I was looking into a brake fluid leak when I discovered this gnarly break near the driver side rear tire. It is fully disconnected from the axle, not just cracked in one place. I'm not sure what steps I should start taking to get this fixed. Is it unsafe to be driving it?
Cracked frame / suspension
- Thread starter falordphil
- Start date
I wouldn't drive it. There are brackets available, pick them up and weld them in. Looks like someone had previously tried to weld that one.
That's a little ambiguous, I don't even know what I should search for. Searching for Jeep TJ Dana 44 Rear Axle brackets brings up a ton of different things.
This will work ^^^^^^ You may be better off taking it to a shop and having them fix it. It isn't a major job but will take cutting the old bracket out and welding in the new one.
If you look at the inside of your tire, you will see a stripe running around the inside of it. That stripe most likely matches a rub spot on the edge of the upper spring perch. The bracket that failed is your track bar bracket and it's function is to locate the rear axle under the rig. Since it is broken, that function is now being performed by the tires rubbing on the frame and the minor triangulation of the rear control arms.
I would repair but I know how to do such things but I'm also sure I'm not the only who can. It isn't safe to drive. You run the risk of wearing a hole in the tire and having a blow-out.
I had mine break just like that last year. I took the axle out and cut out the old bracket and welded in the new one.
Not the track bar, it is the upper left control arm mount to the rear axle. Not a bolt in part. A weld in replacement is required.
Last edited:
Ahoragi
TJ Addict
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I believe Blaine was stating that it is the trackbar bracket that broke and took the control arm bracket with it, hence the tires keeping the axle centered. IIRC they share the same bracket.
It is probably what damaged the brake line too.
The tires aren't keeping the axle centered, they are just keeping the axle under the rig. It can only move until the tires rub on the frame spring perches. The bracket didn't fail from upper control arm stress, it failed from the track bar trying to do it's job. The picture isn't clear enough but there is a non stock nut, bolt, and washer showing which can point to a raised mount for the trackbar which is what typically takes out the stock mount. Given the amount of what appears to be brake fluid back there, I'm with you, the bracket movement has damaged the brake line and I'm surprised that the condition of the brakes wasn't mentioned.
Actually my first thought was also that the brake line was broken, but it turned out just to be that the 3/8" nut attaching the rear driver tire to the main line was loose. I flushed and replaced all the brake fluid and the leak is gone.