Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Front track bar: Currie or JKS?

I'll join in on this conversation because I am needing to make some changes in my current track bar as well. So I will add my limited knowledge and experience as well as my questions.

First my setup and observations:

I have a 3" lift with 2" bumpstops. I am currently running a Moog trackbar. My tires line up nearly perfect so I do not need an adjustable bar. However, the bushing is way too soft. If someone turns the steering wheel you can see the bar move about 1/8" as the bushing compresses. This gives a very loose steering feel.

Experience and observations:

When I recently installed my Rancho control arms with the D2 (DDB) bushings, I also installed the Rancho trackbar. The Rancho trackbar is very well built and also has a D2 (DDB) bushing. This is a fantastic feeling trackbar. I did not notice any flex in the bar and the D2 bushing had the perfect firmness. It was firm, but has enough cushion to protect the steering box. I loved this bar except for one thing. It didn't fit. On my Rubi with the Dana 44 and only 2" bumpstop the trackbar hits the diff cover. If you have a Dana 30 or at least 3" of bumpstop I think this would be a great bar. So it might be an option for the OP. But due to hitting the diff cover I can not recommend it for lower lifts. I still have my Rancho trackbar with only a few hundred miles on it. I may be interested in selling it, but I may also keep it to see if I can somehow make it work. Because it really did have a nice tight feel.

Additional observations: (Bushings matter)

So in my experiment, I changed no other suspension components but went from the Moog trackbar to the Rancho and back to Moog. The Moog is a solid bar just like the factory bar. So flex is very limited between both bars. But the bushings are very different. The Moog bushing is very soft and compliant and leaves a wondering steering feel. The Rancho trackbar with the Dual Durometer Bushing (D2) was fantastic. It was firm but had enough give to protect the steering box. Also since the the DDB bushings are designed to swing on the axis it should have a long life and more freedom of movement than a Clevite bushing. I wish Currie would offer a DDB bushing on the axle end, it seems like a perfect fit for the axle side of their bar.

My possible solutions and concerns:

So in my case, I am considering 2 options
1) Pressing out the bushing in the Moog trackbar and replacing it with a DDB or a better Clevite bushing (if I can find one that fits). But this will require a lot of chasing around and if I can't fit a DDB bushing, I might not be any better off with a different rubber bushing.

2) Purchasing a Currie trackbar

My hesitation with purchasing a Currie trackbar is that I have seen how a soft rubber bushing can really give loose steering feel. I hate to spend $400+ and drill out my frame so I can't go back to stock if I have issues.

Please provide any insight others might have.
 
Fargo said:
I'll join in on this conversation because I am needing to make some changes in my current track bar as well. So I will add my limited knowledge and experience as well as my questions.

First my setup and observations:

I have a 3" lift with 2" bumpstops. I am currently running a Moog trackbar. My tires line up nearly perfect so I do not need an adjustable bar. However, the bushing is way too soft. If someone turns the steering wheel you can see the bar move about 1/8" as the bushing compresses. This gives a very loose steering feel.

Experience and observations:

When I recently installed my Rancho control arms with the D2 (DDB) bushings, I also installed the Rancho trackbar. The Rancho trackbar is very well built and also has a D2 (DDB) bushing. This is a fantastic feeling trackbar. I did not notice any flex in the bar and the D2 bushing had the perfect firmness. It was firm, but has enough cushion to protect the steering box. I loved this bar except for one thing. It didn't fit. On my Rubi with the Dana 44 and only 2" bumpstop the trackbar hits the diff cover. If you have a Dana 30 or at least 3" of bumpstop I think this would be a great bar. So it might be an option for the OP. But due to hitting the diff cover I can not recommend it for lower lifts. I still have my Rancho trackbar with only a few hundred miles on it. I may be interested in selling it, but I may also keep it to see if I can somehow make it work. Because it really did have a nice tight feel.

Additional observations: (Bushings matter)

So in my experiment, I changed no other suspension components but went from the Moog trackbar to the Rancho and back to Moog. The Moog is a solid bar just like the factory bar. So flex is very limited between both bars. But the bushings are very different. The Moog bushing is very soft and compliant and leaves a wondering steering feel. The Rancho trackbar with the Dual Durometer Bushing (D2) was fantastic. It was firm but had enough give to protect the steering box. Also since the the DDB bushings are designed to swing on the axis it should have a long life and more freedom of movement than a Clevite bushing. I wish Currie would offer a DDB bushing on the axle end, it seems like a perfect fit for the axle side of their bar.

