WJ Knuckles: Is OTA TB brkt req?

When changing to the WJ knuckles it seems that most folks go to the Over The Axle (OTA) Track Bar (TB) bracket. I am dont see the reason why. Is there a clearance problem when switching to WJ knuckles that force you to go OTA or can you get away with using he OEM D30 TB brackets?

John

when you go OTA, you still have to keep your drag link and trackbar parallel....

John -

When you do this shoot me a PM either here or on Nova. I'd like to lend a hand...ok, maybe I won't be of any real use other than tool fetcher, but I'd like to see this done so I can decide if it is something I can tackle.

Jim

You are making your drag link nearly flat (this is the inherent purpose of high steer), so the track bar must follow suite and be flat to in order for them to be parallel

JNickle101 & emr1101,

So the track bar does not need to be moved aft over the axle to prevent interference between steering gear and the track bar but rather it needs to be move UP to get the track bar parallel to the steering link (pitman arm to knuckle link), correct?

Background:
Planning on sleeving tubes (Cal style) while using TNT truss along with the OEM coil buckets, reinforced OEM LCA brackets and my RE HD track bar. If all I need to do is move the axle end of the track bar up (and outboard) I should be able to re-use the RE trackbar though I will loose the sway bar links. I DD the XJ so I want to build up the axle as far as possible. If all I need to do is to move the axle end TB bracket up and outboard I can do that on the swap weekend.

Splitz:
I will pm on NoVaJeepers.

John

yuppers. let me know how that track bar sleeving works out, i need to do the exact same thing to my track bar for a wj swap and it is the same track bar as yours

You'll probably have to modify (shorten) that RE trackbar....

You can get the TNT Truss with the proper trackbar mount "built in" - its one of their options.....

EMR: I think he was talking about sleeving the axle tubes, not the track bar

You can order the TNT truss with the trackbar mount installed, along with the UCA mounts already done. Makes for easy installation, just whack off your stock UCA's, set the TNT truss in place, burn it in, paint it, put it back in the jeep.

When moving the drag link up during the wj swap, you need to move the track bar up to match it. Otherwise you'll get horrible bumpsteer.

Thank you for the replys. I do appreciate the need for zero bump steer (use to crew on Super Vee's and Formula Atlantics). Perhaps I needed to be a bit more specific in my statment. Does the Track Bar really need to be over the axle? This necessitates a track bar that is substantially shorter than the drag link. Equal angles at ride height will no longer be equal angles when flexed or leaning because the two links swing different radii. This will cause the rig to steer as one wheel climbs a rock (big rock) and the front end flexes. I have seen it/felt it on obstacles as small at 18" and I want to avoid it if possible.

The picuture below is from my friends WJ with 4" lift and 3 link long arms. He has flipped the tie rod to the top but has kept the drag link on the bottom and used the stock track bar bracket under the spring pad which allows for a track bar nearly equal in length to the drag link. The TB and steering dont interefere and the TB doesn bind even at full flex with a spring lying in the dirt and brake line torn out (a bad day).





Cant say I am thrilled with the tight clearances but unless the axle twists (a really bad day) there is no motion to cause problems with the tight clearances. As I start to assemble my axle I am going to try and keep the TB as long as possible and mimick the WJ set up and keep the TB near the spring bucket. If I cant, I will just buy a new TB and put the bracket up on the truss.

Note: You can see the track bar bolt between the tie rod and drag link.

Thanks for all the input.

John

wow, that picture directly above is from a weird angle, it looks like the upper knuckle balljoint attaches to the drag link?!?

Do you have a better picture of this? Is the trackbar located in the exact same spot as the XJ? I would imagine that the positioning of the trackbar to the draglink would be relative on the WJ set up on a WJ. But when swaping to a XJ wouldn't it be different?

i have to ask a silly noob question. wats the point of using wj knuckles?

BenDiesel said:

i have to ask a silly noob question. wats the point of using wj knuckles?

Click to expand...

better brakes and a better steering design.