Budbuilt Traction Bar Installed

Hey OP, do you have the AAL installed with those Dakars? I have a lil weight in the back of my rig...bed rack and rear plate bumper and usually some sort of crap in the back. Im curious if i could get away with using the AAL and not end up having too much rake. Otherwise im kinda worried i might be a slight bit squatty without the AAL with my extra weight i run around with all the time.

 

I run the Dakars with the extra leaf. IIRC, OME recommends at least 220-ish lbs of constant load to justify using them. They did raise the back end of my truck at least another inch, and that's with a rear bumper, slider, canopy and roof rack. But I tow and haul stuff all the time, so it works out awesome. I don't mind a little rake. Plus, I can always crank up the coilovers a little but more to level it out. Still ride great. A little firmer, but not harsh at all.

 

Just curious bt are you a second gen? Do you have the weld on version or the bolt on version? And are you lifted? I honestly have to say my setup is doing a fine job of eliminated my axle wrap. It helped so much that my driveshaft is no longer eating the hell out of my support bearing. I'm not sure about the second gen crossmembers if they are built the same as the first gens (beefyness). I now wish I would have tried it first without the support brackets to see if there was any movement to begin with lol. But at the end of the day honestly you can never go wrong with add support.

 

I do not have the AAL installed. The best thing you can do is take measurments at the front fender well to tire and rear fender well to tire and compare. The Dakers will net you 2-1/4 in of lift. I'm not sure what the AAL will add to that number. You will be surprised how much weight the Dakers will take before you see squating. And if it's not enough you can always add the AAL later.

 

It appears that you are approaching a year since installing the BudBuilt Trac-Bar. Have any lasting impressions or concerns?

 

No concerns at all. One of the best mods I ever did. I recommend it for those who are regeared or lifted. I wouldn't trust the kit that is the bolt on version. Do the weld on. It's cheaper and no disassembly required.

 

I've been sitting on mine over two years- it won't come close to clearing the OEM exhaust and I don't want to go aftermarket and get any louder...

 

Are you a v6 or 4cyl? Are you lifted? I got lucky there. I'm a 4cyl which makes my muffler round, not oval like the v6 engines. Even with a round muffler my tracbar is pretty close and the only time they hit is if I have about 600lbs in the bed. The lift kit does help with clearance as well. My remedy for this is th o take it to a muffler shop and have them weld in new exhaust hangers that will pull the muffler away from the tracbar. I'm actually going to have that done shortly along with relocating my tailpipe above the leaf springs instead of under it. I just put a new OME factory exhaust on and I'll be damned to go to something different and louder

 

Want to sell it?

 

Yep, v6 and lifted with wheelers 3 leaf AAL. Even a hanger mod won't fix this for me-- maybe cutting the pipes, adding some bends, rotate the muffler a little etc- stuff even a hack exhaust shop could do cheap but I've been forgetful/lazy.

That or I've been looking at walker dynomax, there must be smaller but still quiet solutions- or maybe even just some things in series that compliment each other vs. the OE approach is one big muffler. I've managed to make my IS300's 3" turbo exhaust quiet, just lazy on doing an exhaust build for the truck and I don't want an ounce more noise, or a ft lb less low end torque...

I already have the rear bracket installed-- and I have ample axle rap I really want to get rid of. That and I don't want to take a loss on something that is essentially brand new.

 

Maybe add a small resonator after the muffler?

 

I have an IS300 resonator doing nothing- maybe cut that plus a walker.

 

Thanks for looping back and updating. I keep looking at your original install pics and can't really figure out which parts have to be welded. Would you mind elaborating on that?

 

The bracket that is mounted on the axle housing. See post #7.

 

Yeah, I read his description. Was hoping he would have some pics of that axle bracket and the welds themselves. To me, it looks mighty close to the bolts of the third member.

 

The bracket itself has two holes in the center. So you weld the two holes in to the axle housing, then weld around the open sides. Which is the top, bottom, the one open side and what you can access next to the third member. You want to get it as close to the third member as you can. I have a little less the a 1/4". Just enough room to be able to remove the third if need be. The bolts go on the outside and install the nuts on the third member side. I hope this makes sense. All in all don't worry about not having enough room. The bracket can be mounted as low, high and close to the third member as you want

 

043RZ,
I just received this weld-on kit from BudBuilt. There are no instructions in the package which one really won't need but there is a measurement I'd like if possible:
In relation to the bottom of the axle tube, what is the bottom height of the bracket?
Also, does the elongated hole mount up or down.
Lastly, the bushings I received don't appear to be correct for this kit. Your thoughts?

Thanks.

 

Those bushings look correct to me, they may have been shipped weirdly but flip the 2 halves and they look like they will fit nicely in the eyes

 

I tried as that's what I though too.
They do not come apart from what I can see. I can always pull the sleeve and cut them in half on a band saw if needed.

Thanks for the reply.

 

Congrats on pulling the trigger on this purchase. It's honestly one of the best mods if done, along with the steering shaft weld and gear swap. You will be happy once installed.

Ok so those bushings are correct. They shipped them together like that. Grab the bushings and pull them apart and you will have two halves that will slip in both sides of the eyes on the adjustment bars.

As far as the bracket that welds to the axle housing. The oblong hole mounts up. This kit is completely universal and you can weld this bracket in as low or high as you want. However my suggestion is to find a happy medium. You don't want the bracket too low past the axle housing as it will snag on things when off road. I chose to mount it as high as I could while still leaving enough material to weld to. Those holes on the backside of the bracket (the side that mounts to the axle housing) are ment to be filled in with welding on to the axle. Then you weld both sides of the bracket to the housing. Now look at the first photo I posted and zoom in to the left of the bracket... look at the axle housing... do you see a horizontal weld? This weld is on both sides of the axle housing and is put there from factory. Take the bracket and try to mount is flush to the axle housing. You will see that this weld I'm talking about is preventing the bracket to sit flush on the axle housing. My solution.... once you decide where you want to mount the bracket, take a metal cut off wheel and notch the bracket so that this axle housing weld will sit in flush to the bracket. Do not grind the weld on the axle housing flush.

If you have any question pm me. Or call bud from BudBuilt. He was very helpful.