Built my own trac-bars/ladder bars.

[broncoman6524]

Whichever you prefer to call them:

First pictures.

Yes, some of the welds look worse than others. I had the gas mixture messed up, and the wire kept getting tangled in the welder.






Explanation:

I had HORRIBLE axle wrap, it's completely gone now. I can shift and the truck does not feel like it's falling apart!

I used 1/4 plate for all the brackets, all welds were made with a MIllermatic 220 welder, the "bars" are Tractor 3 point bars. I cut them in half, and welded them onto about 4.75 feet of steel tubing. I kind of used different tubing than anyone would normally use, but it's plenty strong. I used 1" steel water pipe tubing, available at any local lowes.

THe tractor links are fully adjustable, which means that if the truck goes bigger or smaller, I can adjust the bars to fit.

What you guys think?

 

[MNorby]

what is the intent and purpose of this truck?

 

[GMC1977]

the weld in the fifth pic hurts my eyes.....

 

[K5Nate]

What schedule pipe did you use?

 

[colbystephens]

what made you choose to run the bars so far forward?

 

[ryoken]

isn't this gonna bind suspension travel? or is there a slipjoint I'm not seeing?

 

[y5mgisi]

I think thats why they are so long. The binding should be much less dramatic.

 

[MNorby]

Ladder bars you generally see on tractor pull and drag race type applications. IMO a traction bar that is mounted to axle and has a shackle on chassis end is much more suited for offroad applications. A friend just built a set of laddr bars like these for his diesel tow rig that has axle wrap issues, but he used .25" wall DOM and ballistic fab joint, not a tractor link cut in half and spliced with pipe in the middle.

 

[m-4x4-chevy]

Do you plan on taking this rig 4 wheeling?

 

[colbystephens]

i think in another thread he said he does pulls and mud, so articulation won't be a big deal to him i think.

 

[chevydan3]

The last pic makes it look like the bar will hit the tranny crossmember when the suspension compresses.

 

[broncoman6524]

The truck hardly gets drove anymore. It's more used on the street than any off-road.

When I do play though, its mud, and pulling people out.

After I finished everything I flexed the truck as much as it would go. The bars never hit anything.


From what I was told, the best line of travel for the bars is to point them at the back of the motor. It was explained to me, that by doing it that way it puts more leverage to "lift" the front while digging the rear.

 

[ryoken]

After I finished everything I flexed the truck as much as it would go. The bars never hit anything

it's not that they hit anything, it's that they don't travel in the same arc as the dif, so it will bind the suspension and limit flex...

but hey, if they're working, have at it......

 

[broncoman6524]

it's not that they hit anything, it's that they don't travel in the same arc as the dif, so it will bind the suspension and limit flex...

but hey, if they're working, have at it......

True, but here was my thinking on all of it....

The bars would basically act as stabalizing the front half of the leafs. (More or less), therefore the shackle would be relied on for flex/suspension travel more.

I did not say, but I'm sure someone noticed. The end links actually swivel in their sockets, much like the heim joints everyone uses. Just the cheaper redneck version

 

[54inches]

Hey buddy.

You are not rock crawling, si it does not FN matter. Just ignore the Mud Haters! :

 

[broncoman6524]

Hey buddy.

You are not rock crawling, si it does not FN matter. Just ignore the Mud Haters! :

We need the smiley that has the smiley person flicking ya off.

 

[yellowK20]

ok,ok I tried but i cant keep quiet on this one.

General Statement/Question

Why is it that all the "deep south" mudders say "I dont need flex I run in the mud"

I grew up in Minnesota with DEEP mud and we still needed our trucks to flex? same with up here in AK .

I guess if all your into is running back and forth through the same pond with 8 rebel flags ,your sister,and a case of the cheapest beer wal-mart sells ,blasting kid-rock , with your mullet flying in the breeze you dont need a suspension that works.

But for actual muddy trails stiff suspension that binds doesn't work very well.

to the O/P its cool that your thinking outside the box but I do see some problems with your design/execution of said design.

the welds.... yeah ,you know what i mean

the materials.... what did you use?? and are the ends just butt welded??

Anyways cool idea way to think cheap and not bad for a first attempt, but you can do it better for just as cheap with a little more research

 

[54inches]

Thanks!

I am sure someone is going to get their taint hurt by my comment, but oh well.

 

[54inches]

And there it is!
Now go rub your taint until it stops hurting! I love the name calling and redneck innuendos. That's reall classy sweetheart!

We do NOT need the amount of flex that is need to crawl.

That's it.

 

[yellowK20]

Your right you dont need the flex when all you do is cruise sonic for highschool chicks and drive through deep puddles LOL

Your more than welcome to come wheel with us Northern boys some time so you can see what I'm talking about we'll make sure you get back to the trailhead!