[mudb8]

here's a little something I spent a couple hours on today from scrap laying around the shop.. why we can't already buy one tapered is beyond me, of course since I don't have one of the track bars laying around that are hitting, I couldn't put one on to see if it wouldn't just hit the differential in a different place..

it's a weld on bracket that'll move any after market track bar designed to bolt in the factory mount.. it'll also relocate jks jj's and the hiems RE uses...

i started out going after a bolt on, then I realized bolting on what I stated to make was interfering with the sway bar, I tapered the the hole that's now relocated forward 2", the other hole bolts to the factory mounting surface with a 5/8" bolt, or a tapered stud, like nth degree uses, could be put in to eliminate the need to drill the factory bracket.

I was temped to reinstall my factory track bar just for kicks, it's not something I need tho and the pics have one of the bent ends in it from my rancho track bar....






I think the Ideal bracket would be verticle and mount the tre horizontally, that wouldn't work so well for a jks bar at all tho.

[MEnginerd]

Originally Posted by mudb8

shocks longer than 22.5" are a limiting factor, they have longer bodies for longer travel, when they bottom out the stock bump stops don't contact axle pad.

I guess I meant shocks SHOULDN'T be a limiting factor ASSUMING a track bar with the correct bend in it and no tire contact issues. Shock length should only determine bump stop length if the shocks are going to bottom out, and i assume anyone with shocks that bottom out are going to run into other trouble sooner or later.

Originally Posted by mudb8

I'd like to see/come up a definate solution to track bar problems with your set up using 22.5" shocks an stock bumpstop.. I have an idea now, just need some more input.

I think that the track bar manufacturers need to just recognize that people are doing more LCG lifts (not that mine is particularly posterchild LCG, but lower than most).

Originally Posted by mudb8

my rubi when stock never rubbed any paint on the underside of the fenders with stock mtr's and it was flexed beyond flexed.... IMO rubbing the flares is not a problem.. but thats another subject,

I appreciate your input.

Definitly agreed, i'll take a lil rubber to plastic contact and 'fuggedaboutit'. I believe i definitly had fender contact though, albeit through the plastic inner flare pushing up on the metal fender which made a nice noise and was slightly bent. Although I hate the cliche, 'every jeep is *slightly* different'.

I'll note i also bent the rear lower corner of the psg side front fender at the joint with the flare. I have to admit, i'm not sure how, but one day i looked and it was bent. Not sure if there was a rock or stick that got involved...

Slightly off topic, but i kept the stock control arms and carry a spare. I couldn't justify the price of aftermarket control arms of stock lenth since many designs would actually limit overall flex and add more stress to the frame mounts. I have chewed up stock control arms though and would like the durability of aftermarket ones without sacrificing bushing flex and the flex of stock stamped steel. I think some people lose some flex / or add a large amount of stress to frame mounts because the aftermarket ones are too rigid unless they have a flex joint.

Also, if you don't set up your spherical ball joint track bar with the correct relaxed position that will also limit flex. It may seem like I'm slightly contradicting myself since i previously said i'd sacrafice the theoretical flex of longer shocks (CA and TB bind come into play) but i like to do as much as possible for any given design change.

The flex on the drivers side and passenger side is slightly different due to track bar bind, and max uptravel is slightly effected by bind or shock length limiting down travel.

Although a reinforced track bar frame mount would be nice since i think the stock one flexes too much, it's not everybodies top priority. I dont' like the idea of moving that location and effecting the drop pitman arm. I think that this contact can be designed out by someone competent with a tube bender who has access too and actually cares about lower lift height jeeps and looking at the issue. A bracket that reinforces the stock track bar frame mount but doesn't move the bolt hole would be optimum to me. It would be optional and minimizes installation error.

Keep up the good work mudb8, maybe some mfg will regonize the problem.

-Brent

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by MEnginerd

Although a reinforced track bar frame mount would be nice since i think the stock one flexes too much, it's not everybodies top priority. I dont' like the idea of moving that location and effecting the drop pitman arm. I think that this contact can be designed out by someone competent with a tube bender who has access too and actually cares about lower lift height jeeps and looking at the issue. A bracket that reinforces the stock track bar frame mount but doesn't move the bolt hole would be optimum to me. It would be optional and minimizes installation error.

Keep up the good work mudb8, maybe some mfg will regonize the problem.

-Brent

as far as contradiction goes, I think your pretty well tuned into what's going on..

nth degree, full traction, and pro comp all have units that keep the factory location and are braced, they also lower the track bar tho and still need the bumpstops associated with the longer shocks for the height..

