[cbxer55]

Those aren't ladder bars. They are Lakewood slapper style traction bars. Ideally there should be a gap between the rubber snubber on the front. And you can simply remove the snubber from the one that is there, and it should be good. Or, if it was me, simply remove the four bolts and the two u-bolts that hold it to the spring and remove it. Then get you some JLP long bars to replace them. The long bars mount below the axle, and attach to a bracket on the frame 60 or so inches forward of the axle.

In this graphic, the upper pic is a long bar. The lower is an actual Ladder Bar.

 

[cbxer55]

The difference between those slapper style bars and long bars is night and day. You will not be wasting money buying them.

The pic below is a Gen. I LIGHTNING. Long bars are much more visible on them since they don't have lower styling panels.

 

[cbxer55]

Here's a better shot of mine when I had a TA cover on the axle.

 

[cbxer55]

Looking at your pic again, there is no snubber present. So t he bar isn't doing anything. Slapper bars make the suspension too tight, since they clamp the leaf springs together. So if you have one, and not the other, the suspension is going to be screwed up. One side will be tight, the other loose. I recommend that if you only have one of those, GET IT OFF ASAP!

Long bars prevent the axle from wrapping up due to torque, when you stomp on the loud pedal. Slapper bars are only partially effective. I've had them, and ditched them pretty quickly when I realized how much better long bars really are.

 

[cbxer55]

Feel free to hit me up for a set of Stifflers long bars. They will perform much better than slapped bars.

I meant to include you, but for the life of me, I couldn't recall the name of the alternative to JLP. MY BAD!!

As for ground clearance, as long as hey are above the rims, they are good to go. Look at the pics I posted of the JLP's, they are above the ground if the tire goes completely flat. Nothing else matters.

 

[cbxer55]

Wrong, the front mount point is easy to scrape on things like speed bumps, and angled driveways.
This was the whole reason I went with stifflers instead of jlp

I've never hit them. But yeah, the previous owner had. One of the front mounts on mine is a little bent. Was that way when I bought them. I haven't added to it. But I watch for those things you refer to. My transmission pan is the lowest item on my truck.