POLL: Which track bar should i get?

[StG58]

Crawl under your jeep, look up at your control arm brackets and your axle, and your drive shaft. Oh, and take a look at your transfer case, muffler, and TC skid. Damn it! I got like 2" of clearance if I shove my TC up. Damn it! My muffler is going to hit the skid! Crap! I have to rotate my pinion even more now. Shit, now my shocks are hitting the spring perch! Vibes? Why is it so noisy now? Ugh! Tummy tucks are so easy!

Track bars to Tummy Tucks? I've been under my TJ a couple or three times and a TT doesn’t appear to be trivial. Especially at an inch and a half of lift. Everything looks glorious until you start stuffing and drooping then it all goes to hell.

Is the solution to bag it and just buy a Savvy, Currie or Metalcloak full kit? I hate to do that, I've got a lot of time and effort into what little I've accomplished so far.

Anybody know what a track bar is made out of?

 

[Mike_H]

Track bars to Tummy Tucks? I've been under my TJ a couple or three times and a TT doesn’t appear to be trivial. Especially at an inch and a half of lift. Everything looks glorious until you start stuffing and drooping then it all goes to hell.

Is the solution to bag it and just buy a Savvy, Currie or Metalcloak full kit? I hate to do that, I've got a lot of time and effort into what little I've accomplished so far.

Anybody know what a track bar is made out of?

Um...steel? This is what Currie lists on their site...

1 1/4" x .250 wall 4130 chrome moly construction,

 

[bobthetj03]

Track bars to Tummy Tucks? I've been under my TJ a couple or three times and a TT doesn’t appear to be trivial. Especially at an inch and a half of lift. Everything looks glorious until you start stuffing and drooping then it all goes to hell.

Is the solution to bag it and just buy a Savvy, Currie or Metalcloak full kit? I hate to do that, I've got a lot of time and effort into what little I've accomplished so far.

Anybody know what a track bar is made out of?

Doesn't really matter what TT you go with. In effect you're raising the TC until you run out of room, then you're stuck with raising the tub to make more room, which leads to raising the engine, which leads to raising the pinion angle more, which leads to TC linkage problems. Not all in that order of course, but you're picking up what I'm laying down.

A good track bar is made out of unobtaineum, duh!

 

[DWLJ]

Thanks for the input guys, after reading a discussion by blaine (savvy) and matson (metalcloak), I decided to go with the Currie Trackbar for the front.

I just put the currie Tack bar on and I am very happy with it. Good choice

 

[Jay P]

This post is the advantage of a ‘pace yourself build.’

I need to revive this for a minute with a noob question.
Do you use the TB relo bracket with the adjustable track bars or do you use the stock bracket?

 

[Squatch]

I need to revive this for a minute with a noob question.
Do you use the TB relo bracket with the adjustable track bars or do you use the stock bracket?

I've been looking into this set-up, just in case I need it after my lift.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TTZP7A/?tag=wranglerorg-20

As you can see, it's sold as a package. They also sell the relocation bracket separately, leading me to believe that you could use it with the stock rear track bar. I think @JMT is running the stock track bar with the relocation bracket...

 

[JMT]

I've been looking into this set-up, just in case I need it after my lift.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005TTZP7A/?tag=wranglerorg-20

As you can see, it's sold as a package. They also sell the relocation bracket separately, leading me to believe that you could use it with the stock rear track bar. I think @JMT is running the stock track bar with the relocation bracket...

I have a front adustable by MC, with plenty of clearance, and a stock rear track bar with a relocation bracket by OME. What I did not know at the time, but thanks to @bobthetj03, I learned, when you use that relocation bracket in the rear, it becomes a limiter on how much articulation you can have because the relocation bracket raises the attachment point of the stock trackbar up toward the tub.

 

[JMT]

I need to revive this for a minute with a noob question.
Do you use the TB relo bracket with the adjustable track bars or do you use the stock bracket?

If you have an adjustable track bar front and rear, you don’t need a relocation bracket front or rear. It’s only when your’e trying to maintain your stock trackbar.

I saw @Blackoutt drilled out his stock rear trackbar (on the passenger/frame side) and threaded it to make it adjustable. Very keen.

 

[Jay P]

I have a front adustable by MC, with plenty of clearance, and a rear relocation bracket by OME. What I did not know at the time, but thanks to @bobthetj03, I learned, when you use that relocation bracket in the rear, it becomes a limiter on how much articulation you can have because the relocation bracket raises the attachment point of the stock trackbar up toward the tub.

Yes this is what I also have. I think there’s both options available in aftermarket rear adjustables. My issue is that my rear tire is sucked in about 2 inches.


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[JMT]

Yes this is what I also have. I think there’s both options available in aftermarket rear adjustables. My issue is that my rear tire is sucked in about 2 inches.


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Hmm...that could only mean one thing, the relocation bracket in the rear is not sufficient for your amount of lift. At least that would seem to be the problem.

 

[Jay P]

Hmm...that could only mean one thing, the relocation bracket in the rear is not sufficient for your amount of lift. At least that would seem to be the problem.

It was actually like that with a 2” spacer. Not sure why but it’s worse now of course.


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[Squatch]

If you have an adjustable track bar front and rear, you don’t need a relocation bracket front or rear. It’s only when your’e trying to maintain your stock trackbar.

I thought the relocation bracket was to position the track bar at a proper angle so you were able to maintain the correct geometry? The adjustable TB would allow you to center the axle again, but the TB relocation bracket was for clearance and angle (position) of the one end of the TB. Am I mistaken on this? Please advise...

 

[JamesAndTheSahara]

I thought the relocation bracket was to position the track bar at a proper angle so you were able to maintain the correct geometry? The adjustable TB would allow you to center the axle again, but the TB relocation bracket was for clearance and angle (position) of the one end of the TB. Am I mistaken on this? Please advise...

