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How much does trackbar influence handling?

J

Jhumphrey

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Nashville, TN
So my issue with my xj pulling to the right as I drive has been well documented. I've replaced/ tried all the usual things, but nothing has worked. But, that's not exactly why I'm posting today. What I am posting about is the "loose" steering I have.

I have a 3" lift with stock uppers and extended lowers. My trackbar (I think) keeps popping, even though I've tightened down. I can't tell if it's pulled away at the frame (I doesn't look obvious, if so). I'm thinking of replacing my adjustable trackbar with an iron rock offroad one that also replaces the bracket. How much does the trackbar play into the "firmness" of the steering? Could a broken bracket cause the pull as I go down the road?

I am also thinking of getting a Borgeson steering shaft to see if that firms the wheel up as well. Thoughts on this?
 
whitexj98 said:
Yes it has a big effect. With the vehicle on the ground, have someone turn the wheel back and forth while you look at evrything in the front end. Especially the track bar ends and the bracket for movement.
Click to expand...

I've done that. It seems like the audible pop is from the bracket area. I was told that it was the coil bucket making noise, but I'm thinking it's the trackbar that's popping. I'm thinking at this point that I'm down to a new trackbar and shaft to see if that fixes my pop and pull. If it's not those things, I'm out of ideas other than the unibody being tweaked or something (the xj was wrecked by PO on the passenger side - which coincides with where it pulls to).
 
I have a 4.5" LA lift install on my Xj, and a steering upgrade that's a tire to tires tie rod and a drag link that connects to my tie rod almost at the same pleas were the track bar connects to the dif, and I have that problem because the angle on the drag link and track bar are different.

But before i lifted my Xj, I had that same problem, so I changed the OEM track bar for a custom made, out of the OEM I welded a threaded coupler to the track bar, with a heim joint instead of the ball joint, making it adjustable and you could replace the heim if it worn out, on the other end I replaced the rubber bushing with a poly bushing, I used the OEM bracket just drilled the hole to 5/8" so I could install a 5/8" bolt grade 8.

This setup fixed the problem and made my ride comfortable.

Hope this helps.
 
mayub78 said:
I have a 4.5" LA lift install on my Xj, and a steering upgrade that's a tire to tires tie rod and a drag link that connects to my tie rod almost at the same pleas were the track bar connects to the dif, and I have that problem because the angle on the drag link and track bar are different.

But before i lifted my Xj, I had that same problem, so I changed the OEM track bar for a custom made, out of the OEM I welded a threaded coupler to the track bar, with a heim joint instead of the ball joint, making it adjustable and you could replace the heim if it worn out, on the other end I replaced the rubber bushing with a poly bushing, I used the OEM bracket just drilled the hole to 5/8" so I could install a 5/8" bolt grade 8.

This setup fixed the problem and made my ride comfortable.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Essentially that's what the IRO trackbar will do. It replaces the tie rod in the TB with a bolt. I think this would help with the pop. Plus, it replaces the bracket, so if it is broken at the frame, that should correct that issue. It sounds like I need to get the TB done and then the Borgeson if that doesn't fix it.

IIRC, IROs bracket drops the TB some to get it in line with the draglink. By the way, I have the zj tie rod "upgrade".
 
Mine popped no matter what I did, until I pulled the steering box from the frame and found this.
1466091F-5CA4-4C6C-AD74-A9A5A75ABFD3-487-0000008CD0762DEB.jpg

Needless to say the front part of my unibody is now fully plated in 3/16" and 1/4" steel and the popping is gone.
 
let me guess, you turn the steering wheel all the way and it pops, turn it all the way in the opposite direction and it will pop again.. am I correct? if this is the case, it might be the same problem I have on my rig which is a worn out track bar bushing. (axle side for me iirc)
 
ae racer said:
let me guess, you turn the steering wheel all the way and it pops, turn it all the way in the opposite direction and it will pop again.. am I correct? if this is the case, it might be the same problem I have on my rig which is a worn out track bar bushing. (axle side for me iirc)
Click to expand...

