Editing Suspension: designs, shapes, sizes (section)
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====Traction bars==== Usually a single bar with one end attached to the U-bolts holding the differential housing to the leaf springs and the other end attached to a bracket attached to the front spring eye. The idea of this arrangement is to prevent leaf spring "wind-up" and resultant wheel hop on acceleration. When power is applied to the pinion, it attempts to climb the ring gear in the differential housing. This rotates the differential housing, changing the pinion angle in relation to the vehicle and also twists the leaf spring into an "S" shape. The spring will only twist so far, then will attempt to unwind in the other direction, then wrap up again, then unwind again, etc., etc. This wrap-unwrap of the spring results in wheel hop and upsets traction of the tire. It's that chirp-chirp-chirp-chirp sound you hear from the tires as they bounce up and down upon acceleration from a stop. Another style of traction bar anchors the bar at the spring like the aforementioned bar, but has no connection at the front. Instead, the front of the bar is fitted with a large egg-shaped rubber bumper that comes up against the bottom of the leaf spring when the spring tries to wrap. At rest, the bumper is adjusted so that is is just a fraction of an inch off the bottom of the spring on each side of the car. This arrangement should be the same length as the spring section and the rubber snubber should make contact at the front spring eye to be most effective.
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