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Removing stock track bar

chillman88

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Central NY
So my track bar castle nut is.... Not able to be located...

Is there any other way to get the track bar removed? I know it's tapered so I can't cut it right?

I'm assuming I'm just in for a fight but I figured I'd ask here in case. I attached a picture so you can see how rusty it is.

Money for an aftermarket bar and bracket isn't in the cards right now.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/udAkhSEmzVDZ9h7VA
 
OMG!
 
Maybe it's just me, but I seem to see what's left of the castle nut and cotter pin. Could try grinding it off with a Dremel, or even better yet, an air grinder. You'll take some of the stud off with it, so you'll need to get a new track bar, but OEM replacements are fairly inexpensive if you look around. I bought one made by Moog online a few years ago for something like $30 or $40. It should also come with a new castle nut and cotter pin.
 
I suggest removing the track bar frame bracket bolts and the whole bracket with track bar still attached.

I would even go so far as stop by the junkyard before you begin and get a frame bracket with less rust. Then you can install a clean repainted bracket, a new track bar, and fresh hardware.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I do have a new stock track bar in the garage. I don't think I can get anything in there to cut with but I probably could if I remove the bracket.

It's just the two nuts on the outside and the two short bolts on the inside?
 
Dremel discs are about 2 inches diameter. That should bit.

You need to clean it up so you can see how the cotter pin is sitting. Then cut down right on top of it. Once you get the pin out, you can start working on the castle nut.

That looks rusted really bad. Good luck getting it off. Penetrant first. Then heat it up.

Good luck

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
Yes, two nuts on the outside and the two short bolts on the inside. Even if you dremeled thru the cotter pin and castle nut, the taper is likely to be rust seized in the bracket and will need lots of heat and/or a Big effing Hammer to separate them.
 
One trick I found to remove castle nuts is center punch and drill it out on the side, then split it with a chisel. Usually they'll split just fine

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk
 
Well I was hoping to get a better/cleaner bracket and can't for the life of me imagine why I never considered the parts Jeep my buddy gave me for the front end parts I needed.... Probably because it really wasn't any better!

I ended up pulling the bracket off that and managed to get it apart.

One trick I found to remove castle nuts is center punch and drill it out on the side, then split it with a chisel. Usually they'll split just fine

Sent from my SM-G955U1 using Tapatalk

That's actually what I ended up doing. Surprisingly it didn't take a whole lot of convincing to get the taper free.

30s7b6f.jpg


After that I cleaned it up just enough to get paint to stick and hit it with some Rustoleum. This Jeep likely won't be around for another track bar replacement but I had it out already and clean parts are so much nicer to work with.

2l8yxc3.jpg


Thanks for the help guys! Now I just hope tomorrow the bracket comes off my Jeep without too much of a fight so I can replace it.
 
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