Re: Vintage Ladder Bars - What do they fit??
[Re: BBCoronet]
#1004111
05/31/11 09:13 PM
05/31/11 09:13 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 595
CentralVA.
BBCoronet
OP
mopar
|
OP
mopar
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 595
CentralVA.
|
Pic #2
Last edited by BBCoronet; 05/31/11 09:18 PM.
|
|
|
Re: Vintage Ladder Bars - What do they fit??
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1004116
06/01/11 06:31 PM
06/01/11 06:31 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,325
Truckville, the capital of NY
85_Ram_4speed
master
|
master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,325
Truckville, the capital of NY
|
I didn't recognize that front bracket at all and my immediate thought before reading the post was it must be a weld on bracket---guess I was right. I took a set of the bolt on style and made them fit my truck, but they will be coming off as I am a little more interested in making it handle rather than going straight. They are indeed as posted a step up from a typical traction bar, but I admit I went after more as a look than anything else. But with the yellow shocks and chrome rear cover, it was a perfect match for the vintage look. 
Outcast Dodge guy.
|
|
|
Re: Vintage Ladder Bars - What do they fit??
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1004117
06/01/11 09:30 PM
06/01/11 09:30 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,532
north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
|
"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,532
north of coder
|
Quote:
Quote:
Actually those are the weld on Lakewood ladder bars. The clamp on ones mentioned above had totally different front and rear brackets to bolt onto Chevelle, GTO, 442 etc chassis...
That is correct. The bolt-on units were way more complex, attaching to the axle, swing arm and frame rail.
Lakewood ladder bars were a step up from "Traction Bars" at about 3 times the price. They gave you that funny car look to go along with your N50 rear tires, long shackles and Gabriel HyJackers.  And they do work.
I believe there was a bolt on version of those bars for leaf spring suspended cars that had the 4 bolt brackets on the axle end and a flat floor plate for the front end.
I think those would look super cool on a day-2 restored B body. Just fab up some U bolt brackets and set em up so that they don't obstruct anything. Would love a pair on my bee. 
you guys are correct. the bolt on bars had what was probably a 3" muffler clamp u-bolt to attach over the rear tube & thru the "saddle" on the upper part of the bar[note how the saddle looks suspiciously like the saddle of a muffler clamp in size and material thickness]. there was a triangular pc. comming off the rear part of the bar[pointing inward] that bolted to the lower control arm. the forward mount was more complicated than the one shown, in that it was also triangular in shape and captured the frontpivot of the bar in double shear. my response was just to indicate that it was a "style" of gm coil spring bar, and i'm pretty sure there was a company or two other than lakewood that made similar setups. hopefully, i didn't cause too much confusion.
|
|
|
Re: Vintage Ladder Bars - What do they fit??
[Re: BBCoronet]
#1004120
06/01/11 11:02 PM
06/01/11 11:02 PM
|
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 305
CA
David Lee
enthusiast
|
enthusiast
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 305
CA
|
we mopar people do not need to ude ladder bars, the SS springs are much better
Ah...so many pedestrians, so little time...
|
|
|
Re: Vintage Ladder Bars - What do they fit??
[Re: David Lee]
#1004121
06/02/11 02:24 AM
06/02/11 02:24 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,951
Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
I Live Here
|
I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,951
Spokane Valley, WA
|
Quote:
OK, that was a bit harsh...but this is how the bolt on ones I had were, no cheap clamp and I tacked them in a couple spots while they were on.
Those are the deal. I had them on a 65 Olds 442. Stopped the nasty wheel hop created by those cheesy GM springs.
Now the real question is how to mount them correctly on a leaf spring rear end. If they aren't the same length as the spring from axle center to front perch, the ladder bars and leaf spring will try to make the rear axle swing on conflicting arcs. So from what I've heard (not experienced), you either have to allow the axle to SLIP in it's spring perches or allow the nose of the ladder bars SLIDE forward and rearward in their front perches to compensate for the difference. 85 ram 4 speed, how did you set yours up?
BTW. I agree, SS springs as they are engineered are pretty darn awesome and I'm not advocating ladder bars as an alternative or supplement. I just love the look.
I’m listening.
|
|
|
|
|
