I installed an Avid Traction bar a couple weeks ago. Let the car sit since then until I could get my alignment. Driving it, I noticed it felt kinda loose and squirley. I looked and noticed my toe was way out on one side. So, I assumed that was the problem. Well, I watched the technicians pull the car onto the alignment rack and noticed my wheel moving back and forth, A LOT. I figured if something was loose or missing they would catch it and tell me. After the alignment, I Was driving back home and hit the brakes for a light and hear this rubbing sound. The road I was on, is very busy so I got on the interstate and pulled over at an overpass. I hear the same rubbing but a bit more intensely.

It turns out that during braking, my wheels are shifting backwards, a lot. To the point of rubbing the BACK of the fender well. So,I drove it (VERY carefully) home, about 30 miles. Got home and jacked the front end up, and I was able to push and pull the wheel by hand. Nothing it broken, but the traction bar is flexing at the plates that replace the tow hooks. It appears to me that, that is the only component that has this movement.

Is this a common problem with traction bars? If so, I am removing them. This is not worth my time and effort.

Here's pics of them mounted and the design.






Modified by B16CRXT at 2:21 PM 9/5/2007

 

http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/bf70348.htm

my first thought..

 

Mine too, but I replaced them last year, and I can physically see the traction bar move.

 

I'm curious to know how the traction bar could be flexing at the mounting plates. Are they installed correctly? Is everything bolted up?

Since this is a CRX, I know the car used to have radius rods (since it doesn't have A-shaped lower arms), which I assume you removed to install these traction bars, right?

 

They are/were installed correctly as per Avid's instructions. The new "bars" replaced the radius rods.

I went back out to remove them and put the factory crossmember back on, and come to find out that 3 out of 6 of the bolts that hold the traction bar to the car are loose. Further inspection revealed that the nuts on the other side of the frame that were "welded" in place from the factory have come off. Thus, the loose bolts and all teh flexing. Right now I'm having a hell of a time removing those loose bolts because the nut on the other side just spins with it. I got one of them out, but it took about 10 minutes. I'm debating cutting out the other side of that section so I can access the nuts and maybe tighten them or replace them with lock nuts.

Long story short: to the lazy expletive that did the welding on my frame back in 1990.

 

lol a lazy robot? Because that's probably what welded those nuts, not a human

 

well I know there is a lot of welding done by human hands on vehicles. Especially back then. I work at BMW Manufacturing and they just got rid of a lot of (human) welding in the past couple years.

I took it for a test drive after cutting holes and tightening the bolts as tight as possible. Seems to be better, but when I parked, the wheel still wasn't very center in the well...

 

well those traction bars are going to determine where the wheel sits in the fender well. You should be able to center it more by loosening the jam nuts on each heim joint and adjusting the rods.

 

yea I had teh alignment shop set the caster with them today before I realized the nuts were broken off. But the wheel being center isnt the problem. The wheel moves back and forth. The only solutions are to weld nuts in place or get some nuts with HUGE washers on them, drill holes in them and put extra bolts through teh washers to keep them stationary...I might just sell them. this is becoming more trouble than they are worth to me. Its pretty much a daily driver. Not just a drag/road race queen...

 

 

that has happened on my buddy's EK before we even installed the a traction bar. what i did was pull on the back of the bolt via open end wrench and used a ratchet on the head while pulling back

 

yea, I tried prying the bolt back as I turned the bolt, but it wasnt gonna happen for me more than once. lol. At least by cutting the holes I can make sure they are tight.

 

good luck bro.

let me know if you need anything, or how it goes.

ill pm you my celly just to make sure you have it. all my numbers were lost due to a failure

 

Hey, there B16CRXT. I was just reading your post and was thinking the samething that you had mentioned. On the older model vehicles, the bolts get rusted and the tac welds tend to break off. This may have caused it to loosen up and then created play. I also see that you have replaced the nuts with some new ones. That should do the trick, but if it doesn't... Don't hestitate to PM me or call in direct at our toll free 1-866-507-2843.

If you want I could send you some nylon lock nuts... Just let me know. Take care.

 

the nuts in the picture are the oem ones that the tacs broke off on. I did buy some new nuts and lock washers. It helped but the suspension still taveled a noticeable amount. Especially when braking. So, for now I am back on the stock xmember until I find a way/time to weld something in there for permanent strength.