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  #1  
Old 01-26-2000, 05:27 PM
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RAM MAN RAM MAN is offline
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Question

Ok - maybe with hindsite it wasn't the best idea, but I purchased a set of Lakewood Universal Traction bars to try them out on my RAM.

The first problem was - the bolts weren't long enough (that should have been my first clue.)

But we do have a custom spring shop here in town and the guys down there fabricated some bolts that were long enough to go around the traction bars and hang down far enough for me to get the nuts on.

I tighten them down as far as I could, replaced the snubber with larger ones from a 4WD shop - but they didn't work. I couldn't get them down close enough to make a difference.

Looked cool - but was worthless performance wise . . .

Does anyone know of a company that makes traction bars for our RAMs ???



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  #2  
Old 01-26-2000, 05:52 PM
Elwenil Elwenil is offline
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Lakewood makes shims for their traction bars to bring the bumper up closer to the spring. It's been a while since I've put a set of these on since they are next to useless on a Mopar, but I believe if they anything other than perfectly level, they have no effect. I can't remember what the best set up is, since I always put them on my friend's Generic Motors products and I quit doing that some time ago.

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Old 01-26-2000, 06:01 PM
nevermind65 nevermind65 is offline
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I have not seen these actually work, but the concept looks logical. JCWhitney sell bars that attach to the top of your leaf spring via. u-bolts. There is a bushing at the other end with a bracket that looks as though it attaches to the frame. The price was $51. for the set. I am going to try these on my truck, but won't get them on till the spring. These might be worth taking a look at anyhow.
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Old 01-26-2000, 07:04 PM
moparstockeliminator moparstockeliminator is offline
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RamMan, Elwenil is dead on target! Putting leaf spring slapper type traction bar devices on a Mopar will only result in lowering the lifespan of your springs.

These type devices were developed to prevent differential wrap up. This is the tendancy for the axle housing to react oposite to the driven force applied by tires. Mopar engineers have already designed in to your rear suspension a feature to combat this and wheel walk, the tendancy for one drive wheel to try and thrust itself in front the other. If you look at where laterally your housing is placed on your leaf springs, you will notice on all Mopars the housing is located forward of center (the distance between a spring from eye to eye), the intent was to allow the tortional properties of the uneven spring lenghts to oppose axle wrap and wheel walk.

Lakewood type slapper traction bars attempt to drive the housing into the ground thereby planting the tires. In reality they wind up applying a destructive blow opposite the springs curvature which is essential to proper spring function. If the distance adjustment of snubber to spring is excessive this will even result in the blow unloading your rear suspension and defeating that which you were attempting to achieve. Even at proper setting however this effect is degenerative and will prematurely fatigue your leaf springs.

In a street or drag car the answer is the pinion snubber. This will not work for a normal service pickup since longer wheel travel is essentional to Load capacity and makes proper pinion snubber adjustment impossible. If indeed we have already decided that load and tow capabilities are not that important to us we can lower our truck shortening suspension travel, than the pinion snubber arrangement will work for us. If you require towing/load capabilities than your traction problem will have to solved trying to balance tire (type/width/diameter and pressures), shocks and weight balance. I would avoid spring helper type devices(ie helper springs...airbags), since they, in my humble opinion, always trade off a desireble design charateristic for one that may or may not service your needs.

A vast wealth of enginerering information was fed back to Mother Mopar from the early days of Drag Racing and NASCAR that resulted in superior performance vehicles. These gains have not lost signifigance over the years, lets not ignore our heritage.

These spring snubbers destroy springs, tell your brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers and even stop Joe Blow tooling down the road and tell them to take them off Mopars before they destroy their leaf springs!

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[This message has been edited by moparstockeliminator (edited January 26, 2000).]
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  #5  
Old 01-26-2000, 11:38 PM
Elwenil Elwenil is offline
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One thing that would work is a good set of ladder bars. By "good" I mean ones that weld to your axle housing and the front bolts to the frame and uses Heim joints. This will eliminate axle wind-up, but still leaves you with the weight distribution problem.

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  #6  
Old 01-27-2000, 12:13 AM
SweetnLow SweetnLow is offline
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There is a company that makes application specific traction bars, NOT slapper bars, for our rams. Im planning on getting a set, but they aint cheap!! They do work though, Ive talked with a coupla people who have em and they said they lost 2 tenths off their 60 foot time.

Calvert Racing Caltracs bars http://www.calvertracing.com/

-Clay
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  #7  
Old 01-27-2000, 12:51 AM
moparstockeliminator moparstockeliminator is offline
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Thank's SweetnLow, I was unaware that John made a set for our 1500 Ram's. I've got a set on my Duster, and I too can attest to their effectiveness.

For those that might not be familiar with John Calvert he's campained in Stock Eliminator forever, runing a 428 Mustang (It's Automatic) on 9" slick's is no picnik. His 60 ft times were legendary for years, some time back he started marketing his find under the name CALTRACS. They work BIG TIME, look under most Nationally Competitive Stockers and you'll find John's Links.

Great Tip SweetnLow, Thanks!

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[This message has been edited by moparstockeliminator (edited January 26, 2000).]
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