track bar suggestions

[comancheman]

this weekend i plan on putting my 5.5 in re coils under the mj with re adj LCAs. eventually i plan on gettin CA drop brackets and adj UCAs. i know I'm gonna have to do something with the trackbar as soon as i put the coils in. what would be the result of removing the trackbar entirely. i DO NOT plan on driving it more then in and out of the garage without the trackbar. but i just wanted to make sure nothing else will happen if i do this until money allows me to buy a trackbar.

 

what are people using for their trackbars? the JKS and RE look nice but I'm not sure if the RE will work for the amount of lift i have. i also want to be able to adjust it to accomodate up to 7.5 inches of lift just because i have the spacers already and can't always control myself.

thanks,

tim

[JeepcoMJ]

i'd just wait until you have all the parts to put the coils in. that way you can make a day of it and be done, with no worries.

[Pete M]

what would be the result of removing the trackbar entirely.

thanks,

tim

 

 

The inability to steer. :D

[comancheman]

why wouldnt i be able to steer? none of the steering linkage is attached to the trackbar. I'm not questioning the wisdom of pete the jeep God, just curious.

[dakal]

some of the young guys that have dedicated mud rigs are going with no track bar. when asked how does it drive they say.ahh, ok. all you can do is walk away. darwin rides on :jump:

[UNL1MTD]

why wouldnt i be able to steer? none of the steering linkage is attached to the trackbar. I'm not questioning the wisdom of pete the jeep God, just curious.

 

the track bar holds the jeep in the same position parallel to the axle. everything else in your suspension with a typical 4 link from jeep front ends doesn't do anything for lateral stability ... maybe your sway bar.

 

so without it your front end will give once you turn and your tires won't really move, but your front clip will. so you can't steer. Your gear box will turn and just push your frame away from or pull towards the passenger side connection of the draglink.

 

I broke my track bar on my LJ at Rausch Creek and steering through boulders was a nightmare, not to mention my ghetto fix and 4 hour drive home.

 

Not sure if that makes sense.

[Pete M]

 

Essentially, your draglink pushes against your track bar. Without the trackbar, it just pushes your body to the side. If you keep turning the steering wheel eventually you might get enough resistance to move the tires a bit.

[feerocknok]

what are people using for their trackbars? the JKS and RE look nice but I'm not sure if the RE will work for the amount of lift i have. i also want to be able to adjust it to accomodate up to 7.5 inches of lift just because i have the spacers already and can't always control myself.

thanks,

tim

I've got the Rusty's bar, and it's just been put in with only 2 mild runs on it and some road use. At 5" of lift, the truck rides smooth and the track bar is not what's holding me back.

Rusty's says the bar is good for 4-7" of lift, but at 7" I would worry about the tie rod end.

The bars you are looking at, do they have heims or tie rod ends on the frame side?

[Rokhound]

my thought is Rubicon and bracket or Rock Krawler and Bracket and please don't run your MJ without it. I would hate to hear about how you total your truck and killed some one on the road just becouse you thougth it would work........IT WON'T.

[CWLONGSHOT]

If money is tight I would say try the rock krawler bar and bracket. if money is not tight, go with the KEVINS track bar conversion!!

Either one converts the frame end to a FAR better WJ design.

 

Check out my post in rigs for pics and further explinations..

 

CW

[dakal]

i bought mine from kevinsoffroad. came with bracket, mounting hard wear. workmanship ex. it was bent at the proper angle. removed rustie's and put it on my mj. so long bump steer. modified it for mj.http:// i just realized this is before i modified it. see how low it is. i will take a pic tommorow and post it here.http:// this a rusties bracket, a little light, but i'm going to box it in.

[feerocknok]

Don't mean to threadjack, and I'll think it'll improve the thread:

What's everyone's thought on running a johnny joint on the frame end? I think a bushing would bind too much, and a standard heim would bring too much yuk to the road.

[jared]

the bushing on the frame end isn't mounted like the factory TRE with the bolt vertical, it would be horizontal and aloow a lot more axle droop than the TRE or jonny joint.

 

if you only moveing the vehicle a few feet and only in a straight line i guess you could do that without a track bar, but you would be better off with it.

 

and you can only drive without a trackbar on a front leaf sprung vehicle.

[jared]

i have a jks trackbar. and 4.5 inched of front lift. the TRE on the frame mount went bad on my 2nd off road trip with it. it pops when turning and stuff. not good.

 

i am ordering the rustys hd frame braket and the bushing end, so it will last longer

[feerocknok]

the bushing on the frame end isn't mounted like the factory TRE with the bolt vertical, it would be horizontal and aloow a lot more axle droop than the TRE or jonny joint.

I was curious about a Johnny joint over a bushing mainly, in case there would be any benefit in the panhard set-up.

[dakal]

i own a older bmw and have been a member of the national club for ten yrs. this topic has gone around the whole time. the over all opinion is of racers. rally boys, and track hounds that drive street and track, rubber for the street and light duty track use, urethane in any form for the dedicated track junkies. the reasoning: the suspension provides better ride with rubber more flex. my own experience has shown this to be true. for the three off road and street use trucks i've owned this has been true also. i started with the stock rubber, then the old urethane compounds, graphite ones, now i'm testing the new compounds for ride and flex. mine mj is going to be my only vehicle. all street, and trips for prerunning hundreds of miles off road, then driving home to go to work . for motor and transmission i use black urethane. little more vibration, but flex is reduced considerably. until i design a new linkage for shifting into 4wheel, it works better with urethane. hope this helps.

[carnuck]

I have a Rough Country adjustable trac bar (got it on Ebay from this guy with item # 170091559565)

[offroader461]

i got a superlift adj track bar on mine and it works good but I'm going to be upgrading and selling this one as soon as i get some money.....probably kevins offroad or rustys

[comancheman]

would it droop enough to keep it on with the 5.5 in coils or will i definetly have to get a new one. i don't plan on driving it at all until a the track bar is replaced.

[feerocknok]

would it droop enough to keep it on with the 5.5 in coils or will i definetly have to get a new one. i don't plan on driving it at all until a the track bar is replaced.

If you mean running the stock bar, no. Mine hit at 5".

[CEThomas]

Did not get to check it out, buy I was looking through the JCW book that came in the mail the other day and seen RC adjustable track bars for $69 and shipping is free or cheep on most items.

 

Charles

[mjeff87]

Per the JCW website, it's 89.99. Can anyone comment on the RC bar? That $$$ is right in my budget (cheap!):

 

http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/Prod ... t=trackbar

 

Jeff

[CEThomas]

I will check when I get home and see if I can find the sale book and info. I know whne I was looking at it I was wondering what was wrong with it at the low price.

 

Charles

[CEThomas]

OK,

 

JC Whitney Catalog # 718J-03

Page # 53

Item# MH267206

Rough County adjustable track Bar

 

$69.99

 

Charles

[comancheman]

anyone running the rockkrawler track bar? it looks nice and fits my budget, kind of