Budbuilt - Traction Bars

[blackdiamond]

<http://budbuilt.com/new/traction_bars.html>

I'm thinking that a traction bar in the rear just might be the "cure" for my suspension complaints, at a minimum it should help a lot with the axle wrap that I get in Moab.  I've got too much invested in my Alcan springs to make any changes there considering how well the 4Runner works overall.  A bolt on traction bar sure seems like a great idea.

Anybody running one of these?  How is it holding up?  I'd rather go without than have something that is likely to create new problems.  What's the risk of damaging the holes in the rear housing with it mounted to 5 of the bolts?

Anybody ever seen the front application that is hinted at?

Any other similar solutions/kits?

[SqWADoosh]

I was under the impression that axle wrap happened when you put a big motor in our trucks. How is your 22RE causing axle wrap? I must be confused on what causes it. 

[LittleSteve]

I was under the impression that axle wrap happened when you put a big motor in our trucks. How is your 22RE causing axle wrap? I must be confused on what causes it. 

Sir Isaac Newton says that a 22re causes axle wrap...

I would recommend a weld on bracket near to the diff instead of relying on studs, the front version would be the same as the rear in principle

[SqWADoosh]

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/axlewrap/

Just had a good read on that.

[blackdiamond]

I was under the impression that axle wrap happened when you put a big motor in our trucks. How is your 22RE causing axle wrap? I must be confused on what causes it. 

You have seen my truck humping the rocks in Moab, right?  A lot of the bounce is from axle wrap. It isn't an issue anywhere else that I have wheeled.

[blackdiamond]

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/susp/axlewrap/

Just had a good read on that.

Nice read. You can watch the springs load up which means the pinion is changing.

The idea of using the studs doesn't seem ideal to me, but Bud Built is a quality name in the industry so it makes me think it would work great and I could install it myself quite easily.

[Cheesemaker]

Been thinking of a anti wrap bar for my rig.  And I am stock with 31's!  I can tell when I get on it big time off the light, that the rear axle wraps hard!!

Years ago, I was following a lifted Toy, and it had blocks, and everytime he got on it, the pinion would shoot skyward.  I backed off, waiting for his axle to blow a ujoint. 

[LittleSteve]

Been thinking of a anti wrap bar for my rig.  And I am stock with 31's!  I can tell when I get on it big time off the light, that the rear axle wraps hard!!

Years ago, I was following a lifted Toy, and it had blocks, and everytime he got on it, the pinion would shoot skyward.  I backed off, waiting for his axle to blow a ujoint.

Blocks are the work of the Devil

[Cheesemaker]

Yes they are!!  But my truck stock has axle wrap.   But I do launch hard anyways off the line. 

[blackdiamond]

I found a couple of people on pirate4x4 that have had great results with the bolt-on Budbuilt Trac Bar so I am working towards getting one ordered.

Some of the drivetrain vibration threads made me wonder if adding a trac bar might result in driveline vibration because the rear pinion angle would be locked in the current "rest" position and not allowed to rotate to where it's current normal driving angle. Thoughts?

[Cheesemaker]

I can't remember where I saw it, but it stuck in my mind when I did.

It was design like a square tube front d-line, but had a shock mounted to the two pieces of tubing.  I tried to look it up, but I couldn't find it, but I did find links to how race cars have a space age looking setup.  And how some guys had coil springs in them.  And I forgot that late model S-10's (ZQ8 model) had a shock mounted to eliminate axle wrap.



And if you did a system like this, you could get adjustable shock and play with the dampening system to dial it in. 

[blackdiamond]

I can't remember where I saw it, but it stuck in my mind when I did.

It was design like a square tube front d-line, but had a shock mounted to the two pieces of tubing.  I tried to look it up, but I couldn't find it, but I did find links to how race cars have a space age looking setup.  And how some guys had coil springs in them.  And I forgot that late model S-10's (ZQ8 model) had a shock mounted to eliminate axle wrap.



And if you did a system like this, you could get adjustable shock and play with the dampening system to dial it in. 

I had actually thought of a two link bar with a shock to provide the movement.

I ordered the Budbuilt today.

