Single ladder bar

Anyone out there run a single ladder bar with shackle on the street?

See jeep guys using them, though not sure if they would impart some strange forces under power on the street?

Are you talking about a cal tracs type of bar or a single traction bar?

Something like this in question -

i have done.

I want to clarify something: When you say "single bar", do you mean one close to the driveshaft? If so-horrible idea in a diesel application due to the torque factor. Rock crawlers do it near the driveshaft so their articulation isnt limited. Take note it requires two points of contact on the rear axle to perform the anti wrap function.

In my case i had that same design as pictured but one on each side of the truck in a traditional fashion.
They worked well for towing and ride as they accommodate the parabolic curve that leafs springs follow as they cycle. They do eliminate 50% axle wrap however when i got to the mid 700HP level, they no longer sufficed. What would happen is they transfer the axle wrap to the shackles and it allows the axle to twist or crabwalk out from under the truck.

I couldnt handle that movement so i went to a fixed bar design.

I bet you could make that work just fine if you added a panhard bar back there as well.

That info on ladder bars is good to know sootie. Never heard it before but makes sense.

CorneliusRox said:

I bet you could make that work just fine if you added a panhard bar back there as well.

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The only way to eliminate it was with fixed bars. Even with a panhard it could still rotate around the CenterPoint...albeit the axle would be perfectly centered under the truck when doing so LoL

sootie said:

The only way to eliminate it was with fixed bars. Even with a panhard it could still rotate around the CenterPoint...albeit the axle would be perfectly centered under the truck when doing so LoL

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There are a lot of fast trucks running floating ladder bars jsut fine though. Maybe not in the 9's, but a ton in the 10's. Then you can still drive it on the street and tow pretty well.
Just depends on what you want to do. Real fast stuff almost always moves to a four or five link in the rear.

CorneliusRox said:

There are a lot of fast trucks running floating ladder bars jsut fine though. Maybe not in the 9's, but a ton in the 10's. Then you can still drive it on the street and tow pretty well.
Just depends on what you want to do. Real fast stuff almost always moves to a four or five link in the rear.

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I agree with you.

One thing to remember though, dedicated race trucks are a whole different ball game than modded street trucks that work hard. Take caltracs for example-they require a certain amount of wrap to function!

I needed the rigidity to save pinion seals, u joints and transmission parts. I just couldn't handle the sloppy feeling that's all