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Rear traction bar discussion.

Martin asked for me to post pics of my completed antiwrap bar since it is a little different. This is Ruff Stuff Specialties "laid back" style with 2" OD 1/4" wall lower and 1.75" OD 1/4 wall upper with a 7/8 x 3/4 heim joint to tie in to the main tube instead of a long PITA cope. Both tubes were around 38" from bushing notch to heim joint bung weld point so overall length is slightly longer than that. Enjoy!

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That is a killer bar dude!!!




I dont think i ever posted mine here.


I made the center line of the bars line up with the driveshaft, and the upper shackle point is dead nuts in the center of my cv joint. Absolutely no binding when i cycled the springs.
First off, some angle, cleared for the exhaust, with the upper plates a bit longer to not make a tear point











Home brew shackles with a 3/4" heim up top, other joints are DIY4X fab sets.









I recently reworked it some and added some plate so it can be removed and installed without having to use a screwdriver to line the bolt holes up....











Full droop.



Full bump

 
Hmmm, that one is definitely pretty unique Dueling

I used 1.5 for the longer parts, and shoved it into 1.75 outers. It alowed for adjustment later. Which I already used when I had to put shims in the rear axle....

I just ground down the welds on the lower bar and was able to pull it out a bit and re weld it to correct the angle change.
 
Yours is the third one I have noticed with the lower bar being the longer bar. Is there a benefit to doing it one way or the other?

Martin
 
7/8 x 3/4 heim joint to tie in to the main tube instead of a long PITA cope.

If you don't want to cut the long angle, why not just cap the tube and weld to a long tab there or something? Seems like if the heim isn't actually a rigid mount that it's not really doing anything. Are they cheap?
 
Yours is the third one I have noticed with the lower bar being the longer bar. Is there a benefit to doing it one way or the other?

Martin

I don't think so. I just liked the angle of the long curf I had to cut, better this way.


And just an FYI, a portaban or a vertical band saw make quick work of those long scary angled curfs.
 
If you don't want to cut the long angle, why not just cap the tube and weld to a long tab there or something? Seems like if the heim isn't actually a rigid mount that it's not really doing anything. Are they cheap?

The heim IS serving as a rigid mount for the top tube end. It is not meant to resist twisting but rather a longitudinal bending action. The heim and shackle at the crossmember take care of all the twisting and push/pull action from axle articulation. The gusset idea you suggested would have worked too but I don't think it would look as good. I still choose the heim even if I had to do it over. It was $20 for the heim and $10 for the tube adapter so its not like its sending me to the poor house. The kit itself was $250 shipped and that was after a 20% discount so that's where the real money is.
 
The heim IS serving as a rigid mount for the top tube end. It is not meant to resist twisting but rather a longitudinal bending action. The heim and shackle at the crossmember take care of all the twisting and push/pull action from axle articulation. The gusset idea you suggested would have worked too but I don't think it would look as good. I still choose the heim even if I had to do it over. It was $20 for the heim and $10 for the tube adapter so its not like its sending me to the poor house. The kit itself was $250 shipped and that was after a 20% discount so that's where the real money is.

With your gusset welded to both tubes, that heim is doing absolutely nothing.... You could have just ran those tabs up to the tubes and welded it all.

The only thing it would be any good for, is having a little adjustment in the angle before you welded that gusset in. Now its just a shiny end of the tube.
 
With your gusset welded to both tubes, that heim is doing absolutely nothing.... You could have just ran those tabs up to the tubes and welded it all.

The only thing it would be any good for, is having a little adjustment in the angle before you welded that gusset in. Now its just a shiny end of the tube.

Yes, but that is the whole point, it was a way for me to terminate the upper tube cleanly without doing (1) a long cope which I don't like making or looking at or (2) having tabs welded to the upper tube and lower tube like patch plates

I feel like (2) would have looked even worse than the cope especially with the long center gusset.

I think you just don't like it because there aren't any dimple dies used:D
 
Yes, but that is the whole point, it was a way for me to terminate the upper tube cleanly without doing (1) a long cope which I don't like making or looking at or (2) having tabs welded to the upper tube and lower tube like patch plates

I feel like (2) would have looked even worse than the cope especially with the long center gusset.

I think you just don't like it because there aren't any dimple dies used:D

I already said I liked it. It is a nice antiwrap bar.

Just was saying that really, besides looking cool, that heim is no longer serving much real purpose.
 
I already said I liked it. It is a nice antiwrap bar.

Just was saying that really, besides looking cool, that heim is no longer serving much real purpose.

Man I'm just playing with you, I know you are not trying to bash it.

Ok guys, you caught me . . . clearly the only reason I put the heim joint there was for unnecessary bling purposes to make it look more :pimp:

:D:D:D:D
 
I get what you've been saying.. long fishmouths are annoying, no doubt..... I would have rather seen a sharp, short end bend and like a 45 degree cope... but yours works too...

for as much of a tube nut as I am, it's one of the reasons I like square tube for the tight packaging of anti-wraps... like Avery's... much easier to fab too...

it also gives me a throwback feel for oldschool ladder bar systems..
 
Here's some pics of the traction bars on my brother's M-37. 79 Suburban frame (shortened) dana 60 rear axle.





 
I have Kert's backbone installed and I was planning on using a heim similar to what truck-oholic used however I wasn't planning on plating the gap between the two tubes so the heim is functional. With the ant-wrap up above the driveshaft I'm not concerned with dragging it on rocks so I don't think I need to add anything between the two tubes :dunno:
 
I have Kert's backbone installed and I was planning on using a heim similar to what truck-oholic used however I wasn't planning on plating the gap between the two tubes so the heim is functional. With the ant-wrap up above the driveshaft I'm not concerned with dragging it on rocks so I don't think I need to add anything between the two tubes :dunno:



I added mine because when I welded the tubes together up front, I had a hell of a time getting the rear bolts to line up with the bushings. So once I got them installed, the plate was just to keep the holes in line later.
 
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