[Alexia]

I believe I am going to take my chances and get a JKS track bar.

[Unlimited04]

Originally Posted by Alexia

I believe I am going to take my chances and get a JKS track bar.

I'll sell you mine for $210 + shipping. brand spankin' new, still in the box. I want to do the WJ + mount thing.

[nriver]

Ill Play

Pics of my Currie/JKS bar. You will notice in the Pic a rub on the Diff Cover. This was from my Currie/JKS TB. This was with OME ZJ springs and standard shocks, stocks arms and no extra BS.


I now have the FT Ultimate kit with their TB on. They call for 2" bump stops.

The parts from FT


I now have this TB on and it contact the ribs on the dif cover, with less than 2" of BS. I did quite a bit of testing and adjusting on LCAs to get the least contact longest arms.....


Second shot


Current suspension setup. Ft 4" springs, Adjustable CAs not much longer than stock, because of TB contact issues. Fox shocks with 1" additional BS over stock. This is because of the shock and TB issues.
The mount hits the ribs on the diff cover with no extra BS. I modified the cover a bit to add some clearance. I am also thinking I will modify the bracket similar to the clayton bracket. Cut off the joint mount and move it forward about a inch. Then my clearance issues should go away. But currently have the 1" BS.

Looking at these pics again I may need to put on the drop pitman arm. Thinking they are suppose to be more parallel, I dont recall where the suspension was in travel in this pic. I dont have any steering issues, like bump-steer like I would think would show up.

I am thinking I will try and get this done this weekend. Then I will go back to my OME ZJ springs, or possibly even the stock springs.

any way, my stuff. I do like the FT TB setup better than the JKS/Currie one. I get less flex, the cross bar I think is a great addition, especially since I have 37s.

[jayr]

I installed a 3" FT economy lift way back in 2006 which included extended bump stops and their adj panhard bar. Since then I have changed to or added an RE1600 panhard, RE SF2 U/LCAs on the front, RE 3/4" spring spacers on the front, 1" BL, Anti-rock, plus FT 4" lift monotube shocks (now MX-6s) and a TKHfab D30 diff cover. I have never noticed the bar hitting the diff cover on mine. I dont have any close up pics but will try to take some this weekend since I hope to wrenching on it anyway

[chadsmeltzer]

I just broke the TRE on my Full Traction trackbar a couple weekends ago...





I never noticed it, but I just went and looked at the diff cover and there are marks on it. I do not know if it was from before it broke, or after when I put those straps on and limped the rest of the trail and the bar was just hanging there.

I have about 3.5" suspension lift and almost 2" of bumpstop and Bilstien 5100's for 3" lift.

I am switching to the JKS one that uses a johnny joint next week.

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by Knuckelhead

When I was modifying my adjustable track bar to work with the WJ knuckle conversion, I used a 20 ton press to bend it to fit my needs...

looks like a teraflex track bar..?

[Knuckelhead]

Originally Posted by mudb8

looks like a teraflex track bar..?

Yep, slightly modified. It's been on there for about 4 years...

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by nriver

Ill Play

great we need more input

Originally Posted by nriver

Pics of my Currie/JKS bar. You will notice in the Pic a rub on the Diff Cover. This was from my Currie/JKS TB. This was with OME ZJ springs and standard shocks, stocks arms and no extra BS.

that seems to be whats going on with a lot of people..
by standard shocks you mean the 22.5" long OME that don't need any bump stops?

Originally Posted by nriver

I now have the FT Ultimate kit with their TB on. They call for 2" bump stops.
I now have this TB on and it contact the ribs on the dif cover, with less than 2" of BS.

Current suspension setup. Ft 4" springs, Adjustable CAs not much longer than stock, because of TB contact issues. Fox shocks with 1" additional BS over stock. This is because of the shock and TB issues.
The mount hits the ribs on the diff cover with no extra BS. I modified the cover a bit to add some clearance. I am also thinking I will modify the bracket similar to the clayton bracket. Cut off the joint mount and move it forward about a inch. Then my clearance issues should go away. But currently have the 1" BS.

how far forward is the ft track bar compared to the stock?
I can see the ft relocation bracket mounts to the frame about 6 1/2" forward of the stock mount and angles back to the rear...

this is the kind of info I think might create a solution to the problems an allow problem free operation for the 2" with short shocks and stock bump stops, not all the hollow tubed track bars can be bent much as knucklehead did for clearance issues without a proper bender, some of them are pretty thin wall....

Originally Posted by nriver

Looking at these pics again I may need to put on the drop pitman arm. Thinking they are suppose to be more parallel, I dont recall where the suspension was in travel in this pic. I dont have any steering issues, like bump-steer like I would think would show up.

I agree, the Pittman and track bar end doesn't move with travel, they are both mounted to the frame. the pic could be at enough of an angle tho to create an illusion of being at different heights... there would be minimal bump steer, prolly something so easy to get used to we just don't notice.

Originally Posted by nriver

I am thinking I will try and get this done this weekend. Then I will go back to my OME ZJ springs, or possibly even the stock springs.

I don't think the stock springs would serve very well for down travel. they'll be unseating from over extension of the longer shocks.. the OME springs should be very close to the same length as the 4" ft springs unspung. I do like what you've done on your tJ...

Originally Posted by nriver

any way, my stuff. I do like the FT TB setup better than the JKS/Currie one. I get less flex, the cross bar I think is a great addition, especially since I have 37s.

no doubt. the ft set up will also help prevent the frame mount from getting torn off of the frame from a track bar that won't bend easily, I had a re HD that bent and tore off the frame mount. that's the reason I looked into Nth Degree and got the frame brace.

