track bar Q

[raviolli]

after waiting a few months for my adjustable track bar to come in from 4wd.com, i finally got it, went to bolt it in only to find out i need a drop bracket (plus the bolt is bigger than the hole in the bracket :wall: ). probably should have looked into it a lil further before purchasing so theres a mistake on my part. i could have ordered a better quality part that included everything. but the more I'm looking at it, the more it just doesnt seem quite right. or maybe its just me because ive never lifted a 'manche before. i have 5 inches of lift up front, 3" RC springs and 2" pucks.

 

here's the track bar bolted up on the passenger side and sitting parallel with the drag link:

 

what doesnt seem right to me is the distance between the arm of the track bar and the mounting bracket on the frame. see here:

 

is this right? seems like that would be a rather large drop bracket. a drop pitman arm would throw the angle way off in the wrong direction.. :hmm:

i also noticed the stock track bar had a boot/bushing where it bolts to the driver side bracket. the new one has washers (even in the pics on the instructions)

 

anyone wanna take a stab?

[Bounty Hunter]

That trackbar should work, but you may have to remove a little metal on the top of the lower bracket where the trackbar hits as you move it upward toward the frame. This is due to the large amount of lift you have.

 

Your upper bracket on the frame needs the taper drilled out to work with that large bolt. Or you can return it for one that uses a tierod type end on the frame mount, like teraflex, a great unit.

 

I would suggest not using a drop pitman arm to keep your draglink parallel with the trackbar.

[Pete M]

it's no the angle of the middle part of the bar that you're working with, it's the imaginary line between the mounting points that matters. :thumbsup:

[HOrnbrod]

it's no the angle of the middle part of the bar that you're working with, it's the imaginary line between the mounting points that matters. :thumbsup:

 

Like so:

 

[87Warrior]

Is that the RE1600 trackbar or a copy cat of it? Sure looks like it.

 

You should have some missalignment spacers to go on either side of the heim joint. This is to allow the joint to rotate around the heim joint. I had to drill out the frame mount (on my TJ) when installing the RE1600. This is typical.

 

There is a TRE that threads into the trackbar and replaces the heim joint that will quickly wear out and does not need the frame bracket to be drilled out. The part number for this TRE has escaped me now, but searching online should locate it. IIRC, it is a 60's truck TRE.

[Comanche County]

If you don't change the mounting points for the axle end mounts or the frame end mounts for either the track bar or drag link then the lift will not throw off the geometry much at all, the aspect between the two should remain generally parallel. You will need a slightly longer track bar and you'll have to adjust your drag link, which will result in a slight change to the aspect but it shouldn't be too bad at all with stock mounting locations.

 

Your picture looks like the track bar isn't actually bolted up so its hard to see if its parallel. See Hornbrod's pic above, that's what your looking for despite bends in either the track bar or the drag link...parallel means mounting point to mounting point. Bump steer will be the result when they're not parallel. However, due to the nature of the stock Y steering design, there is bump steer when the suspension is really being compressed or extended. This isn't an issue on the highway.

 

With 5" of lift though, your problem will be your passenger side tie rod end binding in full droop, and it will for sure.

 

Check out Rock Krawler's website for their track bar mounts with the heim end. I believe they'll have something in the stock drop range. Or just call em up.

[Eagle]

here's the track bar bolted up on the passenger side and sitting parallel with the drag link:

Nope -- not parallel at all.

 

It LOOKS parallel, because you set the longest part of the track bar parallel to the center part of the drag link, but both bars have bends in them. "Parallel" refers to the straight line drawn between the joints on each end of each bar. It's the relative positions of those joints that determines the suspension geometry. The bars could be corkscrews between the joints and still be functionally parallel.

[raviolli]

it's no the angle of the middle part of the bar that you're working with, it's the imaginary line between the mounting points that matters. :thumbsup:

 

hahaha yeahhhh thats just the answer i was looking for

thanks again pete :cheers: i really don't know how i let this one grind the gears in my head...shoulda been a no brainer. i mean, i always wondered why (or how) different manufacturers could have different bends and angles in the bar if they always had to be parellel. must be a side effect of sleep deprivation :dunno:

 

and yes, the track bar IS NOT bolted up. like i said earlier the bolt is too big for the bracket so its just hanging there by the passenger side.

 

thanks everyone for the quick responses