My diy traction bars.

[smokedout250]

well good luck let us know how they turn out. i wouldnt cheap out on the joints just take your time

 

[CSIPSD]

Where exactly did you mount the front bracket? Its about right where the frame turns up right?

I have a long bed, IIRC that should make the bars about 72" long...

Going to see if I can sneak and get my fabricator to make the bars for me...

 

[smokedout250]

Where exactly did you mount the front bracket? Its about right where the frame turns up right?

I have a long bed, IIRC that should make the bars about 72" long...

Going to see if I can sneak and get my fabricator to make the bars for me...

Yes right where the frame turns up. Mine measured 11" from the trans cross member.


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[RedRice589]

Love the traction bars! Truck looks even better! Love the stance and the DIY! Want to fab me up a set and stick 'em in the mail thx!! Give me more time to sit in my Camper and think about replacing things on my truck!

 

[BlueScab]

I've been running a set of bars built like that for almost a year now. They're still working just fine.

 

[smokedout250]

Thanks guys! So far so good. I towed about 6k today and didn't even feel a bin or anything they sure help with shifting! I recommend ppl to build there own


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[superdutyfarmer]

Looks pretty good, reminds me of mine, pretty similar but I ended up using square tubing and the Ballistic joints, even got the same tires and paint

 

[smokedout250]

Looks pretty good, reminds me of mine, pretty similar but I ended up using square tubing and the Ballistic joints, even got the same tires and paint

Awesome! I think I'm gonna switch to ballistic or ruff stuff hemi joints eventually


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[Tree Trimmer]

remove the bolt from the front mount but keep it held up there, and have someone put something really heavy in the bed to compress the rear.

this will tell you if your binding the suspension when it compresses.

if the bolt hole doesnt stay lined up, you need to shorten or lengthen them, to make it stay lined up.

just a observation.

 

[smokedout250]

remove the bolt from the front mount but keep it held up there, and have someone put something really heavy in the bed to compress the rear.

this will tell you if your binding the suspension when it compresses.

if the bolt hole doesnt stay lined up, you need to shorten or lengthen them, to make it stay lined up.

just a observation.

Ill have to try it thanks! I didn't notice any issues towing this weekend but ill check it out


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[Tree Trimmer]

you won't notice anything while driving around.

till you hook up, or put something heavy in the bed, and it starts to rip your mounts off either the axle or frame, because the trac bars are stopping the suspension from compressing.

it's possible, though not likely, that it could also shear the front spring bolt as well, if your bind is just right, and your load just right, and you hit just the right bump.

 

[smokedout250]

you won't notice anything while driving around.

till you hook up, or put something heavy in the bed, and it starts to rip your mounts off either the axle or frame, because the trac bars are stopping the suspension from compressing.

it's possible, though not likely, that it could also shear the front spring bolt as well, if your bind is just right, and your load just right, and you hit just the right bump.

I towed with it this weekend pulled two different loads up to 12K I had no issues... Road like a dream all the brackets and bars are just fine


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[Tree Trimmer]

i was just offering some advise, on something you probably didnt think of when you were making them, and something that definitely warrants at least a check, before you put to many miles on them, loaded pulling a trailer.

 

[smokedout250]

i was just offering some advise, on something you probably didnt think of when you were making them, and something that definitely warrants at least a check, before you put to many miles on them, loaded pulling a trailer.

I appreciate it! I will check it out once I get a chance. Like I said all new to me any advice is good advice!


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[ford rules]

I really doubt that you would ever get those bars to not move when you load/unload the suspension, I wouldnt really worry about it to much.
You'd have to go to a ladder bar with shackle setup to get rid all the bind in my opinion.
You dont see anyone with ouo bars having issues and people seam to love those things, as long as his bars are 64'' which i believe the ouo's are id say it will be fine.
Do you notice it riding rougher with the bars on just driving around town?

 

[smokedout250]

Rides perfect nothing changed


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[pennsylvaniaboy]

Meh to all the hater on the bars and tractor links, I have been running them for 3 years, and they are still fine, they see road salt, rough access roads, towing, and DD. I will say that I do not truck pull. But a long bar will not rip apart the frame or the axle or the leaf eye bolts. The only suggestion i would give, it to weld your axle tubes 360* all around.

