Projects Do i need Traction bars

Hi, my current project is fitting a Mopar small block with automatic overdrive trans and limited slip diff into a Studebaker Lark, i will be getting the rear springs remade and look at upgrading as the Lark springs look flimsy so is it worth fitting traction bars.
I don't intend tuning past 250hp with torque under 400 lb-ft but would like to put my foot into it every now and then but i am assuming traction bars and other similar modifications are for high HP/torque motors.

 

I would say that if you have to ask you probably don't need them.

 

Tell us about what driving you will do. How often will you take the car to the drag strip to race?

 

You can always add them at a later date if you experience spring wrap up, it'll be evident if you need them WHEN you need them.

 

I won't be doing any racing as just building a hot cruiser, as the mopar will surpass the HP of a Stude V8 i thought best look at improving the rear leafs. If i like the car when finished i may tune some more but then i would also look at upgrading the suspension.

 

You won't need traction bars.
But if you do some spirited driving, simply add another 1/2 leaf too the top of your springs and clamp it at the front.
This will control some axle torque [which isn't that much] without affecting ride quality.

 

I put a big motor in my 55 Commander Coupe and would wrap the spring really bad. I ended up adding Helper springs tot he front half of the leaf, worked great. I wanted to make Cal-Track bars but the front pocket is really tight and low on the Studie Good Luck

 

I had a bad wheel hop on the 1-2 shift and not as bad on the 2-3 shift. Changed the rear springs and got a little improvement. Put some cheap Summit traction bars on and it is much better. With an automatic you likely don't need them.

 

You may not need them, but they will look cool non the less!!

 

Yep, probably not needed. but if you want to add them for looks go for it. I have a set that are more for looks than function. I like them.

 

When we bought our 57 Chevy in 77 there was a set of the yellow traction bars in the trunk, I don't remember the brand. The car was blue so I painted the bars white and put them on. I always thought it looked good like that, just a bit of a rake to it. But they were just for looks, it didn't need them!

 

Get the springs upgraded then drive it. If you need traction bars that can be added later. Unless you are doing any serious racing you should not need anything more than a bolt on traction bar.
¿entiéndeme?

 

When I was in HS the answer to that question was always YES! You need traction bars! They had a barrel of them next to the glasspacks at Radkes in North Portland. It was like a peanut machine next to the door, grab a handful on yer way out.

 

I can top that Billy.
When I was about 17 and long before I had money to spend at Radkes (ultimately spent lots of $$$ there), I had a friend help me build a set of slapper style traction bars for my 57 Chevy.
If I remember right, I went to Exhaust Specialities in Beaverton and took measurements off a set of their Lakewood display traction bars, even found some rubber snubbers at the hardware store that looked just like Lakewoods.
I painted them yellow and even cut out Lakewood logos from Hot Rod magazine ads and glued them on, they were dead on, I think I spent all of ten bucks on them.

 

A simple set of "slapper" bars will do what you need to do and they are so simple you can build them yourself. They bolt on with the four nuts where your spring bolts to the rear end and they project forward to a contact point just short of the front spring eye. I made mine from old spring plates with a 3/8" plate instead of the box tube.

 

Traction bars work but they are ugly add-ons in a lot of cases. It's not the best look for a "cruiser".
But if you are going for that "I just left the drag strip a moment ago" look, then it's not ugly at all. It's part of the overall theme that works with the rest.
I agree with the comments that you might not need them. I don't haunt the drag strip anymore like I did in my salad days, looking for every hundredth of a second. These days I tend to pull away from a full stop fairly briskly in first and not really stick my foot into the carb until I hit second. It's a little more under the radar for my end of town but just as much fun.

 

At one time Traction Masters brand were considered the "state of the art" traction aid unless you happened into the altered type drag categories.
I would think these would be a good choice for "spirited" street driving while maintaining a low profile and not having to worry about ground clearance issues.
The brand was out of circulation for many years but available again, not that hard to make either.

May find some inspiration here:
https://forum.studebakerdriversclub...cific-discussion/29843-need-for-traction-bars

 

I like the look of traction master style bars on any leaf spring car whether you need them or not.
One of my friends made his own for a 57 Chevrolet. They did not have the clamp on front but thru bolts on the spring eye. The only part welded were the two wings on the back on the plates and my dad let us use his oxy/acetylene torch to weld them. He taught us both how to weld the 3/16” plate and we drilled all the holes on one of his drill presses. As I remember the flat stock was 1-1/4” wide 3/16” thick and the round tubing was 3/4”. At the time TM’s were $30 and we did it for less and had the learning experience. We were both 16..

 

Since you are going Mopar why don't you look at some Mopar springs.
Since you are having some springs made just have them add a leaf to the front of the springs then clamp them . Should be more than enough . Helps with your sleeper look not to have traction bars.

 

67 SS Camaros had it half right.

 

try adding spring clamps to the front of springs. will help with spring wrap up.

 

Yep, spring clamps. I like the comment on adding half a leaf, with clamps.
Your question was based on the springs on your Stude Lark "look flimsy" maybe see how it drives and add a leaf if needed.

I spent a large amount of time one summer disassembling and reclamping 69 camaro multi leafs. Ended up with an one less leaf on drivers rear, mix of camaro and truck leafs, and different clamp locations on each spring. That with comp engr traction bars set at different heights. The car launched hard, straight, consistent on the street and cut my 60ft time at the track.

 

Lakewoods.....

 

Some info that's of no use to the initial question. Over here we aren't allowed to have them on a street car, I think because they usually are lower than the scrub line.

 

Before I left my job, I printed out my dimensioned Caltrac CAD drawings. Total DIY, I even have a parts list for everything I need.

 

Since we are talking about a Stude, I'm surprised nobody has suggested Avanti style traction bars. They do require welding a bracket to your axle and to your frame, but you are swapping the axle so you an do that before install. The pic below is from one of the Stude parts suppliers. I couldn't fins any better pics. These are available from a couple of sources.

 

Never seen the avanti style bars, I like it.

Caltracs are awesome, best leaf spring traction bar out there.

 

Ford also did this on the English Cortina Mk1 GT




Shelby also did something similar on the GT 350 R [called traction override bars]

They control the Forward Thrust from the axle centreline [the real problem] whereas Lakewood style bars only control pinion torque reaction.
Pinion Torque Reaction is less than Forward Thrust due to crown and pinion ratios.

Forward Thrust tries to shorten the wheelbase, and when combined with Pinion Torque Reaction the spring will "S" shape itself.

 

The axle i'm using was coil sprung so has some control arms attached to the top like in the drawing but i doubt they would line up with the chassis so will probable cut them off when i shorten the axle.

 

So from reading all the comments i will leave the idea of traction bars behind and get the springs remade more robust as i don't want any unnecessary add ons, i'll see what the spring maker advises about helper leafs if its worth incorporating them into the build. Also now realized traction bars are not a common sale item here in Europe but i guess this is due to the fact that unlike on your side of the pond there's not a always big V8 within spitting distance waiting to be tuned. Cheers for the input.