Vintage Traction Bars
 

I picked up a set of old leaf spring traction bars for a first geeneration Camaro. I believe they are the original design lakewood slapper bars. They are made from 2 1/2" square tube and the rear of the bar extends past the rear axle. They also have u-bolts in front of and behind the axle. The two bars appear to be a matched set. However one bar is 2" longer (in front of the axle). Would anyone know the reason for this? Thanks for any help.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Should be the same length I believe. I had a vintage set in 1970 and they were the thickness you said but the same length. Any pictures? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/dunno.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Do they have the U bolts or the ones shaped like a J? The J shaped ones are the Jenkins designed Lakewood bars where you can preload the rear...

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I have the same set on my '69 - both bars are almost 32" long

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Pictures

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

picture2

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Picture 3 and thanks for the help.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

picture 3.......try again

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Bill - It appears you have 2 different driver side bars. The shock mount would be on the other side of the bar for a passenger side application.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I agree, 2 different bars. Here is a set I recently bought that accept the J-bolts but do not have the rear u-bolt support. I have another set identical to these that have the rear u-bolt support and the triangle underneath for the j-bolts.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/IM002262.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/IM002263.jpg


Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

[ QUOTE ]
Bill - It appears you have 2 different driver side bars. The shock mount would be on the other side of the bar for a passenger side application.

[/ QUOTE ] Glen, I have another set of these and they also have the same shock mount locations, however the second set is of equal length.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Was one bar cut down? Also some bars where for mono leaf and multi leaf.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Sam, It doesn't look like one was cut down, also they are weathered the same so I think they are a matched set. However, this stuff is close to 40 years old so who knows. I just want to figure out if these are supposed to be this way before I take 2 inches off the longer. These are very hard to find so I don't want to mess them up.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Here are a few pictures of mine still on my car.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC24.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC25.jpg

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Bill - Here are a couple shots of the Lakewood bars on my car. These work very well, I'm running 10 sec
times with a 28 X 10 tire.
As you can see the shock mounts on the outside of the frame rail, so the shock mount bracket also needs
to be on the outside.
I don't know the length of your bars - mine are 32" - if I were to cut mine down that would place the snubber
in the wrong location.
(Don't mind the dirt and cobwebs it's been a long winter!)
Hope this helps - Glenn

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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/apr08032.jpg
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/apr08030.jpg
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/apr08028.jpg
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/apr08027.jpg
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Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Sooo, ummm, how does the cat help with traction??? https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Glen
Nice pictures Thanks
PJ

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Thank you for all the help. I am going to try to pick up some old speed equipment catalogs on Ebay and will post photos of what I find regarding traction bars.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Hear is a set with J bolts and front spring clamps to preload the bars, I am about to
to eBay these, I think they are Lakewood’s. I had them on my Camaro and “They work Great”

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5.../56VERT002.jpg

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

[ QUOTE ]
Bill - It appears you have 2 different driver side bars. The shock mount would be on the other side of the bar for a passenger side application.

[/ QUOTE ]

I kept thinking about this and just now looking at the last post I remembered one shock is mounted on the front and the other on the rear (I believe the passenger gets the front mount) so they actually will work but that still doesn't answer the question about the difference in length.

Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I still don't see how you can say that - look at the pictures of my car.
The first 2 are the drivers side - the shock is mounted on the outboard (left) side of the bar.
The second 2 are the passenger side - the shock is mounted again on the outboard (right) side.
Look at Bill's attachment - picture 2 - both bars have the shock mount on the left side.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...s/confused.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

The driver side uses the back outside hole on the traction bar and the passenger side uses the outside front mount for its shock. One shock is forward of the axle and the other is rearward of the axle.

Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

[ QUOTE ]
Here are a few pictures of mine still on my car.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC24.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC25.jpg

[/ QUOTE ] Stop showing them Mark you are killin me! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/mad.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/mad.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

https://www.yenko.net/attachments/334971-small2.jpg

They are like the ones on the Black Z...
Check them out... Both bars are identical... and able to be swapped from right to left. They have all mounting positions covered.
http://www.crossroadspaper.com/072.jpg

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Here are a few pictures of mine still on my car.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC24.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y29...20Car/RC25.jpg

[/ QUOTE ] Stop showing them Mark you are killin me! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/mad.gif https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...emlins/mad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok Sammy, next time come over to the house and you can see them in person... https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/beers.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Maybe I'm not getting it - but - aren't the shock mounts both on the left side of the bars?
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...photos/1-6.jpg
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Now if you bolt both those bars up - won't the shock mount be over here?
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...photos/2-4.jpg

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Yes they are ... however if you look on the front side of the axle plate there is a flatstock plate that extends off of both sides... there are holes to mount shocks on both sides of it (one hole on the inside and one on the outside)

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

James, Stop giving away all the secrets!! https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...lins/smirk.gif Only Grump knows for sure. https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/shocked.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q...actionbars.jpg

right side mounts in front of rear, yellow circle https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/hmmm.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Here is an image of a set of Lakewood traction bars I bought
for that day-2 look - if I ever decide to go that route with
one of my Camaro's https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif. After having conversed with a knowledgeable
member here, I believe these to be circa 1969.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong......

Nuch

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...396/5dfe_1.jpg

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I would say 1971-72 and up. Can't tell from here but should they have the J bolts for the mounting? Wider bars are from the 69 era. They also had the flat rubber snubbers and not the bullet shaped I believe. Dave Miller knows more about the time frame of these bars. They look good Nuch!!!https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ins/3gears.gif

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I think I have figured out my problem with these bars - I know in taking the rear in and out of my car that
these were side specific when putting everything back together.
If you look at the shot of the bars Tommy posted, they only have 1 shock provision on each.
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...-%20Thon/m.jpg
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If you look at my bars there are also only 1 shock provision. This is the passenger side of the car.
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...0Thon/M076.jpg
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...0Thon/M077.jpg
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...0Thon/M084.jpg
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This is the inside of the bar on the driver side - no additional mounting bracket.
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http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...0Thon/M080.jpg
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Was there an early series Lakewood bar with only 1 mounting hole, which was then changed to the multiple
bracket setup??

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

I'll bet the bars with only one shock provision weren't for 68 and later Camaros. Probably earlier production and made specifically for 55-57 Chevys and the like.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

[ QUOTE ]
Here is an image of a set of Lakewood traction bars I bought
for that day-2 look - if I ever decide to go that route with
one of my Camaro's https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif. After having conversed with a knowledgeable
member here, I believe these to be circa 1969.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong......

Nuch

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/g...396/5dfe_1.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

The snubbers in the photo are in a different position on each of the bars. Was the postion of the snubber used to somehow load the left or right of the suspension differently? I am still trying to figure out the reason for my different length bars.

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

Bill in the old days, everybody had an idea about suspension set ups. Probably the bars you have were used by a particular owner/racer that thought the set-up was the one he needed. I believe Dog's bars are really more spring stiffners because you can't really preload them as easy. They seem like they are bolted fast. The J bolts help with the preload. JMO

Re: Vintage Traction Bars
 

heres another pic. Front clamps, J-bolts, and rear clamps that aren't being used. There are some other neat things in this photo too https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...mlins/cool.gif



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ars/jbolts.jpg


Tommy https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/imag...ns/burnout.gif