Harv's traction bar thread

Includes shock absorbers, springs and steering linkages.

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Blacky
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Blacky »

That's going to take some hacking - reminds me of the time I cut a sleeper in half lengthwise with a hand saw after realising a 7"circular saw doesn't even get halfway through your average sleeper :shock: :shock: :shock:
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 »

Traction bars welded out and painted in "Oh My Goodness That's Yellow!".

Traction bars 3.jpg
Traction bars 3.jpg (2.33 MiB) Viewed 490 times

Need to finish bleeding out the brakes on the FB (for the whopper stopper Mitsi discs) then will fit the traction bars up.

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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FJWALLY
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by FJWALLY »

Harv wrote:Traction bars welded out and painted in "Oh My Goodness That's Yellow!".

Traction bars 3.jpg

Need to finish bleeding out the brakes on the FB (for the whopper stopper Mitsi discs) then will fit the traction bars up.

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

Post by Harv »

Got one side of the bars installed yesterday. A little butchery with the hacking-saw and some deft touches with the bench grinder, and voila! Nolathane wedge.

traction bar wedge.jpg
traction bar wedge.jpg (522.17 KiB) Viewed 460 times

Note to self: run a die up the shock absorber mount threads BEFORE installing, and you will get a lot more work done.

traction bar installed 1.jpg
traction bar installed 1.jpg (526.69 KiB) Viewed 460 times
traction bar installed 2.jpg
traction bar installed 2.jpg (492.06 KiB) Viewed 460 times
traction bar installed 3.jpg
traction bar installed 3.jpg (542.35 KiB) Viewed 460 times

The photos show the suspension unloaded - big gap between the snubber and the front spring eye, and the u-bolt propping the nose of the traction bar up. With the wheel back on and the car on the deck, the suspension squats. Nice clearance on the u-bolt, and about 1/8" gap on the snubber. Noice.

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 »

Caught my eye. Affordable...
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/35382125741 ... media=COPY

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Harv
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Re: Harv's traction bar thread

Post by Harv »

Those are the GM X- and F-body units from back on page 2 of this thread. On an FB/EK they may hit the brake hose bracket. They need cutting back to length (overly long), and only one of the three shock mounts will get used.

The eBay postings indicate that they are a Lakewood unit (they even quote the Lakewood part number), but my spidey senses say that they are a cheap knock-off. Genuine Lakewood bars go for about $370.

Might not be a bad starting point if you wanted to make your own, but I'd take a close look at the tube thickness and weld quality. There is a lot of force in a traction bar - enough to permanently bend the spring leaves after 2-3 runs if the snubber bears on the leaves instead of the spring eye. I mulled up using them when I started, but did not want to cut corners on brakes, steering or suspension.

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 »

Thanks Harv. I guess price says a lot. I'm not dragging my ute, just the occasional fry up with rare axle hop.

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