Making a Track bar - Anti wrap bar SPOA

[MUD-PIGSIERRA]

I broke the Original track bar I had in my Sierra whick is SPOA and 3quart elleptic rear. I was wheeling a hill and when crossing up over a ledge slash washout the back of the car slid sideways and ripped the bar out of the old rose joint thread, it was then bent around the back of the diff by the tire

I needed to make a new one and better position it under the car, thought I would share photos and see what you guys think. Maybe it can be added to the Bible if its worthy.':lol:'
Laughing

The Original next to a thicker and tougher looking Standard Patrol Panhard bar that was cut down and used


With the bigger ended part of the panhard bar cut of I had a sleeve and coller made up of 4140 Chromolly ( I think that what it was) and purchased a more beefy Alloy Racing Rose Joint that would fit in


The track bar also had a tab welded on as part of rego requirements as if the rose joint ever breaks there is a strap attached to it so it doesnt hit the road- and quote " hook on the road and Flip my Sierra"


but fair enough Im happy its there as it will stop this happening when it got landed on and bent behind the diff


A new bracket was made for the transfer as the body lift also included lifting the transfer a little, and it was easyer as the old bracket was dodgy as and the welding had alot of slag still in it and in some areas under cut and not full penetration.


And down the back on the diff. All high tensile bolts used and all made for under $70 dollars.

[lay80n]

Have you considered running the front of the bar on a shackle or a slip and twist method to allow for the irregular arc that is traveled by the rear wheels during suspension movement?? Might help relieve stress

Layto....

[redzook]

so its a single link?

and it attaches to your transfer case

[SiKiD_01]

i dont think its as effective as it should be. with the pinion movement generated from accelerating and decellerating/braking, the 'track' bar will only push or pull the transfer mount its attached too.

axle wrap is when the pinion tilts either up or down while loading and unloading the springs, and a true track bar needs 2 solid mounts on the diff, one above the other and a flexiable mount on the chassis, and not on to another mount.

IMHO, wrap is actually slap. the 'track' bar should want to slap the underside of the car and pull downwards when on the brakes or decelerating.

and as already mentioned, there should be a shackle used on the forward mount, as it will allow for the difference in length between the diff and a point on the chassis as the suspension cycles through its travel.

with the single link above, it sorta reminds me of trains, and the links that are fitted to the outside of the drive wheels. give it and it pulls the transfer mount backwards, and when braking, or reversing for that matter, the link will push the mount forwards. it just seems thatthis single link is only damping the wrap itself, but not preventing it. it may even do more damage when the transfer mount gives out compared to not having a track bar in the 1st place.

[sierrajim]

Looks bling, however as said it's not really going to do the job terribly well.

Your transfer case most likely will end up with a big hole in it where your trac bar used to be, or at best will key out the holes and fall off. I guess you'll get to find out how that safety strap works.

Regardless of which way you look at it, trac bars will restrict travel. They ALL bind to some extent. A poorly designed unit will bind lots and change the drivability of the car dramatically.

The slip and twist system has many flaws. I'd say you're best running a shackle type unit with two mounts on the diff end using patrol bushes or good quality rod ends. Or just do coils.

[markil]

Looks bling, however as said it's not really going to do the job terribly well.

Ditto. My main concern with that is that it's relying on the ORIGINAL suzuki bracket thats supposed to hold the transfer. I just cut mine off and totally remounted my transfer case after tearing that bracket

The slip and twist system has many flaws. I'd say you're best running a shackle type unit with two mounts on the diff end using patrol bushes or good quality rod ends. Or just do coils.

What are the flaws with the slip and twist system? I have this type and although my springs twist alot, it works and I don't think it limits my travel at all. Still running same springs in rear since building it

[CWBYUP]

So am i corrct in assuming a Slip and Twist system is single point track bar ?

Can someone give me some more info on these ?

Cheers Nick

[lay80n]

So am i corrct in assuming a Slip and Twist system is single point track bar ?

Can someone give me some more info on these ?

