Competition ladder bars.

[Cooker]

I'm positive they are not Rob's. The similarity between Lsfarm's bars and Rob's has been talked about in previous threads.

 

[willyslover]

Ron... if your going to go with the FE... be sure to get a 2 low kit from Piers or someone else... that clutch DOES NOT like to slip, when backing your trailers you'll thank me for this one



also if you ever plan on hooking to a sled , this is not the clutch for you... I say that 'cause I see your going further and further with you play toy that you were going to stay at 350 or so HP LOL

 

[mrsmith]

since where talking ladder bars,can someone explain to me why some are attatched to the bottom of the axle and some are attatched to the top?wouldn't axle twist have an effect if they where on the top or bottom?

 

[Diesel Darryl]

Greg was using 1. 375" od stock for his bars and Rob's are 1. 500" od. The difference is about 4000 lbs less thrust on Greg's, if he is still using the same 1. 375" od stock. Other than that, the design concept is the same on both.

Both sets of bars do a great job!

Darryl

 

[willyslover]

do a search on this. . there was a very long, good discussion a couple years ago. . Steve StL. made them and started the thread I believe

 

[bgilbert]

Ron's already got 2 low. 205 t-case in 4 low, front hubs unlocked = 2 low. $500 sure seems high, thats half of a good clutch. Seems like a local shop could build a set cheaper, yes no?

 

[willyslover]

thanks forgot about the 205 in his

 

[BigDaddy]

since where talking ladder bars,can someone explain to me why some are attatched to the bottom of the axle and some are attatched to the top?wouldn't axle twist have an effect if they where on the top or bottom?

I believe the biggest difference had to do with compression versus tension loading of the bar.

 

[Lsfarm]

Diesel Darryl is right

Darryl has it right, I use 1. 375" stock for the bar itself, that is . 125" smaller, or 1/8" smaller diameter. The ID of the tube is the same. With the Heim joints on each end all the forces on the tube are right down the center of the tube and the ultimate strength of the bar setup is not different because of the bar diameter. If anything were to let go it would have to be several of the attachment bolts that are in shear. This is why I use grade 8 fasteners and frame stiffener plates. The only way that a bar [the tube] could buckle would be if it was damaged [bent] and then it would just bend more when the axle forces were applied.



The design concept is the same as Darryl said. The idea is to keep the axle from rotating around the flexible leaf spring. When the traction of the tires lets go, [the 'Hop'] the leaf spring tries to return it's original shape and the axle rotates back to it's original location, then the tires gets traction again and the axle starts to flex [wrap-up] the leaf spring again. The bar locates the bottom of the axle a fixed distance to a frame mount and this keeps the axle from moving either forward or backwards while pushing or pulling on the truck and it's load. . wheel 'hop' is virtually eliminated. Tire sidewall flex still allows some axle hop, just watch the the tires on truck during a sled-pull.



The rubber bushing around the front spring bolt provides enough give to make up for the different arc-pathways that the bar and spring go through when they move up and down, therefore there are no 'geometry issues' or binding during verticle wheel travel.



I call my bars 'Ride-Control Bars' because of the very noticable improvement in ride and steering they provide. When the truck is driven over washboard roads, railroad tracks, and uneven pavement, the rear axle will not jump all over the place and give several bumps or jars for one bump in the road or pothole in the pavement. No more 'tea-berry-shuffle' over railroad crossings. The truck even tracks straighter on uneven pavement requiring less steering correction to stay in your lane.



I can take my truck over a fresh-plowed field in 2wd and it will not wheel hop, it will eventually just bury the rear axle in the soft ground. Before the bars were added, my truck would be violently hopping and feel like it was about to break some drive line components when driven on soft ground, washboard roads or snow.



There are lots of ways to attach or create control bars, these are designed so that there is no welding required, and can be installed with only drilling a few holes. The designs that require welding to the axle tube have their own characteristics, but the welding adds a lot to the cost of install for the average truck owner. The design that mounts to the top of the axle tube puts the bar in tension rather than compression with forward truck motion, but is more complicated and usually requires welding.



I believe this answers some questions. Greg L

 

[GWoody]

Greg, have you built anything for a 3rd gen yet????

 

[Hammer]

Greg was using 1. 375" od stock for his bars and Rob's are 1. 500" od. The difference is about 4000 lbs less thrust on Greg's, if he is still using the same 1. 375" od stock. Other than that, the design concept is the same on both

There are a couple other differences I know,Rob's will come to you powder coated in the color you desire and Greg's are only painted. Robs also use the frame strengthening plates and grade 8 hardware. One thing all owners will need to be aware of is leangth of your rear spring u-bolts,if there is not alot of extra below the factory bottom plates,you will need to have them changed to use either sets of these bars. Some of the trucks come from the factory long enough and some don't. If you'd like to see a set of Rob's bars look in my readers rigs pictures area and you will see them mounted. I have front and rear pictures in my album... ... ... ... ... ... . Andy

 

[Diesel Darryl]

Andy, Greg's uses the same frame plates and grade 8 bolts.

Darryl

 

[Lsfarm]

3rd Gen

No I haven't found the time to figure out how to attach to the bottom of the 3rd gen axle. It will require either going back to a 2nd gen U-bolt and fab a bottom plate to wrap around the bottom of the axle tube or some creative bracket to go under the current U-bolts.

I need to have a day or two with a 3rd gen on the hoist and figure it out. I've had several inquiries. One of these days... .



Greg L

 

[Cooker]

I'm pretty sure when I talked with Greg he said his were powercoated. He didn't mention this in his previous reply so maybe this is not the case? Greg?

 

[Lsfarm]

Yes they're powdercoated

Yes my bars are powdercoated, and I can offer different colors for the bars if desired.

Greg L

 

[Tcolesanti]

Just FYI, I designed and built my own set of bars and I ran them forward enough to attatch to the "boxed" portion of the frame, this made them extremely long (7') but gave me peace of mind that they were attatched at that location. I built them out of 1. 5" round stock (not DOM, big mistake!), and attatched to the bottom of the axle. First impressions, they were great, not axle wrap, bouncing, they kept everything in line, UNTIL, I pulled a lot of weight. I pulled my friends 40', 15,000 lb 5er and when I rolled in the throttle a little too hard I bent the bars like pretzels. I used the round stock because it was laying around the shop. I now bought 1 3/4" DOM tubing that I will be making my next set out of. I will keep you guys posted with my finds.

 

[BigBadDodge]

I used 2" DOM with 1/2" wall thickness



#ad




BBD

 

[Tcolesanti]

That is insane, BBD, I guess you need traction bars that big, throwing down the power you do.

 

[Turbo Thom]

BBD... ..... That to me would seem to add to the unsprung weight. That is really heavy tubing. I use the . 124 wall DOM tubing, inserts, and Heim joints. That will take whatever you put to it. There will come a time when you do away with the suspension and just weld it all up. Man, what a ride.



. . Preston. .

 

[willyslover]

Yea Butttt..

Yea Butttt ... . will they take a sled at 300' with weight full forward LOL



Scotty didn't want ANY flex or wheel hop