Fitting a Traction Bar? How To?

[Deanodynosaurs]

I've recently brought a traction bar, but unfortunately there’s no fitting instructions!  I did think it would be fairly straight forward, however it appears not to be!! 

Am I right in thinking that the hanger brackets bolt to the front (closest to the front of the car) bumper hanger bolt holes? Also where does the bar sit across the bottom of the engine?

To make this a bit clearer, I've robbed this picture of the internet! Does the bar sit on the raised bit of ali to the right of the front pressure relief screw? (top of picture, below pump cover)



If so this seems to be quite a bit back from the hangers, meaning that the threaded bar would be at quite an angle? Is there a risk it might slip off?

Any advice would be much appreciated?
Any photo of one fitted would be even better! 

Oh, by the way it’s for a 58 bug, which has had the engine changed to a later 61 engine (1200 single relief) and gearbox if that’s important!

Cheers in advance!

Dude 

[Turbo_Rich]

Hey Dude hope all is well? I made my own traction bar but will try and help- yes the bar fits under the engine case as you mentioned (the almost white bit on your picture) it should not be at an angle but straight so that it stops the downward force. Im not sure what they supply in terms of fittings but I would make sure it all lines up straight and true to sit under the engine and not on the bumper brackets.

I'm sure someone will have a pic/better explanation but hope that helps!

[Lids]

i'm not sure of the brand, but there is one type that has the hanger bolted to the bumper mounts, i have it on mine and its really good.  Its an L shape that follows the contour of the bumper hanger.  It has a hole drilled into it which a threaded bolt drops down into and then you screw the engine support bar to it.

Right found it: Bugpack, here's the link: http://www.bugpack.com/content.php?id=597

[Brother Lovedub]

Hopefully you'll get the idea from these photos.  I'm not sure the brackets shown in your photo are the bumper mount type.  To get a vertical alignment I had to mount through my inner wings and bolt them up in the engine bay

[Deanodynosaurs]

Cheers everyone!  It's a lot clearer now! 

Thanks for the photos Brother Lovedub, i get where it mounted now! I thought the kit i had was a straight bolt on, but now I realise the threaded bar needes to be verticle so that it does what it meant to.

Thats cool for my daily 58 as I don't mind drilling it, but it actually gonna be a bit of the problem on my project 58 (yes i have 2!), as I was hoping to fit the hi-pac access panels. I probably scratch make a bracket that bolts to the bumper mounts or summut which comes further back.

Anyway cheers again all! 

Dude   

P.S Hello Rich, hope all's well mate! 

[Zach Gomulka]

Berg bars are great, but why can't they use brackets off of the bumper mounts?? I can't stand how they mount! Bugpack bars mount nicely, but the bar itself is a flimsy POS

[DKK Ted]

It's to bad you can't buy the mounting hardware from Bugpack and use it on the Berg bar. That would be cool.

[.]

Berg says mount it at a slight angle.

[marc1951]

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Here is my bracket straight from the 70s. It was a Berg and I had it bolted on originally but eventally welded it on. It is on an angle.

[Deanodynosaurs]

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Here is my bracket straight from the 70s. It was a Berg and I had it bolted on originally but eventally welded it on. It is on an angle.

Wow! Forgetten the traction bar, that accesss panel is amazing!

I take it it's hand made? I was gonna buy a hi-pacs access panel, but am not a massive fan of how they sit, or the look of them. However, now, if you dont mind, I'm gonna try and make something similar to this!  Also makes fitting the traction bar mount a lot easier! 

Richard, thanks also for posting the Berg instructions. Super clear now! 
It just a bloody shame that it really difficult to get BERG parts over in the UK. 

Dude 

[BeetleBug]

No need to drill those extra holes in your inner fender if you have a hole there already;

Remove the bracket and flip so that you use the bend inwards and you`re good to go. Works well.

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Best rgs
BB

[BeetleBug]

Found a picture that explains it a bit better;

Make it easy 

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Best rgs
BB

[Zach Gomulka]

Ahh that makes more sense! Good thinking!

[javabug]

How does that hole hold up after a while, though?  I'd hate to have to bodywork that area eventually.

[BeetleBug]

How does that hole hold up after a while, though?  I'd hate to have to bodywork that area eventually.

Far better than the thin metal above. Two layers of metal makes it strong and besides, you`re not supposed to tighten the traction bar even though I suspect quite a lot of people do so.

Best rgs
BB

[gizago]

Looks neat, but surely even though it goes through two layers of metal, youre putting all the force through one point, whereas if you use the bracket, its spread over both bolts??

And the Berg instructions say to tighten it up to raise the engine 1/4 inch??

Has anyone got a pic of a bumper bracket set-up?? That has to be the strongest point.

[BeetleBug]

Berg did say a lot of things....

I have not been able to put it to a real test yet since I only got 220hp without the nitrous, using DOT tires and only managed a 1.58 60 ft on Europes best track.  The hole is still like it was from the factory and the picture of my inner fender above (Zenith blue) is taken after the first season. You have to open the hole just a tiny bit since the two plates are not alligned.

