towing or loading amounts? Also does the ride become stiff under normal driving conditions? THANKS GUYS just trying to keep the forum alive LOL

 

On the first question, my guess is no.

On the second question, it depends. If a bar is causing severe bind, it could act as additional spring rate. My belief is that this is what people are feeling when they describe how the rear feels "more solid" after a TB install (either that or the placebo effect).

The TB that I know of that tries to minimize bind is the Slide-A-Link, but those are stupid heavy, and require the user to install a solid front leaf bushing, which itself causes bind of the leaf, which needs to be able to twist in the bushings (especially the front bushing).

I am sketching out a TB design using circle track racing "biscuit bars," which are normally used as a over-the-diff third link. They allow the bar to telescope in and out, with the movement controlled by urethane biscuits. My thought is that allowing a little give in the bar will minimize bind.

 

and I am curious do long bars help in stopping body roll when cornering as well?

would a panhard bar be better for towing and cornering?

 

If they do, then they are binding, and that's bad. Body roll should only be controlled by a device designed to do so -- anti-sways, springs, or a panhard (which changes the roll center height).

Better than long bars? They are intended to perform a completely different function from traction bars. Traction bars should stop axle wrap. If they are doing anything else, then they shouldn't be.

A PHB seems irrelevant for towing. If you are putting that much sideways stress on the truck when towing, I'd slow down a bit.

For cornering, a PHB may be better or worse. A PHB changes the rear roll center. That could help or hurt. It needs to work in conjunction with the rest of the suspension.

Someone who does not drive the truck really hard would be better served to concentrate on springs, shocks, and anti-sways first. The effects of a PHB are much less dramatic than these other more basic components.

 

so on a street driven truck that occasional sees 1/4 tracks and tows trailers, like my green truck (that has stock lighting suspension pieces under it)...

I would be better off swapping to '02-'03 harley truck front coils and getting lightning helwig swaybar upgrades to help on the corners

and

then add a set of long bars to eliminate wheel hop?

 

I can't say. I don't know anything about HD coils.

But if sway is your primary concern, then absolutely get the Hellwigs. They are super-stiff.

Do you have wheel hop?

Maybe they are the best solution, but I've never been completely sold on the long bars. I'm just not convinced that anyone has done any R&D on them. They were just ported over from the offroad scene. Lightnings are the only street vehicles that I've ever seen them on. And to my eye, they appear to have a tendency to bind (not a problem necessarily if all you do is drag race). First, the arcs of the bars and the axle seem radically different. Second, there is no provision to allow them to swivel, other than whatever give is inherent in the urethane bushings.

Again, maybe they are the best solution. There are lots of happy long bar users, and I may be overthinking it, or overlooking something. But I've considered the subject for years, and have decided that none of the existing bars are optimal, so I'm making my own.

If I had to buy a set, they would be Metcos. They are well built, adjustable, and the front eye is soft to allow the bars to swivel as the axle articulates. I noticed no ill handling effects, but the ride did seem a bit rougher and perhaps "tighter" with them on, but that could just be the dreaded placebo effect.

 

Thanks guys for all the info. Yeah im looking for some that are good for street and once in a while for drag.

 

my harley truck feels better expecially on corners and it's stock but rides the same height I checked with Ford and the springs have different part numbers
and the harley are rated for a heavier weight - which is what i need for the heavy supercab...

I have wheel hop and boss1984 recomended the slapper bars since he's running a set - I always heard long bars were better but I have no experience with anything other than slappers.


thanks for answering my questions

 

That's interesting news. I'm going to investigate the coil thickness of the H-D springs and try to calculate the spring rate. You may have come up with another spring option for Lightnings that I've never seen considered before.

I like slapper bars. They stay out of the way most of the time. The Gen 1 Lightnings came from the factory with slappers built into the leaf pack.

 

Hey Tim for a L that is most of the time going to be used only for street and once in a while 1/4 track. what brand do you recommend(overall,rice, quality, and performance). Right now i have 100% stock suspention on my 02 but in the future plan to buy a Ford Racing springs and shakles. I just dont want to have major wheel hop when i take off.

 

some good information here

 

I think you mean traction bars?

I've never used slappers, but for the reasons stated above (and low cost), I'd give those a try myself. If you set the snubbers really loose, then the bars will only come into play on violent events.

For full bars, I like the Metcos a lot.

But since none of them complete satisfy my logic circuits, I'm fabbing my own. They will cost more than anything on the market, and probably not work worth a damn, but I gotta try.

 

Ditto w/ what Mr. Skelton sed about the Metco's.

Couldnt have been more the 4 years ago,I did a but load of research on T bars and it was Skelton's website that helped me decide.The ranchero bars were my other option.
Most noticeable difference was of course no wheel hop,but my truck no longer had 4 wheel steering when hitting potholes or zipping down a dirt road.By 4 wheel steering I mean when the rear end hit a pothole on one side,it would cause one side to wrap the rear spring more than the other and make the rear drift.And that is something slappers do not address. Now its solid....
Tim, Im looking forward to the results of your experiment.I have no complaints w/ the metco lowers,but if there is something better Im all ears.

 

Tim Skeltons site and this thread along with this one

http://www.nloc.net/vbforum/gen-2-li...on-bars-8.html

great info

 

That's really interesting and I've never thought of it. It does make perfect sense that the spring rate should be higher on the 02-03 HD as it is on all the aftermarket options. SVT engineers did work on this generation of Harley. We have a very limited choice for the spindles.

The SRT-10 had slappers also.

Tim,
Do you think its possible to experience bind with the Metco lowers? (Assuming that the rest of the suspension is tight and all on poly all around)

And of course for me, any possible adverse effect on the road course in your opinion?

Thanks,
Den