Front Track Bar Problems
JK Junkie
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 2,818
Likes: 3
From: Folsom, CA
If you have your suspension set up right you don't even need to run a steering stabilizer. What have you done to address the high steer? Relocation brackets? drop pitman arm? Do you have bump steer as well as the dw? Did you check the bushings in the re control arms? Try increasing the torque in the track bar or putting some loc tite on it to see if it helps.
Along these lines, try new bolts at each TB end. Be sure to look at the drag link/track bar angles and make sure they are close to parallel. If not, try flipping your DL.
I don't run a stablizer and don't have any DW or bump steer. I also run an RE lift.
Thread Starter
JK Newbie
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Strasburg, CO
drag link looks pretty good, not quite parallel, but with a 3.5 lift, it's still pretty good. neither end is damaged, still good and tight.
went to the hardware store, looked for new bolts. can't go any bigger, the bolts i have just barely rub as I insert them into the TB ends. got new ones anyhow. installed it back on the jeep and tightened it up. can feel just a tiny bit of movement once torqued all the way. i'm now convinced that it is the bolt holes, but short of taking it to a shop i don't know how to fix it
went to the hardware store, looked for new bolts. can't go any bigger, the bolts i have just barely rub as I insert them into the TB ends. got new ones anyhow. installed it back on the jeep and tightened it up. can feel just a tiny bit of movement once torqued all the way. i'm now convinced that it is the bolt holes, but short of taking it to a shop i don't know how to fix it
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 386
Likes: 1
From: Belle Chasse, LA
If you put new bolts, make sure the new bolts are grade 8 bolts. If they are not, put grade 8 bolts. Anything but grade 8 will likely sheer off and then you will have major issues. Buy 4 grade 8 washers and find a welding shop. Tell them you want the washers welded on on each side of the frame side bracket and the axle side bracket. The will tack weld the washers on and it only takes them a few minutes to do this. It cost me about $30 for all 4. I can assure you that if you don't weld washers on both brackets, all 4 holes will end up out of round. Another option is to install a bracket on the frame side that fixes this problem as well. I can't remember the name of the company that makes it, but I will find it and post it.
Eternal ***erator
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 18,270
Likes: 3
From: Niagara, New York
Read through the thread a few times, can't decide if it is for sure my track bar or not, and if I decide that it is, I'm not sure what is a good one to replace it with. No real indications of bump steer, only getting the DW between 35-45, seems that bump steer would be over a much broader range.
Any ideas on how to get RE bushings or what a good replacement adj. track bar will be?
Any ideas on how to get RE bushings or what a good replacement adj. track bar will be?
Last edited by HappyCurmudgeon; Jun 13, 2011 at 05:06 AM.