Anyone seen a 4x4 Born Free like this pic?

[stevek]

For Sale on craigslist. So Cal. Its a 1996.

[MarkB]

Looked at the ad. I would be curious to what he was referring to using the term track bar. Track bars are not used on leaf spring suspensions as they don't work together well, they are used for 3-link type coil spring suspensions to locate the rear left/right. They also are not used on I beam front suspensions, don't know where it would be located. Just an fyi.

[randallrae]

https://supersteerparts.com/product/tru ... -trac-bar/ Track bar info . About a year ago one just like this BF was for sale in Humbolt IA . The owner had some connection in the past with the factory , I think.

[Roger H]

https://supersteerparts.com/product/tru ... -trac-bar/ Track bar info . About a year ago one just like this BF was for sale in Humbolt IA . The owner had some connection in the past with the factory , I think.

I called the fellow who had the one in Humboldt last year, but he sold it before i was able to get over to look at it.

I have installed both a Davis Tru-trac on the solid front axle of my Kodiak chassis as well as front and rear anti-sway bars, all from Roadmaster, Inc.

[stevek]

Thanks everyone. I kinda thought I had seen this BF before. But couldn't remember for sure. I like the body design. Would be neat on the newer Ford E350/450 or maybe a sprinter? Still real sad about our Born Free factory.
Wonder how many of these were produced?
Wonder if anyone has "manufacturing figures/ numbers" for a the various BF models and years of production? Must be somewhere?
Did anyone go the the auction? What happed to all the paperwork? Hauled out to the trash?
Thanks..

[MarkB]

The problem with using a track bar with a leaf spring suspension is the leaf springs operate in a linear motion, the track bar is radial. If there is any movement in the suspension at all they will bind, or tear something apart. I have never seen OEM use or sell a track bar for that application. Not familiar with how the front is set up so shouldn't have commented on that and I have never seen one used on a front suspension.

[Roger H]

The problem with using a track bar with a leaf spring suspension is the leaf springs operate in a linear motion, the track bar is radial. If there is any movement in the suspension at all they will bind, or tear something apart. I have never seen OEM use or sell a track bar for that application. Not familiar with how the front is set up so shouldn't have commented on that and I have never seen one used on a front suspension.

Mark, my Kodiak has a solid front axle, of course, and all the Davis Tru-Trac http://www.roadmasterinc.com/products/t ... utrac.html bar does is to help hold the axle in alignment with the frame. It's bolted to the frame and to the axle.

I had a Y2K Excursion that I put custom-built, commercial trac bars on the rear axle with leaf springs. The stock springs were too weak to keep the chassis centered over the axle when towing. The trac bars helped keep the chassis centered over the axle, and limited the wiggle/squirm (rear axle steering) to just the up and down motion it was designed to have. They've been used on hotrods since the beginning of time to limit axle hop and keep the tires engaged with the pavement.