Superlift Torque Max traction bars absorb shake, rattle, roll and axle
hop
Power doesn’t always take the most direct route to the ground. Particularly
in modern diesel trucks, hard acceleration can cause torque shock that makes the
rear pinion pivot upward. Leaf Springs can deform from the axle rotation. Lift-kit Leaf
Springs make the problem worse—they become longer as the spring compresses. Driveline
components are stressed, and traction is lost as the rear axle chatters and
hops.
Traction bars are the traditional fix for this problem. In fact,
they used to be a favorite creation for truck-owning high-schoolers in metal
shop. Traction-bar functionality is a result of proper geometry. Their length
must be matched to the vehicle, and the bars’ arc of travel must compliment the
rear springs’ movement to control the hop.
Superlift’s recent Torque Max Traction Bars
take design to the next level. Rigid bars work well as long as the springs
compress evenly from side to side. But as turning or uneven terrain cause one
side to compress more than the other, rotational force travels through solid
bars to their frame mounts. This weakens the bars’ mounts, the truck’s frame or
both.
Superlift’s Torque Max series is a new twist on the traditional
traction bar. It uses swivel ends to absorb the torsional loads, improving ride
and handling. Greasable fittings for the bushings and swivel joints allow
noise-free operation.
Two models are available. The Torque Max Standard
Series uses a single beam on each side between the rear axle and the truck’s
frame, similar to Superlift’s Original Super-Trac Traction Bars
but adding the swivel ends. The premium Torque Max Select Series incorporates an
additional top brace to each bar plus a gusseted swivel area and a brushed
stainless 3-D-logo dress-up panel.
Superlift recommends the Torque Max
for trucks running 37”-and-taller Tires
and even smaller-tired trucks with rubber-roasting power. Applications are
available for many late-model rigs, and the time-proven Super-Trac models are
still offered for older trucks. The demo here is on a 2005 Powerstroke
F-250.
Proper length and geometry determine how well traction bars control
wheel-hop. Superlift’s Torque Max bars are also engineered to address
torsional loads. |
Before: Acceleration causes the rearend’s pinion to rotate up, the
springs to compress, the bed to lift and the wheels to hop in search of
traction. |
After: The Torque Max Select Series bars keep the rear axle centered in
the wheelwells and retain the pinion angle, transmitting the power to the
ground while absorbing rotational forces that solid traction bars would
transmit to the frame. |
Rear lifts comprised of blocks and add-a-leafs are more prone to
axle-wrap than systems that use entire replacement leafpacks. |
Two Torque Max models are offered: a single-beam Standard Series
version and the Select Series (shown), which includes an overrider beam
and stainless dress-up plate for each bar. |
Installation begins by bolting the rear mounting plates to the axle. On
new Super Dutys, the passenger’s side bracket relocates the e-brake cable
from the stock shock mount. |
Assemble the bushings and grease fittings on the Torque Max bars. For
this 2005 Super Duty, the threaded swivel end is adjusted until the
centerlines of the bushings are 71.5 inches apart. |
Loosely fasten the Torque Max bar to the rear bracket, then attach the
front bracket to the bar to determine the frame-mount location. |
On the driver’s side, the Torque Max’s front bracket uses the gas tank
skidplate bolt for its rear fastener. Position this bolt, clamp the
bracket in place, mark the necessary mounting holes, drill with a 11/32”
bit and secure the bracket with the kit’s fasteners. |
On Torque Max SS (Select Series) models, the stainless dress-up plates
attach with the kit’s stainless hardware. |
Torque all of the hardware to spec and grease the zerk fittings.
Install the opposite side similarly, ensuring that the bushings’
eye-to-eye distance is equal. |
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