Top 5 Signs Your Truck Needs Traction Bars
You stand on the gas and the back of the truck starts to chatter. It hops, it bangs, and nothing moves forward the way the engine says it should. That shudder has a name, wheel hop, and traction bars are the usual answer.
Why it happens
When power hits the rear tires, the axle housing wants to rotate the opposite way. Once the tires bite, the housing snaps back, and the cycle repeats until things settle. Barnes 4WD describes it that way in its kit notes, and it's an accurate picture of what a leaf spring suspension does under load.
The five signs
- The rear chatters on hard launches. Hop under power is the loudest sign.
- Leaf springs bow into an S-shape. That's axle wrap, and it's visible if you look under the truck.
- Springs or U-bolts break. Repeat wrap fatigues them. Bent or broken springs are on the list of things a good traction bar kit prevents.
- You added power. Diesel trucks and tuned engines send more torque through the same stock parts.
- The truck won't hook up when pulling. If traction is the problem on a pulling truck, you're losing the power you paid for.
Picking a kit
Barnes sells a heavy duty traction bar kit with 1 1/4 inch heim joints or forged poly joints, but note that welding is required and parts ship unfinished. Rough Country has bolt-in kits for trucks like the F-150 and Ram 2500, and BDS makes Recoil traction bars for the Silverado, Sierra and Ram heavy duty trucks. See everything on our Traction Bars page.
Not sure whether your problem is traction or something worn? Our coil wedge guide covers another rear-end fix for Jeeps. Tell us what the truck does when it hops, and we'll help you sort it. Call 513-285-4000 or email customerservice@highliftoffroad.com.