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MikeD
*R/T*
7/15/2002
23:31:02
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 Subject: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
The guy that did my heads and cam work has fabbed up some traction bars that I bolted up to my truck today...let me tell U I was stunned. He was using Lakewoods on his R/T which weren't long enough to begin w/ and the Lakewoods are Grade16 steel. He runs a 150 shot of nitrous w/ heads and cam on his truck and bent one of the Lakewoods at the track last weekend.
He guarantees these to be 10 times better than Lakewoods and 5 times better than Caltracs.
They are made from Grade 11 steel, 3" longer for the Dakotas, and the snubber is twice as big as Lakewoods. He can paint em practically any color, I had mine painted black to conceal em better.
He is asking $139 for the set, half less than Caltracs. He's based in Dallas and says he can fab up about 5 sets a day. Anyone interested let me know.
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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Eazy
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
7/16/2002
12:22:34
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Do you have any pics?
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MikeD
*R/T*
7/16/2002
13:51:33
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
I'm trying to get a digital cam rounded up from a friend...so hopefully I'll get some taken today and put up. I already met a guy that lives in my area a test drive...rain isn't the best weather to test them out but I was surprised it hooked up as good as it did in the rain.
I'll try and have those pics up as soon as I can.
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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PAT
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
14:16:13
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
Sorry for the stupid question, but here goes:
What are traction bars? I assume they give you better traction of the line when drag racing but what do they do to achieve better traction? What are they bolted to?
Please explain...
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MikeD
*R/T*
7/16/2002
14:25:24
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
Nah its not a stupid question.
They help give you traction by the tip of the bar which is called the snubber hits the end of the I-beam which holds your rear springs in place, then while its doing that the stiffens up your springs in the middle (where its bolted to) therefore keeping your spring from flexing as much giving you a better launch. And it bolts up in between the factory belt spring clamp.
Hope that helped.
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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PAT
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
14:42:08
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
So it's like the same kinda thing as getting stiffer springs?
Are they better for cornering too?
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
14:52:09
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Here's an article describing the problem and the solution behind traction bars. They are pretty much a drag-racing oriented piece.
http://competitionengineering.com/articles/chassis.asp
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PAT
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
15:27:29
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Message:
Well, I read the article and I think they would be pretty good for driving around on the street too. Maybe not a curvy race track but I'd guess that on the street it would make the car handle a little better. This is something I will definately have to look into purchasing in the future.
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
15:34:32
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Bear in mind that the store-bought brands are not going to fit very well. The Lakewood brand costs +/- $40 and they are too short. If you run too long with traction bars that are too short, you can bend a leaf spring. that's pretty costly to replace. But it sounds like MikeD's guy can hook you up, too.
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MikeD
*R/T*
7/16/2002
15:40:04
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Lakewood's are "Universal Fit" well its not too universal because they dont' fit our truck. They guy that did mine fabbed them to the precise length needed for our Dakotas.
And if those bars are for drag race only I sure did pull outta that stop light like a bat outta hell last night.
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
15:51:44
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Universal Fit means only one thing:
They fit most 60's Camaro's. And they will bolt on other things, but they won't fit worth a damn. That's pretty standard for every kit that claims one-size-fits-all. That's pretty much why i made my own set.
As for drag race only, I said "drag race oriented." Which pretty much means they will mostly help you in straight-line acceleration. That is what you were doing when you left the stop light, right?
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MikeD
*R/T*
7/16/2002
16:03:54
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Actually I took a curve and went faster than usual to see how tight the suspension was and it actually was tighter and gripped the road alot better.
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
16:38:56
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Okay.
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xplikt
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
17:08:49
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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SHould make one that hooks up the hotchkis springs then...
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alex
Dodge Dakota
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7/16/2002
17:25:30
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Why won't the Lakewoods fit the hotchkis springs? Leaf Springs is Leaf Springs, right?
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MikeD
*R/T*
7/16/2002
17:45:36
| RE: KICK@SS TRACTION BARS
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Xplikt these work w/ the Hotchkis kit too (as long as they're still leaf springs like Alex said)
~Mike~
Get In...Sit Down...Shutup...& Hangon
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