Custom ladder bars installed!

[Morphious]

Did you find someone closer with a QC short bed to measure? And how much?

Morph.

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'99 2500 4x4 QC Std transmission, Purple (usually Mud Red), 10 Disc Sony Changer, 285x75Rx16 BFG Mudders, Gooseneck hitch, 275lb King Klaw front bumper, Towing/Camper packages. DDIII's, Exhaust, TTPM, Fuel Pressure, EGT adn Boost Guages are now installed an it rocks (fastest farm truck around). And can't forget the hydraulic PigSticker

1965 Chevy 1/2 ton Pickup, 350-350hp/2spd powerglide, PS, PB, Disc Brakes on the front, Tilt, Fuel Cell, 3. 73 posi.

26ft Gooseneck Flatbed Trailer, 2 horse bumper pull, Round bale Trailer

1960 Farmal 340 Diesel Tractor.

 

[Mopar-muscle]

i have been running around in the aftermath of the snow we got yesterday here in mass and now realize that axle wrap is what i was feeling while in 4wd . plus they would definitely help me launch at the strip with slicks #ad
#ad
.

those are sweet and i have access to a welder to do the job . if i was closer i'd come up for the shortbed install .

heres a silly thought steve , know someone with a 2500 regular cab ? same wheelbase as a QC short box ...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I haven't found anyone to volunteer for the short bed kit as of yet. I still have one volunteer on my list and I just emailed him again. As far as cost goes we are still working on that - the guy screwed up when he gave me the initial quote and the cost is $50 higher than we originally thought. Once the production prototype is in the hands of the dealer and they get it installed they will set the price. I'll let you know as soon as I do.

Mopar-Muscle - the problem with that is that it isn't wheelbase that I need to be worried about now that I have measurements from some trucks. The problem is that on the short bed trucks things are different between the rear wheel well and the back of the cab on the frame. We need to have a shorter bar (which may change the necessary angles) and also a totally different front mount because the one we are using requires around 7 inches of frame space to mount to and on the short bed there is only 4. 5".

As to the construction of the bars the front mount is a stamped steel mount (3/16" steel), the bars are made out of 1 1/4" 4130 moly (no seam), the heim joints are 3/4" moly, and the axle mounts are 3/8" plate steel. I can't wait for some of you guys to get these in your hands - I think you'll be impressed.

-Steve

 

[Amianthus]

Sorry it took so long to reply. Steve, I hope the scheduling dates I sent you would be acceptable. If they are, then I would be interested in being the guenea pig. Lemme know when you can.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Amianthus will be getting his installed on his shortbed by the 21st. I hope to have them available for the long beds soon and the short beds after the 21st.

-Steve

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I also incorporated a safety strap into the design today that will be included in all production sets just in case.

#ad

 

[Amianthus]

#ad
Sweet!!!! #ad

 

[Jeff H]

How exactly is it anchored to the axle? The picture is too small or is at a bad angle.

 

[kevin1]

Steve we need to know how much they are and what the availability is give me some numbers man

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2001. 5 ETH/DEE 4x4, DRW QC DD3's, EZ, HX40 machined out for more flow, Custom 4" exhaust turbo back staight pipe with 5" chrome tip in front of rear tires,spa's, mcleod clutch, fuel lines,mag hytech rear end cover,psycotty air system,relocated blow by bottle,Lucerix power heated mirrors,more to come

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Jeff - it's two tabs that are welded to the top of the axle. Here's a better picture:

#ad


Wiz, I'm not going to be selling them, a dealer will so he has to set his price. He should have the prototype production bars in his hands on Monday and I expect he'll have them installed soon thereafter. Once he has them on his truck and likes them he should be ready to take orders soon thereafter with delivery to take up to 4 weeks (most likely a lot faster). I'll let you guys know on here and let everyone know that's emailed me or posted on this thread when then are available and how much. BTW, shipping alone cost me $12 to go UPS ground (one set of bars weighs 33 lbs).

-Steve

 

[Archive]

Hi Steve,
Great Job! I have a 2001. 5 Quad Cab Short Bed 4x4. These traction bars look awesome! I looked around and they all hang down. I contacted a weld shop the other day in anticipation,they said no problem. I will be ordering a set when they are ready. Let me know when and how much #ad
.

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2001 RAM H. O. 6Sp 2500 SLT 4x4 Quad Cab, 4Wheel Disc, 4. 10 Limited Slip, Fog Lights, Muffler removed, Silence Ring Gone,
K&N RE-0880.

 

[Jeff H]

Have they tried anchoring it in to the spacer between the axle and spring?

 

[jcbrown]

Will stainless steel fasteners be offered in kit?