 

[Tree Trimmer]

I really doubt that you would ever get those bars to not move when you load/unload the suspension, I wouldnt really worry about it to much. this is incorrect, as he would have to stretch his bars, to make them move, when compressing the suspension. everything he used is more than capable of not stretching.

You'd have to go to a ladder bar with shackle setup to get rid all the bind in my opinion. this is also incorrect. a properly r&d'd trac bar will not bind, through the entire suspension travel. the reason, is like i mentioned to him earlier. with his particular distance below the axle, and location he chose to mount to the frame, gives a angle that does not allow full compression of suspension, without forcing a binding situation

You dont see anyone with ouo bars having issues and people seam to love those things, as long as his bars are 64'' which i believe the ouo's are id say it will be fine. and you cannot make that assumption, because if your distance below the axle, and exact mounting location isn't the same as ouo's bars, their length will not work for you

Do you notice it riding rougher with the bars on just driving around town?and thats partially the issue with bars. you will not know there is a issue, unless you have made a epic fail in your construction which the op didn't, till you put that load on it just right.

Meh to all the hater on the bars and tractor links, I have been running them for 3 years, and they are still fine, they see road salt, rough access roads, towing, and DD. I will say that I do not truck pull.

But a long bar will not rip apart the frame or the axle or the leaf eye bolts. this, you only got partially correct. no, it will not rip apart the frame or axle, if you make your mount stout enough. his axle mount is, and his frame mount is almost. 1/4" like he used, will wollar out. its not stout enough to not. which he stated he would probably be remaking it in the future, as this was his trial run. it will, in fact, shear the front spring bolt, and/or totally wollar out the inside of the spring eye where that bolt goes through because of the tremendous amount of additional pressure applied to this bolt/hole because of suspension bind.

The only suggestion i would give, it to weld your axle tubes 360* all around. this, is fabulous advice. given enough power, or say your spinning on gravel and not let off in time when you make the pavement, it can actually rotate the pumpkin straight up, spinning it on the axle tube. and it's a total PITA to correct/fix.

Rides perfect nothing changed and while you say that now, in about 5k miles, go out and take the two bar mounting bolts out, that you used, and check for wear. i realize that you saved some coin in the construction of these, but for the next pair, you will understand why there are bushings on one end of all the professional kits. along with greaseable ends.


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and in case you weren't aware, i'll explain just what suspension bind is. if you already know, deal with it and don't read.

when your suspension compresses, the rear axle does not move straight up and down. as the axle moves up through the travel is moves back towards the rear of the truck. this is why correct angle of the bar is so important. if the angle is wrong, it will not allow the axle to move towards the rear, and this is where that tremendous additional pressure on that front bolt comes from.

the axle wants to go toward the rear, the bar either makes it go to far, or not far enough, it sits on the bar, so one of a few things have to happen. shear the spring bolt, shear the trac bar bolts, or seriously wollar some things out.

just pointing some things out.

carry on.

 

[smokedout250]

and in case you weren't aware, i'll explain just what suspension bind is. if you already know, deal with it and don't read.

when your suspension compresses, the rear axle does not move straight up and down. as the axle moves up through the travel is moves back towards the rear of the truck. this is why correct angle of the bar is so important. if the angle is wrong, it will not allow the axle to move towards the rear, and this is where that tremendous additional pressure on that front bolt comes from.

the axle wants to go toward the rear, the bar either makes it go to far, or not far enough, it sits on the bar, so one of a few things have to happen. shear the spring bolt, shear the trac bar bolts, or seriously wollar some things out.

just pointing some things out.

carry on.

How much weight should I throw in the bed


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[Tree Trimmer]

enough to bottom it out.

compress it as far as you want to use it.

personally, i would want to make sure i had 100% of my travel available to me.

most people who make trac bars, go with what they know. the problem is, they usually don't know enough to properly make a set. through no fault of their own.

this is where you fall. the materials you used are more than adequate. not exactly ideal, but more than sufficient. it's the mechanics and all the fine tuning with the geometry, that you didn't know. and all the fine tuning is not easily found with a google search.

i'm just trying to lend you some knowledge, so you know what thinking you didn't do or know about, so you can make a educated decision on whether you want to redesign what you have, or start from scratch, to prevent preventable failures you didn't know about at the time of your creation.

carry on