I have a 01 4wd super duty with a 5.4, 2" mini spring pack in the front and 4" blocks in the rear and my truck tends to lean to the drivers side. Does anyone know if an adjustable trac bar would cure this problem? I have read other posts about leaning trucks but I am wondering if anyone has used an adjustable trac bar with this small of a lift to solve the problem?

 

I don't see that as a good idea. As I understand the trac bar is for keeping the axle cetered to the truck and doing what you say would side load the axle placing all the force on the springs which to me would not be a good idea. Also I think you would wear out the bushings on the trac bar pretty fast. They do have leveling kits which is the route I would suggest. Good Luck and give some feedback on how you fixed it.

 

I think a truck spring shop would be the best cure. They have shims and the capability to re-arch you springs.

I switched out my factory trac bar for a Donahoe racing one. The trac bar seems to pull the front end down pretty level if it is a bit short when the truck is unloaded, so it will probably not cure your issue.

 

you can unbolt your trac bar and see if it helps... when you are just sitting level your trac bar should not be under any stress.

 

When you are sitting level and unloaded, if you have the leafs rated at 5200#, the trac bar has tension on it. I think Ford sets it up so that there would be no tension or compression on the bar when the suspension is half way compressed. If it was set up to be under no stress unloaded, it would be under a lot of stress when loaded. If you take the factory bar out and want to get it back in you will need to compress the suspension a bit.

 

Thanks for the input, I guess I dont fully understand the mechanics of the front suspension. As I see it, if the truck is lifted up 2 inches and the trac bar is too short, it would want to pull the drivers side down. I thought with an adjustable trac bar the extra length would allow the drivers side to raise back up. Any further help would be appreciated.

 

nice theory but totally off, ask any suspension shop or even you dealer(well they probably dont know).. you do not want it pushing or pulling your suspesnion, anyway you dont really "load" your front springs much.. unless you are putting on a plow or bumper.. even hitching on a fifth wheel, not allot of percentage goes to the front...

J2, if you think your trac bar is giving you problems try taking it off, F series trucks did not even have a trac bar untill the newer stye.. it helps reduce bumpsteer, You definaty want it, but you can try driving around w/out it to see if your issues go away

 

[QUOTE=jetjock16]nice theory but totally off, ask any suspension shop or even you dealer(well they probably dont know).. you do not want it pushing or pulling your suspesnion, anyway you dont really "load" your front springs much.. unless you are putting on a plow or bumper.. even hitching on a fifth wheel, not allot of percentage goes to the front...


Umm, I am pretty sure that I am dead on with this one. It is under a bit of tension while the truck is unloaded. If the trac bar is not is tension why does everyone have a hard time putting it back on?? What would happen when you hit a bump with a snow plow on??

 

well, then i guess i cant convience you my friend, but i can tell you the reason everyone has a hard time getting back in.... its cause the only guys who took it off, did so to lift their rig, AND YES.. then its a bugger to get back in cuase you need to extend it to fit right(with no tension )

No body is responding to this post cause the question has been asked more then one million times... J2, do a search and you'll find all the info you need.

 

JJ & Mizzitch, there really isn't an argument between you. Your both right and wrong. Mizzitch is right to believe that on some SD's there is going to be built in tension on the trac bar. Ford only puts one set of brackets and one length of trac bar on these trucks. There are however several different spring rate and engine weight configurations that can be had. So a SD with a V-8 gas engine and the plow package suspension will naturally sit higher without the plow than a PSD with standard springs. So there is going to be tension on the trac bar of the V-8 when there is no plow. This isn't a Ford design FEATURE, this is the result of one size fits all designs. JJ's right to believe that in a perfect world there would be absolutely no tension on the trac bar unless it was doing what it was designed to do, preventing the axle from moving side to side. Trac bars however have nothing to do with preventing "Bumpsteer." Bumpsteer is the result of too much angle between the drag link and the tie rod. Steering stabilizers, drop pitman arms, Z links, and crossover steering are cures for bumpsteer. Trac bars are designed to keep the front end from shifting side to side and causing the truck to wander or wobble at freeway speeds.So see you guy's are arguing over nothing. Can't we all just get along?