2nd question. In talking to a fellow car club member he has a buddy who was rebuilding a cherokee until it caught fire. He has some new front suspension parts left laying around including a track bar and possibly some ball joints and bushings that he never got to put in. He'll give me the track bar for 15 bux. I checked out some install videos, doesnt seem overly complicated. For 15 bux does it just pay to change it out? Does the front end have to be re-aligned after removal and install?

 

Others may well know better than me. Caster? If mine was 2/10 ths. of one degree out, I think I could live with that. I guess there is an adjustment on the track bar to center the front end? It's not directly involved in Toe-In. I might carefully measure the installed one, and make really sure the actual ends of the new are exactly the same. Honestly I'm not positive, but I don't think that is as crucial as Toe-In. Here's a nifty diagram, but don't take it as "gosful", I thought I saw one similar that might have mislabeled something. Oh! Maybe it's the year...this might be newer....

http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/...lignment01.jpg

 

Thats a great diagram , thank you. Sure clears some stuff up. I looked at my track bar last night and it does not have an adjustment on it, I will assume for better or worse the new one wont either. I already started soaking in PB blaster, if the weather here in the NE co-operates I will try to do it this weekend. Or maybe pull the old vette out of the garage and get the xj inside.

Doesnt look like mother nature is going to co-operate, couple of inches of snow already on the ground.

 

Mother nature wound up co=operating slightly so today I went out and rotated the tires. When removing the front drivers side I noticed this area where the arrow is looks like maybe there should be some type of bushing in there??? Thoughts?

 

Anyone?

 

Axle seal.

 

XJ88, thx for the reply. Would this contribute to my death wobble at all? And Im guessing the original seal rotted out? Should be replaced?

Thx Cory

 

I think that's ring is just a plastic shield to help keep crap from getting in to the seal. If the bearing were shot the seal would likely be leaking. When I torched my ears changing the U-joint I got it hot enough to melt it!

I'm not positive I'm seeing that right.

 

Maybe this is a better shot?

 

Yep, bingo. I wasn't positive that was part if the U-joint in the first photo. Yep it melts if you get it hot enough. Anyway....balance the wheels! Then see. That's not a problem. If your diff is full and that's not leaking you are OK there. My .02 anyway.

 

Wheels have been balanced and rotated. I picked up a track bar from the guy I mentioned earlier for 15 bux so hopefully saturday I'll put that in. I'll check the diff fluid level. Thx for the additional tips. Lotta rust in that pic huh?

 

OK, today went out in between some snow flurries to take a look at the frame side of track bar. I thought maybe I would start getting the cotter pin out and see if the nut would loosen after a week of PB blaster. That whole setup is all rusted over. I tried a wire brush and an air hose which cleaned it up a little but not much. I cant seem to get the cotter pin out. My question is this, is it possible to simply sawzall it off from the bottom? Im guessing no but had to ask.

 

If it's that rusted , just try loosening the nut with a wrench. The cotter pin will probably just break apart

 

Don't you just love those little things. One little spark in a coal bunker might have helped sink the Titanic. Maybe work the nut in and out as you can and then try the pin again?

So aligned, balanced, with no real play to speak of it still wobbles? Got me!

 

Exactly what happened. Spent a lovely 32 deg St Pattys day screwing around with this. Managed to get the old track bar out and the new one in and all torqued down. Took the jeep for a ride and cruised it at about 70 for 2 or 3 miles and nada. Had some vibration over 55 but no wobble. Hopefully its fixed. I can tell you there felt like less flex in the front end especially when I hit a bump which usually had me bouncing around a little. Overall its was worth the 30 bux for the track bar and the 2 hours messing with it. I also ordered a steering stabilizer so maybe next week that'll go in. Already started soaking the nuts in PB blaster and that at least should be a straight forward install. I would like to thank everyone for their input, patience and tips. Cory.