- Joined
- Jul 14, 2017
- Messages
- 2,451
Yeah, i had to explain what do traction bars do to an officer and the best i could think of they are there to stop my springs from creaking when i overload it. Mine wore made from old fence post tubing and the car had no interior except an race seat. It worked i did not get a ticket just one of those looks ( what are you dooing).Fixed one problem pretty easily today. The rear ujoint was hitting the mufflers. I have the 1550 big ford crossover ujoint and the x-pipe setup is really narrow and hugs the driveshaft. After some thinking about it I was able to move the mufflers forward 1/2" so the ujoint was near the small part of the driveshaft. Problem solved at zero cost.
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But I can't solve the rear tire rubbing. It doesn't hit bad, but you can sure hear it. Sounds like it's tearing the inner fender off. I pulled one of my axles and found out they they used 7/16"-20 grade 8 tap bolts for studs. I need one that are about 2-1/4" or a little longer to put some wheel spacers on. I called the place that made up the housing and they don't have longer bolts. I've found some full length thread tap bolts but they are sold in lots of 100 or more. I need 10. I'd like not to have to try and drill the hardened axle flange to put press in studs in. I may have no choice.
My wife was looking at the car yesterday after the test drive. She asked what are those. I said traction bars. She said do all cars have them? I said no they have different suspensions than this one does. Figured I dodged a bullet not telling her exactly what they are for.
So my wife got home from work today and told me she showed some pictures to a guy at work that has a 69 nova. He said he liked the cowl hood and the traction bars. She said but you have a nova and you don't have traction bars? He said no. But Dan said they are part of the suspension. How can you drive the car without them. Well..............he explained EXACTLY what they are for. So, I'm busted. She asked me do I have plans that include the need for traction bars?
About the tires rubbing, you need a 4 post lift, an inspection pit or ramps to see the tires at ride height and compression, i've used white chalk on the tires sidewalls to help me see, it washes easily. Also check the fronts tires, i've had recently front inner fender came loose and sounded like the noise was from the rear, new cars are so muffled its hard to tell.