Traction Bars
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Traction Bars
Anyone interested in traction bars for X's with the useless anti-wrap spring? I was able to engineer and fabricate a pair for less than $100 and tested them at the local dragstrip. Worked awesome! No more axle wrap and much better launches. No pics yet, didn't have time, but hope to soon.
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They are completely bolt on. There is welding required, but only for fabrication of the bars. They are made from 1 1/2" X 2 1/2" X 1/8" rectangle tubing. Each bar consists of two 18" bars stitch welded together lengthwise. Then weld a 5 inch piece of 2 X 2 X 3/16" angle on top at one end and another at the diagonal opposite and two more of the same size to bolt to. I used 1/2" X 5" grade 8 hardware with flat washers under the heads and lock washers at the nuts. I don't know if all X's have the same dimensions but the rubber bumper bolt might interfere so the length of the bar may need to be shortened. Pics to follow soon I hope.
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To answer your question Monsta, I didn't get that noise some posts have encountered with landyots radius rods, nor was the ride affected, because these are passive, meaning they don't work until the axle winds a little, much like a traction bar on a muscle car. Hope this answers your question better.
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Sit. Stay.
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5th Wheeling
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I would also be interested on some traction bars for my ex . Does anybody still have that issue even if you have the sway bar on your Ex? I had a 2000 ex and it didn't have a swap bar and I had 37" tires and had alot of axle wrap. I have a 2005 know with 35" tires and haven't noticed that issue ?
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Florida
Part of the short coming on the OEM anti-wrap leaf is the fact that it works in ONE direction only...i.e. acceleration...your design appears to enhance the stiffness of the OEM leaf...but I'm not sure if it works in the other direction. Meaning BRAKING and/or when you have a large tongue load PUSHING on the rear of the Ex (my issue).
Your fix appears to enhance the effects but only in one direction as the OEM one does...am I missing something in the photo that would shore up the braking direction or tongue load direction? I didn't see a snubber towards the REAR spring shackle...having it extend that far would work in both directions...but there sure may be something there that isn't clear in the pics...
joe.
Your fix appears to enhance the effects but only in one direction as the OEM one does...am I missing something in the photo that would shore up the braking direction or tongue load direction? I didn't see a snubber towards the REAR spring shackle...having it extend that far would work in both directions...but there sure may be something there that isn't clear in the pics...
joe.
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X Hemi - traction bars are only designed to work on acceleration, which is what these do. In no way are these perfect, but only meant to enhance whats there. The only real way to make it work both ways would be to fabricate ladder bars.
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You should go to your Firestone FACTORY Store and get those Steel X tires replaced(for free). They are still under a safety recall which never expires. I had 4 replaced (included the spare) with Firestone Transforce Load Range E tires shortly after I purchased my 2003 V10 Limited. We trying to match what was on the car and found a recall notice. The recall covers up to and including MY 2003.