Track bar questions

Holy crap my steering wheel went crazy at 45 mph and I don't know what to do!!!!!!!!
Just kidding....I've read every steering archive I could find so I couldn't resist.

Bone stock, nearly mint 2000 XJ with 70K miles (prolly city miles) on it: The steering has been vague and wandery (no vibes, no shaking) on the highway since I got it and the last three weeks the steering wheel started jerking during tight, slow turns and it's getting worse. Started hearing a clunk, too.

I went under the front end and yanked around on everything and nothing budged. I didn't have anyone around to turn the wheel for me, so I went and ordered a Moog track bar bushing figuring it was cheap so no biggy if I don't need it.

Well, tonight I messed with the bushing, didn't have time to make a puller to get the old one out, so I had my kid turn the wheel back and forth and what do you know, the track bar TRE went clunk clunk clunk. I'm glad I didn't persevere to get the bushing in.

It looks like Autozone has new track bars in stock. Questions:

Is an Autozone track bar OK for a poser stock street Jeep? I drone down back roads at 60 mph, and that's about it.

Should I go to the trouble of putting the Moog urethane bushing into a brand new track bar?

The track bar bolt sure looks cheesy. The shank is smaller than the threaded part so the bolt is a slop fit in the bushing. I realize the bushing insert is pinched but it doesn't seem right. I put in a bolt which is a slip fit into the stock bushing. I spose I'm asking for it to rust tight in there. Maybe I should use a stock one? There's no access to the back to pound it out. Hmmmm.
The Moog bushing is even looser.

Yes, I overthink stuff a lot.

I personally would not even consider installing an Autozone tracbar. I didn't even know they made one. In addition, your bolts should fit correctly and try to use the highest grade possible. Say 8? Otherwise you WILL have problems in the very near future.

If you use antiseize you shouldn't have a problem with a bigger bolt rusting tight in the bushing sleeve.

I do notice slop between the sleeves in my adjustable control arms with the stock bolts though. I believe the stock arm bushings were the same though, although I never checked because I never thought to. I had a hell of enough time getting some of those bolts out.

Steerng wheel jerking during tight slow turns was alway a symptom of impending doom for CV joints on FWD cars. I'd check the front axle u joints real closely.

OK, I roamed around different parts supplier sites and I see all kinds of brands of track bars for all kinds of prices. Napa has two different quality levels, Rock Auto has stuff from $28 to $105 and the Advance Auto / Autozone crap holes have stuff like Duralast, TRW, and MOOG.

What's the hot poop? A/C Delco? TRW? MOOG? Seems like new would be better than remanufactured by a six year old in China, but how do you tell? Go for one with a lifetime warranty? The boatloads of feces flooding in from Asia sure have made things difficult.

I don't have a feel for the quality levels from brand to brand. MOOG is Federal Mogul which is supposed to be good U.S. made stuff but so far it looks like "less crappy" not "really awesome" to me if the pistons I got for my Corvair engine are any indication.

NAPA hasn't sold me much junk yet so unless someone has advice I guess I'll go there.

winterbeater said:

Steerng wheel jerking during tight slow turns was alway a symptom of impending doom for CV joints on FWD cars. I'd check the front axle u joints real closely.

Click to expand...

I was afraid I'd hear something like that. I guess I'll be learning some neat stuff about my Jeep pretty soon.

BTW, Autozone track bar should be good enough for what you need. It will be as good as original.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/56013_04.htm

65 bucks!

But I do like to support my local NAPA (actually it is AAPA or something like that), but the guys are much more knowledgable than Autozone/Murrays "clerks". And sometimes I get suprised at how reasonable their prices really are.

i have a vato zone trackbar on my yard ornament and after i replaced the soft rubber bushing with a poly one it is fine