Alberta
I told them 500/1100 and that is the reply I got. It's not a 6.4 hahahahahahaha.
We need more power. I am getting sick of getting smoked by 6.4's.
Get us more power Andrew
We need more power. I am getting sick of getting smoked by 6.4's.
Get us more power Andrew
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