Trac Bar Removal
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
Trac Bar Removal
So awhile back Ed told me that my truck flex's so poorly because of my short trac bar.
What would it take to be able to remove the trac bar? I heard I would have to have more leafs in the pack. How many minimum to make it good...? Or what would I need to do.. With the stock springs, there is no way to remove the trac bar and have it drive safely.. but I figured I would ask because the front springs will have more to them now with the lifting and what not.
Thanks in advance.
What would it take to be able to remove the trac bar? I heard I would have to have more leafs in the pack. How many minimum to make it good...? Or what would I need to do.. With the stock springs, there is no way to remove the trac bar and have it drive safely.. but I figured I would ask because the front springs will have more to them now with the lifting and what not.
Thanks in advance.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
Major requirement is the shackle reversal. The front swing shackle is probably the biggest reason why the trac bar is required. I have run the front swing shackle without a trac bar with limited success, but the odds greatly increased when the shackle was placed at the rear of the front spring.
Both of my recent Bronco builds are running bone stock front springs with no trac bar.
Here is the one that went together over the Holiday weekend:
Both of my recent Bronco builds are running bone stock front springs with no trac bar.
Here is the one that went together over the Holiday weekend:
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
trac bar and safe driving go hand and hand. are u sure u are not talking about sway bar. figure it out because u can operate semi safely w/o sway on the other hand the trac bar removal could put u in a very uncomfortable place if u plan on driving faster than u can run.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
Broncos with stock F350 leaf sprngs, shackle reversal, and no "Trac bar" commonly run 80 plus miles per hour on the freway with zero issues.
Matter of fact, the black one with Super Duty front leafs does this on a regular basis.
Notice no trac bar here:
Sway bars have also been ditched. Those limit flex like crazy, and are rather useless for lifted rigs that require some articulation.
No sway bars, and no trac bars. Thats part of the key to leaf springs and decent flex:
Stock front springs and no trac bar:
Matter of fact, the black one with Super Duty front leafs does this on a regular basis.
Notice no trac bar here:
Sway bars have also been ditched. Those limit flex like crazy, and are rather useless for lifted rigs that require some articulation.
No sway bars, and no trac bars. Thats part of the key to leaf springs and decent flex:
Stock front springs and no trac bar:
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
So your saying with just the shackle reversal I should be okay?
I've done the shackle reversal in the front and shackle flip in the rear. I've also added leafs up front, a custom leaf pack of sorts. Not what I had planned on in the beginning, but it will do until I get the new lift springs. I'm aiming for Feburary or sooner. I wish I had more money to throw at the F-350 lol.
So with the shackle reversal I should be able to take my trac bar off.. what about the sway bar? I never put ANY thought into this. Would it hurt its pavement capabilites? I still need it to be safe to drive to any spots. Its not a trailer queen yet..
I've done the shackle reversal in the front and shackle flip in the rear. I've also added leafs up front, a custom leaf pack of sorts. Not what I had planned on in the beginning, but it will do until I get the new lift springs. I'm aiming for Feburary or sooner. I wish I had more money to throw at the F-350 lol.
So with the shackle reversal I should be able to take my trac bar off.. what about the sway bar? I never put ANY thought into this. Would it hurt its pavement capabilites? I still need it to be safe to drive to any spots. Its not a trailer queen yet..
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 8,147
Likes: 1
From: Joppa, Maryland
Ed drives his trucks on the street all the time as far as I know without sway bars.
I drive my bronco on the street a good bit without sway bars.
If you're worried about it or don't like the way it handles without them you can get sway bar disconnects which is like a quick disconnect for when you get to the offroad spot, then hook them back up when you're done wheelin.
It's not unsafe by any means, but be prepared for it to handle differently. I didn't notice any appreciable difference, but it may vary for your truck.
I drive my bronco on the street a good bit without sway bars.
If you're worried about it or don't like the way it handles without them you can get sway bar disconnects which is like a quick disconnect for when you get to the offroad spot, then hook them back up when you're done wheelin.
It's not unsafe by any means, but be prepared for it to handle differently. I didn't notice any appreciable difference, but it may vary for your truck.
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
I'm too lazy to have sway bar disconnects. If I take it off, its staying off lol.
Thats another thing I never understood about people who have mud tires and street tires. Unless you plan some HUGE trips or something, I wouldn't ever do it. I usually go four-wheeling on a whim, I dont want to have to swap tires everytime I go.
But as a last minute change of plans (welder stopped working) I havn't done the shackle reversal. Pulled the crap I had and just threw the leafs back on. It is higher in the front, but not nearly as much as I wanted. I'll get the welder going again and finish my front's hangers.
Thats another thing I never understood about people who have mud tires and street tires. Unless you plan some HUGE trips or something, I wouldn't ever do it. I usually go four-wheeling on a whim, I dont want to have to swap tires everytime I go.
But as a last minute change of plans (welder stopped working) I havn't done the shackle reversal. Pulled the crap I had and just threw the leafs back on. It is higher in the front, but not nearly as much as I wanted. I'll get the welder going again and finish my front's hangers.
Trending Topics
Street Queen to the extr3m3
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 4,554
Likes: 3
From: Lubbock, Texas
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
The welder stopped... welding. Lol. I can't get it to do anything at all.
I'll figure it out later. The truck is a few inches higher in the front. And.... the rear is higher than the front. I need to get that reversal set up. I'll finish the hangers soon and bolt it all on.
You'll get pictures soon enough.
I'll figure it out later. The truck is a few inches higher in the front. And.... the rear is higher than the front. I need to get that reversal set up. I'll finish the hangers soon and bolt it all on.
You'll get pictures soon enough.
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
It started working again...
I don't understand what went wrong..
I guess i'll finish up the hangers and bolt em on soon...
Anyone know what would cause a welder to stop putting out electricity and then mysteriously just start again??
I don't understand what went wrong..
I guess i'll finish up the hangers and bolt em on soon...
Anyone know what would cause a welder to stop putting out electricity and then mysteriously just start again??
Elder User
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 510
Likes: 0
Yeah a bad ground will make it act like that. Make sure the cable is tight with the clamp. Also, the copper polarity strips inside the welder get corrosion on them. Was it still spooling out the wire or nothing at all
Thread Starter
|
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
From: Olympia
I have a Lincoln ARC, the wire feed runs off of the ARC welder.
I could not get ANYTHING to work. I tried just tapping the stick to the negative cable and nothing happened. I could not get the wire to spool on the other welder, nor could I get power to a small grinder with one of the sockets.
But tried it again later and everyting worked fine.
I'll need to finish the hangers and get them on. I'm not satisfied at all with the truck's current height, and the rear is higher by a few inches. It looks really stupid lol.
I could not get ANYTHING to work. I tried just tapping the stick to the negative cable and nothing happened. I could not get the wire to spool on the other welder, nor could I get power to a small grinder with one of the sockets.
But tried it again later and everyting worked fine.
I'll need to finish the hangers and get them on. I'm not satisfied at all with the truck's current height, and the rear is higher by a few inches. It looks really stupid lol.