Track bar drop bracket suggestions

[Moparkid]

Got some bump steer Im trying to tame and looking for suggestions on a track bar chassis drop bracket for a 5" lift and one that moves the track bar forward. Currently have the RE bar but would like to get rid of the hiem joint for a elastomer JJ joint like Metal clock. Im still running a Y link steering but plan to upgrade to otk eventually (not sure if that'll change my decision).

I was looking at IRO kit since it has longer threads to compensate for the longer drag link for when I go otk and also has a Barnes 4x4 Enduro joint and multiple mounting options. Only thing I dont like is the $500 price. The other option I was considering was SFR bracket+cross member+JJ $230.

I hate buying twice so hopefully someone can give some input. Thanks

 

[75SV1]

I have this from SFR minus the actual bar :
https://www.stinkyfab.com/collections/steering/products/sfr-otk-track-bar-kit-for-jeep-xj-mj-zj
I also have his track bar brace. I do have WJ Big Brakes with cross over steering. This is on a 2" lift. Tracks straight. A bit of bump steer.

 

[RCP Phx]

I dont like the looks of that SFR cross race compared to my RE one!

 

[Tim_MN]

My 2000 with 5.5" of lift has the Iron Rock Off-Road double shear track bar and matching heavy duty frame bracket. It has .75" of drop. Works great in Moab and the North Woods of Minnesota.

IRO also has a stretch frame bracket with .75" drop and 2" forward re-location.

 

[XJEEPER]

Is your goal to run a rebuildable joint on your trackbar? When are you going OTK with your steering? Upgrading to a WJ knuckle/brake setup?

 

[Moparkid]

My 2000 with 5.5" of lift has the Iron Rock Off-Road double shear track bar and matching heavy duty frame bracket. It has .75" of drop. Works great in Moab and the North Woods of Minnesota.

IRO also has a stretch frame bracket with .75" drop and 2" forward re-location.

Are you still using y link? Stock pitman? Any bump steer? I now realize I got company's mixed up.. Ironman is the one I was looking at not IRO. What I like about the Ironman is its mounting options as well as better quality joints with optional cross member brace. Idk if theirs shifts the mount as far forward as IRO mount does.

 

[Moparkid]

Is your goal to run a rebuildable joint on your trackbar? When are you going OTK with your steering? Upgrading to a WJ knuckle/brake setup?

I'd like to, for the simple reason of it being quite and not wearing out fast like a hiem might. I was looking at a Barnes 4x4 Enduro or something similar that will absorb vibration and hold up. I "upgraded" my brakes to power stop extreme but the results are less than stellar, in fairness I never experienced 32's on stock brakes) so at some point I plan to go to WJ knuckles with 1ton tre's. This is mostly a pavement pounder, I don't have too many friends that wheel so I'm trying to make mildly capable rig that I can drive to rec parks that prioritizes road manners using quite/reliable/serviceable components.

 

[Moparkid]

I have this from SFR minus the actual bar :
https://www.stinkyfab.com/collections/steering/products/sfr-otk-track-bar-kit-for-jeep-xj-mj-zj
I also have his track bar brace. I do have WJ Big Brakes with cross over steering. This is on a 2" lift. Tracks straight. A bit of bump steer.

I like their cross member brace and their track bar bracket seems good quality, especially for the price. Just wish there's had more mounting hole options. Theirs extends the track bar past the frame or further than factory but doesn't seem to move it forward.

 

[Moparkid]

I dont like the looks of that SFR cross race compared to my RE one!

I haven't been a fan of RE. They seem to be the bottom of the barrel made as cheaply as possible. Not to say that their products don't work I just feel there's far better options made by company's who employ our people with quality in mind.

 

[75SV1]

I haven't been a fan of RE. They seem to be the bottom of the barrel made as cheaply as possible. Not to say that their products don't work I just feel there's far better options made by company's who employ our people with quality in mind.

I do have their trackbar brace along with Ironman's. Ironman's is similar to SFR's. Another is Alpines. I don't have that one. The RE does look to be more substitutable than the Ironman's or SFR's. I couldn't get mine to line up correctly. Could be a bent frame or the part flanges not aligned. I was going to scratch build up with the RE frame bracket and RE trackbar brace. The axle bracket I chose was not working out. So, I ordered SFR's kit except the trackbar itself. I remember using Barnes poly bushing end.

 

[XJEEPER]

I'd like to, for the simple reason of it being quite and not wearing out fast like a hiem might. I was looking at a Barnes 4x4 Enduro or something similar that will absorb vibration and hold up. I "upgraded" my brakes to power stop extreme but the results are less than stellar, in fairness I never experienced 32's on stock brakes) so at some point I plan to go to WJ knuckles with 1ton tre's. This is mostly a pavement pounder, I don't have too many friends that wheel so I'm trying to make mildly capable rig that I can drive to rec parks that prioritizes road manners using quite/reliable/serviceable components.

My setup is different than yours, but more in alignment with your end goal.

I've run a track bar with a rebuildable flex joint on the frame end (Summit Machine is my go to, 100k+ miles with zero ball wear, greasable and quiet https://www.summitmachine.com/flex-joints.html) and a heim on the axle end. The quality of the heim is key here, as the heim on my trackbar is about 10yrs and 75k miles old and it is not noisy or sloppy. It has also been my experience that a poly bushing of the most stiff durometer is still inferior to a quality heim and flex joint setup.

