dumb idiots: adjustable track bar/HD track bar mount writeup

**sharpie** · 05-05-2007, 11:44 PM

So this all started with the Thursday thread "Bad News Here". Evidently, he was having problems with the track bar, and his axle would move upon a hard left turn. Also, he would hear the sound of metal cracking coming from the driver's side.

He went to the Rubicon Express store to pick up their HD track bar frame-side mount on Friday, and disregarding the advice of BeachinXJ, drove his Jeep to my area on Friday night. Saturday morning rolled around, and he had the HD mount in his hand at my front door. We labored (with the help of PB blaster) to get the stock mount off, and here you can see the two side by side (stock on the left)

To get the stock unit off, get the breaker bar (you'll need it) and hit the bolts and nuts (2 on the side, 2 on the bottom) with an 18mm socket

We read the instructions, which said then to replace the stock unit with the HD mount, and secure with the stock hardware. Check.

working hard, or hardly working?

Well, it came time to mount up the track bar, so we placed it between the mount holes, and low and behold, the bolt was the wrong size

So after some creative thinking (which hurt my head, at least), and some JF advice, we decided to drill out the mount to 5/8", so the bolt would fit.

who's the effing pyscho with the drill?

**sharpie** · 05-05-2007, 11:45 PM

all done

conclusions:

this probably wasn't the best way to go about this, as the mount wasn't necessarily made for the adjustable bar. But the way we see it, this mount is much stronger than the stamped steel, half-assed welded mount MOPAR gave us. It works awesome, and Kyle has seen the cracking and the movement in his axle disappear. Only time will tell though, I guess.

wojtizzlator · 05-06-2007, 12:13 AM

hey so i just snapped the end of my track bar! i couldnt get the top of the track bar with the tir rod end to come out of the bracket? what can i do?

**sharpie** · 05-06-2007, 12:16 AM

use a pickle fork

wojtizzlator · 05-06-2007, 12:20 AM

how would that help? like its really stuck i was backing out in my drivway going from the rock drivway to the cement driveway with the rac bar hanging there unbloted and it caught the cement and instead of it just falling ot the tie rod end broke!!

Muddy Cherokee · 05-06-2007, 02:47 AM

Just make sure you used thread lock on all the bracket bolts and torqued them down well. I was having the same clunking/vague steering until I retorqued the bolts (scary loose!) and used threadlock. No problems since then.

**balloo93** · 05-06-2007, 06:07 AM

When I removed my stock trac-bar it took a pickle fork and a mini sledge to get that sob off.

It'll come off, just needs more force.

Glad you guys got Kyle's taken care of. If the heim ain't cutting it, get the thread size and pitch and hit Currie and ask about a 2" 2.5" or 3" johnny joint to replace it. Avarage price is around $40.
http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...nnyjoints.aspx

**Timo_90xj** · 05-06-2007, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharpie

conclusions:

this probably wasn't the best way to go about this, as the mount wasn't necessarily made for the adjustable bar.

So you're using the RE1600 trackbar instead of the 1660 HD trackbar? Seems to be working ok. How is steering etc.? I'm thinking there might be some differences on the bends between those two trackbars.

Honestly though, even ifRE1600 isn't meant to be used with the HD mount, it looks like the only problem is drilling out the mount and the fact that the adjustment range is kinda limited (adjustement on the heim joint is all the way in). Had I known this I guess I wouldn't have sold my RE1600 tackbar. Well, I'll see myself what the differences are when I get my HD trackbar & mount

edit: Nice write- up once again!

LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW · 05-06-2007, 07:21 AM

At least you have your HD mount... It's been like almost 2 months and it has yet to show up on my doorstep...

Nothing like having an XJ sitting and not being able to drive it over 1 part that was susposed to come with the kit...

Blue XJ · 05-06-2007, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balloo93

Glad you guys got Kyle's taken care of. If the heim ain't cutting it, get the thread size and pitch and hit Currie and ask about a 2" 2.5" or 3" johnny joint to replace it. Avarage price is around $40.
http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...nnyjoints.aspx

Do the johny joints use a 5/8" through bolt since they drilled out the mount? I don't think they can ever run anything but a heim, without replacing the mount again??

**balloo93** · 05-06-2007, 07:53 AM

You'd have to call them.

They make them in a few sizes though, the arms i put on this weekend used two sizes of bolts, a different size for the tops verses the bottoms.

**XJK** · 05-06-2007, 09:52 AM

well for an update guys, i drove the XJ quite a bit yesterday and it performed flawlessly. I havent flexed it out yet but i dont anticipate any problems there. All of my wierd cracking sounds are gone and the XJ is now very tight once again.

GreatlakesXJ - the reason i got myne so quickly is because i went directly to the RE store which is very local to me

-Kyle