It doesn't really pop if I turn full right. If I turn full left, it's guaranteed to pop.

My steering box has been replaced already (I did this bc of the loose steering, didn't help). When I pulled it, all was good, but I put a JCR brace on it when I do the swap.
 
Jhumphrey said:
I've done that. It seems like the audible pop is from the bracket area. I was told that it was the coil bucket making noise, but I'm thinking it's the trackbar that's popping. I'm thinking at this point that I'm down to a new trackbar and shaft to see if that fixes my pop and pull. If it's not those things, I'm out of ideas other than the unibody being tweaked or something (the xj was wrecked by PO on the passenger side - which coincides with where it pulls to).
Click to expand...
Your track bar contributes 100% to locating the axle laterally under your Jeep. IE: If it wasn't there any steering movement would just push the the whole axle side to side instead of forcing the knuckles to turn. So if it is loose even the slightest you would feel it in the steering as slop... As far as the pop being the coil bucket? If you're hearing a pop (even if it's coming from the coil bucket) the the axle is moving side to side as you try to turn. Which translates to me a worn track bar bushing, mount, or both.
 
I just realized typing on my phone makes it look like I'm almost illiterate...

Anyway, I've tightened the bolts down as much as I can. If I try to tighten them anymore, they'll break (I think). I certainly don't want to sheer a bolt head. My best guess is that the bracket is starting to pull away...I think that is possible from the wreck it's been in.

Ultimately I want to get the pull to the right and sloppy steering taken care of. That would certainly make driving the xj more enjoyable. Right now it's like participating in a rodeo event everytime I drive it from the over/under steer...
 
whitexj98 said:
I have seen people overtighten bolts so much that the slop will not show up in an inspection but driving down the road the slop will show up... so I would loosen them up and just snug them down and inspect again. imo...
Click to expand...

I'll give it a shot this weekend. I'm just down to the TB and steering shaft. If those two things don't fix the issue, I'll be at a total loss.
 
What track bar and lower arms do you have? If they're Rough Country I would take a look at the heim on the axle end of the track bar and if your control arms have their x-flex joints I would take those apart and inspect them as well. When I bought my rig it had a RC long arm kit on it and those parts were trashed and made all sorts of terrible sounds. Also check the mounting holes on either end of the track bar for wear, if the rig was driven with a loose bolt at some point it may have elongated the hole and no amount of tightening is going to remove the play.

Instead of replacing the heim on my RC track bar I upgraded to the IRO double shear, and couldn't be happier with it. I have no idea why RC decided to use a heim, let alone stick it all the way down in the dirtiest place on the rig where it will wear exponentially faster.
 
My trackbar is an RC. My lower control arms are one piece (non adjustable) that I got from Fat Bobs. I don't know the brand.

It very well could be an elongated hole, the PO knew nothing about cars other than you turn the key to start it. Hopefully that's not the case, as I have no idea how I would fix that...
 
Disconnect the track bar from the frame mount and see how much play you have in the heim, mine flopped around like a wet noodle. Also the bolts that came with the RC track bar are 10mm, but 7/16 grade 8 fit much better in the bushing sleeve, heim, and the mounting holes. If your holes are wobbled out you have a few options. You can weld washers onto the outside of the mount, weld up the holes and drill new ones, or enlarge the holes slightly and use a bigger bolt. If you use a larger bolt you'll need to find or make new bushing sleeves or enlarge the through hole in your heim.
 
Weld the track bar bracket to the unibody. That's the only thing that stopped mine from moving because I could not get the nuts tight enough. I even had the welds crack after a while, so I had to throw even more welds at it.
 
I'll have to find a welder in my area. I simply can't weld worth $hit.

Maybe once I get the bracket off and replaced, I'll find the culprit to all this slop :)
 
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