Going to clear up some things:

• It helps if you look at the rear trackbar at full bump and relaxed to understand, an adjustable trackbar will nearly always come with a relocation bracket.
• The bracket is completey dependent on whether you have a DC/SYE or stock driveshaft setup. This determines if the bracket is designed for an intended use.
• The rear bracket stresses the stock axle brackets more than I realized. Post rear TB purchase I have seen nearly 4 threads where the bracket has sheared off due to inadequate design. A member of our forum knows significanly more about it than I do, he may or may not chime in.
• The bracket helps align the trackbar and prevent binding/interferance. It is real tight in the rear.
• Had I done a bit more research, the breakage problem can be remedied by a solution where the relocation bracket is welded on, versus 100% bolt on.

Here are some photos of my current rear TB setup, for now... (MetalClock Adjustable Rear TB w/ Relocation Bracket)

(The scratches on the TB are from install, I can 100% confirm with the amount of bumpstop on my rig my TB is no where near limiting).

 

[Squatch]

The bracket is completey dependent on whether you have a DC/SYE or stock driveshaft setup. This determines if the bracket is designed for an intended use.

Not sure I understand what you're saying here. Seems that the bracket is used for adjustable and stock applications, so...? I thought the need for the bracket was dependent on whether or not your lift placed your TB at an undesirable angle, regardless of whether or not you have an adjustable TB or a stock one, or a DC/SYE or stock driveshaft. Is the lift not the controlling factor? This truly is a confusing statement to me (Sorry, James. I know you're trying to help, and I appreciate it!) As for the need for fully welding the TB bracket, it sounds as if you're saying to fully weld both the original one for increased strength, as well as the aftermarket relocating bracket. I can understand how the increased leverage could create a problem with the original shearing off. So, is that what you're saying? Just want to completely understand this, lest I have to go this route. Thanks for the help!

 

[JMT]

I thought the relocation bracket was to position the track bar at a proper angle so you were able to maintain the correct geometry? The adjustable TB would allow you to center the axle again, but the TB relocation bracket was for clearance and angle (position) of the one end of the TB. Am I mistaken on this? Please advise...

I may be oversimplifying it, but with the 2.5” OME HD you need EITHER an adjustable rear trackbar OR a rear relocation bracket. The rear relocation bracket comes with the full OME kit, so that is the route that I went. What it does is raise the rear trackbar attachment point on the axle side a few inches. This fixes the geometry change (due to lift) and centers the axle. If I’m wrong, someone let me know, but that’s the way OME sells it, so I assume with such a good product, they would know.

 

[glwood]

I may be oversimplifying it, but with the 2.5” OME HD you need EITHER an adjustable rear trackbar OR a rear relocation bracket. The rear relocation bracket comes with the full OME kit, so that is the route that I went. What it does is raise the rear trackbar attachment point on the axle side a few inches. This fixes the geometry change (due to lift) and centers the axle. If I’m wrong, someone let me know, but that’s the way OME sells it, so I assume with such a good product, they would know.

You are correct. You can use either the aftermarket bracket with the stock tb, or an adjustable tb with the stock axle-end bracket. As stated earlier, the need for an aftermarket tb AND bracket is necessary when the need to change the pinion angle comes into play because of a CV drive shaft. Without the angled bracket, the track bar will bind, due to the new bracket angle from rotating the axle.

 

[glwood]

Not sure I understand what you're saying here. Seems that the bracket is used for adjustable and stock applications, so...? I thought the need for the bracket was dependent on whether or not your lift placed your TB at an undesirable angle, regardless of whether or not you have an adjustable TB or a stock one, or a DC/SYE or stock driveshaft. Is the lift not the controlling factor? This truly is a confusing statement to me (Sorry, James. I know you're trying to help, and I appreciate it!) As for the need for fully welding the TB bracket, it sounds as if you're saying to fully weld both the original one for increased strength, as well as the aftermarket relocating bracket. I can understand how the increased leverage could create a problem with the original shearing off. So, is that what you're saying? Just want to completely understand this, lest I have to go this route. Thanks for the help!

There's two types of brackets. One simply raises the tb, thus moving it some to the side. The other raises it and changes the mounting angle, so it won't bind when rotating the axle to change the pinion angle.

 

[JMT]

You are correct. You can use either the aftermarket bracket with the stock tb, or an adjustable tb with the stock axle-end bracket. As stated earlier, the need for an aftermarket tb AND bracket is necessary when the need to change the pinion angle comes into play because of a CV drive shaft. Without the angled bracket, the track bar will bind, due to the new bracket angle from rotating the axle.

There's two types of brackets. One simply raises the tb, thus moving it some to the side. The other raises it and changes the mounting angle, so it won't bind when rotating the axle to change the pinion angle.

Helpful information since I’m possibly heading toward the SYE/DC so I can TT. Thanks...

 

[bobthetj03]

Helpful information since I’m possibly heading toward the SYE/DC so I can TT. Thanks...

And when it comes time for that SYE/DCDS, check your bumps again, cause that bracket will soon become the limiter. You have butt crack, so you'll probably be ok.

 

[Mike_H]

At the low levels of lift that OME gives, it doesn't really matter if you go adjustable or relocate and use stock. I was obsessing over this for a while, but a conversation with Blaine helped me through. The roll center is what changes when you lift, and keep the track bar in the same mounting locations. With a 2 inch lift, my napkin calculations says the roll center will change by less than an 1/8 of an inch...or not very much.

Roll center will help control the tendency of a vehicle to "roll" in a corner. When your roll center gets larger, you feel more body lean in a corner...because the center of gravity has a bigger moment arm (lever) on the roll axis.