Did a search and it really didnt answer my question. Will traction bars help in a auto-x and are they really worth buying? I got a guy trying to sell me some traction bars for my car for $250.

 

AS for the traction bars... I have them on my caR and the caR felt so much tighter and more responsive. Also less wheel spin. But I only have them on the caR for a few days before I stopped driving due to the accident.

I wish I could give more details on how they made the caR feel, sorry for such a lame discription.

 

dunno what class you're in but i would doubt they are legal in any but the most highly prepared classes.

 

I would get motor mount inserts first.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm wannabe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So called "traction bars" are a waste of money and dont help performance in any way.</TD></TR></TABLE>

obviously this guy speaks out of pure ignorance. I have been running traction bars for 2 years now, and they make an incredible difference. Granted I drive a 400 horsepower car, so the differences will be more noticeable on my setup. For one, there is no wheel hop..period. They also make steering much more responsive. Both of these are true however, only when the traction bars are dialed in correctly. If you don't know what you're doing you can cause the suspension to bind, not to mention make your traction/cornering issues worse.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by PureTeg420 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

obviously this guy speaks out of pure ignorance. I have been running traction bars for 2 years now, and they make an incredible difference. Granted I drive a 400 horsepower car, so the differences will be more noticeable on my setup. For one, there is no wheel hop..period. They also make steering much more responsive. Both of these are true however, only when the traction bars are dialed in correctly. If you don't know what you're doing you can cause the suspension to bind, not to mention make your traction/cornering issues worse.</TD></TR></TABLE>

how how do u "dial in" a traction bar. i never new that traction bars were "tunable"?

 

you just turn the bars, one direction screws them out (expands the bars), the other direction contracts them.

 

On each end of the bar there is adjustment, take a look at the pic and you can see the nut...

 

you might try engine mounts like someone already stated.
jimfab race mounts eliminated all of my wheel hop.

also, i sold my gsr rims/tires and how have steelies (less grip) and still no wheel hop. all traction. well, the steelies spin out, but no hop.

if i had a decent tire/rim combination...it would be sick. especially if i had an LSD like you ITR guys.

jimfab race mounts make the interior vibrate...you guys might want to try the mugen. lotsa money..but supposedly hard rubber as compared to the polyurathane that's used in my jimfab race mounts.

 

i noticed a difference in my car, its help my 60' time outat the track(2.27 to a 2.08 on 300 tread wear street tires) and the front end feels tighter in the corners since the bars are adjusted and it keeps everything nice and tight.

 

Nobody ever stated that these were meant only for drag applications. Some people have noticed tighter handling and a more solid feel while TURNING. How much experience do you have with traction bars on a road course or autoX????

Seems like you have a lot of experience in drag racing, but nobody ever said we were limiting this conversation to going in a straight line. Don't make an *** of yourself. Others have obviously felt that these make a difference.

We all must follow Stephen Papadakis above me..........

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm wannabe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yeah, i guess experience from testing on 10s turbo cars and 11s NA cars is pure ignorance.....
But whatever, its your money.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah my friend had a 600hp 10-sec street-driven Civic, he said traction bars make a HUGE difference.

How about 100% completely eliminating wheel hop? Yeah I'd say that's a difference. The only way you could still have wheel hop is if your frame was flexing really badly, but if that happened you wouldn't be on a drag strip.

When you adjust the pre-load on traction bars, you're actually changing the caster angle (since the suspension bushings flex), so my guess is you'd need an alignment after get them dialed in.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm wannabe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Yeah, done a lot of testing on the road course too.
Like I have said before, typically the only time you will see any sort of
improvement is when your bushings are worn out and there is some other
part of the suspension that is not up to spec. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I have a good condition caR and could feel the difference, I understand what your said but I honestly feel more stable and secure in turns and more sure footed in straight line.
When and if I ever get my pos back from the shop I'll re-evaluate...

 

i dont know that i really felt the diff by themselves for drag racing, other than it feeling tighter and more stable.

but in the turns it helps a bit IMO . makes it feel more tight and predictable.

 

traction bars break axles

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSRswapandslow. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">traction bars break axles</TD></TR></TABLE>

no they dont . not knowing how to launch and an improper set up susp breaks axles.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GSRswapandslow. &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">traction bars break axles</TD></TR></TABLE>

WHAT!!!???

I never heard that before, do you have any proof of that statement?

IF anything, I hear that they could save your axles buy reducing/eliminating wheel hop- which causes the axle to break. And also keeping the correct geometry of the suspension.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jdm wannabe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

You are asking the suspension to move in a direction that its not designed to.

Also, you have probably altered the alignment with the radius rods which is most likely what gives the effect you feel.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did not over tighten them one bit and there fore did not see the sus move in any other direction except in the way it was supposed to, Up/Down. As a matter of fact I left them on the loose side so when I had the chance to get to a wheel alignment place, they could be adjusted just right.

IF the traction bars are causing the sus to move forward or backwards its called binding and yes thats bad and puts stress on many components.

I did not have a chance to have a wheel alignment shop check it out cause of my accident so I can't say with 100% that my alignment is perfect/ with in OEM spec but the car does not pull or vear to one side.
also the short time I have them installed I can't determine if I have any wear issues with the tires.

 

traction bars = no wheel hop
motor mounts = no wheel hop

motor mounts &lt; traction bars $$$

hummmm....

 

They limit that amount your suspension can travel it does not make it move in a manner in which it should not be moving. They actually are desinged to reduce wheel hope by preveting your control arms from moving backwards during launching. But they would also have the same effect on the car while braking and turning thus giving an advantage at all times.

I have a set on my hatch but have yet to get on a Road course with them.

I have to agree that they do definatly make the car feel much tighter and more predictable. But they must be adjusted correctly, which is usually done by an alignment shop. They offer the ability to adjust you toe, I believe, which OEM honda's can not do.

My bad I guess it's caster

Full-Race https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=778517


Modified by Jon V at 5:44 PM 6/11/2004

 

my car is like night and day when i let them loose. yes they help for handling.

as far as wheel hop, they kinda helped, but once i put them and the mounts on then it got solid as hell and i love the driveability now. launches alot easier.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 98cwitr &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">traction bars = no wheel hop
motor mounts = no wheel hop

motor mounts &lt; traction bars $$$

hummmm....</TD></TR></TABLE>

Less interior noise- Traction bars.
More then one thing effected- traction bars.
Easy to install- Traction bars, atleast from what I have read..

Its a close call for both, So why not just get both , have the best of each?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bbasso &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">any other direction except in the way it was supposed to, Up/Down</TD></TR></TABLE>

Are you sure?

I know that Don (mrlegoman) has been using them for track use and hasnt caused any problems for him, but the the wrong combonation of parts could cause binding, and other problems.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Are you sure?</TD></TR></TABLE>

For the most part, yes I'm sure.

I know the sus does flex but should not move too much.

WHY?

 

I was referring to the "up down" path of the suspension and the possibility that the traction bars causing binding. May not be noticeable with rubber bushings if its there, but I really dont know if this is a concern or not, just fishing here.