Traction bar question

YotaOnRocks

YotaOnRocks

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2007
Location
Madison
Been fighting axle wrap in my work truck, so I bought some bds traction bars. The installation instructions say to make sure and not have the axle hanging any when installing, to do it with the vehicle weight on the ground.

My question is, when setting up the frame mount location, should I have the bags inflated to max( my normal) with no additional load on the truck, bags inflated with the trailer hooked up and loaded, or with no air in the bags and no load on the truck.
 
Here are the bars I bought
images (6).jpeg
 
Your gonna have to stay on your toes to keep it near the same ride height loaded or unloaded. Bags will help tremendously. I'd set it at a static height for everyday use. Maybe even empty of everything but bed weight and anything that never leaves the rig. Record that height and maintain that with bag pressure as needed.

I am also reading between the lines that much ditch crossing or rougher job sites will have to be negotiated accordingly.
 
I'm going to see how it goes. Measured from top of tire to the bed and I had 6.75" with truck fully loaded and trailer hooked up with the excavator on it with the bags at 90 psi. I unhooked and measured the same spot at 7.5". I'm going to set it up for 6.75" and adjust pressure in bags unloaded as needed.
 
justjeepin86 said:
I've always thought those things were crazy. They allow no shackle movement without binding.
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Maybe so. But when I take off with my trailer from a stop on any bit of incline, it feels like I'm riding a bucking bronco it's bouncing so hard in the rear. Not sure what else to try.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Been fighting axle wrap in my work truck, so I bought some bds traction bars. The installation instructions say to make sure and not have the axle hanging any when installing, to do it with the vehicle weight on the ground.

My question is, when setting up the frame mount location, should I have the bags inflated to max( my normal) with no additional load on the truck, bags inflated with the trailer hooked up and loaded, or with no air in the bags and no load on the truck.
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I've built and installed a bunch for people towing heavy with lots of power/torque.
I would install them at ride height (no trailer) then turn the link to preload it so it would a under slight tension loaded.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
Maybe so. But when I take off with my trailer from a stop on any bit of incline, it feels like I'm riding a bucking bronco it's bouncing so hard in the rear. Not sure what else to try.
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So i tow pretty heavy and I have a 3500 also, your axle wrap may be caused by using air bags, by not letting the suspension settle onto the overloads the spring pack just stays in the less stiff "comfort" mode lol. I don't run bags and when pulling 25k+ still no bucking like you're mentioning.
 
Stuntman Autoworks said:
So i tow pretty heavy and I have a 3500 also, your axle wrap may be caused by using air bags, by not letting the suspension settle onto the overloads the spring pack just stays in the less stiff "comfort" mode lol. I don't run bags and when pulling 25k+ still no bucking like you're mentioning.
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That makes sense. Do you pull heavy outside of Sanford much? Only reason I ask is the truck doesn't do it on reasonable grades. But we have plenty of unreasonable grades, at stop signs and stoplights, in my service area.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
That makes sense. Do you pull heavy outside of Sanford much? Only reason I ask is the truck doesn't do it on reasonable grades. But we have plenty of unreasonable grades, at stop signs and stoplights, in my service area.
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I tow up through the mountains and through our fields and such, typically through the mountains I'm not that heavy but even with 15k I don't get the bouncing you are experiencing.
 
How are the shocks? A blown shock will not help dampen the twisting action. Does it have a limited slip rear? If not is it from a wheel chirping due to lack of traction? Do you have enough tongue weight to weigh down the rear properly?
 
OnlyOneDR said:
How are the shocks? A blown shock will not help dampen the twisting action. Does it have a limited slip rear? If not is it from a wheel chirping due to lack of traction? Do you have enough tongue weight to weigh down the rear properly?
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Shocks seem ok. I'm pretty sure it has a lsd. It has plenty of tongue weight.
 
skyhighZJ said:
Random but any history about the trucks previous life? If it towed a lot before and the springs are sacked out a fresh set of springs may get you back some of the stiffness to prevent the wrap?? Just a thought from my little corner….
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Not sure if it towed much prior to me. I know the previous owner was a mobile diesel mechanic and used it as a service truck.
 
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