Edit; I have seen one very neat bumper bracket set up but I can`t remember where.

[javabug]

you`re not supposed to tighten the traction bar even though I suspect quite a lot of people do so.

Thanks for the info, BB.  What is your "spec" for tension on the bar, then?

Altho it seems like a simple thing, I've been held up over trying to "improve" the mounting.

[roland]

Ex Randy Gates car:

[Rick Sadler]

Berg did say a lot of things....

I have not been able to put it to a real test yet since I only got 220hp without the nitrous, using DOT tires and only managed a 1.58 60 ft on Europes best track.  The hole is still like it was from the factory and the picture of my inner fender above (Zenith blue) is taken after the first season. You have to open the hole just a tiny bit since the two plates are not alligned.

Edit; I have seen one very neat bumper bracket set up but I can`t remember where.

The BUGPACK models mount off the bumper bracket area.

http://bugpack.com/content.php?id=597

[BeetleBug]

Thanks Roland, I have also seen a Y shaped bracket that looked really nice.

Javabug, improved or not, I did not want to drill holes in my inner fender to use the bracket included and I have found that my set up get the job done without any issues at all. A 1/4" raise is not much but I have seen traction bars so tight that they are bent. Of course a better solution would be to make a bumper bracket set up and it would also be better if you did mount the bar to your engine case.

Here you have some pics I stole from the www;

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Best rgs
BB

[Zach Gomulka]

Berg did say a lot of things....

I have not been able to put it to a real test yet since I only got 220hp without the nitrous, using DOT tires and only managed a 1.58 60 ft on Europes best track.  The hole is still like it was from the factory and the picture of my inner fender above (Zenith blue) is taken after the first season. You have to open the hole just a tiny bit since the two plates are not alligned.

Edit; I have seen one very neat bumper bracket set up but I can`t remember where.

The BUGPACK models mount off the bumper bracket area.

http://bugpack.com/content.php?id=597

Think Bugpack could start making their bars out of some bigger/thicker square tubing? The one you posted just isn't up to the job, sorry!

[speedwell]

gab fab made a V model on brian P 67 , and the traction bar is also a breather box 

[BeetleBug]

Two more versions that will keep your engine where you want it. Not up, not down - just still;

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Best rgs
BB

[65bug]

Thanks guys for all the great pics and information! Richard Roth posted the Berg directions, which I planned on doing after my thread was hi-jacked.......................AGAIN.
   At any rate, the directions clearly state to not mount the bar vertically, but at a angle of 1-1.5 inches from verticle towards the rear of the car.
   Second, the brackets are mounted with 2 bolts to keep them from slipping to the rear further when the weight of the motor is thrown back. The mounting brackets are sat on top of the bumper channels to provide additional support for the brackets.
    I will mess with it here this morning and find the best route to go for myself. It would seem to me that the existing bumper holes would be plenty strong.

Thanks again

[neil68]

I thought I would update this traction bar thread, for the Wasp Stage 2 muffler set-up, to go along with the many other headers and mufflers posted above.

For my mostly stock street-strip 68 Beetle:

1.  I used the recommendation posted above, regarding using the factory stock body hole (located above the valve cover) to hang the vertical rods.  This was a good solution to retaining my Berg traction bar as, I needed to move the rod inward to clear the Wasp muffler.

2.  The Berg bar also required narrowing (so that it doesn't touch the muffler) and a new hole was required for the anchor rod.

3.  I also had to add 20 mm of threads on each rod, as they required shortening to match the lower anchor hole.

4.  I also decided to drill a 2 mm hole in the bent portion of the rod, for a hitch pin, to prevent it from jumping out of the hole.  I'm not sure if that is a potential concern, but perhaps on bumpy roads, and of course at the drag strip, it is frowned upon when parts fall off the car.

5.  I have the rod hanging from the inside of the stock hole, with the end sticking out above the valve cover.  This worked better to clear the Wasp muffler, but required re-drilling the rod holes in the bar.

[vwhelmot]

Pictures speak a thousand words

[neil68]

Some iPhone pictures of the Berg traction bar modified for the Wasp header and muffler.

Using the factory hole located below the left bumper mount, with a hitch pin for security on bumpy roads . Hanger was shortened by 4.5 cm:


I elected to make the bar equal distance from the centre, by cutting off both ends equally (74.5 cm between hole centres).  The Berg bar is very heavy, so a side benefit is reducing the weight a bit:


Using the factory hole on the right allows the hanger to clear the muffler and the valve cover bale still functions:

[benozoval56]

Some iPhone pictures of the Berg traction bar modified for the Wasp header and muffler.

Using the factory hole located below the left bumper mount, with a hitch pin for security on bumpy roads . Hanger was shortened by 4.5 cm:


I elected to make the bar equal distance from the centre, by cutting off both ends equally (74.5 cm between hole centres).  The Berg bar is very heavy, so a side benefit is reducing the weight a bit:


Using the factory hole on the right allows the hanger to clear the muffler and the valve cover bale still functions:

be keen to see these pictures if they are still available....