[KING6]

How To: Make Traction Bar's

Since my last thread got closed, I reevaluated the interest. If the interest ends up like my strut bar interest, selling the traction bars would not be worth my time. So I’ve decided to make a short how to for those who are capable of making them, but don’t know how to start.

Total cost for all of this is aprox. $120, or less depending on where you get the metal and hardware from.. also depending on the rod ends you buy.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b120/emxsix/K6F/Picture1531.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b120/emxsix/K6F/Picture1534.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b120/emxsix/K6F/Picture1532.jpg

These are fairly easy to make once you have the measurements that I have provided. I’m making this how to, with the idea in mind that not everyone has fabrication skills or good tools to use.



Tools Needed:

1. Safety glass's
2. Vice
3. Drill Press or Electric Hand drill
4. Large Hammer
5. Drill Bits- 5/8, 7/16, 3/8
6. Chop Saw, Band Saw or Grinder with a cutting disc.
7. Welder

Parts List:
You will need to buy from : Summit Racing - High Performance Car and Truck Parts | 800-230-3030

1. 2x Swaged tubes 5/ 8 in.-18 RH/ LH Threads: P# AFC-36175
2. 2x chromemoly Rod Ends 5/8-18 RH: P# SUM-MAX10
3. 2x chromemoly Rod Ends 5/8-18 LH: P# SUM-MAXL10

(There many types of rod ends in the same size, chromemoly being the strongest.. however the most expensive)

Material List:

1. 4ft of 1.25 wide x 3/16thick flat steel
2. 1ft of 7/16 inside diameter, Steel Tube.
3. 3in of 5/8 inside diameter, Steel tube.

Hardware List:

1. 4- 5/8x 2 1/2in (length) Bolts
2. 4- 5/8 Lock Nuts
3. 2- 7/16 x 2 1/2in(length) Bolts
4. 4- 7/16 Flat Washers
5. 2- 7/16 Lock Nuts
6. 2- 3/8 x 2 1/2in(length) Bolts
7. 4- 3/8 Flat Washers
8. 2- 3/8 Lock Nuts

Fabrication of the Brackets:

I provided the measurements in the pictures below, mark out your brackets on the flat steel you got, cut them to size and procede with bending them.

There are many ways that you can make the brackets. They can be bent by hand or in a machine. The easiest way would be bending them in VICE. You can bend them to shape by placing the flat steel into the vice, and beat on the end with a large hammer. If you prefer, (for easier bending) you can heat them with a propane (or acetelen) torch a bit to soften the metal.
Put them in the vice so that your marking is level with the vice surface, and beat the end sticking out down until it flattens out level. Take it out and Do the same with the other side. Once you have the larger bracket and the small bracket done, you will need to weld them together.

You can drill them before you bend them but since your bending them in a vice, there is a chance you may not get the holes 100% across from each other. On my practice set, I drilled the holes with an electric drill while the bracket was clamped in the vice after bending them.

I’m not going to go into full detail on this how to. Honesty If you cant figure it out with the measurements alone.. you probably are not capable of making these.

Anyone that is interested in these, but doesn’t want to make the brackets. I’m offering my service to make the brackets only, for $60 shipped. PM me for details.

Also, you can bring my measurements into any shop and they could probably make the brackets for you for a decent price.


Some Issues:
There’s a few people that say making the brackets this way (by hand) and with the material is making them weak. However, if you think that, you can upgrade to a stronger grade metal, or as thick as 1/4in. It just takes more work to bend.

I have since taken the time to test my brackets on a hydraulic press. What I done was remove a control arm from my parts car, bolt the bracket to it.. fastend the control arm into a hydraulic press, and then proceeded to use the press to apply pressure to the bracket. The control arm bent at about the same pressure the bracket started to bend.
My theory is there will never be enough pressure (from normal use) to bend these brackets.

Positives:

• Traction bars have been proven to eliminate wheel hop on many cars.

