Imagine a wishbone coming straight up from the diff housing. Not forward but straight up toward the bed. This wishbone would be rigid, two mounts on the
sides of the diff and one to the pinion snout like a tripod.
Imagine a wats linkage turned 90 degrees so that the ends mount to the center of the X member in front and behind the rear axle.
This should allow verticle movement as well as articulation of the rear axle.
BTW, this is for a big 4x4.
http://members.***.net/randy-barnett...s/truck_wa.wmv

What do you think?

 

what is a "wats linkage"?

 

Randy,
I don't get what you're describing. I know what a watts linkage is (look at the rear axle of a new Durango), but I don't know how you'd use it as a traction aid...it's designed to be a locating member....like a track bar but without the side-to-side arc movement.

I don't understand how you would attach it to function without binding...and besides, you've already got leaf springs, so why add more complication to it?

Cody

 

I am trying to elimeanate axle wrap By not allowing the pinion to rotate up.
The concept is the same as using radius arms. But since I have leafs I am tring to avoid the binding you get when combining leafs and radius arms or 4-links. Instead of locating the rear axle side to side like in the Durango it would locate the radius arm front to back while still allowing the axle to move like a traditional leaf sprung axle..

 

Randy you are still gonna get the same axle bind you do with ladder bars because the axle pushes back as the springs compress, they get longer and that link is gonna stop it from moving back under compression the best solution would be a slapper type of bar that isn't mounted solidly on the front but can't rotate up.

 

I don't want traction bars hanging out there to hang up on everything.
O.K How about useing 2 steering dampers instead of the Wats linkage?
Like what peple have done with shocks but useing steering dampers instead. I think the dampers would work better than shocks.

 

I thought steering dampers are just small shocks. Maybe I'm wrong.

 

they are with the exception that they have the same dampening proportion in both direction unlike shocks that will give a higher number in one direction vs the other.

 

pffffffft.... i used a skyjacker hydro shock as a stabilizer cause i had it laying around and it worked beautifully. but my philosophy is if you need one you have problems you are just hiding and not really fixiing

Randy, you willneed to think this through, you will not get the result you are looking for without a sturdy mount... ie a true ladder bar. now you can build them so they dont drag the ground and then puta shackle on one end to allow for flex but keep the pinion from moving up and down

-cutts-

 

How about this!

Scroll toward the bottom of the page.

http://www.sams4x4store.com/specialt...Traction%20Bar

 

Even with a shackle the ladder bar is going to bind when the axle moves up/down. Or is the rotational force minor enough that the spring can absorb it without too much deflection?

 

no that setup works VERY well! i have a few buddies that run a setup like that except they built theirs to allow for plenty of ground clearance. i think Pro has some pics of a setup like that

-cutts-

 

Thanks, I guess I will just have to try the ladderbar and shackle method.

 

attaching stuff to the leaf springs is going to impede articulation and traction on any surface save a smooth road.maybe a pair of adjustable dampers with heim joints at ends, at the front and rear of a bracket that is welded to the top of the diff case that will look like a mohawk, extend as far fore and aft as possible say a 24 inch span.on the centerline.the dampers or light coilovers go up to a pair of crossmembers,probably slightly back(angled back) to mimic normal axle compression arc.they must be parallel to each other.a 90/10 in front,10/90 dampening in rear or the like.you dont want to stop all wrap,this helps the tires rebite,just control it better.adjusts for compression and rebound will help with tuning.this would have to be designed just right to stop undue stress to driveshaft an other unforseen/binding,etc.would be forward thinking/trick if you can make work rite

 

my idea sound trick but murphys law states you may break many expensive parts birthing this w/o an engineer with skills/computer.the angles lenghts of dampers etc must all be spot on.the cross members must be very strong too.the attach point to diff must be done well to stop crushing the case or warping it