I developed a bit of death wobble in the old 96er recently and traced it to the driver side connection of my track bar, so I'm in the middle of getting it out. I've been soaking the passenger side connection in the picture below with PB for a while now, and it's still distressingly hard to turn. I can get the red bolt head to turn some using 4-5" worth of cheater bar on my 3/8" ratchet, but only until the yellow nut tab reaches it's limit of travel within the rectangular hole it protrudes through. I keep doing PB soaks, torches followed by cold water dousing cycles, but it's not getting any easier to turn at all. The nut is rotating with the bolt because the tab moves when I turn the bolt, so the nut is not what's holding it up. My best idea is that the bolt has rusted to the metal sleeve in the track bar bushing and that sleeve is rotating with the bolt, held by the friction against the rubber. I haven't even tried to rotate the bolt past where the nut tab comes in contact with it's limits as I'm almost putting enough torque on it to twist the head off already.

Any advice on working this thing?

Also, say the bolt head were to snap off. What would you do to get the bolt out? My only idea would be to try to push the bolt through from the head side with an awl or something smaller than the bolt diameter, then try to get an oscillating cutter up into that window on the right and piece by piece cut the end of the bolt off until it all comes through. Thoughts?

 

Bigger bar! if it breaks then you'll have to cut the broken bolt off. most slip a sawzall blade between the mount and the bushing.

 

The tab is spot welded to the nut and it main function was to assist in assembly at the factory. Mine broke off, but I was able to get a box end wrench on it through the opening underneath. I would break off the tab and get a wrench on the nut. I think its 17mm.

 

Thanks for the advice yall. Nother question. If I break the bolt head off and end up having to drive the 2 miles to my mechanic's, will the front end be stable enough to make that slow drive? I'm guessing it would be considering the bolt would still be the connection. I'm talking 10-20 mps slow drive.

 

One, I doubt you can break the head off with a 3/8” ratchet, maybe brake the ratchet. Try using a long breaker bar to snap the tab off like andjones said and use a box end wrench. In the long run, you are probably going to have to cut the bolt anyway, like I had to, so save yourself a little time and cut the bolt. I used a DeWalt Sawsall with a 6” heavy metal blade designed to cut 3/8” metal

 

At some point, we've all run into the realization you need a 1/2" drive ratchet set. You may be at this point. :-)

 

It's a good day when you get that 36" bar onto the problem

 

And if that don't fix it... just get up... walk away... have a beer and try again.
Heat is generally a good option for bolts on occasion too.

 

Quick question... not thread-jacking... but might be helpful if someone knows the answer to this question....
When replacing the track bar on our XJ's... is it best to have the front suspension at least mostly "unloaded" maybe just the tires touching but no real weight on them?

 

Ideally, you have the weight on the suspension when you tighten up the bolts for the bushings.

 

I'm not aware of any reason you'd need to have the suspension unloaded, since the track bar doesn't provide any vertical support. It just locates the front axle horizontally. If you need to move the chassis relative to the suspension to line everything up horizontally, you can just turn the steering wheel.

 

Got it. Sounds like the bolt is seized to the bushing sleeve. Try hammering the bolt head sideways to shock it loose while turning sometimes breaks the rust bond. If it snaps, cutting the nut tab off with a grinder or sawzall can free it. Then punch the bolt out. Worst case, cut the bolt near the frame and drill it out. Heat helps, but avoid melting the bushing.

 

Cool... good to know

 

Thanks, great advice everybody. I've got a solid plan of attack now.

I haven't seen any of these newer design grease retention cups yet, and I want to make sure I didn't receive a defective replacement track bar. Is the rubber cup I'm seeing separated in the first pic supposed to 'seal' up and sit closer to the bar after installation, like in the second picture? The cup lip is sitting outside of the track bar lip here.



The cup lip is sitting outside of the track bar lip here...

 

Yes, that cup should sit flush up against the main track bar section. That'll also expose the shaft that needs to slide through the mounting hole.