HOrnbrod Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 According to my parts manual, the below stud plate(s) are used to mount the stock track bar bracket to the left frame on 2.5L MJs and XJs. Part number 52001493. It's unclear if one or two of these plates ar used. I don't have these plates on my 91, just through bolts. Has anyone seen these on your T/B bracket, and how are they mounted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I just dealt with that same part a couple weeks ago. It's used to replace the top two bolts on the track bar and the threads point that the flat bar is on the wheel well side. Only one is used and the bottom two bolts on the bracket are just plain ol' hardware. I could snap a picture if you like... not right now, though. Still at work avoiding my students and cruising CC instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 1986 MJ. There's just one. give ya 3 guesses as to what was the only thing holding this on. Track bar mount . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Like the below? The stud plate replaces the two upper bolts where the track bar bracket attaches to the frame? Jim, the 86 uses the stud plate differently than the later models as it has an additional reinforcement bracket, thus my confusion. Inside: Outside: Image Not Found Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Don, Your inquiry did some good. When I looked under my '87 I found this. I was totally unaware I had a problem. Guess what I'll be doing the rest of the afternoon. OK. I'm with the program. Depending on how long or how wide the plate is will determine if the studs face in or out, it looks like. The re-enforcement ridge in the middle , outside the frame, requires a narrow plate. The 2 end angles on the inside of the frame requires a short piece. When I replaced the TB mount I made a stud plate like your're showing just to installation easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Inside: Outside: Image Not Found Looking on the inside, it'll look just like two bolts and two nuts. On the outside is where it'll look different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Looking on the inside, it'll look just like two bolts and two nuts. On the outside is where it'll look different. So the stud plate is on the outside (wheel well), and the studs point inward through the frame and TB bracket and are bolted up in the engine bay, correct? :hmm: Kinda slow today and the parts book looks nothing like how my TB bracket is fastened. Snap a pic of the inside wheel well if you can Ben - thanks. This is how the parts manual shows it - #14 is the stud plate and there are two of them. Also part #13 isn't there either. Confused........ Jim - glad you found that busted sway bar link. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Straight from the truck: Mine just has the plate in place of the top two bolts. I would assume that it's factory as it was originally a 4 cylinder. As for if it should be there for the bottom as well... who knows? The truck has a bit of a checkered past. :huh???: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 23, 2013 Author Share Posted October 23, 2013 Thanks very much Ben. Going through ALL my parts manuals, some models had the stud bar on top of the TB bracket, some on the bottom, and varying throughout the years. And some models with the 2.5 or diesel had it on the top and bottom. Which makes absolutely no sense to me. Unless the 2.5 and diesels vibrated worse than the 4.0? Anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oyaji Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Thanks very much Ben. Going through ALL my parts manuals, some models had the stud bar on top of the TB bracket, some on the bottom, and varying throughout the years. And some models with the 2.5 or diesel had it on the top and bottom. Which makes absolutely no sense to me. Unless the 2.5 and diesels vibrated worse than the 4.0? Anyone know? . Don't know, but will make a guess: I don't think the stud plate has any function beyond the reduction of labor during factory assembly. What went together on the line may be different depending on who was working that day! . No guess about vibration: whereas an inline six (along with flat six and V-12) is inherently balanced by design and has zero first and second order harmonics, that is not true of any other engine designs - they do vibrate more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 23, 2013 Author Share Posted October 23, 2013 Unbelievably this part sold for over $70 from the dealer when it was available. :eek: It has more surface area to spread the load better and may help prevent twist and shearing? Maybe......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oyaji Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Unbelievably this part sold for over $70 from the dealer when it was available. :eek: It has more surface area to spread the load better and may help prevent twist and shearing? Maybe......... . Think about it - no more sturdy than a washer would be. Specialty bolts with bigger heads/flanged bases are certainly available (and are often used for engine and suspension mounts etc) that offer vastly superior strength compared to the rather flimsy plate joining the studs in your picture, but the designers chose to go this route instead. . Consider the assembly effort needed to use hex bolts compared to the stud plate - that's what is behind my guess that its purpose was merely to cut assembly time/labor at the factory. It really is unbelievable they got 70 bux apiece for these in the dealer parts market! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Regarding the track bar bracket, I'm going to replace the upper and lower mounting bolts. I've installed track bars but never pulled the TB bracket. For those who have done this, if I pull the two upper bolts leaving the two lower bolts and the track bar snug and tight, will the bracket stay in place so I can install the two upper bolts w/o shifting? Maybe a semi-stupid question, but since I haven't done it, :dunno: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 It'll stay put. And in case you're wondering, that stud plate fits both upper and lower holes. I tried it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Thanks Jim. I saw that the spacing is the same for both the upper and lower mounting holes. Unfortunately I can't use it on either position. On the 91-93 models with the I6, the lower mount of the track bar has a weldnut on one of the inside holes, so separate bolts have to be used. The stud plate will work for the 2.5 engines however since they don't have a weldnut there. On the upper mount, I'd have to pull the coil spring to remove one of the bracket mounting bolts, and I'm not about to do that. :fs1: Anyone need a brand new track bar bracket stud plate? Cheap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimoshel Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 $2 shipped? Let me rephrase that. How much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 Am going to jack her up tomorrow, let the wheel hang and see if I can persuade the problem bolt out around the coils. We'll see............ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 None of mine (two 87 MJs, two 96 XJs including the parts one (RIP) had either a stud plate (#14) or the reinforcement bracket (#13). Never looked that closely at my 94 XJ when I had it. They all used very factory looking metric flange bolts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 None of mine (two 87 MJs, two 96 XJs including the parts one (RIP) had either a stud plate (#14) or the reinforcement bracket (#13). Never looked that closely at my 94 XJ when I had it. They all used very factory looking metric flange bolts. Thanks. I checked the manual for the 87s: The stud plate was used for 87's w. the 2.5; the reinforcement bracket was used for those with the diesel engine. For some reason only the flange bolts were used for the 4.0 until the later years, about 1996 and up, when they started using the stud plates on all models and reinforcement bracket on some models. According to the factory parts manuals. The track bar bracket itself changed throughout the years also. Not consistent at all. :dunno: :hmm: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvusse Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 I guess it's that Jeep thing we all understand.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 I guess it's that Jeep thing we all understand.... Ah yes, this is true. There must be a reason though, and I seriously doubt it's for saving factory assembly time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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