Traction Bars for 3rd gen

Looking for a good traction bar kit for the 3rd gen Tacoma.
Will be on a 7.5” front 6.5” rear lift.

thanks

 

Personally I like the procomp design, https://www.4wheelparts.ca/p/pro-comp-lateral-traction-bars-black-72500b/_/R-DFCW-72500B I've only seen a few, but they don't rust even after 5 years or so in a rust city like mine.

 

What rear lift are you planning on?

 

That’s the one I was looking at.

Are these actually engineered or is it as simple as it looks and I can just weld a piece of metal from the rear axle to the frame? Haha but seriously

 

Full disclosure I’ll be running a 4” block on my Dakar HDs until I can decide on a new leaf pack or the archive garage shackle kit. Leaning towards the shackle kit paired with my Dakar’s.

 

They are angled properly and slide across rocks with that design. For the cost unless you have a metal shop its hard to match the price of it with the urethane bushings.

They look good in person!

 

I might ask the shop that’s installing my lift about custom ones. I’ve seen them put custom ones on other trucks before with the same lift.

 

Do you really have axel wrap/wheel hop issues?

One issue would be using a 4 inch block. that is going to act as a lever and create more of a propensity to wrap and unwind the spring which causes hop. I would skip that. There is nothing good about blocks.

Traction bars also also hang down and will be more likely to catch a rock. Because they use urethane bushings, which are stiff, on both ends they will also tend to limit your rear axel's ability to flex which is going to take away more than they might give you in reducing axel hop. Look at an axel on any leaf spring vehicle that is articulating over uneven terrain. One side is compressed and the other is extended leaving the axel at an angle along its length. Look at how that axel travels at an arc perpendicular to the frame rails. Traction bars will limit the ability of the axel to rotate in this way. Urethane bushings are stiff and don't flex much laterally. Traction bars are made to travel in an arc, parallel to the frame and limit axel rotation. If those bars used spherical rod ends one one or both ends, no problem with the flex. All of it may transfer road noise and vibration into the chassis that may become annoying, so keep that in mind too. Another issue is that leaf springs shorten and lengthen during compression/extension. If that bar isn't designed properly, it may crate some binding or compression issues. That bar probably wasn't designed for that much lift and without knowing how much arc it will travel through. All of these things need to be taken into account.

If I were going to do something to control wheel hop, for straight line acceleration, a that single bar system would be okay and a true ladder bar would be better. However, if you value articulation, either will create a problem and, in my humble opinion isn't worth the sacrifice.

If you just like the look, cool. But if you are looking to improve the off road ability of the truck, you should consider the pros and cons here. Any change to a mechanical system is going to have effects, so you have to consider if the effects are ones you want or can live with.

If you really want to go with the kind of lift you describe above, why don't you use the proper leaf, or build new mounts for a longer, but shallower arc (rather than a short, high arc) leaf, or pull the leaf system and build a four bar or a four link with coil overs. You can dial the anti-squat and pinion angle and have a much better set up. You will also have a system that is expensive to build, requires maintenance, and voids some warranties. You are also going to get into plenty of brake line and shock issues with that much lift.

I assume if you are going to use that much lift, you are using a large set of tires which will come with their own set of considerations.

I'm not trying to discourage you or be a "Debbie Downer", but I look at things from the perspective of practicality, and having done a lot of building and fabrication over my life.

 

got to see a pic of this

 

I’ll post one soon. Lift goes on next Thursday

 

I’ll stick to having an engineered one installed.

 

In for the pic!

 

As requested. And let the insults begin. To each his own. There’s room in this world for 3” and 8” lifted Tacoma.

edit. Current setup.
Front : fox 2.5 with resis cranked to 7.5” with JBA high caster UCAs, set at 3.6 degrees of caster
Rear : fox 2.0 non resis with OME Dakar HD leafs and 2.5” tapered block.

sits dead level

 

looks great man. Dig the wheels!

 

Hellwig 2002..traction spring , mount on top of lift springs ...Cost $66.00 + shipping..less than 10 minutes to install on each side...will not lose any ground clearance..if U- bolt sticking too low I cut it shorter..
Plus act like a leveling ..

My old 86 Dodge Ram ..I added to front and rear of my springs for more added traction (Hellwig’s)spring traction....little rougher ride..but the heavier loads..did not make back bed drop as much...I like it...

Nice thing ..from a stop...no hesitation...
Aloha

 

Nice!