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Track bar install question

A

amorth

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Denver, CO
I have a 2000 XJ Sport sitting on jack stands with the front wheels off. I'm just about to finish my 3" lift I bought from IRO with upgraded LCA's from Rustys Offroad.
The instructions asked to remove the bolt that attaches the track bar to the axle (passenger side), for reasons I'm not sure of. Now, I can't get the holes on the track bar and support brackets to line back up. Looking at it straight on, the track bar hole is off by about 1/8" or so - to line up the track bar, it needs to move towards the passenger side. It's almost like the bar shrunk.
Is there a trick to get this done? Did I do something wrong during the install that I need to fix?
I'm not opposed to upgrade to an adjustable track bar - I would just rather not right now; unless that's the only way to go. What benefits does an adjustable track bar offer, and any recommendations on where to get one?

Thanks!
 
Since the kit retains your stock trac bar you have to drill another hole next to the stock hole to correct the alignment. I'm not sure about the measurement, but iro should know. if you have the extra cash, i would just buy an adjustable piece. much easier to align and it doesn't weaken your already weak axle mount.
 
the bar doesnt shrink, but without the panhard (trackbar disconnected), the front end is free to sway whichever way it wants, due to bushings. taking off a trackbar on a crowned road will cause said situation.

have someone turn the steering wheel, or lean on the front end in the way you need it to go. a tapered alignment tool is also kickass to have.
 
You either need to get an adjustable.. or redrill the hole in the bracket (google it)
You can use a ratchet strap to line it up or jack up the opposite side of the axle, but the axle wont be centered perfectly
 
I use the steering wheel to push the axle where I need it. Even done it solo using a ratchet strap around the exterior door handle to keep the steering wheel cranked. Obviously its a lot easier with someone else at the wheel who can fine tune the position. Be careful when pushing the trackbar bolt thru the axle bracket, its easily stripped. If memory serves correctly, M8x70.
With the factory track bar, its much easier to reassemble the axle end first, then the frame side TRE last.
 
you can just crank the steering wheel and then turn the key off so the column locks it in place. little easier than a ratchet strap.
 
Thanks for the responses everyone. After reading up on what a track bar does (I'm still learning :read:), I think it has to do with what my friends and I had to do to get the LCA's in; we had to yank and pull and push the front axle every which way for the bolt holes to line up. This makes sense, because after I installed the sway bar links, I noticed that they where leaning to the right (drivers side) ever so slightly. Pushing/pulling the axles towards the drivers side should align the track bar holes and straighten the links.

Here's to hoping!! lol
 
You either need to re-drill the track bar 3/4" over to right (towards the drivers side) of the original hole or get a track bar relocation bracket so that your axle stays centered under the Jeep. The Steering wheel method to line up the holes has always worked well for me.
 
Never can go wrong with an adjustable trac bar from Ironman4x4Fab! Plus when you are ready to go up to 4.5 inches of lift, the bar will be ready.
Also, a stock trac bar is weak if you are doing anything more than mall crawlin.

My .02
 
to all those saying you need to re-drill, or buy an adjustable for a 3" lift... BULLSHIT.

i ran my 3" kit with stock trackbar for over 2 and a half years... the only downside is the increased angle will make it WEAR OUT quicker.... 3" lift isnt enough to offset the front end... a 3.5"/4.5" kit is another story.

dont take advic
 
xcm said:
to all those saying you need to re-drill, or buy an adjustable for a 3" lift... BULLSHIT.

i ran my 3" kit with stock trackbar for over 2 and a half years... the only downside is the increased angle will make it WEAR OUT quicker.... 3" lift isnt enough to offset the front end... a 3.5"/4.5" kit is another story.

dont take advic
Click to expand...
just FYI .5" isn't exactly a huge difference you can run the stock tracbar in the stock position with 5" of lift. that doesn't mean its the right thing. to properly align the front end you do need to move it over or get an adjustable.
 
I ran stock trackbar in stock location for almost a year with my 3" front and never had any issues. Perfectly center? Certainly not, but not an issue.
 
cdawall said:
you can just crank the steering wheel and then turn the key off so the column locks it in place. little easier than a ratchet strap.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't want to put any real force on the column lock. It is not that strong and can break pretty easy.
 
I would say dont just try to turn the wheel and shove it in, I did that last weekend and I have the same 2000 xj sport putting in a 3inch lift. Gave me some nasty death wobble at 35mph. I had the BDS lift, but i drilled 3/4 inch over and its driving much better
 
Ok, so I'm still having difficulty inching the axle ever so slights to the drivers side. I had my friend turn the steering wheel towards the drivers side and VIOLA - the bolts lined up. The only problem is that the drag link bar got in the way of putting the bolt in. :doh:
Anyway, I was going through the instructions I have from IRO for this 3" lift and they don't say anything about drilling into the track bar bracket (leading me to believe that with this kit it's not necessary), but when I look at the BDS 3" lift, they say to drill into the bracket 3/4" to the drivers side (as many of you have mentioned).
My only worry about this is - won't this fatigue the mounting bracket? I don't plan on doing any extreme wheeling, but I want to feel confident in my Jeep that if I were ever in a situation like that, that I would be okay.

Thoughts?
 
Thank you xcm for yet another of your comments demeaning someone else's advice. Once agin, I just put in my .02 because the OP wanted some opinions.

To the OP, it has been my experience (not saying every situation is the same or what I say is gospel) that the factory trac bar is okay where I ran it (mine is lifted 4.5") until I did some heavier obstacles and it looked like a wet noodle after. I have seen axle side brackets that were redrilled like others suggested. Half worked for a long time, half stretched the bracket and broke within a month of wheeling.

Six one way, half a dozen the other. I prefer the adjustable trac bar due to MY personal preference. I know that I look back now and realize my death wobble issues and overall steering troubles were always the lack of a properly aligned trac bar. How you go about obtaining this is solely up to you. Most here enjoy giving advice, others want to $h1t on people cuz they have an inferiority complex.

Hope to see you on the trails someday!!
 
Spawn 93 said:
Thank you xcm for yet another of your comments demeaning someone else's advice. Once agin, I just put in my .02 because the OP wanted some opinions.

To the OP, it has been my experience (not saying every situation is the same or what I say is gospel) that the factory trac bar is okay where I ran it (mine is lifted 4.5") until I did some heavier obstacles and it looked like a wet noodle after. I have seen axle side brackets that were redrilled like others suggested. Half worked for a long time, half stretched the bracket and broke within a month of wheeling.

Six one way, half a dozen the other. I prefer the adjustable trac bar due to MY personal preference. I know that I look back now and realize my death wobble issues and overall steering troubles were always the lack of a properly aligned trac bar. How you go about obtaining this is solely up to you. Most here enjoy giving advice, others want to $h1t on people cuz they have an inferiority complex.

Hope to see you on the trails someday!!
Click to expand...

Thanks Spawn93 - I appreciate it :cheers:. I've received quite a bit of info from this board and this thread (it's my #1 source). I'm going to get an adjustable track bar and be done with it. I feel uncomfortable redrilling a hole in a support member. And I want to try to take anything out of the death wobble equation before I do an alignment. And by going this route it will let me go bigger if I ever decide to do that!
 
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