It's a traction control bar. Not an anti roll bar.
CK5
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Rear traction bar discussion.
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Excellent point. Could also be the result of too much anti-squat, more squat might have kept it wheels down. 
A skinnier driver would have prevented a roll over as well.
Martin
Martin
just load a fat chick in the ps next time..
That's not what did it. The seat broke.
Martin
Martin
dahreno
Registered Member
I have always heard that the traction bar should be as long as the driveshaft so they move at the same rate and angle.
454Sub
5/8 ton status
The fat chic solution has one huge flaw, in the event of a driverside down rollover like the one pictured, Martin would have been squished.
roll to the ps gives you a high fall mat to land in tho... 
take the hubcaps off the heavy side? 
GsxrMike
1/2 ton status
Martin, I didn't see a shackle or anything to prevent binding, did you just decide to let the suspension bind a little for an easier build? I was thinking of making one just like yours except installing a sort of slip joint in it like guys do with their home made drive shafts. I could still use round tube since it doesn't have to turn anything.
Nope, mine has a shackle.
Martin
Martin
Marty, do you have other pics of the bar besides ones with the blazer on its side?
Stomis
Professional Amateur
From this quote I assume your idea of an anti roll bar is some guys hanging out the back window pushing down on the ground with sticks whilst in sticky sidehill situations. This visual made me laugh, thank you.
Not really any good ones. I kind of forgot to take them when I was building it. I'll have to get some when it warms up, and I start working on that Blazer again.
Martin
Lets talk about the front crossmember.
I've got a piece of 2"x2" square tubing I was thinking about using for the crossmember. The tubing is 1/8" thick, is that thick enough?
I've got a piece of 2"x2" square tubing I was thinking about using for the crossmember. The tubing is 1/8" thick, is that thick enough?
I think 1/8 would be ok. Plenty of guys using .120 wall round tubing for all sorts of crossmembers, trusses, etc. Mine is .250 and seemed overkill when I built it, but it's what I had. I do hang up on mine a lot and plan on replacing it with .120 DOM when I build my new crossmember for the doubler.
I've got a question. How long should the bar be? Length was briefly mentioned but hasn't really been discussed. I've heard "longer is better" and I've also heard that it should be "tuned to the application."
I've got a nice heavy 2x2" .250 wall square tube crossmember mounted 65" away from the rear axle in my suburban. I was planning on just mounting a bar from there. I figure with a truck this heavy and a stock 5.3l turning 37s, it'll be overkill but in this application is that really a bad thing? I also like the idea that it will serve as a bash guard for the driveline to a certain extent.
I've got a nice heavy 2x2" .250 wall square tube crossmember mounted 65" away from the rear axle in my suburban. I was planning on just mounting a bar from there. I figure with a truck this heavy and a stock 5.3l turning 37s, it'll be overkill but in this application is that really a bad thing? I also like the idea that it will serve as a bash guard for the driveline to a certain extent.
They generally end up to high for drive line protection.
As for the length, I was told as long as possible, but I'd be curious to hear if there was a better answer.
Martin
As for the length, I was told as long as possible, but I'd be curious to hear if there was a better answer.
Martin
Also, does shackle length matter? I imagine that springs with a higher arch would need a longer shackle as they lengthen more as they compress.
I think as long as the bar is close to center the shackle length matters less. I have a lot of travel in the rear and used a 4" shackle IIRC and have no issues. Even a big arch spring is limited to the travel available in the spring shackle. I use about 2 inches of slip on my driveshaft so I can assume its not a real big deal.
As far as length. Like everybody else I read to make it as long as possible. I ended up with a lot of anti-squat in my design. Chris at ORD said the length had less to do with that than the angle the bars are set up at. I opted to make my shackle above the crossmember and ended up with a fairly steep angle.
As far as length. Like everybody else I read to make it as long as possible. I ended up with a lot of anti-squat in my design. Chris at ORD said the length had less to do with that than the angle the bars are set up at. I opted to make my shackle above the crossmember and ended up with a fairly steep angle.
