Traction bar, revisited

Now before you go yelling at me to search, konw that I have. I have read every post on here about them. I just have a few more specific questions.
This is the bottom view of my truck:

If I am to mount a traction bar from the Tcase skid all the way to the axle, that is WICKED long. Wont that bend easier? Any remedies to this?
Secondly, this is my Tcase skid:

If I am to mount it on the back edge, how could I beef that up? It comes right to the back edge of the Tcase, so I will more than likely need to add some length to the back edge if I am going to mount it there.
Finally, here is my E brake bracket:

I am wondering if this would be a possible mounting place? I dont know, just trying to get creative.

My basic question is where can I mount this thing. If I go to the Tcase, it is going to be VERY long and that worries me. Shoudl it? Is there another place I could mount it to the "body?"
Thanks ahead of time for any and all help.
josh

I'd make a custom crossmember and run it from there. You can't really mount it to the t-case or t-case skid.

I don't think you want it to extend as far as the transfer case.

Ideally, the front pivot point should be at the same diatance from the axle centerline as the forward leaf spring bolts, and as close to aligned with them as possible. Why? Because otherwise you are introducing a linkage, and as the suspension compresses and extends you will introduce rotation into the axle, when the whole purpose of a traction bar is to eliminate rotation.

Perfect! Thanks guys! thats what I was looking for, but now how do I mount a crossmember to that part of the "frame?" What do you think is best to make it out of?
I have seen them made of round tubing and bent to fit up into the channel, but I dont know about the round.....
Any ideas?

Anyone?

do a search!!!!!

on POR that is....



you probably won't find many cherokee-specific bars, but i'm sure checking out various designs may help you get some good ideas for yours!

have fun

Beezil, good to hear from you dawg.
I know exactly what my bar is going to look like. I have plenty of well researched plans for that. I am asking specifically now, from cherokee oweners with the same wheelbase as I have, where on earth to mount it.
I dont want to get farther forward than the front spring bolt, and have no idea how to get a crossmember in there, and what to mount it to. So, I have searched. Just looking for the nitty giritty details at this point.

Another take on this...if you're trying to control the wrap to deal with u-joint angles and such, it could seem logical that you would want to keep this linkage working on the same (or as close as possible) plane as the component you are trying to stabilize, i.e. the drive shaft. So that mount's pivot point should be as close to the transfercase's rear output as possible. With a shackle attached to the front of the traction bar, there is enough front to back movement so as to negate introducing extra rotational forces to the axle.

Oh Boy, have I opened a can of worms?


Dan

I agree with you dan. I am planning on mounting it on the same plane as the driveshaft, but just not all hte way up to the transfer case. If it is still in the same plane, it shouldnt be an issue. I am planning on using a shackle and RE super flex joint at the front end and two regular bushings at the axle end. Shuold allow for the most flex and still maitain a proper amount of control and correct range of movement.

With a shorter traction bar, even though it's on the same plane will give the drivesahft and the bar different radii. You may need to run a longer shackle to compensate. If the shackle is too short, yuo could run the risk of letting the shackle invert if there is enough fore/ aft movement. But then again, I guess the movement would be limited to the distance between the front pivot point of the leaves.

Dan

Dan Turner said:

But then again, I guess the movement would be limited to the distance between the front pivot point of the leaves.

Dan

Click to expand...

That was my thouhgts exactly. Is this a misconception on my part? My thought was to just put it a little bit forward of the front leaf bolt.

Your primary concern with traction bar length should be cross-member location and anti-squat. Since the usual design includes a shackle at the chassis mounting point, lining it up the the transfer case output or the spring eye will not gain you anything.

Without the traction bar, your front spring eye dictates anti-squat. Running the bar further forward will decrease anti-squat and a shorter bar bar will increase it. You are talking in terms of 10% - 20% in either direction, so you may not notice much of a difference. The right side of the chassis is the best place because this will offset body roll due to engine torque. Unfortunately, the exhaust gets in the way so most traction bars on Cherokees are mounted on the left side.

The bottom line is; engineer a good front cross member location and then build a traction bar the proper length to mount to it. Everything else will be of little consequence.

What's this? a max post without an MS paint drawing?

come awn!

Beezil said:

What's this? a max post without an MS paint drawing?

come awn!

Click to expand...

This is an XJ...



put the traction bar under it.

Neat-O

A completely new interpretation of what a "doorless" Cherokee is :jester: