JKS front adjustable trackbar issue

[skrelnik]

A few months back I upgraded the suspension with a DPG OME Ultimate kit. Since then the only updates to the front suspension area was the ZJ tie rod upgrade, about two weeks ago. Last night I was in a parking lot and making a slow sharp right turn when I heard and felt a pop in the front. On the drive home I could hear a metal clunk.

This morning I was checking it out today and noticed it is the trackbar. When I wiggle the steering wheel the trackbar was moving. Upon further looking at this I discovered that the track must have hit/rubbed the differential cover. A piece of the trackbar is chipped off and there are missing springs/washers inside the chassis-side housing.

Picture 1 shows the chipped trackbar piece along with the missing internals. The trackbar goes north to south causing that metal to metal sound.

Picture 2: I drove back to the parking lot and found a couple parts

Pictures 3 and 4 are just general pics to see if you notice anything out of the ordinary

Did I F up something here? I need to fix the trackbar but I do not want to fix it and then have a similar failure. Does anyone have any thoughts to what led to this? Thanks in advance!

 

[bobthetj03]

I've been running a JKS TB for years and never seen that before. JKS uses a Currie Johnny Joint at the frame end. It looks like the contact to the joint housing caused the joint retaining washer and spring clip to fall out. You'll have to remove the TB and try to see if you can reinstall the washer and spring clip. You'll also want to check the bushing halves of the joint for damage. It's possible the damage to housing may be too great and won't allow you to put it back together, in which case you'll be shopping for a new TB. It looks like you have stock control arms, so you'll need to address why this happened to begin with.

 

[StG58]

I sure hope JKS didn't change the geometry of their front track bar! It's been one of the go-to track bars for low lift heights for awhile now.

 

[JMT]

How much suspension lift do you have? Also, it would be nice if you filled out your profile page. Then we could just look at these details,

 

[StG58]

How much suspension lift do you have? Also, it would be nice if you filled out your profile page. Then we could just look at these details,

@skrelnik is running the DPG Ultimate kit, so I'm assuming he has about 2 - 2-1/2" of lift. If he ran his track bar into the diff cover with that kit in a parking lot, something is definitely amiss. Call Dirk at DPG up and ask him what happened. That's not normal.

 

[glwood]

A few months back I upgraded the suspension with a DPG OME Ultimate kit. Since then the only updates to the front suspension area was the ZJ tie rod upgrade, about two weeks ago. Last night I was in a parking lot and making a slow sharp right turn when I heard and felt a pop in the front. On the drive home I could hear a metal clunk.

This morning I was checking it out today and noticed it is the trackbar. When I wiggle the steering wheel the trackbar was moving. Upon further looking at this I discovered that the track must have hit/rubbed the differential cover. A piece of the trackbar is chipped off and there are missing springs/washers inside the chassis-side housing.

Picture 1 shows the chipped trackbar piece along with the missing internals. The trackbar goes north to south causing that metal to metal sound.

Picture 2: I drove back to the parking lot and found a couple parts

Pictures 3 and 4 are just general pics to see if you notice anything out of the ordinary

Did I F up something here? I need to fix the trackbar but I do not want to fix it and then have a similar failure. Does anyone have any thoughts to what led to this? Thanks in advance!

I looking at picture 1, I don't see how those could have rubbed. It looks, though, that perhaps something might have gotten caught between the track bar end and the diff. Notice the yellowish color on each? Perhaps a large piece of rock or something like that. Then when there was some suspension movement, it got crunched enough between the two to chip the track bar end, and leave that mark on the diff...just my observation, take it for what it's worth...hopefully the track bar end can be salvaged and put back together..

 

[Chris]

I'm confused. Why would the track bar contact the diff cover when you were turning? I could see it happening when you were flexing the suspension, but turning?

 

[skrelnik]

How much suspension lift do you have? Also, it would be nice if you filled out your profile page. Then we could just look at these details,

My bad, I just added a couple details...but just like a Jeep it will take a while to complete the project.

@skrelnik is running the DPG Ultimate kit, so I'm assuming he has about 2 - 2-1/2" of lift. If he ran his track bar into the diff cover with that kit in a parking lot, something is definitely amiss. Call Dirk at DPG up and ask him what happened. That's not normal.

Good call.

I looking at picture 1, I don't see how those could have rubbed. It looks, though, that perhaps something might have gotten caught between the track bar end and the diff. Notice the yellowish color on each? Perhaps a large piece of rock or something like that. Then when there was some suspension movement, it got crunched enough between the two to chip the track bar end, and leave that mark on the diff...just my observation, take it for what it's worth...hopefully the track bar end can be salvaged and put back together..

Great eye. Need to look into that.

I'm confused. Why would the track bar contact the diff cover when you were turning? I could see it happening when you were flexing the suspension, but turning?

Me too. Will report back when I get a better understanding. My assumption is user error so off to figure it out and buy replacement parts from JKS.