2000 XJ Build https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=913774&page=18

 

[Tim_MN]

Are you still using y link? Stock pitman? Any bump steer?

Still stock steering, stock pitman arm, high pinion XJ D30, no bump steer. Short arm lift with RE control arm drop brackets.

I have driven 1,624 miles to Moab several times, done the Fall Fling, and driven 1,624 miles home. Drive to work on Monday.


.

 

[Moparkid]

My setup is different than yours, but more in alignment with your end goal.

I've run a track bar with a rebuildable flex joint on the frame end (Summit Machine is my go to, 100k+ miles with zero ball wear, greasable and quiet https://www.summitmachine.com/flex-joints.html) and a heim on the axle end. The quality of the heim is key here, as the heim on my trackbar is about 10yrs and 75k miles old and it is not noisy or sloppy. It has also been my experience that a poly bushing of the most stiff durometer is still inferior to a quality heim and flex joint setup.

2000 XJ Build https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=913774&page=18

That is a setup I dream to achieve! What TB bracket are you using? It's interesting that really only IRO advertises a forward type bracket, yet their TB has fixed ends. I've not looked at Summit machine they look like quality units. One thing I like about Barnes is there's rides on some type of rubber/poly and there shanks are like 3" shank on 2" joint or 5" on 2.625 joint as well as being extremely affordable. I'm sure a durometer jj wouldn't transmit any different ride quality that a poly jj in relation to track bar, but my better judgment says poly. I'm sure a quality hiem hold up well, but just not something I want to lube after every car wash or subject to winter salt wash.

I was surprised my tb and dl angles setup up as well as they did, but clearly my bump steer says otherwise

https://imgur.com/a/bJqhykf

What size pitman arm do you think I will need? My TB is already .75-1" lower than DL.

 

[Moparkid]

Hard to get a good picture of the angle.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Moparkid]

Still stock steering, stock pitman arm, high pinion XJ D30, no bump steer. Short arm lift with RE control arm drop brackets.

I have driven 1,624 miles to Moab several times, done the Fall Fling, and driven 1,624 miles home. Drive to work on Monday.


.

That's interesting how you have no bump steer. My trackbar already sits 1/2-3/4" lower than factory TRE so adding a drop bracket without installing a pitman would seem like it'd cause more issues.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[RCP Phx]

Your pics shows the tracbar to high at the frame end. You dont need/want a drop pitman arm. A 3/4" trackbar would be about right. I'm going on about 20yrs+ with a 5.5" lift with a RE1660, 1665, and 1670 and zero bump steer. The RE 1665 is about a 3/4" drop.

 

[RCP Phx]

Trackbar "drop"

 

[XJEEPER]

That is a setup I dream to achieve! What TB bracket are you using? It's interesting that really only IRO advertises a forward type bracket, yet their TB has fixed ends. I've not looked at Summit machine they look like quality units. One thing I like about Barnes is there's rides on some type of rubber/poly and there shanks are like 3" shank on 2" joint or 5" on 2.625 joint as well as being extremely affordable. I'm sure a durometer jj wouldn't transmit any different ride quality that a poly jj in relation to track bar, but my better judgment says poly. I'm sure a quality hiem hold up well, but just not something I want to lube after every car wash or subject to winter salt wash.

I was surprised my tb and dl angles setup up as well as they did, but clearly my bump steer says otherwise

https://imgur.com/a/bJqhykf

What size pitman arm do you think I will need? My TB is already .75-1" lower than DL.

My build is 15 years old and I've logged 133k miles on this trackbar and I'm still running the original flex joint on my trackbar frame end. I grease it once a year. Note that I live in Northern Utah where it snows from Nov-April and they salt the roads.

I replaced the poly bushing on the axle end with a quality heim joint after about a week of driving, because the handling felt sloppy. I've replaced this heim once, in 133k miles.

My trackbar bracket is one that I fabbed from a stock bracket, similar to the old JKS design. It is a double shear format, as all trackbar brackets should be for a lifted rig. I installed a SFR frame bracket on my son's recent XJ build and it works great. I actually have one hanging in my garage to install on my Jeep.
I see that your frame bracket is single shear, which tends to allow unwanted side to side movement and as the joints/poly bushings wear, death wobble show up.
As for the Barnes joints, I have no experience, but the Summit Joints are rebuildable and adjustable and run an engineered high durometer (stiff) plastic race with grease groove machined into them to allow even lube distribution. Many Ultra4 4400 class racers run Summit Machine joints on their rigs, as well as their pre-runners and daily/weekend driven Jeeps. Worth every penny to me.

Don't install a drop pitman arm, it's unnecessary and will not improve your bumpsteer issue.

When you move to OTK steering, you'll also need to move your trackbar axle mount up to match the plane of your draglink and you'll need to rework your trackbar/fab up a new one.

 

[Ol Blue]

I highly recommend the track bar system from Ironman4x4. https://ironman4x4fab.com/collections/suspension/products/xj-track-bar-system
I installed this about 2 years ago and it has been great. Its really solid and beefy. The other thing I like is that there is a brace that ties the mount to the passenger side to help stiffen up the weak unibody. I went with the 1" drop and 1" offset. I would only recommend the 1" drop. The offset pushes the upper mount a little too far forward and makes the angle of the trackbar a little weird.