Traction Bars

[TheTynman]

Have any of you installed "Traction Bars" or "Ladder Bars" on your truck to help prevent axle wrap? A good friend of mine recommended it and there's a number of posts on youtube showing the difference with and without traction bars. Huge difference.

[sourdough]

Never put them on a truck. I have put them on my play cars in the past.

I've not thought of using them on the truck and don't know that I need them. Are you having trouble with axle wrap with your truck? If so, what kind of truck do you have and what are you pulling? I don't think trucks pulling within their specified towing weight will have much of an issue with it.

[TheTynman]

I'm not not having any problems that I'm aware of. I have a 2015 Ford F350 long box dually with the 6.7 power stroke turbo. My trailer is a 2016 Alpine 3510re with a GVWR of 15,500 ibs. I'm considering adding the Air Lift Airbags just for the added stability but the "axle wrap" issue is new to me. I'm comfortably with the weight range of my truck but after seeing the videos I'm thinking the traction bars would help reduce stress on the axle components.

[Rhino]

You don't need them unless you are doing hard launches or driving in soft sand. They will make your ride quality suffer, because the axle and leaf spring want to move in a different arc than the traction bar, creating bind.

[sourdough]

The truck you have does not need traction bars. It's built to handle the torque your engine puts out.

Axle wrap is normal and shouldn't be a factor while pulling your trailer unless you are hammering it every time you launch from a stop sign. Even then I would worry more about the trailer and contents than the axle components:) IMO the addition of trac bars to your truck would cause more problems than anything.

[TheTynman]

Great points guys. Thanks for your feedback on this issue! :-)

[ctbruce]

New forum topic: How fast do you launch with your trailer? Story at 10pm. LOL[emoji16]

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[chuckster57]

New forum topic: How fast do you launch with your trailer? Story at 10pm. LOL[emoji16]

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Picture of speedo required? :eek:

[JRTJH]

Picture of speedo required? :eek:

Isn't this one time when the ENTIRE word would be better???? A picture of the SPEEDOMETER..... I can't imagine a picture of the speedo...... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/water/legs-in-water-smiley-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)

[chuckster57]

Good one :D

[ctbruce]

Isn't this one time when the ENTIRE word would be better???? A picture of the SPEEDOMETER..... I can't imagine a picture of the speedo...... http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/water/legs-in-water-smiley-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)
Looked for one but couldn't find an appropriate one to post. First time in years my filter has actually worked!

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[vampress_me]

Thanks guys. Really appreciate the image in my head of a guy driving a truck towing a camper, wearing a speedo. I have seen people dressed weird before, but... :nonono: (Puppies, puppies, cute little puppies)

[JRTJH]

Thanks guys. Really appreciate the image in my head of a guy driving a truck towing a camper, wearing a speedo...

You forgot the 10 gallon Stetson and cowboy boots to go with that "speedo outfit"....

Now you've got me thinking PUPPIES, PUPPIES, PUPPIES........ http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/jobs/cowboy-smiley-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)

[66joej]

Brings back an image of King Farouk from the 60s. He was wearing a Speedo. Quite a picture but needless to say no one would tell him how ridiculous he looked. Incidentally he weighed in at about 275#.:nonono::nonono::nonono:

[chuckster57]

So glad I could speed this thread up!!! :facepalm:

[ctbruce]

This thread has degenerated to one of the funniest we've had in a while. The Tynman is probably wondering how he started all of this. I really needed the distraction tonight.

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[vampress_me]

New forum topic: How fast do you launch with your trailer? Story at 10pm. LOL[emoji16]

I don't think I want a story at 10pm. And especially not a film at 10pm after this!

[sourdough]

You forgot the 10 gallon Stetson and cowboy boots to go with that "speedo outfit"....

Now you've got me thinking PUPPIES, PUPPIES, PUPPIES........ http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/jobs/cowboy-smiley-emoticon.gif (http://www.sherv.net/)


Come on now! I'm from TX, old school, wear boots every day and, at times, dress "for the situation".

Note; we had built our house here and, as I always do, I was seeding the yard; t shirt, shorts, cowboy hat and my cowboy boots. Not uncommon here and sort of the way I do things. Got a holler from the insides of a new home being built across the street.....it was my friend, a local electrician, with his stilts, boots, etc. wiring the new house. Wore speedos once but felt they clashed with the stitching on my boots.....:D

[TheTynman]

:cool: Thanks guys!!! :lol:

[gearhead]

Oh yeah.....boots and shorts and a gimme cap. Uniform of the day.
You know you're "there" when you can wear boots for hours with no socks.

[notanlines]

Socks? Socks, you say? Self respecting child of the 60's that I am I don't wear socks.....But the visual in my mind brought on by you yahoos is making me try to gouge my eyes out!

[JRTJH]

Socks? Socks, you say? ...

Just you wait a few more years, you'll be wearing black socks with your sandals and Bermudas too :whistling:

[daveNmd]

I had to put traction bars on my truck it was impossible to back up my fifth wheel the axel wrap was so bad it felt like the trans and rear was going to fall out it was so bad. Now my problems came from bigger turbo, larger injectors, larger fuel pump and programers so its my fault. So I had to get a clutch that dose not slip and that is not good for backing up so I called south bend clutch and they recommended traction bars or a dual disc clutch I went with bars and it worked great. Before the bars I had the front drive shaft out and use 4 wheel low. The down side with the bars everyone thinks its a sled puller or drag racing since my bars go from the rear to the rear of the cab. The ride is no worst it is a one ton dually so I don't mind the ride.

