Make your Rough Country track bar better

[BuildBreakRepeat]

I run a small construction business... We do light residential remodeling and have 12 employees and do about 1.3 million a year.

It only takes about 10 years to be an overnight success.

We won't do work that we're not confident will perform, we don't rely on the building code to ensure that things are good enough, and customers that are reasonable and fair to work with get a lifetime warranty . Customers that are buttholes get a pretty good warranty too.

I spent a lot of money over the years making things right but I haven't spent any money advertising.

This all reminds me of what my friend who did one of my work truck transmissions told me...

Andy you've got a lifetime warranty... If you bring it back complaining I'm going to kill you.

That quote is spot on! Glad to hear you’ve made a good name for yourself in construction, I work with multiple contracting companies for the FS as an engineer - and it often makes me frustrated when a lower bid is chosen in exchange for worse work. I have a buddy in the Army that I served with for a few years, he got a DUI sleeping in his truck while drunk, but keys were in the ignition (he told me he had run the heater for a while). Seven years of perfect merit and multiple deployments - yet it only takes one moment of weakness or bad character to take it all away. Good reputation is the the hardest thing to earn, and the easiest to lose, like trust. Anyway sorry for kind of derailing your thread - best of luck with the new bushing, glad to see it helped solve your problem.

 

[AndyG]

That quote is spot on! Glad to hear you’ve made a good name for yourself in construction, I work with multiple contracting companies for the FS as an engineer - and it often makes me frustrated when a lower bid is chosen in exchange for worse work. I have a buddy in the Army that I served with for a few years, he got a DUI sleeping in his truck while drunk, but keys were in the ignition (he told me he had run the heater for a while). Seven years of perfect merit and multiple deployments - yet it only takes one moment of weakness or bad character to take it all away. Good reputation is the the hardest thing to earn, and the easiest to lose, like trust. Anyway sorry for kind of derailing your thread - best of luck with the new bushing, glad to see it helped solve your problem.

Man my threads don't have rails , it's all good .

 

[bobthetj03]

Will that Moog bushing fit the RC rear track bar as well?

 

[BuildBreakRepeat]

Will that Moog bushing fit the RC rear track bar as well?

Not sure on that, I haven’t seen many running the rear bar (I favor scrapping all rear track bars) but I’ll help bump the thread to see who has it.

 

[NDSpeed]

Following for future reference

 

[Mazepam]

I installed this track bar to fix my death wobble on my lifted jeep and it for sure solved it but im starting to think this is what is causing my steering woes. Its great under 60 mph but then it gets kinda skethcy and my jeep REALLY gives with the camber of the road, but it wont turn the wheels themselves my steering whell will just move all over the place.

I notice when i do the dry steering test that the bushing move around a lot, im wondering if this will solve my issue...

Everyhting is aligned btw and all the other bushing on my contorl arms are brand new.

 

[AndyG]

I installed this track bar to fix my death wobble on my lifted jeep and it for sure solved it but im starting to think this is what is causing my steering woes. Its great under 60 mph but then it gets kinda skethcy and my jeep REALLY gives with the camber of the road, but it wont turn the wheels themselves my steering whell will just move all over the place.

I notice when i do the dry steering test that the bushing move around a lot, im wondering if this will solve my issue...

Everyhting is aligned btw and all the other bushing on my contorl arms are brand new.

The Rough Country bushings premature failure is why you need a Moog , stock size will do fine.

 

[Mazepam]

Yeah I've noticed this though since the day i installed it, but my DW went away so I've been dealing with it. But the bushing are like Jelly on the Dry steer test.

OK so I ordered the MOOG 7252 part i would have to drill for this right?

What is the stock part number and would i need to drill to use them?

OH ok think i found them https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C59XTC/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[AndyG]

Yeah I've noticed this though since the day i installed it, but my DW went away so I've been dealing with it. But the bushing are like Jelly on the Dry steer test.

OK so I ordered the MOOG 7252 part i would have to drill for this right?

What is the stock part number and would i need to drill to use them?

OH ok think i found them https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C59XTC/?tag=wranglerorg-20

If you’re going to use the 7252 you’re going to have to get a 14 mm bolt and I think you’re dealing with a 9/16 or so drillbit ...But if you just buy the stock replacement by moog And put it in you will probably solve your problem....The compound in the rough country bushing that is made in Mexico is the root of the problem.

You would need to cross 14 mm over to whatever standard for your drill bit size but make 100% sure before you drill that thing that you’re committed to go in that direction because once you do it you’ve done it...Make sure the bushing goes in the track bar and make sure everything else is going to be OK because you really can’t reverse it easily.If you’re not sure just get the Moog stock replacement and try that first...What happens when you go to the 7252 is there is less rubber and is a lot harder so it gives the steering a firmer seal when you change direction or basically a more sure feel.

