I have a 3.5" lift and I measured my rear axle from both sides and it seems I'm over an inch towards the drivers side. Is an adjustable track bar the only way to pull my axle back over 1/2" towards the passenger side?

 

I believe so. I just bought a Jks adjustable rear track bar. Good quality and not as expensive as I thought it was going to be.

 

No, they (many lift companies) make bolt on and weld on relocation brackets designed for different height lifts.
Just Google or which ever search engine you use, "Jeep JK rear trackbar relocation brackets".

Should find a bunch.

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As mentioned above, you can find reloaction brackets but the work involved with drilling and welding coupled with the fact that the relocation becomes permanent makes it less attractive to do. I say just suck it up and buy an adjustable track bar for about $150 and then you have full ability to dial in your axle alingment. The cost difference between brackets and the time to install vs. an adjustable trac bar is smaller than you think....unless you own a welder (bolt on only scare me!) and your time is worth nothing. Plus, the track bar will be heavy duty compared to stock. Simply moving your stock with a bracket, in my opinion, is just a band aid which will require future addressing at some point (broken bracket, joints, bends, etc..).

 

I actually installed the bracket that came with the lift, but I'm still off. It's welded. I was looking at the JKS trackbar before I posted. Thanks for the info.

 

Uhm, I believe you are incorrect.
You will need both a track bar relocation bracket and an adjustable track bar.

 

I ran just an adustable track bar front and rear with no brackets with my 2.5" TF coil lift. I use both now with my RK lift due to the fact that my axle got pushed back 1". I'm pretty sure you don't need both unless the lift requires it for some reason (like relocating something else). And if it does require both, it usually comes with both.

 

Here is an example... Full Traction Ultimate 3" lift.. No track bar reloaction bracket. Comes with adjustable track bars though... The lift you and I have is the X-Factoru which pushed our axle back an inch. That is why we needed the bracket bolted and welded on.



Full Traction 3" Ultimate Lift Kits for 07-12 Jeep® Wrangler Unlimited JK 4 Door - Quadratec

 

An adjustable track bar will center the axle. A bracket can also center the axle for a given track bar length and a given height.

A bracket also raises the mounting point up off the axle so the track bar angle stays closer to stock. This may also resolve clearance problems in some cases.

So, the right bracket combined with the right track bar can be perfect; the wrong combination could be a nightmare.

Seems like a combination bracket/bar setup would make for the best on-road handling, but a big strong adjustable bar without a bracket would be the strongest setup on the rocks.

 

Ok, I've been doing some more reading (always dangerous).

The rear TB re-lo brackets for 3" and higher lifts typically change/raise the pivot point (higher), but the also correct the angle of the mount because the diff assembly has been rotate slightly by the adjustable control arms to correct the pinion angle.
So you have to correct the angle of the TB diff mounting point and sometimes add an adustable bar to correct the diff side to side alignment.

This is all determined by the lift you have and the parts that came with it.

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