Mileguru

FabAddict, are you in Bakersfield or further south? I live south of the Grapevine by the 405 and 101. I've been thinking about CalTracs bars, but would love to see yours and maybe commission a set if we live close to each other. I think we have the same truck, too. I have a 2017 Sierra Crew Cab SLT 6.2L short bed. Thanks, Ryan.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Caltracs work great but personally I like the long bars, the long bars will control axle wrap in both directions (accel and decel/braking), be quieter (I assume the metal to metal contact in the caltrac makes noise especially not loaded), and far easier to install not having to knock out the leaf spring bushings, pull the fuel tank etc..

Drag car, I'd probably go caltrac, on a daily I want Fabaddicts bars. I'd have them already if I didn't keep spending money on my suspension lol

tjmath

Its funny this thread and specifically the traction bars get brought back up... I have been thinking about traction bars a lot lately. Ever since I did the LT's and intake/tb I have noticed A LOT of wheel hop when hammering the throttle from really any speed.

I was gonna ask for some specs on these things. I was looking at bars from various companies and I really don't wanna pay 400+ for some bars when I could build them for far less.

How do you think these, or a similar design, would work for a lifted truck?

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

I've read several people say they get wheel hop. I have zero with either set of my wheels, and have never had any at any height my truck has been. It's been at 3 different ride heights in the rear.

Do you have lift blocks? If so that will explain why you do.

The bars will work just as well lifted, lowered, or stock.

tjmath

6" blocks in the rear. Really would love to do a set of Deavers, but have other places I could spend the 1000$ right now.

What would you say is a good length? I have seen "universal" kits with 48", 60", and 72" bars. Add tabs for heim's to the lower spring perch mount or have mounts welded to the axle tube? I guess if I'm gonna weld them to the axle tube I may as well relocate the shocks too at the same time?

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

I'm not a specialist, but the longer should be the better, the longer they are the less affect on rolling the pinion angle just from up and down movement of the rear end, the mounting points/angles will come into play there as well..., mounting them flat is ideal. In other words a short bar, as it goes through it's arc will pull forward and rearward on the rear end mount (that the bar is mounted to) through it's movement. The longer it is the less effect it should have. If you notice most bars for lifted trucks bolt up near the center of the truck. You guys want a lot of travel, longest bar possible is what I'd shoot for. Basically the more travel you have the longer the bar should be.

As for a street truck a little shorter, but not short, would be good. And I'd rather have a bar that "isn't long enough" than no bar.

Where fabaddict has his mounted is a good length, and at the same time is about the shortest you can do because the frame runs upward and over the rear beyond his mounting point. But for a lifted 4wd with tons of travel going through serious ****, I'd do longer ones. His should be plenty for his suspension travel though.

As far as where to mount them. That's going to based on an individual basis. You could mount them for anti axle wrap only or mount them to stop wrap and at an angle upward toward the frame to take advantage of instant center stuff. It's kind mostly based on what you want out of them. I would prefer them to run up hill a little to control anti wrap and to help plant the tires. If you just want to control axle wrap only you can mount a bar to the top of the pinion even. Again though, mounting them at no angle and just getting the anit wrap feature is still going to be far superior to having no anti wrap device

I've played with lower control arm mount angles for anti squat and instant center, and that's how I view a long bar setup to work. However the caltracs are supposed to be amazing as well even for high power cars at the drag strip but I'm not studied up on how those work so well when it comes to anti squat and IC, I assume the caltracs don't actually have any effect on those and just provide anti wrap of the pinion only. But they also only control wrap on acceleration. A long bar will control wrap during accel and decel/braking. I like the idea of that more for a street car. Even though I drive a big heavy truck, I drive it like a car and come into corners hot on the brakes and every once in a while will bounce a tire and have the diff lock coming into a corner. On top of all that I just want it controlled in both directions.

Also look into speed engineerings traction bars, and the assassin bars. They work similarly to a caltrac. They will all work well, but I want long bars. And I want them just like FabAddict made them.

dantheman1540

When I had 6" lift blocks I killed 2 10bolts in 6 months with bolt on 4.8 power and 33s. I attribute it to the blocks, lack of traction bars and the stiff tow package leaf packs. I think just removing blocks would probably help a ton. If you want to keep the lift then long traction bar/bars and good shocks and/or something better than a 10 bolt. Currently with my Deavers and ladder bar I have no hop anywhere except backing up in deep sand in 2wd.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

Wheel hop will kill the baddest of *** rear ends/axles. It's an insane shock load/impact on parts that just about nothing can stand up to.

Fortunately for us guys with 2014+ trucks, GM put some serious rear ends in them. The smallest that comes in a v8 truck is a 12 bolt rear with a 9.5" ring gear. The 6.2 truck gets the 9.75"

On the opposite of the spectrum it's incredible what a tooth pick rear end will take behind an auto trans if you don't wheel hop it. But it'll break in a heart beat with a clutch drop or a wheel hop. Impact/shock loads are insanely destructive.

dantheman1540

Wow didn't realize the new trucks were so beef! Kinda jealous.

Yep by the time you feel the second wheel hop it's usually to late 👻

tjmath

I would love to get a set of Deavers for sure, but right now the funds just aren't there... 850$ for the 6" springs. I have Kings all the way around.... extended length remote resi coilovers up front, and piggy backs in the rear. Custom ordered them for the truck. After close to 60k miles they most likely need to be rebuilt.

I think building a set of traction bars will help the traction problems I am currently having. I honestly think a good set of leafs will help out also. Definitely going to be doing traction bars and save some coin for the Deavers.

I was honestly leaning away from leafs because I was looking into doing long travel, short course style links, a bed cage etc. but that has really been pushed so far out of mind and into the future that I really just want the truck to drive and perform well now.