 

[jjvw]

How much suspension lift do you have? Also, it would be nice if you filled out your profile page. Then we could just look at these details,

More importantly, how much bump stop extension do you have?

I know JKS historically works on low lifts, but I don't recall if there is a minimum bump stop requirement. However, the typical problem is the track bar hitting the actual diff cover, not the frame side joint hitting the bolt.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[skrelnik]

More importantly, how much bump stop extension do you have?

I know JKS historically works on low lifts, but I don't recall if there is a minimum bump stop requirement. However, the typical problem is the track bar hitting the actual diff cover, not the frame side joint hitting the bolt.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I am hoping that the ding is from my original install, possibly dropped it then and now completely forgot about that...like forgetting an early morning walk of shame.

Below is what I have currently installed. Next up is a BL, MML and 33s.

The replacement parts were only 10 bucks (Plus 10 bucks shipping) so not bad at all, but I'm really confused how that spring clip popped.

2" - 2.5" OME spring and shocks
JKS front adjustable trackbar
JKS rear adjustable trackbar
JKS front anti-swaybar disconnect endlinks
JKS rear adjustable anti-swaybar endlinks
DPG 2" front bumpstops
DPG 2" rear bumpstops

I also have 15" wheels with 3.7" backspacing

 

[jjvw]

Currie requires 2" of extension. I can't imagine JKS needing more. This is odd.

Did you cycle your suspension when you installed everything?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[skrelnik]

Currie requires 2" of extension. I can't imagine JKS needing more. This is odd.

Did you cycle your suspension when you installed everything?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Yes, cycled the suspension and aligned it. Recently I did the ZJ the rod upgrade along with a new TJ drag link. All Moog parts. Could something related to that install have caused anything to put additional stress on the trackbar?

 

[jjvw]

If you removed the coils and jounces and ran the axle up to full hard bump and did not have track bar issues, then there should not be a problem.

Control arms locate the axle front to back. How are they?

 

[Drizit]

Control arms locate the axle front to back. How are they?

That's what I was thinking, are the arms still straight (particularly the uppers like to pretzel) are the cam bolts still in place and tight? Are the control arm bushings solid on both ends?

—
There must have been a time
when we could have said no.

 

[jjvw]

... It looks, though, that perhaps something might have gotten caught between the track bar end and the diff. Notice the yellowish color on each? Perhaps a large piece of rock or something like that. Then when there was some suspension movement, it got crunched enough between the two to chip the track bar end, and leave that mark on the diff...just my observation, take it for what it's worth...hopefully the track bar end can be salvaged and put back together..

Weirder things have happened...

 

[mrblaine]

I looking at picture 1, I don't see how those could have rubbed. It looks, though, that perhaps something might have gotten caught between the track bar end and the diff. Notice the yellowish color on each? Perhaps a large piece of rock or something like that. Then when there was some suspension movement, it got crunched enough between the two to chip the track bar end, and leave that mark on the diff...just my observation, take it for what it's worth...hopefully the track bar end can be salvaged and put back together..

The "yellowish" color is rust from the contact tearing up the powder coating. Nothing got in there, he has contact at full stuff. He needs to find out why. The contact at full stuff is also what blew out the snap ring. But, it was assembled correctly when they made it since the other side can't come out (no snap ring), the side that did blow out did not allow the track bar to come fully off the bolt and that's a good thing.

 

[Mike_H]

That is weird. I'm running basically the same setup, with a Dana 44, and there isn't any contact at full stuff...Closest it gets is here, to the spring perch.

 

[mrblaine]

That is weird. I'm running basically the same setup, with a Dana 44, and there isn't any contact at full stuff...Closest it gets is here, to the spring perch.View attachment 32761

You're assuming the axle is centered correctly. All you have to do is shorten your trackbar by 1/4" and the spring perch will blow out the snap ring at some point.

 

[Mike_H]

You're assuming the axle is centered correctly. All you have to do is shorten your trackbar by 1/4" and the spring perch will blow out the snap ring at some point.

Lol...you give me too much credit. Honestly, the idea of axle centering wasn't on my mind! Or more precisely, the fact that OP might not have had his axle centered. It is close...makes me wonder though, if a guy would do himself a favor by trimming that bracket...

 

[skrelnik]

You're assuming the axle is centered correctly. All you have to do is shorten your trackbar by 1/4" and the spring perch will blow out the snap ring at some point.

Thanks for bringing this up. I did center the axle by following the steps from JKS, DPG and this forum's DIY that Chris posted. All seems good there, and I ran this for three + months without an issue. I did do that ZJ tie rod update so that is all I can think of. I do plan to center the axle again, along with checking the control arms.

One thing I noticed was when the tires are seated and I wiggle the steering wheel to the right a little, it moves the trackbar. When the front end was on jack stands, the trackbar did not move when I wiggled the steering wheel.

I am still learning the geometry around the steering and suspension, and how all parts interact with each other, so bare with me here.