Pics of your Single Bar traction bar setups?
 

Well I'm wanting to redo my traction bar setup on the rear. Right now I have Ladder bars that I built all myself on the back that are about 48" long and have a shackle on the frame so they don't bind. There is a backplate welded to the axle and that plate is bolted to the bars so the axle won't twist inside them.
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/w...derbars004.jpg
They seem to work pretty good but I've been breakin the bolts out where it mounts to the axle, plus I've heard if you truck pull that the longer the bars the better.

So I'm thinkin a 60" or 72" long single bar setup made out of 2" solid round bar would be a better route. I was gonna make a mount for them on the bottom of the lift block/U-bolt plate to mount them to the axle then make a solid mount to the frame with no shackle. I was gonna have the bars machined so they would have 2 3/4" holes about 6" deep centered in each end so I can tap them and put 3/4" heim rod ends in the end with a jam nut, Or I could drill the holes myself with a hand drill if its too pricey but probably won't get them very straight:doh: with 2" solid round bar, they will be pretty heavy, but will be stout and shouldn't ever have to worry about them bending or snapping or breakin the3/4" heims out:pop:

What do you think? and will the solid bars bind a lot and ride rough with no shackle or will they be fine? i might put my ladder bars on the front when I'm done, not sure yet. Just want your guys input and see pics of yours and how yours are setup.

Check out this thread, not sure if you have seen it..

lets see pics of traction bars - Competition Diesel.Com - Bringing The BEST Together

you dont need longer bars......you need a set-up that works


for some reason everybody seam to follow the first guy that did it:bang

i made it too page 14 and not one traction bar set-up was to my liking,but my 4x4 stuff may be different ...what do i know


for all the work putting those traction bars you have in you are so close to just 4-linking it ...

you need a better axle mount and you are binding the shackle under acceleration.
sometimes the wrong traction bar will actually not create traction. lifting of the rear end helps plant the front tires but unloads the rear.and vise/versa with too much squat..
should be parrallel with the driveshaft as well


needs to be more like this

why do I need an inverted shackle? after looking at it more today and reading some more, the longer bars will be pretty close to the angle of my driveshaft since they'll be mounted on the bottom of the U-bolt plate. Long single bar setups are better for pulling if you have suspension stops which I plan on making also so they won't bind. I'm just gonna use 3/4" heim rod ends for a 3 point hitch for now til I can afford the rubber bushing type.

How rough do the single bar setups ride for daily driving? this ol dodge already rides rough so I'm sure it can't be much worse.

Don't go with solid bars, way too heavy. 1 3/4" ID .25 wall DOM tubing is plenty strong and 3 point links fit great in it.

well the tourqe of the diff twisting is putting pressure and binding the shackle.
if its the other way around it pulls up and as long as the angle is correct not try to push the shackle forward. and move the axle.

iam guessing your bolts from the top of your mount are breaking from the twisting action of the differential.

ride quality should not be affected at all from a proper traction bar set up.

the one you have in there now is not ideal because the angle doesnt match the drive shaft. think of the rear end squating down and think of the movement of the driveshaft...up and back right..well your traction bar is not on the same page...or not exactly the same.


ive seen tons of link/traction bar set-ups that stop 100% of axle wrap but do not cycle the suspension properly. It simply "lifts" the rear end during acceleration transfering the weight to the front and thus breaking traction.
you want the suspension to cycle properly squat the rear end. the cummins has enough weight to it to aid in traction in the front:hehe:


a good start for you is doing a shackle flip and elliminating the huge factory lift block fighting against you

Well im goin with some 1 1/4" solid round bar. I ordered 12' of some 2" solid and don't know what I was thinkin but luckily i talked to a local metal/machine shop and am trading them it for two 66" long 1 1/4" bars with machined holes at both ends for 3/4" heims. Should do the job if you ask me. DOM is just as expensive or more expensive than this solid so I figured id go with this. Just gotta get some heims, build some mounts and have em all powdercoated.

Jesus.....

Rear Mount
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...12valve007.jpg

Front Mount
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t...12valve001.jpg

How they look painted and finished
http://i625.photobucket.com/albums/t.../random009.jpg

2.5" DOM tubing, Heims Joints on all four corners... Have held up to some damn good abuse

solid is a little overkill

ive never seen 2", 3/16" wall square tubing bend in a traction bar set up

Tube is stronger than solid.

well the solid was cheaper than DOM for me and I ordered the wrong metal so I had to make something work instead of lose my money. 1 1/4" solid bar shouldn't be too heavy enough to make it noticeable and I'm sure they won't break or bend. Now the 2" solid, yeah that piece was about 126 lbs!!!

Notice how its easier to bend a solid bar in the vice then a piece of pipe? Just sayin.....

good point when i do mine im thinking 1.5 od .250 wall about 6 foot long