[ctbruce]

Child of the 60's? I'm betting more flip flops and socks!


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[Tbos]

Ok, what is axle wrap?


2016 Passport GT 2810BHS, 2016 F350 CC DRW

[notanlines]

Tbos, here is a short video showing what it is in forward. Usually it is even worse in reverse, sometimes making the rear tires "jump" on the pavement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54_6GaYJvWI

[Tbos]

Thanks. I didn't really see anything that I would consider abnormal for a rear drive vehicle. I see a lot of trucks out there with no traction bars.


2016 Passport GT 2810BHS, 2016 F350 CC DRW

[Outback 325BH]

Axle wrap is usually only a problem when you are doing hard launches and break traction. Once traction is broken, the "wrapped up" axle then snaps back. The wrapping-and-unwrapping action causes the axle to move up and down... which results in a vicious hopping.

Ladder bars hold the axle and does not allow it to wrap. However, as has been said, the arc of the ladder bar is not the exact same as the arc of the spring travel which can (does) cause some binding. For shorter suspension travel, this binding is less of an issue. On a longer suspension travel the binding is more of an issue.

I have never heard the use of ladder bars on a truck (except maybe a drag racer).

"Traction bars" are similar in function to ladder bars but they are not connected to the chassis -- only to the rear end. They do not have the binding problem, however they don't work as well and try to dig in to the ground under hard deceleration!


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[the sodfather]

Squirrel! Squirrel!

[auwingrider]

I have them on my 2003 dodge its a 6 speed and it would hop like crazy. the bars have helped but if you are backing up on a slope it still hops bad. so i use 4x4 low range. i will be converting to a free spin kit next.

[Outback 325BH]

I have them on my 2003 dodge its a 6 speed and it would hop like crazy. the bars have helped but if you are backing up on a slope it still hops bad. so i use 4x4 low range. i will be converting to a free spin kit next.



That is because when you are backing, the "deceleration" problem I explained above it taking place. "Traction" bars only work under acceleration where the rear-end is trying to roll back. (The traction bars hit the chassis and prevent any further wrap-up.) Under hard deceleration (or backing up hard) the rear-end rolls forward and the front of the bars do not hit anything in order to control the roll. Eventually the wrap-up hits it limit and releases. This wrap-up and release causes the rear-end to move up and down in its travel. This occurs fast and causes the hopping. I extreme deceleration situations, the traction bars can dig in to the ground which can cause an endo. This is why they aren't allowed in most drag racing.

In contrast, ladder bars are fastened to the chassis, so they work in any direction and are superior over traction bars. Their (ladder) downside however is forcing the rear-end to rotate slightly under normal suspension travel -- fighting the natural movement.


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[Johnny's Journey]

I think I'll hitch up the travel trailer to the 56 Chevy (car) and do a 1/4 mile pass. :eek: :D But seriously. Advertising most often makes a company money for no real reason.

[auwingrider]

i have 60 inch ladder bars not traction bars so i do not have that issue.

[rhagfo]

I have them on my 2003 dodge its a 6 speed and it would hop like crazy. the bars have helped but if you are backing up on a slope it still hops bad. so i use 4x4 low range. i will be converting to a free spin kit next.
Can you install a 2 Low kit? Not sure if they work on 3rd gens, one of the good things I did to my 2001 5 speed.

[rickhz]

I have them on my 2003 dodge its a 6 speed and it would hop like crazy. the bars have helped but if you are backing up on a slope it still hops bad. so i use 4x4 low range. i will be converting to a free spin kit next.


Could you possibly post a photo of your traction bar setup?

I have the same truck, same transmission. Whenever it gets in anything loose the wheel hop is terrible.

[auwingrider]

Sorry for the delay i just saw this post. I also made custom brackets for my airbags which i will put on in the spring. the hardest part was drilling the holes in the frame i used the bracket has a guide and drilled from both sides to make sure the holes lined up. i had to pull my exhaust off for the right side.

[rickhz]

That has to help tremendously with wheel hop.

[auwingrider]

That has to help tremendously with wheel hop.

It has made a huge improvement but i am still adding a free spin kit so i can use low range and 2wd. It is a six speed with a dual disc clutch so it hops with out the trailer.

[Dave W]

Every once in a while I see a post on a Ford truck forum and wonder why. Any of the F250 or 350 trucks that I've had have never needed anything like that even with hard launches as at least two were capable of doing with built 460's. They were also used to haul long ago 5ers. The last car that I owned that needed them was a HiPo '68 Torino GT though my current '31 Ford fun car does have 4 link, coil over rear suspension which acts about like traction bars - but better

[Nicculi]

Some newer Dodge trucks have a shock kit available to help control axle wrap. It is a factory part, came stock on certain trucks, but can be installed on one's without. The shock acts like a pinion snubber, but mostly just slows the axle wrap to help control it.

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