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Traction Bar Build

55K views 46 replies 14 participants last post by  Black086.4 
#1 ·
Well, as it says. Im building a set of bars. Ill post pics as it comes along. I hope this can help someone wanting to build their own.

I'll take any suggestions thrown at me. I am doing this just from what i've learned here. I plan having the bars be anywhere from 60-72 inches depending how long they need to be to be the same angle as the drive shaft. 2'' DOM 0.250 wall thickness.

I made this pattern at work. 1/4" plate. The bolt hole is 9/16" - 4 1/8" from the bottom of axle tube. I made sure to leave a +5/8" space in front and behind the axle tube in case i had to mount them over the u-bolts.


3" strap 1/4" plate cut at 6"


I cut a 3" spacer and placed it in the bolt holes. Mocked it up and welded it.


 
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#2 ·
These are coming in the mail from Ballistic Fabrication

This will go in the rear. It is a 3" Ballistic Bushing. 9/16" bolt hole. 2" DOM 0.250 wall


This will be in the front. It is a forged chromoly 2.63" Ballistic Joint 3/4"-16tpi


Tube adapter. 3/4" 16-tpi for the Ballistic Joint


Frame mount... Again, for the Ballistic Joint
 
#3 ·
Looks great. Did you leave enough room at the axle connection for the bar joint? Looks like the 3" plate runs too low and won't allow a joint to fit in there.

I'll be running the same 3" single bushings in the rear and going with a rod end at the front to allow the articulation and easy parts replacements. Kind of like the OUO style. I'm also straddling the U-bolts but will not have such a heavy backer on the brackets. Interested to see how yours turns out. Putting those brackets on the bottom of the frame, I wouldn't think you'ld have to straddle. I think you can run the bracket right between the shock mount and the inner U-bolt.

Good luck and keep posting progress. And, is that a Lincoln Mig Pac 10??? That's what I have!!! Love the machine.

Dave
 
#4 ·
Looks great. Did you leave enough room at the axle connection for the bar joint? Looks like the 3" plate runs too low and won't allow a joint to fit in there.

Putting those brackets on the bottom of the frame, I wouldn't think you'ld have to straddle. I think you can run the bracket right between the shock mount and the inner U-bolt.
Dave

The center of the hole is 1 1/8" from the back plate, and the bushing is 2" OD. So,.... i should have an 1/8" gap when it's in there.

If i do put the brackets on the bottom of the frame i wont have to straddle the u-bolts. But i would have to remove my sway bar because it is in the way. I don't really want to remove it though. I can add on to the frame mounts to allow them to bolt up to the outside of the frame if i need to.

I cant decide if i want to remove the sway bar or not. Im still looking around and trying to find some helpful info on others that have removed it. And I was also wondering if i could build my own and make it narrower. :shrug:
 
#5 ·
I see.

FWIW, My 99.5 doesn't have a sway bar and it does just fine.
 
#6 ·
how much $$ is in it?
where did you order the ends and frame mounts from?maybe post a link?
are you at stock height?
 
#7 ·
So far i have $220 in it, and all of that is what i posted in the 2nd post. I made the brackets for the axle next to nothing. I grabbed some scrap at work to make them.

For the 2" DOM it will cost me. I don't know the price for it but im getting 12ft and im guessing it's not going to be cheap either.

The bushings, heims, frame mount, and tube adapters were purchased from Ballistic Fabrication.http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/ hopefully they arrive in the mail today so i can work on finishing them up this weekend.

As far as height. I have removed the blocks from the rear which dropped it quite a bit, and i plan on dropping the front an inch. Im trying to figure out how. Some have said to use excursion leaf springs, but im wondering if i could build a set of drop shackles.
 
#8 ·
I'm getting closer, I should have some pics up tomorrow of what i have done so far. It's looking pretty stout. I'm starting to think that the 2" DOM is a little too much but there is no turning back now.

But it's nap time, i have to get some rest before i go back to work tonight.
 
