Track bar replacement - tip and some help

[J33ps]

Hello!  I finally got around to removing the track bar bracket that the previous owner installed for the lift.

 

I removed the lift and it’s bone stock, I just forgot to take the bracket off and couldn’t figure out why it was crunching and rubbing on one side.

 

Tip I learned this evening:  most of this truck is clean but my goodness the track bar bracket and bolt are not looking good.  I have zero interest in removing the bracket but i decided to replace the bar with stock. It’s a road truck I don’t need anything special.  The bar was seized on the body mount side, I had a hell of a time till I figured out you can slide a 2x3 through the engine bay, land it on the bar and hammer away.  I sprayed with kroil, let it sit 30 min, came back and hammered it off!  That trick saved me hours and likely having to remove the bracket which judging by the bolts is a very bad idea.

 

i put my new stock bar on and the bolt is pretty far off, probably cause I drove it around with the axle not centered.  I have a few Qs:

 

I shook and shimmied the truck but it’s not self centering.  Would turning the wheels to line it up be fine?  Think I damaged the control arms and recentering will bend things back?

 

Another question, what the hell is up with my bracket bolts?  It’s 2 threaded studs with nuts on both sides.  All the pics I see on everyone else’s are actual bolts.  It looks like hell if I ever need to get it off.

 

pics attached

 

 

[fiatslug87]

To move your axle use a ratchet strap on the frame, side  you want to pull the axle towards, and the opposite end of the axle.

[J33ps]

Got it, I’ll give that a go today.  Doesn’t need much, I guess I was surprised it doesn’t fall into place being all stock components and a stock bar but I guess it needs some help lol

[fiatslug87]

I just looked at my body side track bar mount and it too has studs with nuts on both ends.

[ThatJeepGuy]

What size lift btw? Factory track bar for a lift application doesn't have a lot of room before your better off with an adjustable setup.

 

Those studs on the 2 lower mounts are very very common, I just revamped my track bar setup for my 87 and the one below the engine mount is still there while the one closer to the steering box quit on me years ago.

 

As far as getting your track bar mounted again there Is no problem with using your steering to push the body to align the track bar-  this does however require two people to do it. One to steer the body and the 2nd to align the taclbar and bolt.

 

One other point - inspect your axle side mounting hole to be Egg'd out or Out Of Round. It's common enough when removing an old or factory track bar (especially if you threaded the bolt out of the bracket during removal) for the mounting hole to be affected. That worn out mounting hole will eventually get worse and cause death wobble which can be the vain of many jeepers experience.