Trac bars and other noob questions....

[MischiefMan]

OK...Jennifer has decided that it's time to repair the damage done at Dennis'. We need new axles for the D30...both inner and outer. We also need to get a new trac bar.

Currently the trac bar is a Rusty's....as with the rest of the suspension. We both like things neat and pretty, so staying with Rusty's is our first thought...that and I'm not sure if the brackets that are on there will work with other trac bars. :)

We now have some 33's and wheels to mount them on, so we will be taking the 35's off until we can get some stronger axles also.

What we are looking for are things that will be semi-Jennifer proof...they will take some abuse....and since we're still relatively new to this we are looking for suggestions.

[goodburbon]

Yukon makes some affordable alloy shafts.

I'm running one warn inner and the rest are all yukon, 2 ring gears killed so far but the shafts are all good.

As for rustys trac bar...yours broke, xtankerguys broke, I've read about dozens of rustys trac bars breaking, I'd look elsewhere.

[xxmidianxx]

I think the title of this post says it all.

But thats just me....

Go with what goodburbon says, he SHOULD know what will and will not break ,from what I have heard/read.

[XJ6]

Do a search on Rusty's tracbars .... if you still want another one, you must be into breaking stuff :wierd:

I really like my JKS ... or for a bit more money Kevins seems impressive

http://store.jksmfg.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=ADJTRACK&Store_Code=JKS01&Category_Code=Trackbar_Components


http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/tbconversion.html


Hope this helps, Mike

[MischiefMan]

Thanks for the info so far guys.

I'm a bit perplexed though, why would I want to spend $600 on chromoly shafts rather than just upgrading the entire axle? I mean other than the fact that it's much easier to change the shafts than the entire thing.

[goodburbon]

You got me Ian.

So far I have done to my d-30...
Install true trac (I had from previous CJ) $200
Change gears to 4.10 $400
broke shaft, new warn inners and 760's $500
broke outer shaft, destroyed warn inner replaced with yukon $400
Broke 4.10 gears, upgrade to 4.88 $400
Hubs went bad $300
tie rod bent $30

and now my jeep is parked because I won't put the TT back in, the 4.88's are broken and the hubs are bad.
Repair bill to get my jeep on the street again:
New gears...$150
Master install kit $80
New hubs $300
New locker (someone in our club is selling a front detroit right now for $300
oil $20
gear install $200-300.

grand total of around $800 and I still have a d-30 that I have put more money into than I paid for the jeep.

[MischiefMan]

gee man, that's encouraging!!!

Do I get to ask what the repair bill to Katy's has been from you driving it?

Part of my thought process is to just upgrade J's axles (I found a set of D44's for $275 today) and put hers under the '86. The '86 will never have as much power as her 4.0 does and I'll probably only run 31's max with it.

Not to mention that J wants to get a Wrangler...which we'll get for her as soon as I can find someone to buy my 928 for a decent price....and I'll get her XJ...my daughter will then get my '86. The little birds will then start singing and life will be wonderful.

[ExTankerGuy]

I am now running the TNT customs track bar and bracket. Major beef!

[MischiefMan]

This one JR?

http://www.tntcustoms.com/page.asp?pageid=176

[ExTankerGuy]

Full system.

http://www.tntcustoms.com/page.asp?pageid=99

[MischiefMan]

Thanks! I found that after I posted the my last post.

Would I need anything else for the trac bar?

Still not sure what to do about the axles though. Ultimately we would like to have the rig drivable by this weekend to take it out to play. If that means buying a couple sets of stock shafts and confine her to less stressful situations we're open to that plan.

Anyone, local, have extra shafts they want to sell for the D30 non-disco?? :)

[msrorysddad]

go with fullsized one ton axles, you'll be so cool

[xxmidianxx]

Hey Ian, I do have a full set of passenger side shafts...

I know I know...
Thats what she said!

Wait you said local... I guess you need to move closer to me then.

[MischiefMan]

You just want me down there so you can steal parts off of my '86!

And I already am so cool. ;)

[MischiefMan]

So, yeah, ummmmm...FINALLY got around to installing Jennifer's new TNT trac bar, now her steering is limited. Nothing is touching anywhere. Any ideas?

[ExTankerGuy]

Is the axle centered?

[bcmaxx]

Is the axle centered?
my first though, when I did the 3.5 lift with the stock bar I couldn't turn right very far, and I could turn left way too far

[MischiefMan]

Yep, it's centered....or at least MUCH closer to center than it was with the old trac bar (meaning I haven't actually gone out with a tape measurer, but eyeballed, yeah, it's centered).

[MischiefMan]

Well, I finally went back out and looked at Jennifer's rig. The driver's side coil is hitting the steering knuckle when I try to turn. I'm guessing that the this is why the axle was off-center to begin with and the trac-bar was made non-adjustable with a weld.

Neither spring appears to be centered on the perch, and it doesn't appear that it can be because of the limiting straps.

Any suggestions?

[goodburbon]

You welded your brand new TNT adjustable trac bar?!?

[MischiefMan]

no...no...no!!!

The old Rusty's t-bar had the lock nut welded to the bar so that we couldn't adjust it to get the axle centered.

Jennifer took pics of what everything looks like today and as soon as I can get 'em uploaded I will post them.

I think what I'm going to do is put some washers on the bolts for the limiting straps then move the springs over a bit and give some clearance to the steering knuckles.