For some unknown reason, while I was casually driving down the road today, I snapped my front track bar bracket right off my axel.

Has anyone else experienced this? What would be the cause(s) of this happening? I replaced by steering stabilizer a month ago as a result of the Death Wobble, but it appears that something else is causing the instability. Instead of the stabilizer blowing this time, the bracket broke off.

Thoughts?

 

See there, If you get DW and replace the SS, it may go away, like mine would, but now you have a defective mount! Im still trying to locate my DW problem and the first thing I need to do Is replace the mount with a beefier one so Im not driving down the highway when it fly's off. I know, Im repeating what has been said, but it cant be said enough. DW puts a big strain on the mount. Also, check your other parts for damage. Like me, good luck. Glad you are ok.

 

are you really in japan?

anywho.

Did you retorque you trackbar when you installed the SS? Or just bolted it up and didnt check anything else?

 

RubyDoo's broke after bending the tierod bar and also due to many death wobbles. Found the factory welds were NOT complete and had rust under them.

 

I was in Japan when I ordered my Jeep... guess it is about time that I update my profile. I reside in San Diego now.

Regarding retorquing the trackbar, I had my SS installed at 4 wheel parts. I am a mechanical idiot, and I would rather have "professionals" install suspension components as simple as a SS install might be.

Besides torquing my track bar, what else could cause the failure? I am going to have 4 wheel parts reinforce both my front and rear track bar brackerts. I am going to have them rotate, balance, and align my tires, and retorque all my suspension components. Anything else that I should do?

 

This looks identical to the damage on my jeep. 4 wheel parts said that the brackets were only welded to the axel on one side.

 

unfortunately, i have been seeing this a lot lately and especially so on jeeps running a track bar relocation bracket on the axle. UNFORUNTATELY, someone gave you the erroneous information that an SS would fix your DW when all along, your track bar mount failing was the cause of it.

unfortunately, retorquing your track bar bolts would not have prevented the tearing off of your track bar mount.

the increased leverage being placed on your track bar axle mount from your larger tires most likely caused it to get fatigued. if you were running a track bar relocation bracket at this location, that would have only amplified the leverage and once the factory mount started to fatigue, it would have allowed for more flexing. of course, this flexing is what allows DW to occur and once you have DW, the forces being placed on the mount would only be intensified and to the point where it WILL tear it off.

once the mount is repaired, be sure to reinforce it and double check all your other front end suspension/steering components for any looseness as DW can and will loosen everything.

 

Well put WOL.
a few vendors make a trackbar bracket BRACE.
After my TB bracket failed for the second time, I ordered the adjustable TB and front and rear braces.
Once you've experienced bracket failure, DW and a long limping ride home, these parts dont seem to expensive anymore.
go figure.
good thread, I hope anyone with signs of DW will inspect their brackets VERY closely and implement the braces ASAP.

 

just broke off my relocation bracket. guess im headin down to get an adj. track bar

 

death wobble was because you didnt need the track bar bracket.

get the bracket welded back on and ditch the bracket