#12 ·
damn you guys are getting some deals

the local metal supermarket $24/foot for 2" .250wall DOM! thats cdn but still thats $23.26US/foot, and I usually get a deal from them :(
 
#13 ·
Well i finally got around to finishing everything up. Here are some pics of the process.:D

I had to remove the shock mounts on both sides to get a good weld all the way around. These are the mounts i made. It rained the night before i got to paint them so they got a little rust on them. No biggy though. And yes, i did go the great lengths to make sure they were as straight as could possibly be to ensure there would be minimal binding.



 
#14 ·
I mocked up the bars, mounted them to the axle mount and cut them to length so that the front heim joint would be even with the carrier bearing. After that i attached the frame mount to the bars, positioned the mount and tacked it in place. Removed the bars and welded it.



This should give you an idea on how long they are. The final length cam to 61-1/4"


 
#15 ·
Now that the mounts were in place it was time to paint the bars. I lightly sanded them by hand, cleaned them with carb cleaner, and rubbed them down with mineral spirits.

I chose to go with a textured paint, I thought it would look nice on the bars and i am satisfied with the outcome.




 
#16 ·
After i let dry for 24+ hours i put the bars back together, set them at 61-1/4" and mounted them up.

I used full synthetic grease, don't know why, it's just what i had layin around. I pre greased everything and mad sure the bushings and joints were well lubricated before mounting.



They didn't send jam nuts with the heims :shrug: so i just used regular nuts.

 
#18 ·
Looks good man. I am getting mine istalled monday or tuesday. I need a 220 welder and I got 2 friends that work for welding shops and they wont help. So now I got a local race shop that designs these and is going to weld the stuff on my axle and frame along with a brocket to come out around the whole frame. For more suport and to be straight. Cant wait to see how it feels not to have axle wrap as bad as I do.
 
#19 ·
Here is the welder i used. It's a 220 and worked great. Don't let the size fool ya. With 1/4" steal i wasn't even on the hottest setting. I love this thing and for the price it is well worth the money and is very easy to run.


On Edit: could someone flip that for me?
 
#21 ·
how are they working? do they totally prevent the axel shudder on take off?
 
#23 ·
awesome i hope mine yield the same results, the take off shudder has prevented me from trying a boosted 4wd lauch with the new injectors so far ;) can't wait to try that
 
#25 ·
Ballistic makes some nice stuff we use them on rock buggies. Curious why only a 3/4-16 shank? If price driven I totally get it, but that is the only weak link now in your bars. Nice work, nice to see some quality building on here. I'm going to make some soon too I'll post them up.
 
#27 ·
Actually the shank does not look all that beefy to me either.
 
#29 ·
i ordered the 2.63" diameter, 1.25" threaded shank joint ;)
 
#31 ·
You should be alright most of the stress will be along it (push and pull) so most of the stress should be on the threads i think the joint just makes the threads look tiny. If you can send them back and upgrade i think i would but i don't think i would start over.
 
#33 ·
I also think you will be OK just not the first round pick is all.
 
#35 · (Edited)
I didn't mean to pick your stuff apart, That 3/4-16 joint is also weaker do to the amount of thread engagement on the joint because of where you set your mounts. The more thread engagement the better with some adjustabilty inwards, maybe 2-3 turns out from full in. I looked at Ballistic's site and the shank size don't seem to change price? Depends on if your tube inner dia will except bigger inserts? That other guy bent his bars, where do you think all the stress went? If they wouldn't have bent, and instead sent all the shock load to the joint it might have broke there instead. The money is already spent run it...you'll will know what to do next time if they fail!

ps it will work 1.5" inner dia 1.25" -12 tpi Tube Adapter
plus move axle mount for better thread engagement and you'll be set!
 
#36 ·
I understand what you guys are saying. And there really isn't a reason i chose 3/4 shaft over 1-1/4 shaft. I have never built anything like this and just figured it would be plenty strong enough. I should have known better to just go with the bigger shaft, i've been in dirt racing my entire life and know very well it doesn't take a whole lot to break "strong" parts. And those are 2300 pound cars.

Now that you guys have mentioned it's weakness i am going to make a catch for it in case it does break. Like 1/4" steel wire looped around it and bolted to one of the existing holes in the frame.

And if it ever does break, i know what to do.:D
 
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