Suspension Tech General discussion of suspension for the Ford Ranger.

Traction Bars

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Old 12-17-2006
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Traction Bars

Im lookin to get some traction bars for my 06. The reason being is because my posi does not always unlock during turns and I can feel the twisting and drag on the rear axle. Will traction bars help keep the axle straight through turns? and if it does will that just create a better chance of bending or breaking the axle or its componenets? Thanks.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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Sounds like a sway bar is what you want.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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They'll keep the axle planted through turns, yeah. I dont do any offroading, but I've had my Lakewood ladder bars for almost a year now w/o any problems and I drive my truck pretty hard..
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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So insted of buying the bars I should upgrade my rear sway?
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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the bars will make more of a difference in keeping the a$$ planted.. i added the thunderbolt sway bars before I did the lakewoods and noticed a much better difference after the traction bars. I did my testing on a curve, could only do ~50-55 mph and it felt like it was leaning a lot and squealing tires, after the swaybars and traction bars I could go 60-65 comfortably with no squealing of the tires.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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Thanks for input so now i need to know were to get a rear sway bar and traction bars.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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Old 12-17-2006
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I helped install a set of Hellwig sway bars today. They were pretty easy to put on.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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I'm not sure if either will help when both tires are spinning the same rate around a corner.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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i would go with the james duff traction bars, i love mine.
the JD bars are "ok" for offroading also.

www.jamesduff.com but im not sure if they will have any in stock.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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I thought the sport package had traction bars allready.... maybe I was wrong...
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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Originally Posted by 07SPORT
I thought the sport package had traction bars allready.... maybe I was wrong...
no it has front/rear sway bars.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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if it's a reg cab it does indeed have the rear sway bar as well; traction bars, nope.
 
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Old 12-17-2006
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well I got front rear bars then woo, lol maybe thats why it takes curves so nice...
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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i like the jd ones but i have an aal so will it work?
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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Originally Posted by yellow rhino
i like the jd ones but i have an aal so will it work?
yes, they work with any ranger springs (lifted or not lifted), but if you do a chevy swap you will have to make the bars longer.

i really like mine, with the bfg at's and the jd bars my tires are stuck to the ground.
they are easy to install and they let your axle flex unlike other traction bars.
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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Originally Posted by 5speedin2.3
no it has front/rear sway bars.
I'm confused. So does the 06 sport have a front/rear sway bar? Is that a new feature? If this is the case why is the thread starter looking for a rear sway bar?
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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only the regular cabs get rear sway bars I believe.
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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Originally Posted by yellow rhino
i like the jd ones but i have an aal so will it work?
I have jd's with an add a leaf. It's tight though. The nut just gets on all the threads of the u-bolt on mine. Any less and i would have looked for longer u bolts.
 
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Old 12-18-2006
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I'm confused. So does the 06 sport have a front/rear sway bar? Is that a new feature? If this is the case why is the thread starter looking for a rear sway bar?

Im lookin for sway bars or traction bars because i need more support for my rear end and im not lookin for stock sway bars im lookin for some hd ones.
 
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Old 12-20-2006
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Originally Posted by yellow rhino
Im lookin for sway bars or traction bars because i need more support for my rear end and im not lookin for stock sway bars im lookin for some hd ones.

OOOHHHHHHH. Okay, thanks for clearing that up.
 
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