Gaining Traction

By Ryan Beaty

DIESEL TECH’S

By Ryan Beaty

Gaining Traction

A look at top traction bar options

Traction bars are maybe one of the more esoteric parts of a diesel build. For the unfamiliar, traction bars bolt on to the undercarriage of your truck at the rear axle under the leaf springs, then attach to the frame farther up. They keep the axle from twisting during acceleration, which improves your traction, hence the name. They’re not strictly necessary, but they do play a vital role in keeping your wheels on the ground, especially if you’re going for a high-power build. Plus, they really give your truck a unique look that most other vehicles can’t match. And what’s the point of having a big bad diesel if it doesn’t look awesome? We found the companies that make the best traction bars in the business and gathered them up for you.

RAS

The RAS kit is the only rear leaf spring suspension upgrade that converts basic “passive” leaf spring suspension to mechanical “active” suspension. It absorbs and dissipates load force energy, resulting in significantly reduced or eliminated rear squat caused by heavy loads. It improves vehicle stability, balance, traction, and control, all with (or without) a load. RAS adds critical strength to leaf springs, but will not compromise ride quality. (800-398-5036 // www.activesuspension.com)

BDS

BDS Suspension adds to its lineup of vehicle-specific mounting kits for the RECOIL traction bar system with redesigned kits specifically for the 2020+ Chevy/GMC 2500HD/3500HD trucks designed for easy bolt-on installation. Designed to improve on- and off-road performance so you can put the power to the ground, RECOIL features a full float and spring-loaded design, allowing it to perform well in multiple terrains where traditional traction bars would bind up the suspension. (517-279-2135 // www.bds-suspension.com)

Rough Country

Get a grip with Rough Country’s Traction Bar Kit. These heavy-duty traction bars help prevent wheel hop and axle wrap by aligning and stabilizing the rear axle geometry, allowing for full travel and articulation without binding. Once installed, these bars prevent the type of movement and pinion angles that cause a loss of traction, all while maintaining full suspension without binding. These are perfect for re-claiming traction while towing or during quick acceleration. (800-222-7023 // www.roughcountry.com)

Longhorn Fab Shop

Nearly every RAM and GMC/Chevy has a wheel hop issue right off the factory floor. Even under stock power levels this wheel hopping can cause extremely costly repairs including broken driveshafts, broken axle pinion yokes, premature u-joint failure, and wearing of suspension components. On top of these issues, anytime the wheel hops, it is not touching the pavement. If it is not touching the pavement, you’re not getting traction.

The Longhorn Fab Shop’s traction bars are a great solution and are affordable enough for the daily driver truck, yet strong enough for dedicated sled pullers and drag racers. Whether you drive your truck to watch the competition, or trailer it in because you are the competition, you’ll love the strength, design, adjustability, and ease of installation, and it fits all available axles. (855-797-8478 // www.longhornfabshop.com)

Apoc Industries

Apoc Industries are a bolt-on kit to easily enhance the look of your Ford Super Duty and also add much needed support for your rear suspension. Today’s trucks can put some serious power to the ground, causing wheel hop and leaf spring damage, stock or lifted, and your truck will benefit from a quality set of traction bars. If your truck is using lift blocks, a set of traction bars will add needed stability to your rear suspension. Apoc’s simple bolt-on kit clamps around your rear axle housing and bolts to your frame. Drilling is required for the frame mount unless you weld it on. And they’ve also added an adjustable end to allow adjustments for easier installation, or if you decide to lift your truck after installing their traction bars, you can adjust the traction bar. (865-983-5004 // www.apocindustries.com)

Stryker Off-Road Design

Stryker traction bars are completely built in-house with only the finest of materials. CAD designed and laser cut, Stryker traction bars are fabricated from 1/4-inch U.S. steel. These are extremely heavy duty, MIG welded throughout, and can handle anything you can dish out. Their 1.25-inch rod ends (largest used in the industry) are super strong joints and will hold up to years of punishment. The outer shell is a single forged piece. The inner flex ball is made from 8620 tool steel and rides on high-quality polyurethane bushings, so you get the best of both worlds. They are directly bolt-on and only require a few holes to be drilled and tapped depending on the application, so no cutting or welding is required. And if none of this was enough, due to using thicker material than other companies, Stryker Off-Road Design has never had a traction bar break or bend. (865-233-0076 // www.strykerordesign.com)

Tuff Country

Tuff Country’s High Performance Traction Bars are the ultimate traction control devices for your truck. These traction bars are specifically designed to greatly reduce wheel hop and axle wrap that can result from high horsepower, towing applications, and lifted trucks with larger-than-stock tires. And they have greasable and rebuildable heim joints that adjust to various lengths to fit both factory height and lifted applications. Mounting is simply done below the factory leaf springs to allow for use with factory or aftermarket overload springs. (800-288-2190 // www.tuffcountry.com)

JKS

The JKS Telescoping Trackbar is a direct replacement for the original and features a locking, slip-shaft mechanism that is greasable for smooth, silent operation. When unlocked, the Trackbar becomes transparent to the vehicle, allowing unrestricted suspension travel and maximum off-road performance. To prevent binding, high quality, Teflon-lined heim joints attach the Trackbar to the axle and chassis. The relocation brackets supplied with most lift kits change the angle of the Trackbar in relation to the steering drag link. The alignment of these components is critical to prevent bump steer, a condition that changes the direction of the front wheels in response to suspension movement, as opposed to steering input. Upgrade to a JKS Telescoping Trackbar instead for uncompromised performance on-road and off. (517-278-1226 // www.jksmfg.com)

HSP

The biggest thing to remember with diesel trucks is that they are extremely front-end heavy. This is because of the heavy engine bays, plow setups, and systems that are common in the diesel industry. This weight imbalance over the tires combined with all the torque that is made causes more wheel hop than with ordinary vehicles. The biggest thing that the HSP Bolt-On Traction bars do is plant your suspension by taking different points of the axle and tying them into the frame, enabling efficient transfer of power while keeping the axle from moving. When the axle is secure, that power is now being effectively transferred to the road. And HSP traction bar kits have proven by drag racers, street monsters, and even everyday users that they do nothing but improve the efficiency of your truck! (586-785-3110 // www.hspdiesel.com)

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