My possible solutions and concerns:

So in my case, I am considering 2 options
1) Pressing out the bushing in the Moog trackbar and replacing it with a DDB or a better Clevite bushing (if I can find one that fits). But this will require a lot of chasing around and if I can't fit a DDB bushing, I might not be any better off with a different rubber bushing.

2) Purchasing a Currie trackbar

My hesitation with purchasing a Currie trackbar is that I have seen how a soft rubber bushing can really give loose steering feel. I hate to spend $400+ and drill out my frame so I can't go back to stock if I have issues.

Please provide any insight others might have.
Click to expand...
Single or double element Moog part?
 
mrblaine said:
Oh no, it is way too small and I'm sending you on an errand that you have no chance of completing 'cuz that's how I roll.
Click to expand...
Too funny. I guess that was kind of a stupid question on my part.

Do you know if this is any different in how firm it is than what might have come in that bar to begin with?
 
Fargo said:
Kind of hard to know what the bar I received came with isn't it?

Thank you for the help. I appreciate it.
Click to expand...
It isn't hard if you put up a link to the part you are running. If you didn't, not sure where to go from there except, garbage in, garbage out. The picture on the link you posted shows a single element bushing which we don't use. We use the dual element.
 
mrblaine said:
It isn't hard if you put up a link to the part you are running. If you didn't, not sure where to go from there except, garbage in, garbage out. The picture on the link you posted shows a single element bushing which we don't use. We use the dual element.
Click to expand...
OK, looking at some pictures of the different bushings, I think I see what you are saying. I never realized there was such a thing as single element or double element bushing. But if I understand you correctly and if I am seeing things correctly in the pictures. My bushing is just one piece of rubber bonded between the bolt sleeve and the housing. The number you gave me looks like it has a 2nd sleeve of some sort between the bolt sleeve and the housing. So 2 elements of rubber? Is the correct?
 
I have a JKS adjustable rear trackbar, which seems fine. 2.5" lift, but the trackbar can go longer if I needed.

For the front I'm thinking all Johnny Joint stuff. Either Currie or Savvy. Just better performance all the way around.
 
Fargo said:
OK, looking at some pictures of the different bushings, I think I see what you are saying. I never realized there was such a thing as single element or double element bushing. But if I understand you correctly and if I am seeing things correctly in the pictures. My bushing is just one piece of rubber bonded between the bolt sleeve and the housing. The number you gave me looks like it has a 2nd sleeve of some sort between the bolt sleeve and the housing. So 2 elements of rubber? Is the correct?
Click to expand...
Correct
 
If you zoom in, you can see the two element bushing Currie uses.
20200215_151314.jpg
 
mrblaine said:
Correct
Click to expand...
Awesome, I learned something. Thank you.

jjvw said:
If you zoom in, you can see the two element bushing Currie uses.
View attachment 199621
Click to expand...

Its hard to see in that picture. But this is the picture I was looking at when I searched the Moog k3147 number Mr Blaine gave me. I thought in this image it looked like 2 different layers of rubber. Is this an accurate representation of the Currie as well?

I found this very interesting. It would seem that the big innovation of the Dual Durometer Bushing is not having 2 different durometers, as that could easily be accomplished here, but rather the innovation was having the bolt sleeve spinning freely inside the bushing rather than bonded.
moog-moog-k3147-360-giant-01-10.jpg


Thank you guys for all the help and the education. I can see how even rubber bushings are not all the same. Certainly that 2 element bushing will behave different than my current bushing. This will be a fun experiment for me. I'll have to get that bushing on order ASAP to see how it feels. But I expect that it will be much better than what I have now. If everything goes well, I may just get the Currie in short order anyway. The other side of those Moog trackbars have a limited lifespan too.

Thanks again for all the help. My apologies to the OP for getting a little side tracked.
 
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Fargo said:
...


Its hard to see in that picture. But this is the picture I was looking at when I searched the Moog k3147 number Mr Blaine gave me. I thought in this image it looked like 2 different layers of rubber. Is this an accurate representation of the Currie as well?
...
Click to expand...

That looks right.
 
Fargo said:
...

I found this very interesting. It would seem that the big innovation of the Dual Durometer Bushing is not having 2 different durometers, as that could easily be accomplished here, but rather the innovation was having the bolt sleeve spinning freely inside the bushing rather than bonded.
...
Click to expand...

If these free spinning sleeves don't suffer the same fate as a heim joint, then that would be something. Currie figured it out by adding preload to the center ball. But a JJ won't fit in the axle side.
 
Last edited:
@mrblaine Do you happen to know if the K7252 and the K3147 are interchangeable?

What is the benefit of the dual element bushing over a standard heavy duty rubber bushing?
 
k752 fits in a currie track bar but it has very little rubber due to the giant sleeve. But it works
 
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