universal traction bars

Posted By: coronetkid

universal traction bars - 01/16/09 10:34 PM

anyone have experience with these bars on a stock rear end 68 b-body with 8 3/4 rear? how do i measure for them? or does anyone know how long i would need? i see lakewoods for 28in or 30in. are they any good? i'm on a very limited budget. thanks for the input
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail...mp;autoview=sku

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail...mp;autoview=sku

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 10:54 PM

you must be a "wet behind the ears" Mopar owner.

Mopars dont use traction bars.

Mopars have the pinion snubber.

Mopars dont have "POSI,S"

Posted By: Stanton

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:20 PM

Chebby chit meng !!!

Posted By: WILD BILL

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:23 PM

Don't waste you $$$ on those. SS springs would better a better choice.

Posted By: slantzilla

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:31 PM

Anyone who says traction bars are just for Chebbys was never around when our Mopars were new. Every Mopar around got 3 things right away. Appliance headers, Thrush mufflers, and a set of Lakewood bolt-on bars.

I had a pair of $19 Lakewood clamp-on bars on my '66 Valiant and it 60 footed within .02 of my buddy's ladder bar Valiant, and I was on ET Streets to his 12X30X15 slicks. I went 1.56 to his 1.54. Sooooooo, don't even begin to tell me they won't work.

Mopars do have Sure Grips though.

Posted By: None2Slow

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:34 PM

Quote:

anyone have experience with these bars on a stock rear end 68 b-body with 8 3/4 rear? how do i measure for them? or does anyone know how long i would need? i see lakewoods for 28in or 30in. are they any good? i'm on a very limited budget. thanks for the input

I have a set on my 63 valiant convert with the 7.25 rear and it made a difference with wheel hop. Unlike some, I don't have the money to just go get whatever is better, so I use what I have. You want them to contact at the front spring eye area. Measure from the the front eye back to the axle tube and see where you at with 28" and 30". Good luck.

Posted By: IronWolf

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:34 PM

Right you are Slantzilla. Look at the race section of this board - they are moving to "Cal-Tracs" , traction bars by any other name.

I just finished reading Chip Horton's article in the old Chrysler Power mag.

He used them, and was the most successful bracket racer for years and years.

Posted By: coronetkid

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:48 PM

thank you i knew i wasn't that "wet behind the ears" and i can't always afford whats the best. so i measure from the center of the axle tube to the front perch? do i wanna be real close to the perch or little back from it?

Posted By: mike_vango

Re: universal traction bars - 01/16/09 11:56 PM

if you're gonna run them at least paint them black so we can't see them.

Posted By: IronWolf

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:04 AM

Who's "we" , Tonto ?

Posted By: CHRGR69

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:19 AM

Mopars dont have "POSI,S"

What's with the symantics anyway? Is SureGrip NOT a POSI rearend? I'm a diehard Mopar guy, but it does get annoying if you slip up on verbiage and someone HAS to correct you.

Posted By: CHRGR69

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:21 AM

Quote:

Who's "we" , Tonto ?

Posted By: jbc426

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:24 AM

Quote:

thank you i knew i wasn't that "wet behind the ears" and i can't always afford whats the best. so i measure from the center of the axle tube to the front perch? do i wanna be real close to the perch or little back from it?

You want the rubber snubber to be right under the center of the front spring eye. When you tighten up the traction bar, it should just begin to compress the rubber snubber.

Posted By: coronetkid

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:27 AM

Quote:

if you're gonna run them at least paint them black so we can't see them.

don't worry they come already black

Posted By: Stanton

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:29 AM

Quote:

Anyone who says traction bars are just for Chebbys was never around when our Mopars were new. Every Mopar around got 3 things right away. Appliance headers, Thrush mufflers, and a set of Lakewood bolt-on bars.

Uh ... yes I was - AND, I still have the car !!!

Grant steering wheel, Hurst T-handle, JR Headers, Hooker mufflers. The speedshop owner was a Mopar guy and was more interested in a happy customer than the almighty buck.

Posted By: fig426

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:33 AM

Quote:

Quote:

if you're gonna run them at least paint them black so we can't see them.

don't worry they come already black

Then paint em yellow or red! The way traction bars should be!

Posted By: 340727dart

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:35 AM

Quote:

Mopars dont have "POSI,S"

What's with the symantics anyway? Is SureGrip NOT a POSI rearend? I'm a diehard Mopar guy, but it does get annoying if you slip up on verbiage and someone HAS to correct you.

It's not.
"Posi-trac" is a registered GM trademark for their limited slip differential.
"Sure-Grip" is Chrysler's name for their limited slip.

Posted By: CHRGR69

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:38 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Mopars dont have "POSI,S"

What's with the symantics anyway? Is SureGrip NOT a POSI rearend? I'm a diehard Mopar guy, but it does get annoying if you slip up on verbiage and someone HAS to correct you.

It's not.
"Posi-trac" is a registered GM trademark for their limited slip differential.
"Sure-Grip" is Chrysler's name for their limited slip.

OK but that still makes them POSI SURE GRIPS. Again its just in a name.

Posted By: Butt Ugly

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 12:42 AM

Ya "needed" Yellow Lakewoods back in the 70's if ya wanted to play

Posted By: moper

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 01:30 AM

If you're concerned with costs... you can still make use of the factory parts and do it for about $20. Those traction bars are to prevent axle wind up. But... Mopar was ahead of Ford and Chevy in that the leaf springs themselves are biased becaused they are designed to do the same thing. They work in conjunction with a part on the top of the axle that's called a pinion subber. The snubber is supposed to hit the floor and stop axle wind up. You already have the parts you need. By a control arm rebound bumper, or the replacement front bushings for the traction bars, drill a hole in the factory snubber (It unbolts from the car...) and drill a hole to bolt on the taller bushing. You can also drill the snubber mounting holes a little bigger, and make some U shaped spacers to raise the bushing further. You want it to be about 1/2" below the floorpan when the car is sitting on it's tires with a full tank of gas and you sitting in it. It's that simple. No buying the bars, no loss of Mopar integrity.

Posted By: 340727dart

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 02:50 AM

Quote:

OK but that still makes them POSI SURE GRIPS. Again its just in a name.

Attached picture 4953169-mug--whatever.jpg

Posted By: slantzilla

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 04:36 AM

Quote:

You want the rubber snubber to be right under the center of the front spring eye. When you tighten up the traction bar, it should just begin to compress the rubber snubber.

That's the biggest issue most people got into, improper installation. A lot of guys just hung them on and the bar would be pointing way down in front and be totally useless. I shimmed up a set on my '70 Swinger 340 stick car and got them lower on one side than the other. It was a fun ride the first time I pulled 2nd at 6500+ and it swapped lanes.

I made sure to get them right on my '66 and it would leave straight as an arrow.

Posted By: Supercuda

Re: universal traction bars - 01/17/09 02:57 PM

Be better and more tuneable to simply use spring clamps.

BTW, Cal-Tracs are not "traction bars" by a long shot.