Negatives:

• Traction bars preload the control arms by either pulling the control arm in or pushing it out. This causes more stress on the control arm bushings speeding up wear and tear.
• After installing the traction bars and adjusting them, you WILL need to get the car realigned. Adjusting the traction bars knocks off the alignment.

Measurments:

(NEW CAD DRAWINGS MADE BY nate_v8 )

CAD DRAWINGS IN: .PDF Format (ZIP FILE)

INSTALLATION
Before installing traction bars, be sure to replace (or verify they are optimal) your control arm bushings, struts, sway bar end links, tie rods, ball joints, motor moutns and cv axles)

1. To Install the bars on the car, You will need to pull the hub out of the control arm. This is done by removing one bolt on each control arm under the hub assembly. Pry it out and pull it aside.
2. Remove the one large 17mm head bolt that connects the control arm to the frame, and install your single bracket.
3. The control arm already has en existing hole that you will use, Its the only one there. The hole is 7/16 on the bottom, 3/8 on top. You will need to Drill it out with the 7/16 drill bit. Slide one of the control arm spacers into the arm, and place you bracket and bolt on. Bolt it all down. Then use the bracket as your guide for drilling the rear 3/8 hole. One good tip is use a flat peice of metal, or a board between the control arm and cv axle, this helps prevent drilling in the CV boot on accident.
4. Bolt everything together, tighten it down and install your rod ends and rod. Adjust them in or out to tighten up the control arm. Once they are adjusted, get the car realigned.

Bars Installed on the car:

Enjoy, And be safe. Wear your safety glass's and gloves. Getting a shard of metal in your eye is no picnic, and it will cost you at the eye doctor. Been there, done that. Its not worth the 10seconds to cut that peice of metal.

 

[neptune_51]

Can you please make that txt a tad bigger. I think I need to goto the eye doctor now after squinting at the screen for so long j/k


Too bad about the other thread getting f-ed up with to much bitchin but this is definetly karma worthy for people who want to make up a set on their own.

 

[KING6]

lol, The text is so big because I copied and pasted out of my notepad, I couldnt get it to shrink down :shrug:

 

[Blake]

very cool, was that sarcasm?^^ shrink down! then we would need a microscope! You never seize to amaze me king, good job.

 

[Turk]

Such a champ :tup:

 

[KING6]

? is the text small for you guys?

On my screen its about the same size as my Screen name font.

 

[Turk]

Tiny, like say 8 point on Microsoft word, maybe 9. Footnote refference style.

 

[KING6]

Ok, weird.
How about now?..

 

[PaulG]

Now it's normal sized, yesterday it was a very small font (using ie).

This should be moved to projects!

 

[janz99]

Great write up king. A couple"tips" i would like to offer:

1. When bending the brackets that go over the control arm, try to get them so when you slide it over the control arm it is a SNUG fit.

2. Once the bracket is on, make sure that the bracket completly bottems out on the control arm, then bolt it down. This will help keep the control arm bracket from moving when there is a large load on it.

Hope this helps some! This is a great project for all the DIY orientated people out there who would like to try and make a set themself.

Ryan

 

[pearsonmx6]

king you are to nice to post how to and all of your measurements

if i could karma you i would

 

[KING6]

Its no problem really. I wasent aiming to make alot of money off them.. I was making my own set, and considering making a few sets for others after doing them,.
After thinking about it for quite some time, giving out the specs seemed easier.

 

[KING6]

UPDATED--- REFORMATED ORIGINAL POST.

New CAD drawings by nate_v8 + additional info.

 

[pearsonmx6]

very nice king the only problem that i found is that on the first drawing i dont know how far out to make the second 3/8 in hole

 

[KING6]

i cought that as well but was to tired to fix it..........still am. Ill get around to it.

My best guess is drill the hole .75 to .50 out from the end of the bracket.
You could literally just take a good guess. that bolt doesnt need an exact position since your drilling a new hole into the control arm with it.

 

[pearsonmx6]

i was just trying to make myself look intelligent.......