Well I finally got my ladder bars done and on the truck. I built them at school in shop class. I used .120" thick 1" square tubing. They are 48" long and 10" tall at the back where they mount to the axle. I found a pipe that was 3.5" round and cut it in half, weldin some tabs on the top and bottom so they would match up, drilled some holes in the tabs and welded the one side to the ladder bar, then I put the other half on the other side of the axle so they wrap around the axle. They are just bolted tightly together on to the axle so that the axle doesn't twist inside them. I plan on weldin the back half to the axle so that it doesn't twist for sure, but I just have them on really tight right now and haven't noticed them twisting. I built a shackle where the ladder bar mounts to the frame so that it doesn't bind. I welded a nut on the end and put a heim rod end in it(I actually bought these at a tractor place, they are for a 3 point hitch, but they work great and they were only $10) I put another nut on there to jam it so the heim rod end wouldn't twist. I primed and painted them up and put them on the other day. I really like them! they do help! When I took off from a stop before without ladder bars, I could feel my rear end sink back and down, but now with the ladder bars on, the truck doesn't sink back or down, it just feels level and like your goin straight forward faster. I can't break my tires loose anymore either so I know I'm gettin good traction to the ground. They also help my truck ride a little better, it is stiffer and you don't feel all the little bumps as much, you still feel the big ones, but not the little ones. It is also more stable when taking corners too. I haven't tried them in the mud or towing yet, but I'm sure they will help with that too. I think they look great too! It all cost me under $40 to build them. Here is some pics:
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars004.jpg
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars003.jpg
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars002.jpg
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars001.jpg
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars005.jpg
http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww187/blackace44/ladderbars006.jpg
sorry the truck is a little dirty, haven't had time to clean it, oh and i plan on paintin my axle and everything black this summer when i get some time.

Nice job man! Perfect for a daily driver. I agree you should weld the rear part of the clamp to the axle tube, just in case.

They really do make it take off better don't they. No more energy waisted wrapping the springs.

Nice :D

That looks cool and you do some nice work man

Whens the CAT stack going on??

Looks good, I like the way you have them mounted to the axle.. Weld that back plate on and your good to go.. That way you have options still down the road if you decide to make something different or refine what you have.. Nice work!

yeah i am very happy with them. My buddy took a ride with me the other day and was like wow they do help a lot! He said he might have to build some for his chev. I can't wait to do the truck pulls and see how much they help. I pretty much copied the ones from L&L products, except my axle mount is different. They used U bolts and i was thinkin if i used U bolts, the axle would still twist so I came up with this idea to mount them to the axle. And i made a shackle so that is better than a solid mount cuz it will bind. They wanted I think $300 or more for the ladder bars and about $70 for the frame mounts from L&L products so I said forget about that! I'm buildin some! and it cost me less than $40 for all of it. I was very happy. They were easy to build too. They say to make the ladder bars about as long as your driveline and its about the same. The ones on L&L products were 48" long so i made mine 48" long. I'll get those welded to the axle soon hopefully, and your right, I can always unbolt them and take them off and try somethin else if i need to.

Wait till you get a tight converter and your power is getting to the ground... Your really gonna love them traction bars then :D

Yeah i know, I plan on buildin up the tranny this summer. I can't wait to see what it'll do

I tested these things out in the mud last night and could never get it to hop or anything. I put them to the test. I was climbin hills, goin over rocks, goin through swampy areas and could never get it to hop, so I'm happy with them for now.

92smokin blacky, what did u do with you brake lines did you just bend them up out of the way?

oh yeah, i forgot to mention what i did with that. I just bent all the tabs up on the regular brake lines and bent them out of the way, I had to grind the two tabs off on the back of the axle where the ladder bar mounts wrap around the axle. I also disconnected my emergency brake. It didn't work that great anyway cuz the brakes would stick when i released the emergency brake anyway and i figured i didn't really need it so i diconnected it. I bent up the emergency brake lines and wired them up in between the rear shocks and wired them up to the cross member that is under the bed where the shocks hook too. I will try and post some pics of what i did, it would make more sense. I forgot about that part.