Track Bar Torque Question

I have a 4" Procomp lift on an '89 XJ and noticed that the track bar is squeaking a little and has visible movement on the axle side when jogging the steering wheel back and forth. It looks a little loose to me but I don't know for sure.

How much play should there be if any on the axle side? If it needs to be tightened, is there a guidline for torque values or should it just be grunted to make it tighter? Frame side looks good.

The track bar was replaced by a shop a few months back and since I have developed this squeak. It looks in good shape, just a little loose. No DW or anything ... yet.

Any help is much appreciated.

Your track bar should not have any movement.

Wrectec said:

Your track bar should not have any movement.

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x2... tighten the hell out of it, and check it before each time you go offroading. the axle side trackbar bolt is always the first thing to loosen up, and if it falls out on the trail you will be a very sad guy if you want to see why i say that remove the bolt and get in the jeep and crank the wheel side to side while parked. its no fun trying to drive like that trust me

GrimmJeeper said:

x2... tighten the hell out of it, and check it before each time you go offroading. the axle side trackbar bolt is always the first thing to loosen up, and if it falls out on the trail you will be a very sad guy if you want to see why i say that remove the bolt and get in the jeep and crank the wheel side to side while parked. its no fun trying to drive like that trust me

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That exact thing happened to me last weekend. It wasn't really any fun.

Thanks for the quick reply as always. Looks like a good old fashioned track bar tightening is coming up.

:cheers:

I installed a longer grade 8 bolt, gorilla torqued it and double nutted it just to be sure.

jeeperjohn said:

I installed a longer grade 8 bolt, gorilla torqued it and double nutted it just to be sure.

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I was considering the same thing. I tightened it last night and got 3/4 turn with just a ratchet and then another 1/2 turn with a breaker bar. I just know the next time I go off road it's gonna be loose again. Any worries about the grade 8 being too strong? If the bolt is supposed to fail and save the brackets would a grade 8 tear the brackets right off? I guess though if it is under enough stress to shear a grade 5 bolt the bracket will most likely be lost anyways ...

Edit: the 3/4 turn with a rathchet was after the roughly one and a half turns to snug it up - it was quite loose.

Its fairly common for the mounting hole in the bracket on the axle to get ovaled out, after having a loose bolt in there working side to side. If this has happened, no matter how tight you get that bolt you may still have some movement.
Easy fix is to weld a washer, or plate to the outside of the bracket to help reinforce it.