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Tractions bars built and on

8K views 49 replies 14 participants last post by  Turbo99 
#1 ·
Got my traction bars on AGAIN, I tried a single bar first and bent the hell out of them so I had to go back and redo them and added asecond bar and a gusset. I hope these hold, I also got frontend limiters on and got a couple pics. I was hoping to hit the track tomorrow but my burner for my chip was the wrong format so I have to wait for Jody to send me another chip.

I also have the truck up in the forsale section.

Jeremy

http://community.webshots.com/album/560381561JhYXot
 
#3 ·
I used Hyme(spelling) joints on th efront of them and 3/4" bushings on the rear of them.
 
#5 ·
Yeah I used schedule 80 1" pipe and welded in 3/4" tall boy nuts and threaded in the bushings and hyme joints
 
#7 ·
No I don't think it would have held, a single bar set up just not enough for these trucks w/ the weight that they are at.I just wanted to try it for the hell of it , I pretty much knew the answerr before I did it though.
 
#10 ·
the pics are in the 1st post there is a webshots link, if you run the rear traction bars and the front end limiters the truck rides like hell, w/o the fronts on its not as bad but still a firm ride.
 
#15 ·
If you need a shackle on a control arm to make the suspension still function properly (ride right) you need to go back to the drawing board because you F'ed up the geometry. There is no reason whatsoever that a properly placed link should EVER bind the suspension in any way shape or form. Although the work of most will do just that. If you study how the suspension wants to move you can place a link that based on lenth (arc length) and angle will not interfere with the suspension during any portion of it's cycle (or at the very least not enough to matter) and still completely control the axle movement that you do not want while allowing the movement you do.

A leaf sprung suspension should be viewed the same as a radius arm suspension would be. The fixed end of the spring (front of most rear springs) is the same function as the frame attachment end of a radius arm. The rear axle will follow the exact arc defined by the length of the leafspring half from this fixed point to the axle centerline. This is why steeply angled leafsprings, often found on high lifts, will induce so much bump steer. The horizontal movement of the spring end/axle will be a higher percentage of total movement the steeper this angle is. At 45* you can imagine that for say a vertical compression of 1" the axle will move approximately rearward 1" as well (slightly less due to the arc swing). Now if you attached a link to the bottom of the axletube to control wrap and did so in such a way that left the link bascially parrallel to the ground (as is SOOO often the case) the horizontal component of the movement would be zero. So for the same vertical compression of 1", you would expect that the axle would move rearward, zero inches, or straight up (basically, but still following the arc, just so happens it's straight for all intents and purposes with a long link flat to the ground). So, if you had a steep leafspring angle necessitating that the axle move rearward 1" for every 1" of compression, and a flat traction link necessitating that it stay perfectly still front to back for every 1" of compression travel, you could expect there to be basically NO axle free movement. In order for the axle to move in compression it would be FORCED to wrap the leafspring in the same direction as you would normally expect when you accelerated forward with no bar in place. But, on a one ton truck, the leafsprings are rather robust, and will resist this wrapping like hell. The end result.....a superbly Sh#tty ride. Log wagon comes to mind. The spring will refuse to wrap, so the result is simply no movement up or back. Just a nice bouncing of the sidwalls down the road.

When in contrast, if you had made the link approximately the same length as the forward half of the leafspring (so that the arc radius matched that of the leafspring) and situated it at approximately the same angle as that found by drawing a line between the fixed end of the spring and the point where it intersects the spring pad, you would have produced a link that would in no way interfere with the cycle of the suspension system, but would have controlled the wrap.

Two Cents on "Ladder Bars", "Traction Bars" and "Axle Links" in general.

The term is Heim FWIW. At least that's how I've always spelled it, lol.


On Edit:

This is a functionally sound example of link geometry. Although the arc length is not exactly the same, the link is mounted slightly forward of the attachment point of the spring on the axletube to counteract the effect, and the deviation in the horizontal component of the travel was deemed acceptable for the operating range of the rear suspension on the vehicle. Any binding that may occur is absolutely undetectable. A person standing on the rear can bounce the truck up and down many, many inches with body weight alone. There is no wrap of any sort (exept in the tire sidewalls due to the sidewall height) and the suspension is in no way limited in movement by the links (one per side).

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2229013790082519711HgtarH
 
#27 ·
I'm with ya' to Greg. I got some 1 3/4" DOM tubing and I'm going to bend some up( I gotta' have that ground clearance!). Probably put a heim at the frame and poly bush. on the axle. If I bend the bar for clearance issues, does that give me a "license" to put a shackle on it??
 
#28 ·
I hope this isn't a total hyjack, but have you done anything about welding your center section to the tubes? You concerned with popping the plug welds at all?
Do you have to jig mount the axle to weld it(so as to not risk heat warpage) or can you pretty much just hit it with an arc welder a bead at a time? I'm thinking of "pull preps" for my rig.
 
#30 ·
If I bend the bar for clearance issues, does that give me a "license" to put a shackle on it??

If the goal is to announce to the world that you have absolutely no idea how to build a link.....then Absolutely

:D


Otherwise, turn you brain on, and build a link that actually works.
 
#31 ·
I have been researching this for about a year and still have no bars on my truck. I am talking with a guy here in Ramona that does metal fab work and has customized ladder bars for many towing trucks. Trucks with and without lifts. He has explained to me that if you do not have a shackle on the front the springs will be limited in their movement. Limited by the fixed position of the front of the bars on the frame. He makes each set specifically to the vehicle and bends them to the correct mounting points. He told me a lot more that I cannot say properly so won't try. I know some of the people he has done this for and can see his bars work and do not stiffen the ride. They are not cheap, around $1,100.00 but seem to work.

My ride quality is like that of a bumpy truck already. On the freeway, at certain speeds and road conditions it is like trotting on a very upright bumpy horse. I think air ride suspension is possible in the longer term future.
 
#32 ·
ok i will ask again, wouldnt the shackle defeat the purpose? your trying to take away play from the axle, and by adding the shackle your giving it back. am i wrong on this? it just seems like the shackle would move with the axle. you basically turned your bars into a lever.
 
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