jekyllrider

Ok heres a question that im sure has been asked before and answered before

Whats the benifit of installing a new track bar vs the bracket? do they accomplish the same thing as far as the alignment of the front axle? I assume that an aftermarket one is stronger than stock, but are there any other benifits?

From other threads I gather that one of these will get my axle centered. My driver side tire sticks out more than the passenger side tire and when I brake hard while turning it pulls slightly. Would a track bar or the reloaction bracket help fix that?

Thanks for answering this for what im sure is 100th time......

jeep98b

I put an Adj. on mine and it centered the axle and now the tires stick out the same on each side. I did not use the relocation bracket and have had no prob lems so i dont know the benifits.

muddeprived

Relocation brackets


Adjustable trackbars

I would much rather re-drill the hole over some than get a bracket. It's just a bunch more bolts to come loose and may throw off angles. Remember, when modifying the trackbar up or down, the draglink has to follow suit. They must stay parallel to each other or else the jeep will get bumpsteer.

jekyllrider

How about a rough country bar? The price is right and I havent heard too much negative stuff about them. For now its still my DD and I live in Florida so I dont see much extreem off road stuff in my near future unfortunatly(all i can find on my own is mud and water ). I will not go past 4" lift in the near future and will keep my 31" BFG's untill they wear out.

So the draglink.....that will keep the steeringwheel rotated to center if adjusted properly right? Anytime you adjust the trackbar you have to adjust the draglink right? But how do you lower it? Do I have to buy a new draglink also?

Thanks Guys!

xjjeepthing

Brackets have a tendancy to work loose, go with an adjustable. Rough County i believe is 4.5" to 6.5 inches of lift. Maybe to long for a 3" lift. I have been running a Black Diamond/Superlift works just fine.

http://www.truckmod.com/directpart.a...tnumber=716220
http://www.4wheelerssupply.com/catal...oducts_id/1582

okcjeeper

One thing no directions seem to ever tell you are the torque settings for the upper bolt/nut ie at frame side and the bolts/nut at axle end.. Axle end is 55 FT lbs and frame end is 100 FT lbs. I know many people feel just tightening till it won't turn anymore but IMHO that's a bad practice.. Proper torqued bolts and nuts won't bind up and will move to factory specs.. Also after install of any new part recheck those torque settings after a couple hundred miles and then again at 1000 miles.

Also definitely go adjustable and like others have said the RC bar is for their 4.5" lifts.. xjjeepthing posted some good links to some good bars that will work just fine for what you want and need.

BlueXJ

I have a RE 3.5" lift and kept the OEM trackbar until I could afford the adjustable trackbar. I intended to stay with RE for that as well but got a new JKS from another forum for $100 shipped so I grabbed it. I have not had a problem with the two different manufacturers components working together. In another thread I stated that I just did the ZJ steering upgrade and it is much heavier duty than the hollow XJ stuff and I was impressed with it and the ease with which it went on. I had my pickle fork and BFH and expected to whail on it but that was not required.

okcjeeper

Sure wish my trackbar came off as easy as my TRE's..man I had fork and BFH in hand and used it and took me almost an hr to pry that damn thing out.. Good to hear about the Gerr offroad upgrade deal.. I need a new tie rod bent mine so I may just be ordering the kit off him.. Is his hte crown kit?

BlueXJ

Yes it is the crown kit but I failed to find any faults with it.

okcjeeper

Good to hear..makes me feel better about going that route..

muddeprived

Key words there: "in the near future". That's the way to say it. I love when people say i won't go past 4" and then a month later they are at 6".

The RC trackbar is for 4" lifts so it will fit at that height(4"). Get the 7571 trackbar.

JKS is an awesome trackbar and i run it as does Blue. They have two, one for 1"-3.5" and another for 4"+. It's a very beefy bar and that's why i've alway run that on my wrangler and now my xj. It does cost more than most though but you can find them used like both of us did (i paid $150 on ebay).

4wd hardware has their own trackbar for 3"-6.5" and it's pretty much like the stock one, only adjustable. It has the regular tie rod end joint like the stock one so you don't get as much flex out of it but it's pretty decent. That one is $150.

RE has one for 3.5"-4.5" for around $160.

Super lift also has one but i've had so many problems with that one and i won't list details on it.

Yes the draglink keeps the steering wheel centered by the adjuster sleeve near the pitman arm. When you adjust the trackbar, you are sliding the axle left or right and this pulls or pushes on the draglink, turning your steering wheel. Just twist the adjuster in either direction, depending on which way you need to turn the steering wheel ( I can never remember which way does what ) and then go check to see if it's straight.

When you run a trackbar with a drop bracket, usually you use a drop pitman arm to lower the draglink to the same plane. I think some kits that come with drop brackets also come with drop pitman arms for this very reason. For example, RE's 5.5" extreme duty has a drop bracket and drop pitman arm.

http://www.rubiconexpress.com/Produc...=88EF4E7243642

jekyllrider

Wow, thanks guys, lots of good info!

I will probably go with a 4"+ bar cause this is pretty addictive.....

I take it this can all be done with the wheels on the ground right?

BlueXJ

It can be done either way My first was done on the ground my second was done on a lift and my third required no trackbar changes.

jeep98b

I did mine with wheels on the ground.

muddeprived

I prefer on the ground. That way when you remove the stock one, you shake the jeep side to side, jump on the bumper up and down so it settles itself. It should be about centered after that.