I just found out today what the popping noise coming from the front of my jeep is. I thought it was the bolts holding down the track bar bracket to the frame, but it's the bracket itself. There's a nice almost-hidden hairline crack right above the bushing on the bottom of the bracket. Can this be welded or do I have to get a new bracket? Also, can the existing bushing and track bar be used still? Those two are fine, just the bracket has a crack. Another thing, is it safe to drive it like this since I still have sway bars? I'd like to get it fixed tonight if that's even possible. It's 6:30 over here by me, and the sun sets at around 8:30.

 

I would hit the junk yard...

 

When was the sway bar replaced? If you haven't replaced it then I wouldn't be surprised if it was bad too.

 

My sway bars are fine, I checked them about a week and a half ago.

 

No it is not safe to drive. If the bracket fails at speed it can result in catastrophic failure.

you dont want this to happen.

 

i'd buy a new one there not to expensive.

 

Yeah, I'm gonna hit up the auto parts stores around me and probably a JY also. It just sucks not to have my jeep for a few days. and 89limitedxj, nice name choice. haha.

 

Thanks I seen yours an had déjà vu almost lol

 

Haha, same for me.

 

I opened this expecting to see a FUBAR picture from that guy who 'fabricated' his own track bar

 

Why would someone even attempt to do that? It's not worth it considering the prices on some of them. I saw some that even I could afford, and I'm in high school with no job (damn economy), living off summer funds and paying for gas for the 4.0 hog.

 

If you can do a good weld on it without burning the bushing, do it. At the same time you can put a piece like a gusset on to make it stronger than stock.

 

I'm gonna have a buddy look at it to see if he can weld it. Honestly, I suck at welding. Not one of my strong points. And what do you mean by a gusset? Just like some reinforcement? And my dad decided to take some of it apart today while I wasn't home and said he couldn't get the bolt out that goes through the bushing. He said it's a one way bolt and might need to be cut out. Is that true or is he just not seeing how it comes out? I'd rather save all the old hardware if I can.

 

it was that idiot anotherdayridin. that scumbag posted a thread yesterday about ripping some guy off by building him a ghetto-fabbed unsafe 7" lift.
low life. /rant

but yeah you can have a track bar professionally fabbed. my friend just got his tera flex one fitted with a nice new bullet-proof adj. heim joint.

his track bar was seized on the axle side and we had to grind the bolt off. it was a B. so yeah you might have to cut if you cant get it off

 

Ya weld it, grind the top of the weld flat, then weld another piece over the joint. reinforce it.

The bolt - axle end? There's a nut on the backside, not easy to hold it, but hold it, turn the bolt out.

Frame end - make sure there's no nut on it - drive it out with a punch.