Old school traction bars and axle wrap

[Yeller]

I need a neighbor like you! Having my bronco out of commission for a long time is my biggest concern with doing a link conversion.

Happy to consult to speed up the process, helped a lot of folks here. Send me a PM.

 

[rocknhorse76]

Happy to consult to speed up the process, helped a lot of folks here. Send me a PM.

Will do, thanks!!

 

[Yeller]

The pics I posted were from 2 weeks ago, work we did with @stout22

 

[rocknhorse76]

The pics I posted were from 2 weeks ago, work we did with @stout22

Awesome. Gives me a good idea of what I’m up against.

 

[broncosam]

I bought a set of those for one of my lifted F150 trucks back in the day. The truck had an old school lift with taller coils in the front and 2.5 inch blocks in the rear. Ran 15x38x15 Gumbo Mudders on 15x10 inch wheels on it. First time I had that truck in a strong pull after installing the "traction bars", I snapped one of them right at the joint where the threaded section comes out of the tube. So much for that.

 

[ntsqd]

From watching y'all I've come to realize that if WH's 'Wrap-Trap' isn't enough (& I FAR prefer that design to the shackled ladder bar! The loads those things develop are crazy!) then it's time to talk to Yeller et. al. about going 4 link.

When I owned a '91 Sub I spent a fair amount of time on CK5 and the ladder bar design was their favorite. Yet no one could ever seem to be able to build one that worked, lived, and didn't tear up itself or other stuff.

 

[rocknhorse76]

From watching y'all I've come to realize that if WH's 'Wrap-Trap' isn't enough (& I FAR prefer that design to the shackled ladder bar! The loads those things develop are crazy!) then it's time to talk to Yeller et. al. about going 4 link.

When I owned a '91 Sub I spent a fair amount of time on CK5 and the ladder bar design was their favorite. Yet no one could ever seem to be able to build one that worked, lived, and didn't tear up itself or other stuff.

I do have one of those and have been thinking about modifying it to fit my trussed 14 bolt. Ultimately, though, I plan to link it.

 

[Yeller]

I’ve made the ladder bar style work and live. Under a bronco it is hard to get it long enough to work well. And it has to be 3x heavier than you think. I used 2” x .500” wall DOM with 1-1/4x1 high strength hiem joints with 3/8” plates on the housing to get it to live. I can also say if you put it just on an axle tube it will pull the tube out of the housing…. I would do that again, I liked how it worked, it was just heavy.

 

[73azbronco]

I’ve made the ladder bar style work and live. Under a bronco it is hard to get it long enough to work well. And it has to be 3x heavier than you think. I used 2” x .500” wall DOM with 1-1/4x1 high strength hiem joints with 3/8” plates on the housing to get it to live. I can also say if you put it just on an axle tube it will pull the tube out of the housing…. I would do that again, I liked how it worked, it was just heavy.

Heavy, bought smacked me a new one taking it off for most current lift change.

 

[spap]

Can you run the newer trifle on just one side, my first bronco back in the day I put those old style traction bars , it had a Detroit in the rear and s lightly built 302 and 33 inc tires and they actully held up pretty good

 

[rocknhorse76]

Can you run the newer trifle on just one side, my first bronco back in the day I put those old style traction bars , it had a Detroit in the rear and s lightly built 302 and 33 inc tires and they actully held up pretty good

The WH Wrap Trap will be a better setup for me, or at least I think it will anyway. I’m running a 408W, 4R70W, Blackbox Titan, NP205, 1-ton axles, 5:13 gears, and 37” tires. A lot of power, a lot of gearing, and fairly big tires. That’s a lot of force exerted on an antiwrap bar and leafs.

 

[Broncobowsher]

The WH Wrap Trap will be a better setup for me, or at least I think it will anyway. I’m running a 408W, 4R70W, Blackbox Titan, NP205, 1-ton axles, 5:13 gears, and 37” tires. A lot of power, a lot of gearing, and fairly big tires. That’s a lot of force exerted on an antiwrap bar and leafs.

