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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: khan_sultan on July 15, 2009, 04:06:42 AM

Title: Traction Bar for SPoA: EDIT.!!!!: Now fabricated & Installed
Post by: khan_sultan on July 15, 2009, 04:06:42 AM
Friends, I have done a SPoA on a LWB Samurai SJ413

http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=24682.0 (http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=24682.0)

Now I want to build a traction bar for the same. It is not available in India so will have to do a DIY job.

Need your help on:

What should be the angle at which the bar should be placed between the rear axle & the body?

Is a triangulated one better than a single bar one?

Is it mandatory/preferred to have rose joints? can's regular bushing do?

Any other input you would want to provide.

Look forward to your suggestions & advise
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: Drone637 on July 15, 2009, 03:02:43 PM
Regular bushings are fine.  I recommend using the shackle on the frame end with the triangulated traction bar.

I'll see if I can get some dimensions from the Samurai owner in my club that built his own and some pictures of his setup for you.
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: khan_sultan on July 15, 2009, 09:28:16 PM
Thanks Drone. That would help a lot -- pictures & measurements.

Next weekend we are planning a rain forest kind of an outing and I need to get my rig in shape before that.

Here are pictures of the terrain from 2 years ago: (see how my Suzuki used to look back then)
http://picasaweb.google.com/shahnawaz.khan/CoorgOTR2007

I will go for the triangulated bar with regular bushings + shackle on frame. Do I need to have slip yoke in lower side of the triangulated bar? or just a regular dom pipe would do?
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: Drone637 on July 15, 2009, 10:22:50 PM
Regular dom pipe.  The shackle is allowing your axle to swing back and forth a bit along to follow the regular travel.  But the double arm system means if your springs are going to try and wrap it will have to the end up or down the shackle won't allow that.

Just make sure you use a bolt and threaded pipe or nut welded on the on the end so it can flex.  This will allow your axle to still articulate.

(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_WIV2vVCibx0/Sl622sIhNeI/AAAAAAAAB2A/4JAwU0Fll34/s640/tractionbar.JPG)
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: khan_sultan on July 16, 2009, 01:48:19 AM
Ok. That should make it easy to fabricate & install. Less complexity. Thanks for pointing out to the 'bolt' part so that flex/articulation is taken care of.

DO let me know if you have inputs on what the angle should be of the top bar w.r.t the rear propeller shaft. I am assuming that it should be parallel to it.

Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: Drone637 on July 16, 2009, 12:05:51 PM
Got a picture for you.  I will forward the dimensions over as soon as I have them.

(http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WIV2vVCibx0/Sl94izo-I_I/AAAAAAAAB5Q/cNDuQV49hnA/s640/SSPX0140.jpg)
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: flexmonger on July 16, 2009, 07:06:34 PM
  As far as angle of traction bar, there are two trains of thought. Some say the bar parallel to the ground provied the most anti wrap resistance. But causes greater stress to the mounts and axle housing, possibly ripping of the housing. But all traction bars on sammy housings face that problem.
    Second train of thought is to keep the traction bar at the same angle as the driveline. This allows it to mimic the angle and cycling of said driveshaft through its range of motion. While at the same time if placed right, it acts as a drive shaft skid, as it would hit a rock first.
    I currently run a second generation modded sky mfg traction bar, and it seems to work ok. I would have ideally liked the upper bar more parallel to the ground.
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: khan_sultan on July 17, 2009, 09:22:04 AM
Thanks guys, this really helps. This is what I will be doing:

-- Have the lower bar parallel to the drive shaft
-- Try and have the upper bat as parallel to the ground as possible
-- Have the length of the lower bar nearly equal to the drive shaft

Thanks again folks.
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: Drone637 on July 17, 2009, 10:04:07 AM
Let us know how it works out.  :)
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: khan_sultan on July 27, 2009, 03:53:11 AM
Got the Traction bar fabricated & fitted this weekend. Also went for a bit of off-roading this weekend with friends.

Must say that traction bar is a useful thing and I don't know if this is my gut feel or what but I can fell the reduction in slop in the driveline as well. Overall the transmission/drive has become more better.

Here are the pictures.

Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: Measurements & Inputs Required
Post by: Drone637 on July 28, 2009, 12:03:56 PM
Looks beefy!  How did you build your new upper cross member?  Any pictures of the 4 wheeling trip?
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: EDIT.!!!!: Now fabricated & Installed
Post by: khan_sultan on July 30, 2009, 05:39:48 AM
Here are pictures of the upper cross member. It is welded on a steel place and then a steel box has the metal/PU bush hydraulically pressed into it. The end of the traction bar at this point has a threaded bolt/head and is held by shaclkles.

here are some more pictures:

Oh, and here are pictures from the last weekend outing for some off-road fun.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-excursions/62208-sunday-26th-july-pearl-valley-offroad-2.html (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/4x4-excursions/62208-sunday-26th-july-pearl-valley-offroad-2.html)
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: EDIT.!!!!: Now fabricated & Installed
Post by: Drone637 on July 30, 2009, 02:28:53 PM
Looks great.  What is the little brown Suzuki?  Is that an older Jimney?

I like the Zukiworld.com sticker, but what happened to your grill?
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: EDIT.!!!!: Now fabricated & Installed
Post by: khan_sultan on July 31, 2009, 05:00:51 AM
Looks great.  What is the little brown Suzuki?  Is that an older Jimney?

I like the Zukiworld.com sticker, but what happened to your grill?

That brown Suzuki is the regulr suzuki Gypsy but it's body is modified. Looks and behaves ugly :-)

My grill was removed as I had to take out my 'extra fan' that I had installed and give it to fellow jeep driver as he busted his fan on the trail.

PS: The zukiworld sticker is GREAT. just love it..
Title: Re: Traction Bar for SPoA: EDIT.!!!!: Now fabricated & Installed
Post by: Drone637 on July 31, 2009, 10:29:10 AM
That brown Suzuki is the regulr suzuki Gypsy but it's body is modified. Looks and behaves ugly :-)

I was wondering about that.  It had teh Gypsy sides but that different hood, fenders and grill.  As for ugly... I wasn't going to say anything.  :P

Quote
My grill was removed as I had to take out my 'extra fan' that I had installed and give it to fellow jeep driver as he busted his fan on the trail.

That explains the comments about why the broken up fan explained why your grill was missing.  He needed to switch over to electric anyway.