• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Pop Goes The Track Bar

MongoXJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Diego, CA
So up to this point ive been pretty forgiving of Rusty's products, and I am still generaly satisfied, except for the fact that tonight, simply turning my wheels in order to parallel park, my Rusty's Adjustable Trackbar snapped at the adjustable part. Very annoying and shuts me down since it's my daily driver, not to mention I was planning to go out to the desert this monday. I am going to try to find a replacement that I can get overnight or something like that, obviously not from rusty's, but I thought I would also check here to see if anyone has a good RE HD trackbar or something decent laying around. I have 4.5" lift and stock front axel. Anyways just checking.
 
Another Question, I had the truck towed from where the trackbar snapped to my house, and I may be able to get a new trackbar tommorow from ORW, but because of my work schedual and lack of tools at my appartment right now How far/fast can you limp an XJ without a trackbar. I know it can't be smart (hence the getting a tow home) but I can take surface streets fairly slow to the ORW near me and have them shove the new one in there if they have it in stock tommorow.

Just looking for thoughts/opinions on this.

(other pita is that my driveway is at a pretty steep angle which makes working on the jeep there almost impossible)
 
I drove from San Clemente to Rawbrown's place (25 miles) with a broken track bar. It took me over 2 hours. top speed was 20 if that. I did have me winch cable run to the axle to keep it from moving a little. You are better off walking to ORW.

My opinion is call a taxi, go to autozone and get a 15mm wrench, 19mm wrench, needle nose pliers, and rent a tie rod pickle fork. Then go to ORW get the TB and do it in the drive way.
 
And you're still forgiving of rusty's products?

Your other rustys gear (except springs) will eventually fail in the same way; unless of course you smarten up and replace them first.

Where are you at? I may be able to give you a ride and help you swap it out this weekend.
 
That sucks!

There is a thread in the Modified Tech section here on NAXJA where this has happened several times....

I am glad you did not have an accident.

The RE is a good one. I believe the Nick (99greenmachine) has one and he is in San Deigo. Look in the SOCAL For Sale section:

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=922295
 
I have a JKS trackbar with a new end on it....willing to trade for a RE trackbar bracket and reinforcement bar
 
hey guys, thanks for the advice and links and thoughts and etceras. I kind of just got sick of it, since I just had to replace my rims and recently had to repair exploded drum brake. So I checked with ORW who had the RE1600 track bars in stock, and I will note that just looking at these things its obvious how much better quality and design they are than the Rusty's TB.

I work afternoon/nights, and I didnt have the drill or bit I would need to drill out the hole, nor any help for centering the axel no pb blaster on hand, the situation was just crappy for me to try and do it by my self. (I also work 12 hours each day on the weekend getting off around 11pm so to those who offered to lend a hand this weekend I very much appriciate it, but it just couldnt work).

At any rate I got my insurance company to tow my truck to the ORW for free and then spent a couple hours hanging around there while they installed it. The guys were really cool, and even tightened up some stuff and fixed my steering wheel alignment while they were under there. Cost me about $300 out the door parts and labor which at this point is fine since it saves me a ton of stress and buying tools and bitching and moaning at the truck alone in the middle of the night on a slanted driveway with no light to work by.

The good news is, there was something really off down there, my steering with the new TB feels 10x better, its tight and responsive (to the point I can feel my bump steer now how ever minor it is) and just feels a lot safer and almost like a new steering system. Im going to call Rusty's and bitch at them and see if they will replace the track bar, then sell it to someone who wants a backup or a new one and put the money towards a drop pitman arm.

Thanks a ton guys, love being in this great community with all the support and cool people. Now if only i could get out on the trail with you!
 
MongoXJ said:
Im going to call Rusty's and bitch at them and see if they will replace the track bar, then sell it to someone who wants a backup or a new one and put the money towards a drop pitman arm.

How long ago did you buy it? Maybe get your credit card involved if it was not that long.

You can also write the Better Business Bureau with your story.


Glad you got it fixed. Now get on the trails....
 
Ill be out at Jacumba and Corral Canyon on monday. Good stuff.

And I got the lift kit like a year ago exactly, so I dont think the credit card stuff will fly, but well see what Rusty's says.

As for being forgiving of Rusty's and asked by Cal, At this point after realising how many problems the trackbar was causing with my steering and alignment even before it decided to break while parking, I dont plan to buy anything from them again. I am really happy with RE and JKS products I have so I think they will be getting my business from here on.
 
Damn, that sucks, I have the Rusty's 4.5" lift (and therefore their trackbar too)...I was thinking about upgrading to their longarm lift because it would only cost me another 750 bucks (versus the 1100 of the RE longarm upgrade) but I am REALLY staring to have second thoughts...
 
HIDs are going in tommorow so I will be ready to roll out on monday, also taking out the rusty's sway bar drop bracket (which I should have done a long time ago) since I have JKS Quicker Disconnects that can extend to cover that drop easily and put the sway bar at the correct angle for street driving.

As for the longarm kit, I dont know what you should do, but keep an eye out, some companies have great deals, like right now ORW here in san diego has a major sale on RE kits, http://www.offroadwarehouse.com/Store_ViewProducts.asp!Cat!1248

Though they dont have an XJ longarm kit listed, you might try calling them and seeing if they can work a deal.
 
Back
Top