I have a RC track bar with drop bracket. My XJ is the one below with the Yellow OME steering stabilizer.

When viewing the track bar/drag link from the driver side wheel well (On of the best places in my opinion, since few of us alter the stock track bar axle bracket or knuckle for the drag link)

My friends XJ is around the same height of mine, side my side. 4.5" lift. His track bar is as aligned with the pitman arm as I've ever seen.

My RC and stock pitman arm (I do have a RC drop arm, but it doesn't drop it enough to match the RC track bar and bracket, so I left it off for now) are about 2" off from the side when taking a picture level. It's a hard picture to get from the front.

Comparing the relationship between the drag link and track bar on my friends jeep and mine (I have them side by side currently, doing some work on his), his is where I need to be.

What track bar does he have? He doesn't remember. Is it stock with a re-drilled axle side mount?

His first two pics, mine second two pics:





Mine:

 

Stock, drilled over

 

X2

 

O.K., Being as my track bar unibody side is much lower than his (about 2 inches drop from the pivot point on my drag link), I guess I'll have to source a factory new track bar and mount if I want it exactly even w/o paying for a custom bar.

The cheapest but least preferred option would be to get a 2" drop pitman arm right? I have a Durango reman'd box, but wouldn't that be too stressful for the unibody too?

 

After looking an my picture again (the last two pics) can't I drill a new hole up higher, and then adjust the track bar to reach? That should in theory work right? The extra metal hanging down can just sit there or I can have a shop bandsaw it off? It is thick....

 

What are you looking to accomplish? Seems like you're over thinking the steering by a football field. Are you experiencing death wobble? The durango steering box is a good upgrade but I don't see the point unless you're going to be running bigger than 31" tires.

 

Don't drill any more holes in the T bar bracket. Buy a quality double shear track bar and be done with it. IRO, RE, and JKS all make awesome track bars. Stay away from RC track bars (thin walled tubing and crap joints) as well. IRO is probably the best for the money. The bracket is real nice and the track bar itself is like 1.25" solid steel

 

I'm trying to achieve drag link/track bar parallel relationship, just like he has. I have bump steer and after replacing everything else, and comparing my lift to my friends, I think those 2" of drop with the RC track bar/bracket are what's causing it.

I replaced the steering box cause mine was shot so I figured I'd upgrade for the 33's one day.

 

You need a drop pitman arm to go with your drop trac bar mount.

 

I wouldn't do a drop pit man arm, take a ruler to your pic, your track bar and drag link are parallel, you drop it, and you won't be. If you get a stock track bar, well you would just be a idiot.. Don't do that.

 

Take a ruler to your buddies pic, and you'll see his isn't parallel. Just because they are the same height doesn't make his set up better. You're gonna get bump steer because the lengths aren't the same. They are parallel but not of equal length

 

If you look at the 4th photo, the bracket appears to have a drop compared to stock. I would probably add a drop pitman to match but it looks like your bracket has parallel sides so you could drill it.

Photo is my IRO which isn't supposed to drop the pivot.

 

In reality, most people don't realize what parallel means when it comes to the drag link and trac bars. Clearly if those lines were infinite, your friends line would cross. That inst parallel at all. Yours is OP. plus your friend compromised the integrity of his trac bar mount by drilling it and when that wallows out, hell have bigger problems.

Don't drill, don't buy stock, don't drop the pitman arm.

 

Yeah you guys are right, a drop pitman arm would do nothing. Its not like it would bring the drivers side of the steering down and level things out or anything.

 

A 2" DPA would bring it down too much. OP can try a zJ pitman arm. Those are suppose to be a 1" drop IirC