With that much engine, gearing, and tire I think a good arm will be better. It's the homemade stuff that underestimated the forces that have failed. Not the good ones. And you are dealing with a lot more force and a lot more modifications

 

[Yeller]

The WH Wrap Trap will be a better setup for me, or at least I think it will anyway. I’m running a 408W, 4R70W, Blackbox Titan, NP205, 1-ton axles, 5:13 gears, and 37” tires. A lot of power, a lot of gearing, and fairly big tires. That’s a lot of force exerted on an antiwrap bar and leafs.

This looks like a good opportunity to add the upper control arms for that link suspension you’ve been eluding to

Not to steal a sale from WH…. But Barnes 4x4 makes a nice small truss for the upper control arms that is stout, and small enough to not be miserable to work around. That would complete that step and if you move forward, it’s done.

 

[rocknhorse76]

This looks like a good opportunity to add the upper control arms for that link suspension you’ve been eluding to

Not to steal a sale from WH…. But Barnes 4x4 makes a nice small truss for the upper control arms that is stout, and small enough to not be miserable to work around. That would complete that step and if you move forward, it’s done.

I actually already have a narrow Artec truss on it! Figured I’d eventually link it, so I trussed it during the build process I also already have the Wrap Trap, so no sales were harmed in the making of this post

 

[Yeller]

That being the case I would do the upper control arms in place of the wrap trap. It will give the same results, and keep that linking it thought stirring by not being something that needs to be redone.

It is very easy to add 2” to the length of the upper arms when you do the lowers

 

[rocknhorse76]

That being the case I would do the upper control arms in place of the wrap trap. It will give the same results, and keep that linking it thought stirring by not being something that needs to be redone.

It is very easy to add 2” to the length of the upper arms when you do the lowers

I was wondering if that would work. Might just have to do that!

 

[nvrstuk]

Weld it to the center section, it will work just fine. Clean it, weld it at 200amps in a horizontal position with a MIG, make 2 passes all they around and be happy. No axle tube required.

Great idea Steve, never thought of that. Tim, buy the brackets and I'll weld it up.

That mount on top bar that Steve mentioned earlier is what I built decades ago. I later used three bars on the center section (one on top and one on each side) because the single mount one on the top of the diff literally tore the metal on the top of the diff like Bowsher was saying. That and I ate bushings at an alarming rate. Make the room on top and it works great.

So I talked with Lee Novikoff of the "Barbie Bronco" fame from some 20 yrs back and essentially built something very similar to what he had. 3 points of attachment spread the load and not a bushing or issue was ever had again... till I dropped it into 2nd at 6 grand with the 418 stroker and sheared the 1 1/2" DOM but that's a another story. (yup, of course I have a pic)

 

[rocknhorse76]

Great idea Steve, never thought of that. Tim, buy the brackets and I'll weld it up.

That mount on top bar that Steve mentioned earlier is what I built decades ago. I later used three bars on the center section (one on top and one on each side) because the single mount one on the top of the diff literally tore the metal on the top of the diff like Bowsher was saying. That and I ate bushings at an alarming rate. Make the room on top and it works great.

So I talked with Lee Novikoff of the "Barbie Bronco" fame from some 20 yrs back and essentially built something very similar to what he had. 3 points of attachment spread the load and not a bushing or issue was ever had again... till I dropped it into 2nd at 6 grand with the 418 stroker and sheared the 1 1/2" DOM but that's a another story. (yup, of course I have a pic)

Brian, I think Steve is talking about actually mounting the upper half of the 4-link setup and using that as my antiwrap until I decide to fully commit to linking it.

 

[Yeller]

Brian, I think Steve is talking about actually mounting the upper half of the 4-link setup and using that as my antiwrap until I decide to fully commit to linking it.

@nvrstuk yep rockinhorse is correct. You are behind

 

[nvrstuk]

No, I knew. I was mentioning earlier when it was a single bar on top and the disadvantages of it. Like Tim and I have discussed several times IF you go with a single mount on top that IS a very real possibility. That's why I mentioned above and when we discussed making a top mounted anti-wrap that it should have 3 mounting points to spread that load. You have a tremendous amount of torque being transferred whereas like SPAP mentioned with almost stock everything even the early style single bars like you're running now last forever. It's totally Apples & Oranges when comparing torque applied to the ground.

So buy the brackets and I can come down and help out.