----> Traction Bar <----- Those who are running one please look

Background: Im swaping in axles (44's), running 5.13's, locked, and 36" bias Iroks. The rear has TNT UBE's in the 1.5" flavor. I also have JKS's Heavy duty X-member (1/4") So I can weld tabs on that...

On Order: TNT Customs rear 44 truss

What to do? Should I go ahead and build a traction bar? Do you think it will be needed. My RE 3.5" leafs are flattening out and flexing pretty well. I think the UBE's are going to enhance my axle wrap. It wraps a little currently w/ 4.56's and 33's. So I think it might be time to go ahead and build one.

Im looking for advice from those that have tried different scenarios that have worked or not. Im not looking to just go buy one off the shelf. Also, I have talked with several people running buggies and they tend to all run the traction bar off the top of the differential pretty much in line w/ the driveshaft.

My cousin tried the whole mounting it off the tube and when he was really getting on it (atlas 4.3, 5.38's, 39.5" Iroks) he bent the bar in half.

Seems like most I've seen just run some tubing w/ a heim at each end... and it seems to work just fine?

Educate me and Thanks,
Chris

I've run a traction bar ever since I locked the rear axle. Without it I would get some rear end hop while climbing or even going down a dirt road. The traction bar made the jeep more stable on climbs and it really plants the tires when taking off.

I used rubber bushings on the axle side and a heim on the frame side.

I haven't noticed any ill effects from binding but I'm sure it does bind. I've angled mine up so it is close to the center of the crossmember but misses the driveline. I feel the binding it may add is outweighed by the benifits of running one.

Check this guy's out. Username Timmay, used to post here.

http://jeepin.net/forum/showthread.php?t=29243


If I decide I need to build one, I'll go with something very close to this.

I added mine when I put the Atlas and ford 9 in. I used 2 heims at the axle end, brackets off the tube.
I made an additional cross member behind the atlas for the longer skid plate and as an attachment point for the traction bar. Used a stock xj shackle to the crossmember and a poly bushing end from a rustys hd track bar for the front of the traction bar.
Works like a champ. I didn't loose any articulation, no binding, and zero wrap. even at 155:1 crawl ratio. And no clearance issues.
I did rip the tube mount out of the axle housing though (my bad, didn't gusset the first time) but just had to redo it.
pics here.
http://www.hardrockcrawlers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88

DaffyXJ said:

I added mine when I put the Atlas and ford 9 in. I used 2 heims at the axle end, brackets off the tube.
I made an additional cross member behind the atlas for the longer skid plate and as an attachment point for the traction bar. Used a stock xj shackle to the crossmember and a poly bushing end from a rustys hd track bar for the front of the traction bar.
Works like a champ. I didn't loose any articulation, no binding, and zero wrap. even at 155:1 crawl ratio. And no clearance issues.
I did rip the tube mount out of the axle housing though (my bad, didn't gusset the first time) but just had to redo it.
pics here.
http://www.hardrockcrawlers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=88

Click to expand...

That's nice too. Good clean, strong looking installation.