I too forgot about this thread but i did get a chance to articulate a suspension eith these bars, The answer to my question is the bars themself hold the axle in a fixed arc as the suspension cycles and the spring wraps forward as the axle travels up. This Axle wrap puts the whole suspension under a tremendous amount of stress ( like 2000 foot pounds with 2-3” of travel ) this limits your up travel and Snaps back violently as the axle wrap unloads when the suspension begins its downward travel.

 

@Wes444 how did the traction bars perform this past camping season? I know you didn't have many outings due to your home purchase (congrats again), but I am hopeful they were still a good purchase in your opinion.

 

They worked great towing
Shifts are nice and silky smooth now, empty or towing; not that I slammed it in gear before or gave passengers whiplash or spilled the wife's glass of wine, it just has a much smoother transition of power application at what feels like at the road from my seat. Accel/decel feels much smoother from the rear. Expansion joints are still felt but have much less front to back hop from them under acceleration, slightly reducing chugging when towing. The truck just feels more planted front to back, just like adding the sway bar helped side to side. She sure scoots in the 80hp tune towing on onramps or highway stoplights without that sloppy axle wrap feeling.

I don't feel the axel wrap when we're fully loaded with fresh, gray, black, (then trailer axles) galley, and rear black tank. Seems when we cross that line from 11k to 12.5k in weight was where it became evident.

As for suspension travel I only squat 1/2" to 3/4” depending on the level of the tanks forward of the 5th wheel axle, which is only part of the equation. We haven't really been on gawd awful Arizona i40 like roads since the install tho, so maybe 2 or 3" of travel at max so far. I'll keep an eye on the componets tho Pirate, thank you for that research information. I was looking forward to your review of that poly bushing

I was actually on my creeper last week and checked all the bolts along with the sway bar, hitch rails, ujoints, and list of other things I try and check at least once a year. (Looks like rear rotors are in my future ) Everything was still torqued down, no visible cracks to frame, componets looks good, looked better after wiping the road grime off.

 

I am pleased to hear you like them. Not only did you spend far less than I did on the turbo system to be happy, but you spent far less on your traction bars too.

Well done sir!

Perhaps I can see the bars in person next fall when we are in your neck of the woods.

 

Well I think my turbo setup will be fine for stock sticks, stays clean towing heavy on 80hp tune, but should I get the late night itch to click the button on buying bigger sticks I'll probably have to go T4 to keep em clean.

And don't sell yourself short on the turbo costs, with the turbine and billet wheels and the water meth kit I'm kissing $900 So just a bit more and I'm super close to a T4 after selling takeoff parts. Unless someone comes out with a different compressor housing there's currently not anywhere more to go with the stock turbo, vs you can just swap T4 bits out pretty easily should you need a little more

 

Tagging this one. Now that I'm researching Traction Bar options, I've primarily been looking at the PMF's and OUO's. OUO's being most expensive with PMF's still being expensive but a fair amount cheaper than the OUO's, at least from my price searching. These ProComps seem like a nice budget friendly set. Other than the installation, it sounds like you are happy with them...

 

I could of done the install faster but the level I took it to on the blocks added a little more time, and taking photos to document any install process will slow you down even more. The only "issue" I had was the DS front mount where it's soo close to the tank. The proximity is mentioned on the site for long beds vs a non issue for short beds. Otherwise the install is pretty straight forward considering what all you do.

I was very glad to have them on this current trip thru the Kentucky hills all around Mammoth Cave. If I hadn't done them and also the Hellwig rear sway bar b4 this trip I would have been white knuckle driving the whole week. Roads were in great shape, they were just 20ft wide sometimes there weren't even center lines, and very curvy and hilly. 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 mph turn speed warning signs were the norm.
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Saw one unfortunate 35ish foot 5th wheel that had slapped a guardrail with the rear corner of the trailer and tore off his skirt, and pulled the rear wall off the frame. They had several ratchet straps trying to hold the corner together from the ladder down to the frame jack mounts behind the axle. At 38.5 ft I was glad there was little oncoming traffic on the more extreme curves

 

Good to see your still enjoying the upgrades Wesley. These are often the sorts of things that people don't know much about, but are thankful for after they are done.

It is difficult and time consuming to document your work, but the community as a whole appreciated your drive and passion to help out.

SJBJ is a great example of this. Had you not detailed your install, he may have never been informed about this option.

 

Thanks for the kind words Jeff, but I feel as tho I owe it to those coming behind me as I have gleaned so much from those that came before me with now "normal" things like H&H, 7 turn mod, T4 setups and the like that the now new members are bombarded with

 

Well put Wesley!

People like you and so many others are what makes this community what it is. Down to the core good people wanting to help.

 

I was just surfing on the site and ran across your thread. I bought a 2000 Super Duty 7.3l 4x4 back in 2006 and it had these exact Pro Comp traction bars installed.
I am attaching pics of the way mine were installed just to give another option from the way you installed yours.
On my truck, the Mounting Brackets were Welded On. Much quicker and easier. I am guessing the original owner made the brackets that were welded on But, Pro Comp may have offered these brackets with the kit back then too.
Great step by step instructions Sir!!!

 

While welding may easier, the way the front brackets were welded to the frame makes it even less desireable than drilling holes! Welding across the flange like that is a no-no!

Oh well.

 

Where in the truck owning world did you get your no-no information? Also... what "flange", there is an axle tube and the frame (see below) that has been welded to.

And in the metals world it is well known that drilling holes in metal weakens the metal but yet people do it all the time.

 

"B" being the flange and "H" being the web. Assume we're talking about the area "T" in regard to your situation.

The crappy weld perpendicular to the flange on the bottom all the way across causes a brittle area in the frame at one of the most stressed points of the frame. Since I'm no longer a certified welder (lapsed), ASE Certified Master Tech (lapsed), nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night (homebody), take this for what it's worth.....nothing......and do what you want.

Personally, while welding in that location could be fine, I would prefer seeing the bracket welded ALONG the flange parallel to (along the sides) and not perpendicular ACROSS it if no other option were available. Optimally, an "L"-shaped bracket would be ideal, gaining support along the bottom edge of the flange but bolted through the web only.

But hey, people drill holes in the frame all the time. They probably also make videos about the secret "trick" of changing the high pressure oil pump reservoir oil and claiming it makes a difference.

 

@Y2KW57