So i have a 8.8 from an explorer. It has 3.125 axle tubes which create a small issue with mounting the traction master traction bars. The bolt pattern is off on the mounting brackets.

So i grabbed a bur bit and egged out the holes and cut the tabs off and rotated them 90*. now they fit the bolt pattern.

So, should i remove the nuts on the u bolts so the mount sits flat on the bottom shock mount plate, or can i slide them on without taking the nuts off the u bolts and add a second set of nuts. this way the traction master bars would be 1/2" or so off of the shock plate with the nuts spacing them apart. i am afraid that the mounting plate may bend after too many romps. I dont know how mush force the traction bars see.

I can take the nuts off but i was just wondering if they need to come off.

 

Leaving the nuts on will allow more stability but may be out of the range the engineers designed them for. It it was me, I would mount them just like the instructions say. If the old mounting plates are bent, then a few good wacks with a 5 lb hammer will do wonders.

 

there were no instructions