Who can build a traction bar for my 8.8?

[Kuffar762]

I have looked all over for some sort of pre made solution that already had the geometry worked out but came up empty handed and I'd like a traction bar to cut down axle wrap as these springs start to soften up and things like gears and maybe a stroker find their way into my XJ over the next couple of years.

Any suggestions?

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Nope, nothing pre-made. Few years back, a company called Nth Degree Mobility had briefly marketed a bolt-on traction bar set up for the XJ, but they quickly found the real market was with TJ products. It was called "The Stinger" but was massively priced and very few XJ guys bought it. Looked similar to this TJ unit:

Sadly, no one else has offered a "pre made solution" to axle wrap for XJ's.

There are lots of threads on different traction bars built by folks. But if you're not up to fabbing one yourself, best to find a shop that can.

Josh at Crawlertech ( http://www.crawlertech4x4.com/ ) has likely built LOTS of similar NON-BOLT ON traction bars for all kinds of rigs, I'm sure he and the guys at his shop could do it.

 

[Kuffar762]

Nope, nothing pre-made. Few years back, a company called Nth Degree Mobility had briefly marketed a bolt-on traction bar set up for the XJ, but they quickly found the real market was with TJ products. It was called "The Stinger" but was massively priced and very few XJ guys bought it. Looked similar to this TJ unit:

Sadly, no one else has offered a "pre made solution" to axle wrap for XJ's.

There are lots of threads on different traction bars built by folks. But if you're not up to fabbing one yourself, best to find a shop that can.

Josh at Crawlertech has likely built LOTS of similar traction bars for all kinds of rigs, I'm sure he and the guys at his shop could do it.

I could probably layout and cut one before I went to bed tonight but 1/2 the people who make their own end up complaining about them on within a month or two and need to change this or that and I know as clueless as I am I'd be one of those guys.

I'm gonna checkout Crawlertech for sure and get to cracking on the truss I have been planning so they have more options of stuff to hook up to

Thanks.

 

[Starboard M]

I think this is as close to off the shelf as you can get for the XJ.

LII
http://liquidironindustries.com/Universal-Traction-Bar.html

I like the slidder instead of a shackle, no idea if it works any better or not.

 

[Kuffar762]

I think this is as close to off the shelf as you can get for the XJ.

LII
http://liquidironindustries.com/Universal-Traction-Bar.html

I like the slidder instead of a shackle, no idea if it works any better or not.

Thanks for the link man. They make some XJ stuff already so maybe they can tell me the best spot to mount the thing and if I need to make a separate cross member or just tie into the unibody channels to get the best results.

 

[1-tonxj]

I could probably layout and cut one before I went to bed tonight but 1/2 the people who make their own end up complaining about them on within a month or two and need to change this or that and I know as clueless as I am I'd be one of those guys.

I'm gonna checkout Crawlertech for sure and get to cracking on the truss I have been planning so they have more options of stuff to hook up to

Thanks.

I bet CrawlerTech costs around $500-700 in labor + material to build one in house and intsall . I can't see why you would not just put one together in a day it's just a link arm pretty much just like a wristed front radius arm 2 joints at axle close to pumpking with a few inches of sepeartation top and bottom and one joint at frame/crossmember side ,and while it should only take you a few hours to get one done I bet it costs you over $500 to have it built ...Just throwing it out there .

 

[Kuffar762]

I bet CrawlerTech costs around $500-700 in labor + material to build one in house and intsall . I can't see why you would not just put one together in a day it's just a link arm pretty much just like a wristed front radius arm 2 joints at axle close to pumpking with a few inches of sepeartation top and bottom and one joint at frame/crossmember side ,and while it should only take you a few hours to get one done I bet it costs you over $500 to have it built ...Just throwing it out there .

Well, ideally a single ladder bar should be as close to the center of the axle as possible and pivot from the same place as where the SYE comes out of the T-case.

On a sheetmetal XJ with a cast 8.8 none of that is possible so a couple of compromises need to be made and I was hoping someone had already worked out the least suckness version of those compromises so I don't waste a bunch of time and money redoing stuff.

If I could weld worth a crap instead of having to cut and clamp stuff then go get ripped off by a welder(think $100 minimum in Denver) then I could afford to screw around with a few different version until I got it right.

Winging it and having to redo it if I'm wrong is automatically an extra $200 out of my pocket no matter what.

 

[1-tonxj]

Well, ideally a single ladder bar should be as close to the center of the axle as possible and pivot from the same place as where the SYE comes out of the T-case.

On a sheetmetal XJ with a cast 8.8 none of that is possible so a couple of compromises need to be made and I was hoping someone had already worked out the least suckness version of those compromises so I don't waste a bunch of time and money redoing stuff.

If I could weld worth a crap instead of having to cut and clamp stuff then go get ripped off by a welder(think $100 minimum in Denver) then I could afford to screw around with a few different version until I got it right.

Winging it and having to redo it if I'm wrong is automatically an extra $200 out of my pocket no matter what.

Why are you making such a big deal out of something as simple as this...

As I said close to the pumpkin and I can't see why you would have t weld to the pumking This pic is traction bar on a d70 on an XJ

 

[Kuffar762]

Why are you making such a big deal out of something as simple as this...

As I said close to the pumpkin and I can't see why you would have t weld to the pumking This pic is traction bar on a d70 on an XJ

It's not that big a deal, it's just the "ideal" from everything I have learned.

Jut knowing which side of the truck is best is a huge leap forward, lol

 

[eflores]

dont 8.8's have a flat piece on the housing with three threaded holes

 

[Kittrell]

Yes

 

[eflores]

mounting point perhaps?

 

[eflores]

DJ, do you have a picture of every thing?

 

[Kuffar762]

dont 8.8's have a flat piece on the housing with three threaded holes

Yeah, right there on the passenger side.

Heck it would almost be worth tucking the exhaust if there were any clearance issues.

I wonder how strong that little web is?

 

[Kittrell]

DJ, do you have a picture of every thing?

Yes

Yeah, right there on the passenger side.

Heck it would almost be worth tucking the exhaust if there were any clearance issues.

I wonder how strong that little web is?

I can't imagine it is incredibly strong in the application you are thinking. But for a stock motor, it may be okay.

 

[1-tonxj]

Yeah, right there on the passenger side.

Heck it would almost be worth tucking the exhaust if there were any clearance issues.

I wonder how strong that little web is?

Seems like welding on some tabs would be a better idea ...from a strengh and ease of install point of view .

 

[Kuffar762]

Yes



I can't imagine it is incredibly strong in the application you are thinking. But for a stock motor, it may be okay.

I'm hoping to stick this low mileage motor in my 98 DD XJ and build a stroker for this one.

Is a stroker+4:88s+35s+soft springs gonna need a stronger setup?

 

[time2getdirty]

I'm in Cheyenne, but if you can gather the parts (bushing or rod ends and bungs). I could throw something together easy enough.

 

[1-tonxj]

I'm hoping to stick this low mileage motor in my 98 DD XJ and build a stroker for this one.

Is a stroker+4:88s+35s+soft springs gonna need a stronger setup?

Take Davids offer and skip the booty fab idea whatever David builds will be solid .

 

[Kittrell]

Is a stroker+4:88s+35s+soft springs gonna need a stronger setup?

Yes it is, the cast webbing is not designed to handle the forces you will be applying to it.