Mufffins for old style adjustable traction bars

Edster · Feb 12, 2009

My Stang has a set of traction bars installed (possibly back in the 60's) that will allow you to adjust the the spring tension by turning a nut. They also have these rubber muffins or bushings that are now worn. I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get these or know of a suitable replace ment. I first thought of strut rod bussings but the tshe strut rods are of a larget diameter. I was wondering if 6 cylindr strut rods were smaller in diameter.
Thanks.

bnickel · Feb 13, 2009

Edster said:
My Stang has a set of traction bars installed (possibly back in the 60's) that will allow you to adjust the the spring tension by turning a nut. They also have these rubber muffins or bushings that are now worn. I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get these or know of a suitable replace ment. I first thought of strut rod bussings but the tshe strut rods are of a larget diameter. I was wondering if 6 cylindr strut rods were smaller in diameter.
Thanks.

can you post a pic, i'm having hard time visualizing this

stonecoldtx · Feb 13, 2009

Edster said:
My Stang has a set of traction bars installed (possibly back in the 60's) that will allow you to adjust the the spring tension by turning a nut. They also have these rubber muffins or bushings that are now worn. I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get these or know of a suitable replace ment. I first thought of strut rod bussings but the tshe strut rods are of a larget diameter. I was wondering if 6 cylindr strut rods were smaller in diameter.
Thanks.

"muffins"? LOL! I thought everybody called them "snubbers"!

Rusty67 · Feb 13, 2009

If these are what I'm thinking they are then you can provably call energy suspension and tell them the measurements on the bushings and they can get you a poly version.

latamud · Feb 13, 2009

If you really wanted to use strut rod bushings you could always drill out the center hole.

Edster · Feb 13, 2009

Strut rod bushing holes are too big as well as the diameter.

I don't have the car here at the moment so I cannot take a picture. They look like the original traction bars that bolt or weld on but the strut passes through the rear mount and looks like the strut rod on the front end. It allows you to adjust the pre-load on the rear leaf springs.

thekid760 · Feb 13, 2009

Is this what your referring to?

20530, Lakewood Suspension, Lakewood Performance, Safety, Bearing, Clutch, Bell Housing and Adapters

latamud · Feb 13, 2009

Edster said:
Strut rod bushing holes are too big as well as the diameter.

I don't have the car here at the moment so I cannot take a picture. They look like the original traction bars that bolt or weld on but the strut passes through the rear mount and looks like the strut rod on the front end. It allows you to adjust the pre-load on the rear leaf springs.

I understand, in that case you could sleeve the rod to take up the extra space of a strut rod bushing.

thekid760 said:
Is this what your referring to?

20530, Lakewood Suspension, Lakewood Performance, Safety, Bearing, Clutch, Bell Housing and Adapters

You really have to invission a strut rod and how it relates to the bushing. Or, even how the end links of a sway bar use the bushing. Like the OP said, looks like a muffin, two ends are sandwiched beteen the mounting hole. Its actually an interesting design for a traction bar.
Something like this:

http://http://www.2carpros.com/first_things/images/strut_rod_bushing.jpg

Edster · Feb 13, 2009

That is what it looks like on the back end of the bar. My Dad told me it was to adjust the preload on the springs. He said it had something to do w/ the effectiveness of the traction bar itself. He also said that you could stagger the setting to help load the right rear tire if you had an open diff. Now the car has limited slip I thought about just using solid spacers as you mentioned although the rubber would dampen the harshness but a soild spacer is better than the slop caused by worn/ no bushing/muffin.

latamud · Feb 13, 2009

Google Image Result for http://www.coolparts.com/thumbnail.php?img=/images/manufacturers/moog/K9511_TOP.jpg

you can probably use any of those or any strut rod bushing. All you need to do is dampen it some with a sandwiched piece of rubber. If you want it to be stiffer use polyurethane. Take the rod to your parts store and tell them you want a strut rod bushing that will fit your rod.

calpolymustang · Feb 18, 2009

If your traction bars look like this, you may want to contact Competition Engineering for parts...

These are the slide-a-links I'm going with on my car.

10secgoal · Feb 18, 2009

Go to autozone and look in the HELP section. You'll find some there. There actually for something else, like a hood or some weird. But they are big enough for what you are talking about. Whether they will work or not....

jspagna1 · Feb 18, 2009

thekid760 said:
Is this what your referring to?

20530, Lakewood Suspension, Lakewood Performance, Safety, Bearing, Clutch, Bell Housing and Adapters

That's what I thought he was talking about too!

latamud · Feb 19, 2009

I think he's talking about the shelby underride traction bars with the eye bushings on both ends. Except one end, instead of an eyelet bushing, has a strut rod type sandwiched bushing.

Crude paint pic

Edster · Feb 20, 2009

latamud, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I might just put in some solid spacers or a stack of washers. It might make for a a little more noise but not as noisy as it is now with the end banging against the mount.
Thanks

latamud · Feb 22, 2009

Edster said:
latamud, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I might just put in some solid spacers or a stack of washers. It might make for a a little more noise but not as noisy as it is now with the end banging against the mount.
Thanks

You could try cutting down what's left of your bushings into rubber washers to go between the steel washers and brackets. It might be less abusive on your suspension. If all you do is put washers in there then you are making it a solid mount traction bar. Imagine a strut rod, but where the bushings go you add steel washers. Now imaging what motion the strut rod goes through as the suspension travels. The bushing has some give to allow the rod to move with the suspension. Without some give the rod will snap or the front frame mount will tear away from the core support.
Imagine how much your rear end moves up and down, side to side and even front to back. You will need some flexibility in that front mounting of your traction bar. Just imagine what will happen to the traction bar when you jack up the car at the frame and let the rear sag down. That's a lot of weight putting pressure on the front mount if you only put big washers in there.

Rusty67 · Feb 22, 2009

take measurements off of the bushings and call energy suspension, I'm sure they will have something for you.

Mufffins for old style adjustable traction bars

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