Track bar: channel or bend?

So I recently build a new steering setup which led to a somewhat-unplanned OTA track bar conversion. See http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1080144 for more info.



Problem I have now is that at lots of bump, my track bar interferes with my Ballistic diff cover (it's about the size of a Ruff Stuff cover). Moving the axle-side track bar mount up screws with my angles so that's out of the question. The options I see are to build a new track bar out of my leftover 1.5" .25 wall DOM that is bent into an 'S' to clear the cover, or to put another channel into the cover on the top to clear the current track bar.

Opinions? Other ideas? I am not inclined to make any drastic changes at this point, so the simpler the better.

An ARB diff cover would probably give you more clearance. Or you could channel the diff cover you have. Stick with a straight track bar.

you have all ready cut into the diff cover. i think just cutting into it further up would be the logical solution. you are not loosing any fluid capacity, and if done with heavy gauge steel, i doubt you would compromise the strength of the cover either.

raising both track bar mounts in an option too.... pending oil pan clearance.

how bad is the interference? What about moving the frame side mount forward some?

why did you mount your tie rod below the knuckles?
it looks like if they were over the knuckles it would be close to solving your problem as well as picking up a lot of rock clearance.

raise the tb and use a pitman arm with less of a drop

Thanks guys. Interference is not minor, but not major either. I don't have the time before my Moab trip to re-fab the axle-side TB mount, so moving it around isn't a great option. Tie rod was mounted UTK because it is still above the bottom of the axle, and I ran into even more clearance issues OTK due to the way I fabricated the T-knuckle. I don't have any drop in my pitman arm.

Some ruffstuff Offset TRE's?