Three weeks ago I had the wheels balanced and a couple of days ago I started hearing some noise from the cats, so as I went down to confirm that "it's" just the usual ceramic elements coming loose, I noticed that the right traction bar is bent upwards so it almost touches the exhaust. The bar has a dent almost in the middle from where I think the mechanic placed the hydraulic lift arms.

I'm hoping it can just be straightened by pulled it back again, but should I worry about any damage or weakness in the (Rancho) bar or any of the mounts after this, as the bar is being pushed (not pulled) when accelerating, right?

Any comments appreciated!

(see follow up at end of thread)

/Jesper

 

Take your truck back and have them replace the bar. If you had bent it you would have known it.

 

If they damaged it THEY should replace it.

 

wow, that sucks!!!

 

I agree

 

good luck on this one. You left the place now you have to prove they did it. You should always check your vehicle before and after leaving a shop. The problem is if they have an arm lift and not a rail lift, they put the arms under the bars to grab the frame. The problem is the rear end hangs, then the bars rest on the lift arms, putting a nice curve in them. I made some nice adapters for my lift. When i was at JDM, i saw how they lifted the trucks with bars. I put mine right under the leaf spring mount tht attatches to the frame.

 

When I got new shoes, they tried to lift my truck with the t-bars. I stopped them and made the kid use a floor jack. He was pissed, but oh well. I have new tires and my traction bars are good to go. If you do go back, pull the manager aside, and quietly show him your truck and explain that you have had no work since you left the shop, and the bars weren't bent before you took it in. Hopefully he will be in a good mood and help you out. Good luck.

 

Thx for the input. I'm going to talk to the owner tomorrow morning. I have used this place a couple of times and they have always been carefull....until now

 

let us know how it works out.

 

You know I had the same thought cross my mind when I was putting my JLP traction bars on. I get my truck serviced and inspected at the dealer where I bought it. I guess I need to be extra carefull now to tell the service person that they need to watch where they lift from. The traction bars do block some premium space on the frame. I can see where they have lifted up on the frame in the past because of the scuff marks in the black stuff on the frame. This scuffed area is right above the traction bars.

Do you guys have to tell everyone who works on your trucks to be carefull near the bars?

 

Well, so far he put it back up on the lift and right where one of the lift arms supports the frame is where the bar is bent. So he told his mechanics "that's why you should always lift on the frame!". As I bought the truck with the bars on I don't know the brand, but as the Magnaflow has a JDM emblem om the X-pipe, he gave them a call and they are now supposed to get back to him if they can find one.
I heard him quote the length to 55.5" but I measured it to 57" so I would assume he was meassuring just the pipe without the welded mounts at the ends. Anyway, so far I'm pretty pleased.
Pic of the left (good) bar:

 

Just got my bars from LFP today.

The bars and both front and rear brackets look identical to yours.

Hope this helps.

 

Yup, those are LFP bars, not JDM.

-Kimball

 

Well I'm glad they took responsibility for the damage. Good Luck.

 

Sorry for bringing back this old thread but I wanted to extend a kudos to Anthony@JDM for locating a single Rancho bar to replace the bent one.
This post was long overdue as I had the new bar installed within a couple of weeks after the incident, but better late than never. :o

/Jesper

BTW. This is the old bar...