Rear traction bar mount

[2006duramax]

I'm working on building my new set of trac bars but I really don't like having the mount tabs on the ubolt plate since it's hard to get a socket on the ubolt nuts sometimes. On my next set I want to use bushing ends on both ends of the bars so I'll have to have the bars perfectly straight so I'd need to weld tabs on the axle....is welding tabs on the axle tube a good idea for trac bars? Strong/weaker? Or is it better on the u bolt plates and run a heim on one end and bushing on the other?

 

[2006duramax]

http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/Ballistic-Forged-Poly-Bushing-263_p_1646.html


These are the bushings I'm talking about so I can still adjust the bars with a left hand and right hand thread on each bar

 

[Whitetail Addict]

I have my rear traction bar mounts welded to the axle tubes.

 

[2006duramax]

I have my rear traction bar mounts welded to the axle tubes.

Could you post a pic?

 

[TLyons90]

Both seem to work well and haven't seen issues with either... However IMHO it seems the U bolt plate design seems more secure and stronger...

 

[2006duramax]

Just curious if the trac bar hold the u bolt plate tight is it possible to have the axle twist inside the u bolt? This is why I was wonder if welding right to the axle tube would be better or if I'm thinking wrong

 

[S Phinney]

Tabs to the axke.

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[OregonDMAX]

I have my rear traction bar mounts welded to the axle tubes.

X2. In theory the ubolt plate can move, the axle tube can't.

 

[Chevy1925]

if you axle tube is moving, its not moving around the axle plate. There is a big flat plate on top your spring rides on and unless you have some ultra loose u-bolts, a broke u-bolt, something else thats way out of wack, the axle tube wont turn around the u-bolt retainer.

you have a better chance of breaking the spot welds in the center diff and having it rotate around the axle tubes than the axle tubes rotating in the retainers.

 

[OregonDMAX]

if you axle tube is moving, its not moving around the axle plate. There is a big flat plate on top your spring rides on and unless you have some ultra loose u-bolts, a broke u-bolt, something else thats way out of wack, the axle tube wont turn around the u-bolt retainer.

you have a better chance of breaking the spot welds in the center diff and having it rotate around the axle tubes than the axle tubes rotating in the retainers.

Yeah sorry I was basing my opinion off some of the trucks I have worked on from the rust belt. I had a couple ubolts break on me while I was doing some work underneath a customer truck. So I recommended the axle tube because its a little more fixed then a ubolt plate, in theory.

But yes either way will work

 

[je942010]

Mine are done to my u bolt plate and I've never had an issue. I just did it that way for ease of installation. I have the same bushings on mine but the non adjustable ones that i welded directly to the dom tubing.

Sent from my SCH-I545

 

[Ne-max]

I got a set if u bolt plates with tabs already welded in for sale.

 

[Muff]

if you axle tube is moving, its not moving around the axle plate. There is a big flat plate on top your spring rides on and unless you have some ultra loose u-bolts, a broke u-bolt, something else thats way out of wack, the axle tube wont turn around the u-bolt retainer.

you have a better chance of breaking the spot welds in the center diff and having it rotate around the axle tubes than the axle tubes rotating in the retainers.

I welded my diff housing to the axle tubes in 3 spots on both sides to help prevent what was said above.

I welded my mounts to the axle tube so i could have heims on each end and preload the axle. Everybody does it different!

 

[Chevy1925]

I welded my diff housing to the axle tubes in 3 spots on both sides to help prevent what was said above.

I welded my mounts to the axle tube so i could have heims on each end and preload the axle. Everybody does it different!

You can still put hiems on each end and preload the bars if they were still mounted to the retainer plates as well. the 5* angle you get from putting them to the u-bolt retainers isnt enough to create a bind at any point in the suspension travel

 

[ikeG]

My theory: The further away they are mounted from centerline of axle tube gives more leverage to stop axle wrap. I've had them both ways now...

 

[Muff]

You can still put hiems on each end and preload the bars if they were still mounted to the retainer plates as well. the 5* angle you get from putting them to the u-bolt retainers isnt enough to create a bind at any point in the suspension travel

I believe it.

My theory: The further away they are mounted from centerline of axle tube gives more leverage to stop axle wrap. I've had them both ways now...

I agree thats how i did mine, The mount actually ends up behind the tube. But it could just be a dumb idea in my head. I used 2x2 mild steel square tubing with a 1/4 wall. My bars are 83", i 'm interested to see if the tubing will hold up or bend.