I am reading through a JC Whitney catalog (everything is cheep and over rated in my oppion) and I see a few adds for some traction " improvers". One add is called a Performance Traction Control Spring. This is a curvy metal bar that connects on top of your leaf spring inbetween your axil and forward spring mount. They claim this will prevent axil wrap. Looks somewhat effective but you can never know unless you try.
There is also another one refered to as Off-road traction bar which looks alot like the ones that jdm offers. I'm pretty sure these are probably crap like everything else in this magazine but has anyone tried these? Are they comparable to the ones the tuners have to offer?

 

I wouldn't get any 'traction improver' from anyone but one of our L tuners/vendors. I'm using Truck Traks that Jay Lincoln and PSP offer. They work at the track and on the street. You won't even know that you have them on until you do a 'hard' launch. JDM offers another type and there may be others but stay away from the 'one-type fits all trucks' found in the catalogs.

Dan

 

Here's the scoop on the different types of tration "devices"....

"Lift Style" traction device

A lift style traction device uses the force of the rear end rotation to push up on a stationary point at one end, which forces the other end to push down or "plant" the the rear end, exterting more force on the tires to the ground. Examples of a Lift Style device are Jays Truck Traks, as well as Calvert Racings Caltracs. Jays truck tracks clamp to the spring, and when the axle rotates under accelleration, the snubber pushes up on the front of the leaf spring, and that pushes the rear down on the tires. It also limits axle wrap, which is needed for aluminum driveshafts. Caltracs are also a Lift Device. When the axle rotates, the bar pushes forward, and then the front pivot plate assembly pushes on the front of the spring, which pushes the rear downward. With Caltracs, you can infinately adjust preload on the spring.

"Pivot Point" traction device, under axle

A Pivot Point traction device is a set up where you simply have a bar that bolts to the rear and the frame. There is no lifting action. An under axle pivot point set up will eliminate almost 100% of all axle wrap. This type of set up does not really "improve" traction, it eliminates problems that hurt traction. Examples of this type of set up are Rancho bars, and Ladder bars, although Ladder bars differ because they use coil springs. These bars are commonly seen on lifted and off road trucks.

"Pivot Point" traction device, over axle

This is the cheapest and most ineffective type of traction device. I believe this is the set up being asked about in this post. This set up uses a bar that attaches to the frame, and then to a plate on top of the axle. These bars are pretty much used on off road trucks, to add some rear end stability. In my opinion, this type of bar is useless for our trucks. Let me explain why... Picture this-- take a pen and hold it striaght up and down. The top of the pen represents were the springs attach over the axle and the bottom of the pen represents the very bottom of the axle housing. Now, hold the top of the pen as tight as you can, and with your other hand, grab the bottom of the pen, and try to swing it in and arc. No matter how hard you hold the top of the pen, you can easily move the lower part. There is no leverage on the rear assembly using an over the axle traction device. Now if you have a friend hold the top of the pen, and you take one hand and hold the bottom of the pen, then try to swing the bottom of the pen, it's going nowhere, because your traction device is attached to the part of the rear that has the most leverage. This simulates an under the axle pivot system.


Hope this helps!!

 

Thanks for the reply L tuner. The device I am reading about, only connects to the leaf spring. I connects in 2 spots. Once right in front of the axil and once right at the end of the leaf spring. It never crosses over the axil. Its kinda like adding 1/2 of another leaf spring but it has a slight down curve then it curves back up. (basically 2 even curves). It dosen't LOOK like it would provide much support but It never hurts to get a 2nd oppinion.

 

Hey Sal, how ya doin? Have you, or anybody else for that matter, ever actually measured the "wrap" or "windup" we encounter with the stock suspension? I guess it would have to be measured in degrees, would it not?? Also, when the truck squats at launch (with traction bars) doesn't that change the actual angle of the pinion from the pre set on the bars?? How much positive pinion angle is too much...... and how little is good?? Thanks again Sal, it's always a pleasure to see your informative posts.......... Jack