OTA track bar questions

[MaxxXJ]

oh i have no problem with making one, but i cant even find the axle to start with. everytime i go to the junkyards, they're picked clean. i search CL a few times a day as well. the only ones i've found are 78-79 bronco axles with the crappy cast spring pertches.

My neighbor has a few full width setup's at his house, he said somethig about a Dana 60/14 bolt setup and something about some Dana 44's, I didn't really need them so I didn't listen that well lol but what I got was 2 matching sets of full width axles for like 500 or 600 per set.

 

[Goatman]

Thread resurrection - sorry.

With the inner C mount for the track bar, can you give me all the details about the materials used, how it was welded, everything.

Apologies again for being demanding, I've just ripped off an axle mount on my RHD XJ with WJ steering setup and always disliked the short trackbar compared to draglink so want to do it right this time around.

Thanks very much in advance, James

I used a piece of 1.25" .250 wall tube (I used chromoly, but DOM would work), so it's 3/4" ID, and a 3/4" grade 8 bolt. You can use a 3/4 rod end, but I think we used a 7/8 x 3/4 rod end. We made a couple plates out of 1/4" to fit against the knuckle with holes through them so the 1.25 tube would fit through, then welded it all up. You'll have to bolt things up to check for clearance before welding the tube in. This setup won't work with every steering design, the steering needs to be configured to clear the track.

 

[ocean_jet]

Having the angles match is absolutely most important.

After that is length.

it also helps performance to have them as close to level as possible, but that will be dictated by your steering config.

I understand why the angles must match, and the reasons for the length of the bar.


What does having them level get you?

More articulation? Or less road vibration transferred through the bar, like when your control arms aren't level? Or something else?

 

[ChiXJeff]

Sine & cosine issues. If they're level, there's very little left & right swing for changes as the suspension cycles up & down. As the draglink & trackbar drop from horizontal, a relatively small change up or down starts to add a larger shift left & right. What used to be a minor difference in length between draglink & trackbar now starts to result in more bumpsteer.

 

[English XJ]

Just looking at mine, you have obviously moved the coil bases back and even with this I'd need to build a smaller diameter track bar than I currently have.

Final couple of questions before I get dismantling:

- Is there more to it than just fitting new coil bases further back (central over tube or further??). I can see that I may need to move my lower shock mounts but I've already done this once.

Are there other measure I need to take to avoid steering contact? I'm running flipped WJ steering with JKS links and standard WJ tie-rod ends.

 

[Goatman]

Just looking at mine, you have obviously moved the coil bases back and even with this I'd need to build a smaller diameter track bar than I currently have.

Final couple of questions before I get dismantling:

- Is there more to it than just fitting new coil bases further back (central over tube or further??). I can see that I may need to move my lower shock mounts but I've already done this once.

Are there other measure I need to take to avoid steering contact? I'm running flipped WJ steering with JKS links and standard WJ tie-rod ends.

We are also running WJ steering knuckles. Basically, you just have to make everything fit. Yes, the front axle was just built and is custom, and the coil buckets are centered on the housing.

There are other choices than to build the track bar this way.......

 

[Goatman]

I understand why the angles must match, and the reasons for the length of the bar.


What does having them level get you?

More articulation? Or less road vibration transferred through the bar, like when your control arms aren't level? Or something else?

Level is better, but not necessary. Less side to side movement which can bind springs and shocks (the side to side movement is no big deal on it's own, but less is better), better angle on the drag link for potentially more movement in the joints, less loss of steering angle at full articulation, higher overall role center with the track bar more level, etc.

 

[rockclimber]

Not likely, no.

Look at this pic, the steering, and the inner C. you have inches of difference there. The trackbar mount needs to be way higher on a highsteer setup.

flip that TRE to the bottom of the Hi-steer arm and you get some more room to work with for the TB.

 

[English XJ]

Thanks for the advice so far. I like the Inner C mounted one for gaining a bit of length because I have a bit of bumpsteer (nothing unbearable).

I have broken welds and torn 1/4" plate on my trackbar mount twice now with the WJ steering setup and a straight trackbar (Clayton double Johnny Joint TB and Clayton bracketry). First time was poor welds but this weekend it went and I'm wondering if the difference in trackbar to draglink length is putting added pressure / binding on the trackbar mount at the axle end.

I have 6" Full Traction longarm lift with the above steering, 12" travel shocks that I use all of and 35" Creepy Crawlers so there's quite a bit of flexing and force being pushed around.

Would the longer track bar help or do I just need to build a completely bomb proof replacment mount? Space is a bit tight with it being RHD and trackbar mount between diff and coil pad.

 

[Goatman]

Either the track bar joint at the frame is binding or the mount wasn't strong enough....or both. Nothing you have there will inherently cause too much stress on the track bar. Keep in mind, you have multiple links holding the axle fore and aft, and only one link holding the axle side to side. That one link also holds all of the steering force, so it needs to be up to the task.

 

[English XJ]

I feel a ridiculous over-build of the bracket coming on. Thanks for the advice, I'll post some pics of the carnage and the new mount when it's done.

 

[jdbwrx]

Look into adding a track bar brace too if you are having issues with the frame side mount. I recently got the Polyperformance frame side track bar bracket and brace and RE makes one too.

You could always fab something up for a track bar brace too.

FWIW, I ended up using a narrow Currie JJ on the frame side mount.

I really liked Goatman's build and putting the track bar mount on the C. I looked into it with mine though, and as he mentioned, having the spring perches centered on the axle tube seems to be key on that. With my D30, stock spring locations, WJ knuckles and OTA tie rod, there just isn't room.

 

[cal]

I'm getting ready to WJ convert my camping XJ, so maybe we'll see if I can find a way to make it work with the stock spring location..

 

[MaxxXJ]

Cal when your done doing yours you wanna come down to bako and do mine too thanks in advance! Lol

 

[cal]

lol. i'm still paying for king of the hammers, and we're starting to ramp up for glen helan. it may be a while until i get this xj done..