Harv's traction bar thread

Includes shock absorbers, springs and steering linkages.

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ardiesse
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by ardiesse »

Houston, we have a problem.

Either that, or I have completely lost my spatial perception.

Your last photo shows the LH rear spring mounting plate. The shock absorber mounting stud points forwards . . . which means . . . the traction bar will be pointing inward, parallel with the rear axle.

Rob
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Harv
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

Ahhhhh...... dammit.

Like Winnie the Pooh, there are days when I am a bear of very little brain. This is why I should not be allowed to weld unsupervised.

Pass the cold chisel....

Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
Blacky
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Blacky »

lucky you caught it now rather than after it had all been zapped together ........ :silent:
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.


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Brett027
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Brett027 »

Good save Rob. Most observant eyes on the forum by a mile. That's why I take photos of my 'not so proud bits' with a dirty lens and low resolution 😀.
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Harv
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

This time, the right way up.

traction bars second go.jpg
traction bars second go.jpg (874.49 KiB) Viewed 539 times

(... not that I'd tell anyone, but I checked three times before tacking them again, and had to bolt them up to make sure before reposting a photo :oops: ).

The u-bolts aren't tight, but you get the idea. Big gap between the snubber and leaf spring eye. That reactangular u-bolt should hold the traction bar pretty close to the spring, but is way off and just floating in space in the photo. Needs a wedge at the diff saddle clamp. Nolathane bushes on their way, will see if I can butcher them to wedge it.

Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
Blacky
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Blacky »

I bought steel wedges off Ebay USA for not a lot of money , they do them in 1/2 degree angles up t 10 or 12 degrees
When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.


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Harv
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

I'll do some more measuring this weekend, as the nolathane saddle bushes showed up yesterday.

I'll need to be a little careful though on the thickness of anything between the spring and the traction bar. Rough measurements a while back show that the bottom of the traction bar RHS tube sits pretty close to the ground. It's touch-and-go whether that bottom edge is lower than the 13" wheel rim. If it is, then the traction bar will bottom out during tyre deflation... and the engineer will get upset. I could always cut that edge away and box in the RHS again, but trying to avoid that if I can.

Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
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Errol62
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Errol62 »

Just a thought but maybe to avoid needing wedges, with the suspension set up, you could fix the bars in position, grinding the wedge shape in to the top of the bar and tack in place. Some clearance would be gained. I may well be missing something.


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Harv
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

Yep, that will work too. Simpler if I can keep the basic RHS tube shape though.

Cheers,
Harv
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Errol62
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Errol62 »

Rather than notch it then you could build the rear section up with weld. The front is where the strain will be. Rear will be under compression I think.


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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Blacky »

Errol62 wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:42 pm Rather than notch it then you could build the rear section up with weld. The front is where the strain will be. Rear will be under compression I think.

Except under brakes if Harv fits the braking strap ??? Not sure if this is happening or not ???


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When you're faced with an unpleasant task that you really don't want to do, sometimes you just have to dig deep down inside and somehow find the patience to wait for someone else to do it for you.


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Errol62
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Errol62 »

Yes. I recall some that were attached by lugs bolting to U-bolt bottoms. Wedge could have been used between bar and base, keeping base flat thereby allowing the nuts to bottom evenly.

Just thoughts again. I'm sure you've got a good plan of sorts Harv. Don t mind my doddering mate.

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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

Lots of non-car distractions at present, so slow progress.

The nolathane diff saddles arrived (very sexy) and I thought about cutting one down into a wedge. Had an epiphany that it would be cheaper to do in wood (as I am likely to stuff it up) before butchering the Nolathane. Made a dummy nolathane saddle out of some scrap (Harvothane). Cut it down into a wedge, and dummied it up.
Harvothane 1.jpg
Harvothane 1.jpg (493.18 KiB) Viewed 471 times
Harvothane 2.jpg
Harvothane 2.jpg (1.01 MiB) Viewed 471 times
The Harvothane wedge fits great (it will effectively be half of a Nolathane wedge each side). The traction bar sits horizontal when under static load. All good.

Tacked up the two bars, and sent them off to the brother-in-law for weld up. All going well, will pick them up at Christmas.

Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
62ekute
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by 62ekute »

Hi Harv,
what do you plan to use to cut the saddles?
one of the pock marks on my forehead is from flying molten polyurethane when using a cutting disc :problem:
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

Hacking-saw. I learnt my urethane power tool lesson drilling the bump stops on the wagon.

Cheers,
Harv
327 Chev EK wagon, original EK ute for Number 1 Daughter, an FB sedan meth monster project and a BB/MD grey motored FED.
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