 

[Amianthus]

Steve,
I am sorry, but my vacation has been cancelled. The person who was going to cover my shop for me is now having some health issues and will not be able to cover for me for the needed time frame. My 6 day vacation just turned into a 3 day weekend. Please let the guys at the shop know so they don't make super-human efforts to get this done this weekend. I want to get them done by the IA get together so that I can show them off. I will let you know when (and if) I can come out again. I will call you to make sure you get this. Again, I am so sorry. #ad


Guys,
Due to unforseen circumstances, I won't be able to get the bars installed by the date noted above. I must apologize for this as I know that some of you are waiting to get them into your trucks. Please forgive me. I will try to set up another date and get them taken care of as soon as possible. However, if there is another volunteer, please do not wait. But for now, I am unable to make this happen. I am truly sorry.

Aron (Amianthus)

 

[WOWZY]

I don't think that Stainless fasteners will survive the stress shearing forces that they would have to endure. Even Grade8 fasteners might snap with this type of app. Grade 5 fasteners are more flexible and aren't as likely to fail by snapping under stress.

15 years ago I learned the hard way on my Blazer and thought that every fastener that I replaced on it should be Grade 8. Spring-eye bolts and transfer-case support bolts were the first ones to fail. Ya live and ya learn sometimes.

Steve what fasteners are you guys using? Looks like a 3/4" Grade 5 in your pics.
<font size=-2>

[This message has been edited by WOWZY (edited 03-14-2001). ]

 

[bowhunter]

Steve,

I have a 97 reg cab long bed. I'm making traction bars real simular to yours, How long are your bars from the center of the heim joint on one end to the center of the heim joint on the other end. I guess I'm asking how long should the bar be for a longbed?

I've got all the material, just deciding on lengths. My bars mount almost identical to yours.

If I have the overall bar length, then that tells me where to mount brackets on both ends. (the axle housing and the frame)

Any help would be great. I'm trying to save $$$ right now, because my truck really needs a beefy clutch to handle the #10 plate that I have and am waiting to put in.

Thanks

Kurt

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97 2500 Reg cab 4WD, Emerald Green and Driftwood, 3. 54 gears, 2. 5" Tuff Country Steel Coil Spacers, 295/75/16 AT BFG'S on Alcoa's, Trailmaster SSV shocks & SSV steering stabilizer, Holcomb Air, Amsoiled, stock--#10 TST plate and AFC Spring Kit thats waiting on a new clutch

K. Kinion

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Jeff, we discussed the spacer issue up higher in this thread. The problem is taking the amount of load and being able to place it correctly. If you tied into the spacer the mount would be off to the side of it and the load would create a twisting load at the spacer - wouldn't work.

jcbrown - Wowzy is right, stainless is too weak for stressed components. We are using grade 8 7/16" bolts for the attachment to the frame and grade 5 3/4" bolts at the heim joints, they are silver zinc coated to inhibit corrosion.

bowhunter - unforetunately I made an agreement with the shop not to give out the specs on angles and lengths. I had to do this to be able to get the kits together. Sorry about that - email me and I can put you in contact with John West who put a set of bars on his truck - they are mounted below instead of above but the angles should be the same, maybe he could give you some measurements. More important than the length of the bar is the angle of the bar (length plays in too but the angle plays a larger role). Extreme explained it very well with this:

Regarding geometry, restricting the fore/aft movement of the axle in respect to the frame isn't necessarily desirable. As the spring flexes, it flattens out and the rear eye moves rearward. The axle needs to move approximately 1/2 that distance (depending on where it is on the spring) in order to keep from binding. When a rigid link is introduced as it is here, the attachment point needs to be a goodly distance from the axle centerline as it is here. In order for the suspension to cycle, the axle actually has to rotate the opposite direction that it is trying to due to torque. A well thought out solution by the manufacturer!

What the manufacturer did was calculate out the length of the bar and the angle of the bar to make the axle move the proper distance back as it moved upwards. If you have an engineer friend he could probably calculate it out for you. Sorry I can't give out the info.

-Steve


[This message has been edited by Steve St. Laurent (edited 03-16-2001). ]

 

[bowhunter]

Steve--

I understand, thats OK. Could you just answer one question? I'm fairly new to TDR, so I don't know what model truck you have.

Do you have a quadcab/long beb?

If so, this answers my question, regarding lengths, and I'm ready to start welding.

Thanks again

Kurt

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97 2500 Reg cab 4WD, Emerald Green and Driftwood, 3. 54 gears, 2. 5" Tuff Country Steel Coil Spacers, 295/75/16 AT BFG'S on Alcoa's, Trailmaster SSV shocks & SSV steering stabilizer, Holcomb Air, Amsoiled, stock--#10 TST plate and AFC Spring Kit thats waiting on a new clutch

K. Kinion

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Yes, it's a QC LB. The dimensions would be the same as yours, they are the same from the back of the cab rearward on the long beds.

-Steve

 

[bowhunter]

Thanks Steve, I appreciate your help.

I've now got the lengths I need. The tabs are ready to be welded on the axle housing.

Thanks

Kurt