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by Knuckelhead

Yep, slightly modified. It's been on there for about 4 years...

sweet... to bad we can't bend the thin walled hollow track bars like jks and re without toasting em...


re vs. rock krawler....

[jeep2008]

i saw here that a couple guys said they didn't noticed any noises prior to breakage of their tbars,well when i hit with both wheels a pothole and the tb makes contact you can hear a really loud noise and you can almost feel the windshield shaking all over.imo there is no way you are having contact issues and won't feel or listen them...

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by chadsmeltzer

I just broke the TRE on my Full Traction trackbar a couple weekends ago...

I never noticed it, but I just went and looked at the diff cover and there are marks on it. I do not know if it was from before it broke, or after when I put those straps on and limped the rest of the trail and the bar was just hanging there.

I have about 3.5" suspension lift and almost 2" of bumpstop and Bilstien 5100's for 3" lift.

that's scary!

My guess is it wasn't hitting during daily driving, due to the lift height, but it was if you hit a large bumps or hole. prolly took a beating a few time and finally gave it up

Originally Posted by chadsmeltzer

I am switching to the JKS one that uses a johnny joint next week

I hope it works for you.. post up your pics after you bomb down a rough road.

[HAYSHAKER170]

Originally Posted by SB99TJ

I had NO idea this was happening until it was too late. I saw the mark on the diff, similar to yours, but I did not clue into what was going on. Even after it broke, I had no idea until i really looked at it.

I never heard any unusual noise. I never felt it in the steering and I never had any sort of clue except of the mark on the diff.

One day, I hit a dip in the road, granted a big dip, but it was a fun ride with my 4-year old boy. I was not being irresponsible or dangerous, I was just having some fun with the Jeep and nothing out of line. I was going 50 where I should have been going 30, but It's a Jeep.

I hit the dip and suddenly, I had NO steering. On my left was a upward embankment and on the right was a 200 ft. drop off. I somehow managed to keep the Jeep on the 2-lane wide road and stop, facing the left upward embankment. I limped home with the hazzards on at 20 mph max.

It took everything I had to keep the Jeep simply on the roadway. One split second would have thrown me over the 200ft embankment and who knows what could have happened to Nick (my 4-year old by) and I.

AFTER if broke, I noticed the markings on the diff cover. I sent Rusty's pics of the damage and they were very apoligetic, but quick to make the problem go away. No follow up was ever done by Rusty's.

I THINK the problem MAY be proper bump stops, but I really don't know. I know that I would NEVER run a Rusty's track bar on my TJ...EVER!!!

You will need to decide that for yourself. I don't know the answer to this problem. I ran the Teraflex and it did not hit...as far as I know.

Keep in mind...my lift was a Rusty's lift, not a "other" brand that I used a Rusty's track bar with...It was ALL Rusty's compoents. There was NO excuse for this failure.

If you are hitting now, even slightly, you are risking this same fate.

Look at the mark on the diff cover. It looks very simliar to yours. Mine probably hit a few more times before it broke.

[IMG][/IMG]

I wonder if it's possible to remove the diff cover and pound a 1/4" clearance dent into it without it hitting the ring gear. Any thoughts? Because other than the clearance issue it looks like a good design, or at least beefier than stock.

[Unlimited04]

Originally Posted by jeep2008

i saw here that a couple guys said they didn't noticed any noises prior to breakage of their tbars,well when i hit with both wheels a pothole and the tb makes contact you can hear a really loud noise and you can almost feel the windshield shaking all over.imo there is no way you are having contact issues and won't feel or listen them...

I've got contact right now, with my stock track bar on stock suspension with a Riddler diff cover. I do NOT notice a sound. Only a faint pop that echos inside the parking garage when I turn and climb the next level just right. I know mine hits because I painted & primed the diff cover...and now one spot...no paint, just bare iron...that doesn't have much rust on it....

[MEnginerd]

Originally Posted by mudb8

thats exactly where I'm going with this.. shock length determines the amout of minumum bumpstops...

Agreed that it CAN be a limiting factor, but not always. For example, my shocks and springs would work with stock bumpstops***. I have 2" stops for tire clearance issues. I know a lot of guys would say 2" bumpstops + 1.25" BL is more than enough for 33x12.50's on my backspacing, but i've also grazed my fenders flexed out, and 1" bumpstop was definitly not enough.

I believe an optimized suspension SHOULD us bump stops or snubbers, not an oversized spring which never bottoms out. At the same time i'm not crazy about maxing out down travel to the last inch, i have lockers.... The standard OME shocks travel a lot more than stock already.

I also disagree with people who say that 31's fit on a stock jeep. My SE rubbed the fenders with 31's disco'd, and so did my rubicon stock with the MT/Rs (ok they're metric...). Neither one ruined a tire, but there was indisputable signs of contact. I think a lot of people don't fully flex out their rigs. It just has to do with their local terrain, not trying to claim to be more hardcore or anything like that.

-Brent

*** 3/4" bumpstops minimum would be prudent since i technically I added the 3/4" coil spacers to level it out and OME rates it for stock bump stops, not -3/4" although we can't be sure that would actually cause a problem either

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by vector6

i have the clayton setup... i have no issues

is it the relocated Cayton?
what lift height, shock length or bumpstops?