got my ladder bars on
Well I finally got my ladder bars done and on the truck. I built them at school in shop class. I used .120" thick 1" square tubing. They are 48" long and 10" tall at the back where they mount to the axle. I found a pipe that was 3.5" round and cut it in half, weldin some tabs on the top and bottom so they would match up, drilled some holes in the tabs and welded the one side to the ladder bar, then I put the other half on the other side of the axle so they wrap around the axle. They are just bolted tightly together on to the axle so that the axle doesn't twist inside them. I plan on weldin the back half to the axle so that it doesn't twist for sure, but I just have them on really tight right now and haven't noticed them twisting. I built a shackle where the ladder bar mounts to the frame so that it doesn't bind. I welded a nut on the end and put a heim rod end in it(I actually bought these at a tractor place, they are for a 3 point hitch, but they work great and they were only $10) I put another nut on there to jam it so the heim rod end wouldn't twist. I primed and painted them up and put them on the other day. I really like them! they do help! When I took off from a stop before without ladder bars, I could feel my rear end sink back and down, but now with the ladder bars on, the truck doesn't sink back or down, it just feels level and like your goin straight forward faster. I can't break my tires loose anymore either so I know I'm gettin good traction to the ground. They also help my truck ride a little better, it is stiffer and you don't feel all the little bumps as much, you still feel the big ones, but not the little ones. It is also more stable when taking corners too. I haven't tried them in the mud or towing yet, but I'm sure they will help with that too. I think they look great too! It all cost me under $40 to build them. Here is some pics:
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sorry the truck is a little dirty, haven't had time to clean it, oh and i plan on paintin my axle and everything black this summer when i get some time.
sorry the truck is a little dirty, haven't had time to clean it, oh and i plan on paintin my axle and everything black this summer when i get some time.
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they do look good. but i would have made them longer myself also. but overall they look good.
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Yeah i really like them! they help a lot! I can't wait to do the truck pulls and see how much they help. I pretty much copied the ones from L&L products, except my axle mount is different. They used U bolts and i was thinkin if i used U bolts, the axle would still twist so I came up with this idea to mount them to the axle. And i made a shackle so that is better than a solid mount cuz it will bind. They wanted I think $300 or more for the ladder bars and about $70 for the frame mounts from L&L products so I said forget about that! I'm buildin some! and it cost me less than $40 for all of it. I was very happy. They were easy to build too. They say to make the ladder bars about as long as your driveline and its about the same. The ones on L&L products were 48" long so i made mine 48" long.
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1,177 Posts
Those look good, but your gonna want some longer ones if your gonna be pulling, you should run em up to about the center of the cab right where the frame drops
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yeah i gotta make some for mine now!
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Seems to me that with that shackle in the front of your bars, your axle will still move foward on a hard launch. Correct me if Im wrong, but it can still move the length of the shackle, granted, it might be a little less likely to move, but I think it still will, especially when hooked to the sled. Ill have to get you some pics of the ones I just built and stuck on my 92. Its got just over 500,000 miles on it, pulled the head the otherday to check a few things and it looks brand new inside!!
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626 Posts
I tested these things out in the mud last night and could never get it to hop or anything. I put them to the test. I was climbin hills, goin over rocks, goin through swampy areas and could never get it to hop, so I'm happy with them for now. And I'm not sure how much power my truck makes, I'm pretty sure I'm over at least 240 hp. I run about 26 lbs of boost right now, when it was stock, I ran about 16 to 18 lbs. I got an hy35 with a 9cm housing I will be puttin on soon and see what it does. I need a better torque converter so i can get the power to the ground!
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well there ya go, success!
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