• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Wonderin about something!


I don't know about that. I'm posting a link to a guy who uses a Lightning for road courses. He uses long bars on his Lightning for this purpose.

https://web.archive.org/web/2016040...htning/race_prep/suspension/traction_bars.htm

Also posted are pics of my Lightning's rear suspension, which includes parallel QA-1 shocks, long bars (traction bars) and a panhard bar. And further forward a custom made tubular transmission cross member and a very firm drive shaft safety loop, both of which firmed up the frame readily.

Interesting. I'm always willing to be proved wrong...and have been many times. Make a theory, test it...if it works- great, if not...new theory. Maybe I shouldn't have said road race. In your application it looks as if the axle is being used as an anti-sway bar. I'm not sure why the pan-hard bar because normally the leafsprings locate the axle..... I'm sure the ford engineers put a lot more thought into the set-up than I have.

EDIT; I just noticed that there is just lower arms [longbars?], what I thought were upper are actually swaybar links....so the axle does NOT act like a swaybar. The set-up is like a four-link with the upper bars being the front of the leafsprings. Your real world experience trumps mine.
 
Last edited:
If you go to that link I posted and look through the Suspension list, you will see an article on Pan Hard bars. At least on Lightning's, it's well known that the axle can move side-to-side over an inch during hard cornering.

The end links of my rear sway bar are not factory. Since I lowered the rear two inches, I had to reduce the links length from seven inches to five inches in order for the bar to be properly oriented.
 
Last edited:
Thanks to all who answered my interruption; I always like it when I learn something. Of course, when I heard that they cause a stiffer ride, I tuned right out. My ’92 rides like an iron horse as it is, so I’m good. lol
 
Comparing my heavy Lightning to my Ranger, I find my Ranger more enjoyable to hustle around a tight twisty road than the Lightning. Less weight equals easier to toss around. The Lakewood traction bars don't seem to have any affect on that. The fact I outfitted it with a big Hellwig Anti-sway bar in the back doesn't hurt either.

But back to the opening statement about burnouts, would that big diameter anti-sway bar also be helping to leave two long dark tire streaks on dry pavement?
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Ranger Adventure Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Back
Top