Has anyone installed a Budbuilt traction bar lately?

I've just learned about axle wrap lately and am a little concerned because of the heavy towing I do. I did a little research and found the Budbuilt seems to be the best fit for the truck. There are also some older threads on here about them that pointed out a few issues.
I like the idea of the 8.4 bolt on model so it can be removed. One problem that was mentioned was clearance from the muffler and another was the length to the front mount being to short.
Have some of you mounted them with great success and happiness?

 

@White lightning boosted

 

i have a weld on version. no regrets thus far. by making a sturdy weld on the 3rd member i feel its the strongest. have a good fabricator available, unless you feel good about doing it.

 

Are you U bolt flipped?

Dakars and Timbren U-Bolt flip kit took away pretty much all my axle wrap without having to add another link.

 

yes. the flip helped, so did the hammer hangers, and springs. im dealing with far above stock toyota hp too. everything helps.

 

Far above? What supporting mods you got to the S/C? Thought they only added like 50hp.

 

Don't bother.


with the one I bought...Not even close to bolt on at the frame. And ABSOLUTELY no way I'd use 3rd member bolts for a bracket at the axle housing

I paid for a nice powder coated weld on an regret the purchase 100%, there's a reason why it's not on my truck and sold to someone else long ago (I was very up front why I got rid of it). Oem cross member where it "bolts" too is so weak you can flex it with your hands.

 

This .

 

i had the weld-on and it tore a hole in my axle housing.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/crazy-leak-from-the-rear-end-overnight.548948/

the bar itself is ok although unnecessarily heavy, but the weld-on bracket is a bad joke, and it looks like there are bad opinions of the bolt-on as well. i considered a custom gusseted bracket solution, but in the end went with rear end suspension tuning and throttle improvements and I'm much happier with it. a well integrated bar would be nice though.

 

Thanks guys! By the sounds of things, I will be reconsidering this install. Not sure what might be a better way to go.

 

use the same concept but just different connecting points. I have a welded bracket to the axle not using the third member and made another cross member, then triangulated with simple rectangular steel to the frame. Use all the same connecting geometry and linkages and joints like the bud built.

 

I've seen "anti-wrap leafs" which are like half a leaf that only go forward so they don't really add lift but do counteract the torsion, also I have hear a shock relocation where both shocks are on the front of the axle such as @ARCHIVE garage's help counter wrap as well.

The only other proven solution is (and since you're towing anyway the extra weight capacity ain't a bad thing) Chevy 63" leaf swap.

 

I have added two more leaf springs per side to prevent tongue load squat. This was done at a spring shop.

 

s/c adds a claimed 69hp. mine along with many other supporting mods puts the drivetrain under far more stress than toyota designed it for. i agree with the other posts here. the front mount is rather weird. without further strengthening to that point it is vunerable to flex. the welded bracket to my 3rd member is very, very thorough. im confident in that. the bolt on version im not ok with. im sure there are better designs but this works fine for me. if it was going to break i would have done it by now. 12psi of boost launching on 35's spinning no problem.

 

Although I have no S/C, when taking off with a 6000lb load of timbers and often as much as a 1000lbs of tongue load, I’m still able to break traction as low as 1500 rpm. That’s got to be causing some serious axle wrap.

 

could very well be. ive also got a 6" lift. thats part of why i have one. i can break traction at freeway speed with a trutrac rear end. noticable change with the bar. like a limiting strap with longer travel suspension. it helps.

 

look into aftermarket spring hangers for the rear end. the stock ones flex quite a bit. regardless of your choice of springs your suspension will be much more solid.

 

If you are concerned about towing with heavy weight which rivals the recommended maximums, I hate to say it, but you may want to consider a full size truck.

As for this truck, the best thing you can do to avoid axle wrap is to upgrade to an HD spring pack in the rear or add a HD AAL minpack to bring you up to 7 leafs per side.

This also. There is some work involved in doing this,and I haven't done it personally yet despite having them in my garage ready to go but I can see where they will benefit the rear end immensely.

 

Got pics of modded leaf packs? When you increase the arch of the upper leaves, it creates an open void to the negatively arched overload/thick leaf, which may open you up to more axle wrap.
I know I put a flat leave between uppers and overload on stock 3+1 and it pretty much eliminated unloaded axle wrap, stock packs definitely have axle wrap unloaded. Then loading it should mash it all together for further resistance to wrap