Track bar GRRRRRRRRR!!!

I just replaced my track bar with one out of an '00 tightened everything properly and then some. I fired it up and backed up to turn around and it made the same clunk that the old one did. I also have a horrible vibe in the leftt front- feels like a golfball stuck in the tread! anyone have any suggestions. Note: it seemed that the lower mount holes were a bit big when I installed the lower bolt.
Thanks!

Park it with the wheels pointed straight ahead. Get a friend (or any warm body, for that matter) to assist. Leave it in park with the engine running, and have your helper move the steering wheel back and forth, about 1/4 turn to each side of straight. YOU get under the front of the Jeep and look at and "FEEL the attachment of the track bar to the axle bracket. Even if there's no visible movement, you might feel some -- although if it moves enough to clunk it should be visible.

If the hole is oversized, you can either ream/drill everything out for the next larger size bolt (I believe stock is a 12mm, so the next larger size may be an SAE bolt), or you can get a 12mm heavy-pattern washer and weld it to the bracket to tighten things up. That's the route I went on my MJ.

However, if it clunks when you back up, I would suspect a lower control arm bushing.

Thanks Eagle! I have some "new" LCA's I'll install one this morning and see what happens. Any advice on the vibe?

I replaced the lca's this morning and the noise is WORSE. Same noise, just more. BTw LCA's were out of 00xj with less than 50K and looked beautiful. Everything is torqued to spec. More ideas Eagle????

Check out the frame bracket as well. Sometimes the hole for the ballstud becomes enlarged and although it feels tight it still allows the bar to move. Been there, done that
J.R.

make sure everything is really tight! I mean impact wrench tight, especially that track bar bolt on the axle.

I just tightened the frame bracket bolts REALLY REALLY REALLY (get the idea) tight and now no clunking!!!! If I can figure out the vibration I'll be right as rain!!!

asatxj said:

I just tightened the frame bracket bolts REALLY REALLY REALLY (get the idea) tight and now no clunking!!!! If I can figure out the vibration I'll be right as rain!!!

Click to expand...

I lied! It's doing it again!!! I guess I need a new bracket. Anybody got one?

Ever since I installed my lift kit (which came with an adjustable track bar) I had a horrible steering. It turned out that the TRE used at the frame end of the track bar was dead-on-arrival. I replaced the TRE with a bushing end and a new frame mount, and the problem was solved. However, some days later, I discovered that the bolts holding the mount on the frame became loose. I tighten them up and a few days later, they were loose again. So, my next move will be to remove them and add some Loctite there.

Rgds