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Drag Link & Trac Bar?

F

FJH97XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Staten Island, New York
My question concerning this issue is if I go to a straight trac bar w/ Johnnie Joints or Heim Joints how should the angles be in relation to the drag link? If there not parallel to each other should the angle where they meet be the same on either side? Any help & comments would be greatful.
 
Im not sure what your trying to say, but only the pivot points count when determining the angle(s).The shape of the arm(s) is of no concern(it could be an "s")!
 
So the angles should be the same at the drag link pivot points as the trac bar? What im trying to say is this: lets say I use a straight trac bar from mounting point to mounting point but its not running parallel w/ the drag link but where they intersect (picture an X) the angles are the same would that be a problem?
 
Draw imaginary lines thru the mounting points,those lines should be parallel.They should not intersect thru ~!The only variable that hasnt ever been addressed that I recall is the fact that the trackbar and drag link are not the same length!
 
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If you draw lines thru the mounting points they would never be parallel! If the 2 parts are running parallel at some point (ie: the bend on the trac bar) is that what you are talking about?
 
Like this:

Axle_6inch.jpg


The Red line shows the drag link and tie rod, the blue line shows the track bar. The important angles are created by drawing lines through the various joint-centers to create "effective links". The actual shape of the bars don't have an impact on steering geometry.

The blue and red lines(track bar & drag link) should be reasonably parallel and close to the same length. The more horizontal they both are, the better. The red line depicting the tie rod should be as close to parallel to the axle centerline as is practical.
 
Ideally the draglink and the trackbar would be the same length and parallel like the illustration above. Measure the distance from the TB frame mount to the pitman arm and try to make your new TB axle mount the same distance from your steering arm, the rest is just joints & tube. :D
 
FJH97XJ said:
So the angles should be the same at the drag link pivot points as the trac bar? What im trying to say is this: lets say I use a straight trac bar from mounting point to mounting point but its not running parallel w/ the drag link but where they intersect (picture an X) the angles are the same would that be a problem?
Click to expand...

The only way they can intersect in an 'X' is if the track bar mounts to the frame on the passenger side and to the axle on the driver's side. In such a configuration, when the suspension compresses you would encounter killer bump steer because the track bar will be trying to push the axle to the driver's side, and the drag link will then be forced to push the wheels way off your steering line.

The track bar should run parallel to the drag link.
 
This is why I like this site, by reading this kind of stuff I do learn alot.
 
I might be out of my mind, but I think by (X) it means that the TB and drag link aren't parallel, their EXTENDED imaginary center lines will intersect at some imaginary point (DS up high/PS down low)

Unless the 'parallel' TB and steering DL are exactly the same length and pivot about the same plane...the angles will be dissimilar at all but one point in the suspension cycle.

Max's diagram is right on for an XJ/MJ in OEM steering configuration

IIRC folks with bigger Jeeps have relocated the TB axle mount to approx where the swaybar mount is on the RHS. (requires cutting off the mount) Since you have a custom axle, I can't be sure what sort of room you have beside/in front of the spring mount. Mark at ORGS Mfg. has lots of whizbang brackets for sale... and see if you can find pix of Goatman's hi-steer/TB setup for his D44. That was one of the more elegant homemade steering setups I've seen.
 
Umm, the drag link mounts to the bottom of the right side steering knuckle, which is not all that high. I just went out and looked at mine to make sure that I wasn't full of crap.

The track bar mount is only an inch or two below the height of the drag link mount mentioned above.

On the other end of the links (the top, or driver side) things are pretty much the same. The frame mount for the track bar is roughly an inch or two lower than the drag link's connection to the pitman arm.

So yes, while the drag link is higher, it is still parallel to the tie rod and basically the same length.

2 lines can be parallel and of equal length even if they are miles apart. Take these 2 lines for instance.


____________
















____________


See? Parallel AND equal length. ;)
 
FJH97XJ said:
But the problem w/ the XJ is how do you get them the same length & parallel w/ out making the trackbar mount on the axle super high to match where the drag link mounts?
Click to expand...


This may help,

http://www.orgsmfg.com/project/WJKnuckle.htm

ORGS has a bracket, search his site, that's only about $40 shipped. JKS and Kevin's Jeep Parts sells them. If you modify yor steering links over the knuckle, then you must also raise your TB. The reason most Fabricators make a bent TB is to clear the Diff cover and other brackets.
 
I've installed Rusty's Drop bracket and Adj. Track Bar. Now my stock Center Link is no longer parallel.

Reason for replacement: I wanted to upgrade the OEM unit, and expect to have 5"+ of lift by the end of May. The original one was toasted.

Will this even out when the additional lift is installed?
 
Last edited:
xjwoody said:
I've installed Rusty's Drop bracket and Adj. Track Bar. Now my stock Center Link is no longer parallel.

Reason for replacement: I wanted to upgrade the OEM unit, and expect to have 5"+ of lift by the end of May. The original one was toasted.

Will this even out when the additional lift is installed?
Click to expand...


There isn't much difference, I have the Rusty's HD TB abd mount. With the OEM pitman, your points should be pretty parallel. The problem you get is with the OEM links, that angle between the Draglink and tierod increases. This also will cause soem bump steer. Again, you are only looking at 5", so you should be fine with OEM links also.
 
FJH97XJ said:
But the problem w/ the XJ is how do you get them the same length & parallel w/ out making the trackbar mount on the axle super high to match where the drag link mounts?
Click to expand...

You're withholding information, boss. What steering do you have and on what axle? In stock configuration, as we all know, the draglink mounts under the knuckle, and the trackbar mounts under the axle.

Now, if you have raised your draglink, via a crossover or D44 flattop knuckles, then you "make the trackbar mount on the axle super high to match the draglink mounts". This isn't a problem, it is the proper design solution. Simply brace that mount into the passenger side UCA mount.

Goatman has gone a step further by creating a y-linkage that raises the draglink mount even above the height of the flattop knuckles, and so has raised the trackbar mount even further to match. What is good about this, as Max illustrated, is it reduces the angle of the draglink and trackbar even further. Parallel would be ideal, but hard to do with the amount of lift you have - you'd need to drop the frame mounts, which the XJ frame doesn't care for without a whole lot of reinforcement.

Nay
 
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