At 05:24 PM 2/18/2000 -0800, you wrote:
>Steve, et Listers,
>
>I've never had anything work as well as the weld-on Traction Masters.
>Absolutely zero wheel hop; just dump the clutch and it launches. Never got
>quite that good a response with the torque arm.On the other hand it damn
>near tore the front spring perches out. The problem that Steve refers to is
>very sensitive to the angle of the traction bar relative to the springs. As
>normally installed, there's quite a strong angle upwards from where they
>mount under the springs to the front mounting point. This is not too bad a
>problem with the big rubber bushings that allow for some relative movement.
>It's a big problem though if you have solid bushings like I do. If you
>modify the forward weld-on hardware piece to lower it so as to get the
>traction bar approximately level with the road, then it should work OK,
>even with Urethane or solid type spring-eye bushings. I believe if the
>traction bar (or shock) is able to rotate freely in the bushings at each
>end, then there can be no bending force, just straight compression or
>tension. Maybe someone like James (351C) Barrett could put down enough
>torque to collapse the traction bar, but not likely. Maybe one way they get
>bent is by trying to use them to jack up the car? Otherwise, they should
>stay straight, even while tearing out your rear suspension. The horizontal
>shock idea is interesting and must work because they used it on a lot of
>the newer Mustangs. Is this traction control method still used on the
>latest models? Maybe the same shocks and perhaps some of the mounting
>hardware from the Mustang could be applied to the Tiger rear suspension.
>
>Bob
I have used weld on Traction Masters ever since about 1972 when
I first installed a Boss 302 in My Tiger, (now a 4 barrel 351C). The
only time one was bent was when I had tires replaced and the ass hole
used a lift under one traction bar. Was able to streightn it out and
no problems since. The bars do make the rear end stiffer, so the ride
is not smooth at low speed over bumps. Have replaced the bushing a couple
of times as they wear out every 5-10 years.
James Barrett Tiger II 351C and others
|