When you raise the suspension on your truck, you leave yourself vulnerable to a few potential problems. Along with benefits such as extra ground clearance, improved off-road performance and traction, and increased road feel, you run the risk of axle wrap and wheel hop. Luckily, traction bars can help! Here’s how to choose the right length traction bar.

What Is Axle Wrap?

Vehicles with leaf springs may experience axle wrap when under heavy load or when they accelerate (or decelerate) very quickly. In this instance, the rear axle housing tries to rotate around your axles while your tires grip the surface of the road. This causes your axle to rotate into your leaf springs, causing a “wrapping” effect.

Over time, or in extreme cases, this leads to your rear springs breaking, and can even cause your back quarter panels to bend.

What Is Wheel Hop?

If you try accelerating quickly and your wheels can’t get a grip, you could feel the back half of your car violently hop or jump. This is because your wheels are trying to spin too quickly while attempting to find traction. This phenomenon is very stressful for your chassis, but a traction bar can help reduce the potential damage significantly.

How Much Flex Do You Want?

When deciding what length traction bar to go with, the key consideration is how much flex you want your chassis to experience. While some people think “the longer, the better,” others suggest that shorter bars are more effective. Because traction bars are designed to prevent too much motion, longer bars that provide more flex don’t completely solve the problem.

Based on the size of your chassis, you’ll want to find a bar long enough that it allows for a full range of motion with no binding, but short enough that it transmits power to the ground.

Now that you know how to choose the right length traction bar, consider investing in a high-quality Integra traction bar for your truck.