Traction Bars

[silverspeed03]

Is anyone making traction bars for the MS3?

 

[stefano18]

I really hope they are!!!

 

[silverspeed03]

Me too. It seems like a no brainer.

 

[Haltech]

Im kinda curious how those work with fwd.. Anyone got links to these things for other cars?

 

[ill_eagle94]

I've seen them for Civics and Foci. Lakewood makes them.

Focus

Civic

http://www.lakewoodindustries.com/ProductsListByMinID.aspx?BrandID=5&majID=156&selection=2

 

[Haltech]

What a trip.. Hmmm... Since they are pre-loaded on the car, how does it drive on the street?

 

[Albone]

I had them on my SRT4 and made a world of difference.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

so now it needs to be asked - will those focus ones fit the 3?

 

[silverspeed03]

Well it looks like PT is going to make some

http://**********************/index.php?topic=102183.0

 

[numbnuts22715]

Well it looks like PT is going to make some

http://**********************/index.php?topic=102183.0

link doesnt work. can you put spaces in the url or something so it will show us where to go?
traction bars really could help a lot

 

[Andrade08]

I'm in for a set for sure. I had 58" Long bars on my Lightning and they ROCKED!! I know the FWD will be different but leverage is needed here.
You know what I am talking about right Haltech? Even with the SU motor mount I get wheel hop and unwanted tire spin.

 

[silverspeed03]

It's on the "other forum", PT-Performance is making them.

 

[Falconx84]

here's a link to it for those too lazy to fill in mazda 3 forums, lol
http://tinyurl.com/2mh2s4

Although with PT on it, I wouldn't hold my breath. They've promised a lot of products and built interest but nothing's happened

 

[Haltech]

I'm in for a set for sure. I had 58" Long bars on my Lightning and they ROCKED!! I know the FWD will be different but leverage is needed here.
You know what I am talking about right Haltech? Even with the SU motor mount I get wheel hop and unwanted tire spin.

Yup, i sure do. I have custom stainless 72" on the truck.. i have mine preloaded so much, that i crack a bracket every 2 years, but... i get a consistant 1.42 60'ft time with em. I just want to know how driving around the street with FWD ones would be like.

 

[Kurt07]

I haven't thought about traction bars since my truck. They do make a world of difference. I would not have thought of these for a FWD application.

 

[GhostMercury]

would these bars not allow for a front sway bar? and would they help cornering at all, or is it more of a pick one...twisties, or strait line, not both

 

[enganear]

The effectiveness of traction bars will depend on how they address the source of the displacement that allows the tire to store energy while hooked up and then release as "hop". All of the torque seen at the wheels on a FWD car is taken through the Power unit (engine & transmission) mounts. The source of the windup displacement can also be in deflection of the lower suspension control arms which do not see any torque, but do see forces resulting from traction resulting from applied torque. This displacement can be traced to deflection of the control arms or more likely the rubber bushings used to limit NVH. I am assuming the FWD traction traction bars limit this displacement with rigid links and spherical rod ends. As long as the geometry does not allow binding and NVH transmitted to the body is not excessive, this should be a good thing although, it may be possible to accomplish the same goal with stiffer suspension bushings. See the attached illustration and look at the huge, presumably soft rear bushing. These bushings are integral to the control arm, but it may be possible to destructively disassemble and replace the rubber with a harder material like urethane or preferably Delrin (generic = acetal). It is my guess that if you took a high speed video of MS3 wheel hop, you would see considerable for and aft motion of the wheel relative to the body.

This is not at all the same as traction bars applied to a solid rear axle which address windup due to torque, not suspension deflection due to traction forces. The FWD equivalent to this would be a torque arm mounted the the engine/transaxle assembly that limited its torque related displacement.

The lower control arms appear to be the same for 3 and MS3. Maybe I could pick up a couple used control arms from a wrecking yard and see is a bushing mod is possible. It sounds like there would potentially be a market for a short run of stiff bushing parts if they eliminated hop due to deflection (would also improve handling).

Is anyone parting out a 3 or MS3?
-enganear

 

[Focus]

Nice!

 

[GhostMercury]

would these bars not allow for a front sway bar? and would they help cornering at all, or is it more of a pick one...twisties, or strait line, not both

still wondering about this

 

[winniep]

I had them on my SRT4 and made a world of difference.

SRT-4 bars are a MUST if you do alot of drag racing........... added with some LCA bushings and solid mounts = no wheel hop.