brianharrison
Well-known member
There are discussions on this forum and others about the benefit of adding traction bars to pulling or lifted trucks. Lifted trucks with big mudders are easier to understand as the lift kits and big mudder tires create severe drive angles and forces that can create significant axle wrap and driveline distortion. Stock pulling trucks, are harder to rationalize the benefit of a traction bar setup.
I have been part of some of these discussion on this forum. I was not sure about traction bars for stock height trucks. So I bought a set and installed them. So far I am impressed, without compromising stock ride characteristics. I did some research on different types and found One Up Offroad, as a good product for my application.
My application: 2008 Ford Superduty CC SRW 4x4, 6.4L with H&S tuner adding additional HP and torque, stock height - pulling 16,200 GVWR Landmark.
My concern: I noticed some pinion gear noise while pulling away from dead stop. Short of adding a GOPRO camera underneath, I suspected some axle wrap/spring loading, potentially creating excessive driveline angles. Secondly, when not pulling, I sometimes put my foot into it.....creating some great horsepower/torque (and a smile on my face)..... I was concerned about the extra forces due to addition of tuner
A call to Dave at OUO, (great customer service, BTW) and 45 minutes of conversation and I ordered a set of adjustable traction bars, with UBolt flip axle attachments. The product is one of the most impressive, engineered, quality products I have come across for a while, targeted at auto enthusiasts. The level of engineering, quality of materials, QA/QC of manufacturing, packaging, and instructions are probably the best I have seen. I do quite a bit of wrenching.....
Dave did espound the benefits of traction bars for stock height trucks pulling heavy loads. Dave is very knowledgeable about his product and all things traction bars......
I will be towing here this fall down to Southern CA, and will be putting the traction bars through some trials. As mentioned, so far I have not seen a difference in stock ride quality, unloaded.
Here are a few pics of the install.
Stay tuned - I will report back with my findings, after the traction bar install.
Brian
I have been part of some of these discussion on this forum. I was not sure about traction bars for stock height trucks. So I bought a set and installed them. So far I am impressed, without compromising stock ride characteristics. I did some research on different types and found One Up Offroad, as a good product for my application.
My application: 2008 Ford Superduty CC SRW 4x4, 6.4L with H&S tuner adding additional HP and torque, stock height - pulling 16,200 GVWR Landmark.
My concern: I noticed some pinion gear noise while pulling away from dead stop. Short of adding a GOPRO camera underneath, I suspected some axle wrap/spring loading, potentially creating excessive driveline angles. Secondly, when not pulling, I sometimes put my foot into it.....creating some great horsepower/torque (and a smile on my face)..... I was concerned about the extra forces due to addition of tuner
A call to Dave at OUO, (great customer service, BTW) and 45 minutes of conversation and I ordered a set of adjustable traction bars, with UBolt flip axle attachments. The product is one of the most impressive, engineered, quality products I have come across for a while, targeted at auto enthusiasts. The level of engineering, quality of materials, QA/QC of manufacturing, packaging, and instructions are probably the best I have seen. I do quite a bit of wrenching.....
Dave did espound the benefits of traction bars for stock height trucks pulling heavy loads. Dave is very knowledgeable about his product and all things traction bars......
I will be towing here this fall down to Southern CA, and will be putting the traction bars through some trials. As mentioned, so far I have not seen a difference in stock ride quality, unloaded.
Here are a few pics of the install.
Stay tuned - I will report back with my findings, after the traction bar install.
Brian