Andy

 

[Mazepam]

If you’re going to use the 7252 you’re going to have to get a 14 mm bolt and I think you’re dealing with a 9/16 or so drillbit ...But if you just buy the stock replacement by moog And put it in you will probably solve your problem....The compound in the rough country bushing that is made in Mexico is the root of the problem.

You would need to cross 14 mm over to whatever standard for your drill bit size but make 100% sure before you drill that thing that you’re committed to go in that direction because once you do it you’ve done it...Make sure the bushing goes in the track bar and make sure everything else is going to be OK because you really can’t reverse it easily.If you’re not sure just get the Moog stock replacement and try that first...What happens when you go to the 7252 is there is less rubber and is a lot harder so it gives the steering a firmer seal when you change direction or basically a more sure feel.

Andy

Yeah I'm just gonna return the 7252 cause its amazon so nbd and go with the stock and see what happens. Thanks for all the info though! I've been super curious about this trackbar.

I have a 2.5 inch lift and I first I thought this was dump steer due to the drop bracket but in reality it only drops it like 1/4 of an inch the angle is still good wirh the drag link

 

[AndyG]

Be sure to let me know how it works out

 

[Mazepam]

Will do! I'm not sure what else could cause this everything on my front end is brand new I'm even changing the hub assembly this weekend. But all control arms, tires, zj sterring, rear track bar, sway bars and 4 ball joints and the toe is 1/8 of an inch. So I'm trying this now haha

Drive great except it gives wih the road like crazy I have to counter steer. And over 65 it's sketchy

 

[JMT]

My lifted 03 Rubicon on beadlocks with 33" tires has a Rough Country Adjustable front track bar , which has a big bend , clears well , and is known as a good value .

Recently I hit a series of bumps and death wobble started .

When you have death wobble from hitting a series of holes , that indicates loose components , I call that passive death wobble (DWWTH -death wobble waiting to happen), as there is no constant cause ,such as a low or unbalanced tire . Nothing happens normally , but the slop is there to allow it when it does take a lick, then it gets a life of it's own from inertia.

A Rough Country track bar is designed around stock track bushings, and don’t seem to last . They take a 12 mm bolt at the frame and a 10 mm at the axle if I’m correct .

I put in Energy suspension replacement urethane bushings, but they both only came in 12 mm or so diameter , so I drilled out the axle mount to 15/32 , and slapped in a grade 8 12mm flange bolt and lock nut with red loctite added and torqued it down .

Test drove it , and I could tell on the highway it was really good ...very stable at speed , point and shoot , and hit the same choppy spot on these fine Alabama backroads , and no deathwobble at all , almost had to ask myself if it was the same spot . Floated over it .

So , a 12 mm bolt and Energy Suspension bushings is something to consider if you have that track bar and plan to continue to run it .

Or you could just slap an MC sticker on it and call it better!

 

[Mazepam]

Or you could just slap an MC sticker on it and call it better!

Ha I was thinking mc but I don't wanna drill any of the holes just yet

 

[JMT]

Ha I was thinking mc but I don't wanna drill any of the holes just yet

Wanna buy mine? I’m about 80% serious

 

[Mazepam]

Wanna buy mine? I’m about 80% serious

Ha! I'm gonna see how these bushings do and I'll let you know. You don't like it?

 

[JMT]

Ha! I'm gonna see how these bushings do and I'll let you know. You don't like it?

I’m at the point in my build I want to move to something else.

 

[AndyG]

I’m at the point in my build I want to move to something else.

Move here

 

[JMT]

Move here

Don’t tempt me. I am Southern. Born in South Carolina, raised in TX, workin overtime in WA.

 

[AddiesTJ]

Hey Everyone, recently searched upgrades to a Rough Country front TJ adjustable track bar... why, because i am slowly trying to get as much free play out of the steering as possible, and I noticed that when my daughter turned steering wheel left/right, I could see the lower bushing at the axle move before the wheels turned.

The trackbar is only 2 years old, and the bushing are still good, but because of the rubber, contributed to play. So I searched and this old tread came up. Overall great help but no part numbers. So I reached out to Rough Country and got the specs on their bushings. Here are the Rough Country factory upper and lower bushings:
- Frame: Rough Country Part Number (SD00A237231); OD: 1.53"; ID: .48"; Sleeve Width: 1.6"; Outer Shell Width: 1.39"
- Axle: Rough Country Part Number (SD00A241120); OD: 1.53"; ID: .40"; Sleeve Width: 1.6"; Outer Shell Width: 1.39"

With the above, I called Energy Suspension and after talking to their engineers, we determined that 2.7103G Rear Track Bar Bushing Set would fit, all I had to do was get a 12mm bolt for the lower mount at axle, and drill the hole out to match. Tractor Supply to the rescue. I also drilled out the bushing with drill 15/32. I used my 20 Ton press and pushed both bushings out and installed the poly bushings.

Installed and steering MUCH more responsive. I wonder why Rough Country and most other companies do not use poly to begin with????

Anyway, hope those in future that want to do this use the info above!

Thanks!