I think jks comes the closest to geting the bend right, i'm not so sure the guys with jks rubbing issues, besides on aftermarket covers, are from improper axle centering even though they have an adjustable.. I've seen a few d30 covers that were only rubbing on the left side low spot of the cover.

the straight bars just hang to low. ones that are hitting with 2" stops are gauranteed to hit off road on 4"+ lifts also with a good pot hole even though they never see enough compression during daily driving.

[chadsmeltzer]

Originally Posted by chadsmeltzer

My Full Traction didn't hit with ~3" of lift but I snapped it. I will find out next week if the JKS one works.

The JKS was does hit on full compression, but plenty of room at full flex. I am going to add one more inch of bumpstop.


It was hitting hard (baja-style in the dunes) and it only scratched the paint though, didn't bend it at all.

[mudb8]

anyhow... here's some more info I just got from mr. blaine.... anyone have a new currie bar they are willing to post pics of?

Originally Posted by mrblaine

JKS has made the Currie bars for years and now Currie has their own. You should check it out. They bumped the tube up to 1/4" wall Chrome moly, gusseted the JJ barrel at the frame, and bumped the bolt size up to 5/8" so you can use it where an RE was.

They added some more bend to clear the Rubi 44's and HP 60's. They also coped the tube differently so it's shifted to the front edge of the JJ barrel.

[tkki1230]

Originally Posted by mudb8

anyhow... here's some more info I just got from mr. blaine.... anyone have a new currie bar they are willing to post pics of?

I just replaced my old JKS Bar with this new HD version. I don't have pics, but this bar will clear. It has a slightly larger bend, and it uses a 5/8 bolt on the frame side.

[jeep2008]

Originally Posted by tkki1230

I just replaced my old JKS Bar with this new HD version. I don't have pics, but this bar will clear. It has a slightly larger bend, and it uses a 5/8 bolt on the frame side.

what HD version are you talking about??The JKS bar i have and hits my DANA30 up front is the latest one, # OGS126

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by jeep2008

what HD version are you talking about??The JKS bar i have and hits my DANA30 up front is the latest one, # OGS126

currie has apparently started making a new version of track bars. they have been using jks..

[marylandjeeper]

ive been reading through here and haven't seen anything about stock trackbar/aftermarket diff cover interference. i have a 2" lift with stock trackbar and want to get a riddler cover, will the trackbar hit it?

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by marylandjeeper

ive been reading through here and haven't seen anything about stock trackbar/aftermarket diff cover interference. i have a 2" lift with stock trackbar and want to get a riddler cover, will the trackbar hit it?

yep, at least two reports, and here's a pic..

Originally Posted by Unlimited04

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....

Originally Posted by redsoxski

After reading this thread I decided to check mine out and found it was rubbing. This is with a stock track bar, 1" BL, no suspension lift and the Ridler cover on a D44. The shiny area at the edge of the fill hole has been worn down by hitting the trackbar. In this case how would I stop the rubbing? Would that suspension lift that I've been putting off give me clearance here?

[marylandjeeper]

both of those guys were at stock height, wouldnt make a difference? the other things i was looking at was the warn half height skid and the superlift ring which is real similar to the old psc rings...you think either of those would work? sorry not trying to threadjack but seemed like a good place to ask this...

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by marylandjeeper

both of those guys were at stock height, wouldnt make a difference? the other things i was looking at was the warn half height skid and the superlift ring which is real similar to the old psc rings...you think either of those would work? sorry not trying to threadjack but seemed like a good place to ask this...

unless you have shocks that are longer than 22.5" fully extended or have extended bumpstops, your 2" lift will still compress the same amount as the stock suspension. under normal driving, you may not hit, but going off road and hitting some good bumps and dips it'll likely hit.

this is a good place for the q... I'm quite sure the warn half skid clears.. I just had one come in and didn't notice any rubbing altough it had a re1600 track bar, there's a couple on the shelf, I guess I should check it out closer..

[marylandjeeper]

my front shocks are 22.75" fully extended...skyjacker H7016. my bumpstops are stock. i'm not sure how heavy duty the warn skid is, plus ive heard they pack full of mud between the skid and diff cover. they cost almost as much as the riddler or the superlift rock rings so it seemed like a no brainer, but if things wont play nicely together i guess i'll have to reconsider.

[mudb8]

Originally Posted by marylandjeeper

my front shocks are 22.75" fully extended...skyjacker H7016. my bumpstops are stock. i'm not sure how heavy duty the warn skid is, plus ive heard they pack full of mud between the skid and diff cover. they cost almost as much as the riddler or the superlift rock rings so it seemed like a no brainer, but if things wont play nicely together i guess i'll have to reconsider.

I like em, and ya, they can pack full of mud and cost about 80 bucks if memory serves..

[Strizzy]

Any more info on the NEW Currie HD trac-bar? Any pics of it installed? Or did I just miss it already posted in this tread?