Cheers Nick

Nope, slip and twist refers to the method of allowing for the irregular arc perscribed by the rear axle when it travels. Instead of using a swinging shackle to allow for for and aft movement, it has a solid front mount, and a section that will slide into another section in a firm fit, so that it can extend, but not deflect. The mountings are still the same on the axle, and can be used with single or trianglualted track bars.

Layto....

[redzook]

The mountings are still the same on the axle, and can be used with single or trianglualted track bars.

Layto....

there is no point having slip on a single link track bar

have a think about it

[lay80n]

The mountings are still the same on the axle, and can be used with single or trianglualted track bars.

Layto....

there is no point having slip on a single link track bar

have a think about it

Yes yes, its early and my brain is a bit sore. Get back to work.

Layto....

[sierrajim]

Looks bling, however as said it's not really going to do the job terribly well.

Ditto. My main concern with that is that it's relying on the ORIGINAL suzuki bracket thats supposed to hold the transfer. I just cut mine off and totally remounted my transfer case after tearing that bracket

The slip and twist system has many flaws. I'd say you're best running a shackle type unit with two mounts on the diff end using patrol bushes or good quality rod ends. Or just do coils.

What are the flaws with the slip and twist system? I have this type and although my springs twist alot, it works and I don't think it limits my travel at all. Still running same springs in rear since building it

The slip and twist unit still does bind unless it is dead centre of the rear axle, they don't allow freedon of forward and backward movement as well as with a shackle type.

Greg's finding it hard to do a bar for his to be engineer approved as his engineer continues to prove how they're changing the on road manners of his suspension set up due to bind.

If set up well your shocks should still be the limiting factor. That said they do bind. Take into account the time in building a trac bar, getting it right etc. The look at coils.

[markil]

The slip and twist unit still does bind unless it is dead centre of the rear axle, they don't allow freedon of forward and backward movement as well as with a shackle type.

Greg's finding it hard to do a bar for his to be engineer approved as his engineer continues to prove how they're changing the on road manners of his suspension set up due to bind.

If set up well your shocks should still be the limiting factor. That said they do bind. Take into account the time in building a trac bar, getting it right etc. The look at coils.

Mine is about 15-20mm off centre on a landcruiser diff, not noticeable without a tape measure (and i think the flex in the rubber bushes will easily make up for this). it's also roughly the same length as the driveshaft (over 900mm) maybe this helps as it runs in a bigger arc?

As for limiting travel, I am using stock size bumpstops to limit up travel. Down travel, I think the shocks may be limiting it a bit still if i remember correctly.



When i built my trackbar i had a look the single link trackbars at one stage. There was a great site with diagrams showing how to build one correctly. I think the length of the link had to be proportional to the length of the spring and had to be on the right angle for it it be most effective. It had diagrams showing how it would move while articulating etc I can't find a link to it now unfortuantely.

[MUD-PIGSIERRA]

so its a single link?

and it attaches to your transfer case

Did you look at the pictures or just come in and post questions....?

Anyway I like the idea of completely re doing the brackets from the chassis on this side but I thought there were rules regarding welding to a chassis of a car/4WD..? A proper twin mount bar is what I will hopefully would like to go too as well as re-doing a all in one Transfer rock slider and re mounted brackets that will hold the axle wrap bar. At this point Im carrying spare bolts and tools anyway so I will see how it holds up.

So is anyone going to throw in some pictures on their Suzuki for Ideas on how they are mounted...?

[SiKiD_01]

so its a single link?

and it attaches to your transfer case

Did you look at the pictures or just come in and post questions....?

Anyway I like the idea of completely re doing the brackets from the chassis on this side but I thought there were rules regarding welding to a chassis of a car/4WD..? A proper twin mount bar is what I will hopefully would like to go too as well as re-doing a all in one Transfer rock slider and re mounted brackets that will hold the axle wrap bar. At this point Im carrying spare bolts and tools anyway so I will see how it holds up.

So is anyone going to throw in some pictures on their Suzuki for Ideas on how they are mounted...?

a piece of 50x50 and some u bolts with some plates is all you need. no welding here. and its removable too. you wont have to worry about it sliding up and down the chassis, as it should have a shackle hanging off it for the bar.

question: did you weld that mount on the chassis for your front panhard?