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rusty's trac-bar mount

xjj33p3r

xjj33p3r

NAXJA Member #1108
Location
garland, tx
Just wanted to know if anyone had experience with it. I just bought one since my stock one just isn't cutting it, and whenever I turn the wheel, my trac bar actually gives a little at the stock mount.
 
well, i have been running the hd trac-bar mount for a while now and it will hold up as long as it's tight against the "frame". i managed to break my first rusty's hd trac-bar mount in half 'cause apparently it was loose and just got fatigued. now i have reinforced it where i broke it last time and then ran a support that ties the mount into the other frame rail. (much like the full traction one that is included in their kits). i replaced the bolts with larger ones with lockwashers and everything is working great now.
 
I have one and like it. I did have to upgrade to a larger bolt on the axle side since the one they gave me was sloppy. I just used a thick washer and a nut on the backside since I had to cut off the stock thingy. If you have only 3.5" of lift like me, the bracket will likely smash into the spring pad when both tires go into a dip and the susp. compresses. I had to grind down the spring pad a bit to get it to clear. That was easy and fast though and it never touches it now.
 
What do you mean the OEM mount isn't cutting it. It's probably the only part on a stock XJ thats worth anything. It's thick and formed steel, where Rusty's is mostly just flat pieces welded together.

You have to wonder why does a MFG like ORGS/JKS use the OEM mount in their design.

I have owned a Rusty's mount, I can say I did not have any problems with it. I have read a good number of welding cracks with them. If you do a search you'll find them.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9384&highlight=Rusty+Crack

From what I read, your issue sounds like it won't go away with an aftermarket TB mount. Sounds more like a hardware failure and you'll probably having to end up adding a few spot welds to any TB mount you end up with.
 
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The problem on my trac bar mount is that the joint which connects the mount to the actual bar has play in it. Whenever I turn my steering wheel, you can see that the join moves side to side, when it shouldn't even move at all. Rather than worrying about replacing that joint, I went ahead and ordered a joint that would last longer than the other stock joint ever would. I would have gone with RE, but I couldn't find JUST the bracket for sale, and I didn't know if it was going to be compatible with my rusty's trac bar.
 
I had to replace TREs about every three months. I did not get them from Rusty's but from a parts store. I don't remember the brand. I finally bought the heavy duty mount. It does seem to be a much better setup. I have 4.5" lift w/ no clearance problem. You do need to make sure it is bolted down tight. Just the same with the stocker.
 
Ok, the tie rod end that is connected to the stock tracbar mount is worn. That is why I am replacing that ENTIRE joint with a bushing. The HD mount uses a bushing and not the tie rod end which tends to wear down. Did I explain myself enough this time?
 
xjj33p3r said:
Ok, the tie rod end that is connected to the stock tracbar mount is worn. That is why I am replacing that ENTIRE joint with a bushing. The HD mount uses a bushing and not the tie rod end which tends to wear down. Did I explain myself enough this time?
Click to expand...

Sorry, misread your first thread. I thought you were still consdiering buying a Rusty's HD Mount. Goodluck with it.
 
For me, no more Rusty:

trackbar02.jpg


trackbar01.jpg

trackbar03.jpg
 
If that happens to me I'll just return it and get my money back. Not too big of a problem seeing as I'll have the stock mount as a spare.
 
It's fairly clear in the third pic of BlueGerbil's that the two mounting nuts have been loose so long the bracket has mushroomed the metal around them from constant movement.
This constant movement has contributed to accelerate metal fatigue in the bracket.
Had it been tight it would not have been sliding and flexing.
Even a periodic visual inspection would have turned this up before reaching this outcome.
 
I am with RobertF on this one. The steel that broke appears to be about 3/16" thick. It takes a LOT of force to shear steel like that ... it takes alot to just bend 3/16" flat bar. I realize how much force in on a trackbar.

Now, a poor weld could have weakened the steel, but had that happened, the steel would be visibly different ... both composition and color. i have no personal experience with Rusty's stuff, but if i were to build my own mount, that design with 3/16" flat bar is exactly where I'd start ... although, since i tend to overdo everything, I'd use 1/4".
 
TomH said:
I had to replace TREs about every three months. I did not get them from Rusty's but from a parts store. I don't remember the brand. I finally bought the heavy duty mount. It does seem to be a much better setup. I have 4.5" lift w/ no clearance problem. You do need to make sure it is bolted down tight. Just the same with the stocker.
Click to expand...

I had the same problem. If your suspension travel exeeds that of the track bar rod end, it won't matter if you run an aftermarket track bar or not if it is still the TRE end style. I went through one Rusty's TRE on the end of my track bar and then 2 lifetime NAPA ends. If that joint is more than slightly loose, don't drive it because it could fall off. If you never wheeled it it would probably last forever, but what fun would that be?
 
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