Okay, I put my front lift on today, 2" BB from Fat Bob's Garage. And in the process of removing the track bar, I grabbed a carpentry hammer, and beat on the threads of the center link track bar bolt. End result, some ****ed up threads. I thought that these were the metric equivalent of grade 8 bolts?

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get a hold of a bolt.

If you're not sure where the bolt I'm talking about is at, it is the bolt that links the track bar to the steering stabilizer right by the passenger front wheel.

 

Auto parts store or hardware store. I hope you didn't mess up the mount hole or sleeve. If you did be prepared for Death Wobble.
For those of you doing a lift, DO NOT remove the trackbar for small lifts say $" and under, unless it is being repaced.

 

Directions said to unbolt trackbar. And no I don't believe I messed up the sleeve, all I hit was the bolt. Can that still mess up the sleeve?

 

Ummmm the trackbar and steering stabilizer don't touch, but what I usually do is either go to the junk yar and grab another or take it to a hard ware store, find a nut that fits on the bolt, then find the corresponding bolt

 

They don't touch? I'm watchin em touch right now.

 

then you're not looking at the track bar.



oops that one is missing the stabilizer

 

Red=steering stabilizer
Black=trackbar
Yellow=draglink

Red and black don't meet. They mount close to each other but the steering stabilizer connects to the draglink

 

Just as a side note use a pickle fork from autozone either bought or rented to remove most of the steering components. For example trackbar, ball joints, tie rod ends, and the steering stabilizer can be removed a TON easier with a pickle fork.

 

****! Okay, Then i messed up. See where the red line ends on the left of the last picture? The bolt RIGHT BELOW that is the one I need to replace. Adn it doesn't look like it just pops out. I think I ****ed myself.

 

that is attached to the inner tie rod end. you will need to replace that whole tie rod end as it attaches to the center link or tie rod as it's also referred to.

they're cheap and easy to replace. just loosen up the lock nut, but don't move it, then just simply thread the new tie rod end up to the lock nut, then tighten the nut against the tie rod.

know what i mean?

for the future, just hit the bulge that that bolt goes through with a hammer to pop the tie rod end out of the drag link.

 

not an option, as I am living on a homeless persons salary. not literally homeless, but damn poor. gonna hack saw off the messed up threads, its the first 2, and then thread nut on. tried heating nut, just burned myself. I love Jeeps.

 

oh, well, if it's just the first couple threads, try using a grinder and smooth those bad threads out. the nut should then just thread on as normal.

why did you need to remove it in the first place? was the long tie rod (drag link) needing replaced?

 

Directions said to unbolt track bar. Undid drag link out of confusion.

 

Know what you mean about the instructions for spacers. they say to remove the track bar. They also say to remove the control arms, which is not needed also. In the future, you can do up to 4" springs without remoing anything more than the swaybar links and shocks.

If you just buggered up a couple threads grind them smooth, cutting with a hacksaw, will most likely make it worse.

 

so how do I grind those down?