Need help figuring out what im talking about.

[lanesteele240]

Hello

Im trying to get pics or information on what a part on a drag/street car is called.

I dont have pics because i dont know what it is called so i will describe it.

When i was a kid, early 80's, my dad and uncles all had these things stuck out the back of the cars (bottom) that resemble two reese hitches about a foot or two apart. I guess they were around 1 1/2 to 2 inch square tubing. I want to think that the device was for either traction or to keep the car from popping a wheelie

Im looking to add it to my 1/12 350gt-500gt mustang build.

[Madd Trucker]

they was or are called wheelie bars

[lanesteele240]

This is them.

Traction bars is what the ebay posting said

Now. Where do they hook to. Can anybody please explain how they work. I am now and was then baffled.

[Blown03SVT]

Traction bars... they snub the front eye of the leaf springs on launch to maintain pinion angle and mitigate axle wrap and wheel hop. Those U bolts cinch down around the axle tubes. You can pre load or set snubber height to get a different traction characteristic.

Edit... just noticed no U bolts on the ones pictured. The u bolts would go around the axle tube and through the base plates and fasten up underneath the base plates

Edited June 10, 2013 by Blown03SVT

[DrKerry]

The metal plate with the four holes in it would be bolted to the u-bolts that attach the axle to the springs. The other smaller u bolt that is up by the rubber snubber would bolt around the front part of the spring itself. When a car launches off the line without these you'll get a lot of wheel spin or wheel hop. With these the car will get better traction because it eliminates the twist in the front part of the spring, thus putting the traction where it needs to be, the tires!!

This link will give more of an explanation.....

http://www.competitionengineering.com/articles/chassis2.asp

[gonzo64nova]

What you have there Gary are traction bars for a leaf spring equipped vehicle . Commonly called slapper bars. They are bolted onto the bottom of the leaf spring and it replaces the bottom mounting plate of the stock leaf setup. These prevented spring wind-up on acceleration of the springs , in other words they prevented the spring from distorting and letting the rear end hop off the ground. There is a term called wheel-hop that is used to describe this action of the spring. The rubber snubber in the front contacts the spring eye and limits the up-ward movement of the leaf spring. The "u" on the front of the traction bar is inserted over the spring and is connected to the traction bar to prevent the front of the traction bar from hitting the ground on hard deceleration. This version was originally used in the 60s and are still used today, but these are quickly being replaced by Caltrac bars. Hope this clears things up. -Bill

[Jon Cole]

[lanesteele240]

Thanks every body.

The drawing helped me totally understand. I guess since my gt350 transplant is using the chasis from the gt500, using these would be inaccurate and a total waste.