This is my first post here at F150 online. Let me start off by saying I'm not here to start any problems. I was "Google"ing the term "traction bar preload", and this thread came up as one of the hits. Anyways, I checked it out, and I wanted to come here and post up my custom traction bars I just made for my Titan. They are very similar in design, and I figured it might stem some interest to get some F150 owners to make their own traction bars or buy some for their truck. The traction bars help sooo much especially on a lifted truck. If I didn't have my Titan, I would be in an F150. It was my second choice. In my opinion, the trucks are pretty similar. Like I said, I'm not here to start crap. I respect yalls truck, and please respect my truck. Anyways, here is my contribution to the site.

First off, thanks to my friend Colton for spending about 7 hours with me working on these traction bars for my truck.

Let me give some details on the traction bars. I bought 4 teflon-lined 3/4" heims (28,000 pound rating) for the front and rear. I also bought misalignment spacers, jam nuts, weld-in threaded bungs and 4 stainless steel 1/2" bolts, washers, and nylon-insert lock nuts. The rear parts use left-hand threads heims, bungs, and jam nuts, and the front uses right-hand threaded heims, bungs, and jam nuts. I also bought replacement u-bolt plates so my truck didn't have any down time during the fabrication. We then bought the plate steel and steel bars for the fabrication. I used heim joints on the front and rear so the preload can be adjusted, and to allow for greater adjustment and suspension movement. Everything is custom-built from scratch, except the u-bolt plate, which we modified and welded on the reinforced tabs for the heim joints.

By the way, the heim joints I used have the following specs. They aren't cheap, but they are not the economy rod ends that will rust and aren't teflon-lined.
Specs:
Chromoly Teflon Kevlar male rod end.
===
Thread Size: 3/4-16
Ball Bore: .750
Ball Width: .875
Centerline Length: 2.875
Thread Length: 1.750
Load Capacity: 28,081 pounds
===

I'll display pictures of the completed front bracket, rear bracket, and traction bars, however please visit the link below to my photo album to view the fabrication pictures.

Click here to view the entire photo album of the project

Front bracket:


Front bracket installed:


Rear bracket:

 

Rear bracket installed:


Traction bars from rear:


Traction bars from side:


Painting:

Left bar cleaned and prepped for paint:

 

Both bars cleaned and prepped for paint:


Passenger side bar painted (first coat):


Driver side bar painted (first coat):


Front bracket painted:

 

Heim joints awaiting re-installation:


I hope this convinces some of you guys who are lifted or who want to eliminate wheel hop and axle wrap. These bars are by far the best mod I've done on my truck so far. While I registered at the site to share my traction bar fabrication, I hope to stick around and post from time to time. I'll most likely stick to the suspension forum. Here's a few random pix of my Titan for anyone interested.

 

Oh, and here she was stock!! lol

 

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...10466994&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...51646316&hl=en

And lots more pix here if anyone is interested:
http://picasaweb.google.com/erikhulse/

 

WOW dude awsome job. Very nice truck BTW. Pretty good project you have put together.. and all of the photos and vids were great!
Totally wish i would have gotten a titan.. but hey a ford is just as good!
Mad props man!!!

 

Thanks for the compliments. Both are good trucks.

 

Yea i like my truck a lot.. Im gettin the 6in. RCD lift a lil after x-mas and hopefully some gears shortly after.. i am already runnin 35's with a 2in. leveling kit on it now and its kinda laggy so hopefully gears will do the trick!

 

nice work what part of texas are you from?

 

Great write-up and a damn fine job!

Welcome to the boards also.

 

Sweet ride.... That is by far one of the nicer Titans I have seen. I like your front mount, I may borrow the idea when I redo my front mount.

Welcome

 

Not to knock your fabrication, but I sure they are going to get noisy over time. Everything that i've ever had with heims gets noisy after some wear and tear, which would drive me bonkers.

 

Race car parts make race car noises .. or in this case trucks.

 

seriously! HAHA

my heimed UCA's arent noisey well then again my exhaust is sooo loud i cant hear them!!

cool mod... to bad its not on a ford. did you put that diff. cover on? that thing is fugly!