RC Track bar problem - Am I this stupid?

96, 4.0 AW4 242 3" RC lift - Mainly DD, some light wheeling but none in the last couple of months.

OK, I can't belive the problem is my installation - it's too damn easy. One nut and a cotterpin. But I don't know what else to think.

Two months ago I got the RC adjustable track bar with the TRE Frame end that goes into the stock bracket. The PO had tried to re-drill the axle side mount, but put a couple of holes in the wrong places and gave up, making it not an option to drill a new hole in the right place and I don't have a welder to patch the mistakes. The RC seemed like a reasonable replacement for the stock bar.

First install - centered the axle, bolted it all up and moved the wheel back and forth. Back/forth & Up/Down movement in the TRE body under the frame bracket. Feeling inside the bracket while moving the wheel, could detect NO movement of the ball stud or nut. It was tight in the bracket. The bracket itself has no movement on the frame. Called RC, they sent me a new part.

New TRE - put it on, seemed tight.

Today (three weeks later) clunking when turning the wheel side to side. It's the TRE again with the same symptom. TRE body screwed into the track bar seems to be moving all over under the frame bracket but no movement of the ball stud/nut in the bracket.

Could this be me? Could this happen if I cranked it down too tight? Could I really have gotten more than one bad TRE?

What could be happening here?

Buy a real trackbar and bracket!

RCP Phx said:

Buy a real trackbar and bracket!

Click to expand...

I am going to have to agree with RCP Phx on this...

I know that answer - still kicking myself for going cheap.

But I want the one I have to at least work for the DD duties until I can get a replacement. Is it the TRE quality from RC? Is there a better one? Is it not an inherent fault of the part or design but somehow my install method?

Even this RC hunk 'o'junk should stand up for more than two or three weeks of on-road use.

Any Ideas?

Either you are doing something wrong, or the frame side bracket is boogered up.

Ok for a stupider question does this only happen at just about Full lock? If so do you have the right sized bolt in your track bar. I know it sounds stupid but when the dealership where i bought my jeep at swapped the engine they borked the stock bolt and put one in that didn't fit correctly. Once they changed it to the correct diameter bolt no more clunking everything was great.

shark0302 said:

Ok for a stupider question does this only happen at just about Full lock? If so do you have the right sized bolt in your track bar. I know it sounds stupid but when the dealership where i bought my jeep at swapped the engine they borked the stock bolt and put one in that didn't fit correctly. Once they changed it to the correct diameter bolt no more clunking everything was great.

Click to expand...

post up some pics

i have the RC adjustable track bar on my TJ with 3 inch lift (2.5 coils and 3/4 spacer - pretty much the same part...) and it was really weird how it installed. The drop bracket was funky to accept the bushing and the heim went on the axle side! but w/e i got it for a hella deal brand new and it got my axle centered... the parts were relatively good looking but not near the caliber of parts like TNT, RE or clayton parts that i have installed in the past...

I had to tighten my nuts and bolts every week for a month till they got snug... a little lock tite and all is good - still check once a month for safety!

I think there is a issue with fitment like a bracket bent, axle not centered, etc because your heim should last much longer than that even being a lower end part

i beleive the OP said his uses a TRE.

It is the TRE version and the problem is with the TRE at the Frame side bracket.

I will try to get some video in the morning to post up. Lots of movement of the TRE body but can't feel the ball stud moving even a little bit with my fingers in the bracket while having the wheel turned back and forth.

If the bracket was to blame, I would not expect the ball stud to feel tight and secure in the bracket.

Maybe I just can't feel the movement from the nut side?

i would think you would be able to though. what does rustys have to say? what is the thread size on the TRE? if you can find an exceptable heim replacement that would be money. but the bar probably wont be long enough...

It's a Rough Country - not Rusty's.

The TRE looks fairly hefty - the RC guy on the phone claimed the replacement is an ES140R, but the one I picked up at NAPA to change it out and see if that helped was way smaller.

I need to call RC on Monday and see if they have any advice here.

ah my bad the TRE version...

is there any way to go about converting your track bar to a heim with a double sheer bracket?

Just a thought,,, the ES140 was what Rustys used in his std duty adj bar,wore out 2.
A Grand Cherokee TRE is what is in Rustys HD track bar (broke) in my sons 87.It was bigger than the 140R........Maybe you need to try the Grand TRE in the Rough Country bar ?

Had this happen before on a t-bar too. The joint develops play in the socket and nothing you can do about it. They use cheap joints to keep the price cheap. I just swapped it out for a JKS bar and never had any issues since. I now run double-sheer.

If you want a cheap trackbar that's actually built tough, talk to Andy at IronMan4x4fab.

if you want a real man's trackbar go with Clayton or Rockkrawler.

The quick answer is the Rough Country track bar is a piece of crap. I have their original design from two years ago that wore out. I also have their original prototype for the version designed to the clearance differential cover.(Which it doesn't.) Both tie rod ends are shot. I managed to get a combined 25,000 miles out of those two.