rear "trac-bar" with airbags?

j-d wrote:
I had trouble with was getting the driver side frame rail clamp to line up with the track bar.

Yeah, I can see that happening.

Knowing Henderson's they'd still help you. It's been a few years, but what I recall I had trouble with was getting the driver side frame rail clamp to line up with the track bar. I think there's a cross member forward of where the clamp goes, and Ralph told me to use a hammer and drive the clamp forward till it was solid against that cross member.

And.. be sure not to pinch anything behind that clamp.

j-d wrote:
Get it from SS/Henderson and you can call them for help.

I ended up ordering it on Amazon. Supersteer charges so much for shipping, like 140 bucks. I hope this isn't a penny-wise/pound-foolish moment.

Henderson IS Super Steer and Super Steer IS Henderson. If John says it'll work it'll work. This is a time you may not want to save a few dollars. Get it from SS/Henderson and you can call them for help.

I met John and it was in the Super Steer part of the Henderson complex there in Grants Pass. John told me he spends a couple hours a day answering inquiries.

Okay, so I talked to the guys at eTrailer and they said that they were not aware of any trac-bars that work with an air-bag equipped E450. Similarly, the guys at hitchfinder.com sent me this message:

I’m sorry but I am not aware of a Track Bar that will work with air bags.
We are an independent online dealer for Blue Ox products, you may want to check with Blue Ox directly to see if any modifications can be made to install a Track Bar. You can contact them at www.blueox.com <> or 800-228-9289.

Thank you.

Les Narum
Customer Service Representative
Hitchfinder.com stores

However, John Henderson at SuperSteer was short and sweet:

Andrew, the SS450 trac bar will work with rear air bags.
Thank you.

So, clearly it depends on the brand. I have a few emails/calls in to other vendors but for now my money is on SuperSteer. Plus, they were very polite and professional on the phone. That's a plus in my book.

EDITED for bad typing

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
You might take a look at this site. Might get some ideas from it if you are going to DIY.

http://oemys-performance.com/diytracbar.htm

Wow - those are some great projects. This really makes me wonder why the commercial trac bars can run as high as 600 bucks.

I have a SuperSteer SS450 rear trac bar. Since I flat tow a car, it takes the tail wag out of the rear end.

Hey Deprived!

Remember, the "402" Blue Ox bar for E350 and early E450, AND, the "450" for later model E450's are BOTH NOT bolted to the pumpkin. The webpages linked above show a "typical" track bar. 402 attaches to the passenger side shock absorber mount. 450 attaches to the passenger side sway bar bracket. Because adding the 450 bracket to one side would put a twist on the sway bar, there's a corresponding spacer for the driver side bracket. I think I could have used a 450 on our earlier E450 that calls for 402, unless those sway bar brackets are different and they well could be.

My guess is that the interference with air bags is with only the driver side, where the Frame Bracket clamps over the Chassis Rail. That bracket is the brains of the track bar. I looked at the OEMYS stuff too, and the tightness up there dictates welding since there isn't room to get in and drill. There are NOT holes up there to take advantage of.

I paid far less than the price on that page of Blue Ox products. I forget where, but perhaps could find the transaction in files. I bought the Blue Ox because it was at the vendor that priced Blue Ox TT402 for less than other vendors priced Super Steer SS402. Blue Ox is Black, Super Steer is Blue, forget the brand Brazzel sells but it's Red.

You might take a look at this site. Might get some ideas from it if you are going to DIY.

http://oemys-performance.com/diytracbar.htm

j-d wrote:
Most of the track bars are made by the same outfit to the same pattern.

YES. I've suspected this. They all seem to fall in to 2 categories: the ones that bolt to the pumpkin or the ones that bolt to the sway-bar/axle. Otherwise, they all look suspiciously similar to one another.

I got my Hellwig rear sway bar a few days ago and realized it would be easier to install the new swaybar and track bar at the same time, since some trac-bars anchor to the swaybar mount.

Doing a quick bit of shopping made me think this wasn't as straightforward as I'd thought. The Blue-Ox TT2450, for example, seems to advise against installing on a vehicle where airbags have been installed. http://www.blueoxtowbars.com/product_categories/blue_ox_tigertrak

I guess this needs a little more research before I click "buy".

Thanks for your support!!