[SqWADoosh]

If you want a place and an extra set of hands to put that thing on, Jon. You are welcome to bring it over some upcoming weekend.

[blackdiamond]

If you want a place and an extra set of hands to put that thing on, Jon. You are welcome to bring it over some upcoming weekend.

Appreciate it.  My plan is to installed it over Christmas when I'm off work and my parents are in town.  My dad will be on the hook to hand me tools.  If I unexpectedly get in over my head I have several local resources.  As long as the factory studs come out without damaging any of the threads it should be fairly straight forward.

[SqWADoosh]

I've been thinking off doing this as well. ruff stuff sells the parts in pieces http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/Antiwrap.html?Screen=USL&Code=antiwraptractionbars
I may just buy the axle mount portion and make the rest myself http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/AWCOMP.html
the bud built one is nice, but it's $400 

I'd bet a pretty penny that it is a much higher quality product too.

[SqWADoosh]

no doubt

Axle wrap must be a serious problem in Moab if both you and bd are looking to solve it.

[SqWADoosh]

axle wrap is an issue for all of us with big tires, soft springs  and especially crawler gears. it's more noticeable at moab because of the traction on sandstone, tires stick to it like glue allowing very steep ascents putting more than usual load on the rear drivetrain so if you slip just a bit while climbing the axle rap can cause the truck to bounce. it's not like it happens all the time, for me, it's just on some of the very steepest obstacles.

Pretty much the same way that Jon put it to me.

[blackdiamond]

I've been thinking off doing this as well. ruff stuff sells the parts in pieces http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/Antiwrap.html?Screen=USL&Code=antiwraptractionbars
I may just buy the axle mount portion and make the rest myself http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/AWCOMP.html
the bud built one is nice, but it's $400 

I am going with a bolt-on because it fits my skill set better. I found a couple of people on Pirate that are running them and have had good experience. One guy bent his up along with his driveshaft and the studs and differential mount were not damaged. You can bend anything if you put enough weight on it. The other guy is running 40s and has not had any issues.

I think it is a solid product, but don't doubt that you can put some fab sweat into it and end up with a strong unit for less money.

[emsvitil]

Does BudBuilt just sell the studs/nuts and the part that bolts to the axle?

That part looks like it would be the hardest to make yourself......

[blackdiamond]

Does BudBuilt just sell the studs/nuts and the part that bolts to the axle?

That part looks like it would be the hardest to make yourself......

I have no idea, not on the website.

[blackdiamond]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NPw58HyG08

Here is an amazing video of a Grand Cherokee going down and then back up Widow Maker Hill on the Metal Masher Trail in Moab.  This is clearly an excellent driver and a well setup rig.  I climbed this hill a couple of times in my 85 truck, but the last time I was there in the 89 4Runner my back bumper dug is so hard I would have had to pull the back wheels off the ground just to get them to the wall.  CrankyCrawler climbed it that year in his 84 truck, but there's at least another foot of wall exposed in the video.  It used to be a smooth transition from the sand to the rock wall and now it appears to undercut a bit.  I don't think there's any chance that I could duplicate this climb with my 4Runner on leaf springs.  I think this is a perfect example of link suspension being superior as I'm positive that if he had leaf springs in the rear he would have bounced and come back down.  A traction bar will hopefully narrow the gap.

[gray]

I have a weld on traction bar on my Toyota and I would have never believed the difference it made in my truck until I experienced it on climbs and pulling other trucks that have broke ! You will not regret installing one !

[blackdiamond]

I have a weld on traction bar on my Toyota and I would have never believed the difference it made in my truck until I experienced it on climbs and pulling other trucks that have broke ! You will not regret installing one !

What type of wheeling do you do?

[gray]

Hard as I can find on east coast, Tellico N.C. Harlan K.Y. Black Mountain T.N. to name a few! Hard enough were I was bending my rear leaf springs in the front from axle wrap. I was shocked at the difference the traction bar made, I had to pull a full size quad cab Chevy on 39's back to camp one day ( 2 miles) with a long slick up hill about 1/8 mile long and with the traction bar it just planted the rear tires with no wheel hop pulling a truck that heavy up and over the hill!  I have broke my Detroit and longs before on a nasty hill climb just to let you know I play hard!