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Old 09-15-2015, 08:53 AM   #1
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Trac bar question

Good Morning a newbie here both to this forum and MH.. I have been reading about installing TC bars on the F53 chassis. I understand how Trac Bars work particularly on coil spring vehicles. How do they not bind with the leaf springs as the suspension moves and the TC bars move through an arc don't they create stress against the leaf springs.
My motor home has a terrible road walk or wander and I have been searching for cures. So far I have lowered the Air Pressure to 70 psi, installed new Monroe Gas Magnum shocks, and had the toe in set, Going to move sway bar arms this weekend. All the steering components are tight and no movement in springs, SB bushings good.
Thank You for any help and I know the TB item has been beat to death but I don't understand the benefit.
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Old 09-15-2015, 05:26 PM   #2
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Take a look at "Ford Chassis" group here on the iRV2 Forum. More info than you could ever hope for.
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Old 09-15-2015, 05:58 PM   #3
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Added rear track bar to our F53. Went from poor to good handling.
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Old 09-15-2015, 06:57 PM   #4
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Recent year F53's already a track bar, right from the factory.
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Old 09-16-2015, 05:12 AM   #5
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Thanks for the reference will check it out
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Old 09-16-2015, 05:57 AM   #6
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On our 1999 F-53, I put trac bars on the front and rear and was very happy with the results.
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Old 09-16-2015, 06:13 AM   #7
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1/2 correct information on the F53 TB. Ford only recently put a TB on the front from the factory. Check out the DIY TB build on the F-53 chassis forum. It's a thread started by me and has all the information you'll need to make one or have one made for you.


This one is on the rear TB
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/track...lt-242761.html

This one is on the front TB
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/f53-f...iy-254554.html

Mine has been on for 10,000 miles with no issues and it works. The idea of the arc is discussed some. Yes it is an issue but if you can make your swing arm close to 27" the amount of side to side movement is minimal and not a great concern.

TeJay
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Old 09-16-2015, 08:02 AM   #8
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Trac-bars on leaf spring vehicles are not new and they are most definitely a helpful addition to most if not all vehicles. Ford, International and Jeep have used them on both front and rear axle applications. The length of the springs combined with the rubber mounting bushings allows quite a bit of side to side deflection that a track bar greatly reduces, therefore making a more easily controlled vehicle.
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Old 09-16-2015, 08:27 AM   #9
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I knew TJay would see this maybe you can make your own
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Old 09-16-2015, 09:45 AM   #10
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Quote:
Ford only recently put a TB on the front from the factory.
Not so "recently". The factory track bar became standard in 2006, on all F53's except the little 15,700 lb GVWR model.

https://www.fleet.ford.com/truckbbas...essd_06mhc.pdf
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Old 09-16-2015, 01:53 PM   #11
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Before considering a track bar, you may consider doing the Cheep Handling Fix (CHF). As others mentioned, there is a very active group on the Ford chassis.

As for the track bar, a 24 inch track bar will move the rear axle 3/16 inch sideways as the axle travels 4 inches vertically. A longer track bar would cause less side to side movement
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Old 09-17-2015, 05:20 AM   #12
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TeJay
Thanks for the clarification,
I plan on adding the trac bars when I have time to fabricate them, in the next couple of weeks, have a trip to the mountains coming up soon. (have a fairly good workshop welders, torch, most of the toys). Where will I get the most improvement install Safe T steer stabilizer or the trac bars. Right now I have neither. Will do both but only had this thing 3 weeks.
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Old 09-17-2015, 06:48 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Waiter21 View Post

As for the track bar, a 24 inch track bar will move the rear axle 3/16 inch sideways as the axle travels 4 inches vertically. A longer track bar would cause less side to side movement
Actually, in your pictured case, the movement would be just over a 1/16th.

(24^2-2^2)^.5 = 23.917 or .0835" shorter (1/16th = .0625").

Ol' Pythagorus...as my 9th grade geometry teacher said over and over.

And front track bars started appearing in '04. Mine has one.
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Old 09-17-2015, 07:29 AM   #14
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Mopar Poor,
The greatest improvements have always come with the CHF. Suspension improvements work together as a package. Every change helps in many ways. TB's help with the side to side twisting of the coach on the frame. SB's (CHF) adjustable SB's help with the sway control and adjustments. The last few pages of the CHF thread deal with adjustable front plates which allow tuning your rig for the best sway control while keeping the SB level. If I'm going to do the CHF that's the way I'd do it. Once I figure out exactly where I want my sway control it probably won't change but since theses rigs are so different by weight, loading, length etc. it's a guess exactly how much control one needs. With the adjustable set up you can make the decisions fairly easy. It takes me about 6 minutes to change mine.

The
Safety Steer is to help with control in the advent of a front tire blow out. Yes it will help some with straight ahead steering but still the CHF show the greatest immediate improvement.

TeJay
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