HELP!!! (Coil spring and bent track bar)

Alright I bought a new XJ, and everything seemed to be ok and in good working order. I took it to have it aligned and they said that the right front wheel bearing was bad. So I got that fixed. But they also said that the track bar was bent and the coil spring wasnt sitting on right. But after I looked at the spring a little closer it looks like it is compressed a little farther than one the left? I'm thinking that the bad wheel bearing and the vibration from it has messed the spring up. does that sound logical to anyone. I don't know much about cars so Im just doing the best I can.

I got another jeep im thinkin about using for parts. So the track bar isnt a problem. But the Cherokee I just bought has a 4.5 inch lift, however I do think the springs from both of them might be identical, same size and same company. The only difference is that the one with the 4.5 lift has a piece of rubber on it to make it taller instead of just a larger coil spring.

Drop pitman arm, I done some reading on here and it doesn't sound like I really need one. I hope I am correct on that. What I gathered was that it would be nice to have but not entirely neccesary. Also this Jeep won't see any offroading any time soon.

An XJ lifted over 2 or 3 inches should have an adjustable (longer) trac bar installed. The trac bar centers the axle under the xj. Lifting an xj causes the axle to shift to one side and handling problems to appear. You may be able to see that the coil spring is angled because the bottom mounting point is not lined up directly below the top mounting point. I doubt the trac bar is bent , it is just too short now because of the lift. With your tires pointed straight ahead measure inside the front wheel wells from some solid metal point, to a spot on your tires. (for example, coil tower or shock to the middle tire rib) Now measure the same 2 spots on the other side of the XJ. Your measurements should be close to the same. If not you should look at an adjustable trac bar. Wheel bearings have no effect on springs. Springs can sag all by themselves. You can add or subtract either stock or aftermarket coil spring spacers (isolators) as needed to even out your lift, front to back or side to side.

hmm alright, well thanks i got a friend that has an adjustable track bar for sale, i may just get the from him. thanks for the help

and about the coil spring and wheel bearing. I was thinking the wheel bearing being messed up, and the car being out of align and the wobbling that that caused might lead to the spring being messed up. Due to the stress on it.

Good tech Tim_MN. :lecture:

I have found that swapping the springs from one side to the other will definatively tell you if it is the spring. It should be the spring, but I have seen other things contribute to a rig not sitting level, but first things first.

yeah im pretty sure its the spring. I dont know alot about cars, but just from lookin at it and comparing it to the other side and the ones on my other jeep it looks like its the spring to me.

castleman123 said:

yeah im pretty sure its the spring. I dont know alot about cars, but just from lookin at it and comparing it to the other side and the ones on my other jeep it looks like its the spring to me.

Click to expand...

Check the leaf springs too: when my XJ was sitting crooked up front it turned out to be a messed up leaf spring in the back causing the whole jeep to twist. It looked at first as though it was a coil spring issue, but further examination pointed to the leaf spring.

Kejtar, exactly what I was getting at. Most people never think about it.

Vehicles rarly sit level! The torque from the 4.0 will cause the XJ to lean a little to the right I've found.

I've always seen the rears cause that. When I finish my bastard leaf pack build (I'm ruunning a temporarly solution right now) I intend to put one more leaf in the RH side.

Sounds to me that someone smacked a curb and ruined the bearing, bent the trac bar and possibly cracked the spring. Is there any damage on the wheel?

You say you have another XJ to swap parts from and the lift on the XJ is just spacers then Sounds like you can simply replace the springs from the donor, and get a deal from your friend on the adjustable track bar.

My guess is if the spring and TB are both bent than somebody REALLY did some over-flexing! Or came down hard on that corner. It takes alot to do damage to a spring which could also destroy your wheel bearing. I have blown out several hubs over the course of a couple years between mud and just straight out banging the crap out of it.

GirlScout1 said:

My guess is if the spring and TB are both bent

Click to expand...

Bent spring? You mean coil spring??? I would really like to see that.

I have seen/heard of people over flexing and destroying a coil spring before. Though not common and hard to do it can be done.

GirlScout1 said:

I have seen/heard of people over flexing and destroying a coil spring before. Though not common and hard to do it can be done.

Click to expand...

yeah, it is possible but rather rare... and your diagnosis of that being the case is rather... ummmm far fetched

look, i m not going to argue and get this and have this thread go to hell. Though uncommon, it is possible is all im saying. I look closer at his first post and maybe the spring is collapsed...I don't know. The point is offering guidance right? Teach, mentor, advise?? Not bash others.