Title says most of it. Just looking to see what you guys did as far as your track bar when you went OTK steering. I'm going to go with the Serious Offroad OTK steering and before I pull the trigger I want to have a concrete plan on what I'm doing with the track bar.

I currently have a double shear RE track bar with their HD frame drop bracket. I was looking into Rusty's track bar but I'd still need to purchase the axle bracket which leaves me with a few options (not a bad thing).

I checked out B.Lee's OTA trackbar kit but I can't justify spending 250 on it. Buttttt if I go with the Rusty's track bar and add another, say, $50 bones on top it'll put it right in range with the B.Lee kit.

Anyone have other suggestions? I'm not trying to cut corners but I have a bunch of other things I need to do and dropping $500 greenbacks on steering isn't fun IMO.

 

Maybe this is more extreme than most guys go here which is why I haven't gotten any answers....

 

Well I'm not there yet but....
This in in the future plans for my XJ.
So maybe I can help you brainstorm.
I found this from ruff stuff.
Planned to cut the RE bracket up and just use the part that wraps around/against the frame to weld the frame mount to.
Or try to make one.....
Anyway here is the ruff stuff kit:
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...anhardtrackbar
The only thing is which I'm sure you know, you can't just weld the frame side mount to the unibody which is why I was gonna salvage part of the RE brcket for a frame mount.

Another thing I am considering.....
Just shortening the RE trackbar and using an axle mount.
https://m.summitracing.com/parts/rte...KqUaAlj68P8HAQ
This is available cheaper from ruff stuff as well.
But I have a spare D30 that I'm going to build up and plan to use the Artec-industries truss so just going to use their mount as well.

Had planned to cut the bushing end to whatever length needed and buying a heim end kit that will fit in the tubing.

 

Well, I'm not sure if my setup will be of much help, but I'll share anyway since you're looking for replies. I built a custom frame side trackbar mount and hacked a ruffstuff offset axle side mount up as much as you can before it was deemed scrap. I should have built that bracket from scratch. My frame side bracket is fairly short as I chose to use a TJ pitman arm and I wanted my angles to match. I'm running 1.5x.25 DOM with 3/4x3/4 ruffstuff heims. My tie rod is again 1.5x.25 DOM running directly between the WJ knuckles with two bends to clear the diff at full lock.
Frame side bracket:

Original Ruffstuff bracket:

Best shot I have of the axle side. It mounts off the front of the 3rd link bracket:

And bonus shot of the double sheared TJ pitman arm:

 

This is is what I ran when i ran a Dana 30. RE bracket with flex joint with a homemade trackbar and a poly bushing in a homemade axle bracket. Worked pretty well.

 

Thanks guys, I was just looking for different ideas. I'm even debating to just go high steer and throw the teraflex kit at it.

 

The only think I've noticed about some setups, including one posted above, is a really short panhard.

If you're going through the amount of work to do OTK properly, extend your panhard as long as you can get it.

Sorry to pick on you Caleb...

But Red is the current, green is what one should shoot for.



For some, it appears that making a bracket is beyond their abilities, so I can understand using off the shelf stuff.

However, when I do my WJ swap in the not too distant future (my second OTK setup done), I'll be shooting for the green line pictured.

The longer your panhard, the better your suspension will work.

 

No worries, always up for constructive criticism. After I built it, I sat back and wished I would have made some wild bracket to fit under my coil mount and extended it a bit further, but it is what it is for now. If I get restless I may tear it back apart one day, but for now it isn't too bad!

 

Well my axle isn't under the jeep yet, but I'm running the b-lee OTA track bar kit and cav fabs hiem steering.

I'll throw some pics up when I get it all installed. The track (panhard) bar on mine may not be as long as ideal, but if need be I will fab up a frame side mount to move it out as far as possible, I already moved the axle side bracket out as far as I could without interfering with my coils. Right now I will just be running a RE frame side track bar bracket. Guess ill find out how much bump steer I get.

The truss is notched out and extended to the back side of the OTA bracket and all welded together for extra strength.

 

 

.

 

There's just something about running OTK steering with heims as a single sheer that worries me

 

Worries me as well. Just seems like it would put an awful lot of leverage on the bolt/knuckle. Im planning on running the tie rod UTK until I do a WJ knuckle swap. With heims youre already gaining clearance even running UTK when compared to tie rod ends UTK.

 

If mounted properly, I'll take a heim any day over a TRE. TRE's are just an inferior piece in reality.

I'll be running heims, TRE's just plain suck unless you're running near stock steering, at near stock heights.

 

Yeah, it's definitely not the easiest to do.

In reality, the easiest way would be to have your track bar bracket mounting point out further (take a look a many buggies with a 3 link front). You can gain 6" or so there, just have to work it in to not hit anything.