Front track bar not aligned with 2'' lift

Kon

Kon

TJ Enthusiast
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Nov 17, 2020
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Athens, Greece
I have noticed that the front axle of my jeep is leaning towards the driver's side considerably. From what I know a front trackball realignment is not needed for a 2'' spring lift. (Maybe it's not so noticeable in the pictures, the second ones for driver/passenger side give a better picture)

To be honest is has been like that for many year but I don't know it prematurely damages other components. Also could this be related to the fact that when driving on the highway the jeep always has the tendency to lean to one side and not go straight?

Should I consider a bracket or an adjustable front trackball or could it be something else and not the trackball that causes this issue?

Thanks everyone

Front Driver side
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IMG_0783.JPG


Front Passenger Side
IMG_0781.jpg
IMG_0784.jpg
 
Mine only shifted around 1/2-3/4" and it doesn't hurt anything. Get an adjustable track bar if it bothers you. The rear shifts too. A relocation bracket will fix that.
 
Thanks. I have a bracket for the rear and is almost perfectly aligned now. However, I cannot figure out why I have a bigger shift with only 2-2'' of lift and if it affects other stuff as well. I will measure it again and let you know but it is for sure more than 1''.
 
I have a 2 inch lift and had the same problem. I needed a new track bar anyway. I got a Moog front track bar supposedly for stock height but when reading the reviews on Amazon several people stated it was slightly longer than the stock length. It centered the front axle pretty perfectly. It drives and tracks much better. The rear is off about a half inch but that doesn't affect the drivability so I live with it, it's hardly noticeable.
 
Some will say that it doesnt matter. But get an adjustable track bar, get it lined up, check up travel interference, check down travel interference (mainly, the front pumpkin) and get it right.
 
I wouldn't mind spending the extra buck for an adjustable track bar if that would mean better highway drivability. I do mild off-roading so I guess that if it comes at the expense of loosing a little up/down suspension travel I can live with that.

I am thinking of teraflex or JKS since these brands are more widely available in Greece. Anyone has experience with these or would recommend another one?
 
That small amount of offset really has little effect on anything other than aesthetics.
 
I wouldn't mind spending the extra buck for an adjustable track bar if that would mean better highway drivability. I do mild off-roading so I guess that if it comes at the expense of loosing a little up/down suspension travel I can live with that.
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When my jeep was lifted 3", the axle was off center 1/2". I eventually recentered it with an adjustable trackbar, and could not tell the difference, both on and off road.
 
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TheBoogieman said:
You can buy a 14K gold adjustable track bar if it will let you fix a problem that doesn't exist and cut back on your OCD meds.o_O
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:ROFLMAO:


No one has explained why the Jeep engineers even bothered to align the front and rear axles or why they added track bars ...just that it doesn't matter if they are off by an 1/2 inch or so.

A question that might actually get answered for future searches, at what measurement does it matter? 3/4 of an inch? 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75? More? Where is the cut off for allowable tolerances?

Does the front not follow the same rules as the rear? What is the vilified pinion offset of the Ford 8.8?
 
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Fouledplugs said:
:ROFLMAO:


No one has explained why the Jeep engineers even bothered to align the front and rear axles or why they added track bars ...just that it doesn't matter if they are off by an 1/2 inch or so.

A question that might actually get answered for future searches, at what measurement does it matter? 3/4 of an inch? 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75? More? Where is the cut off?
Click to expand...
Good post.

I can't imagine not wanting an axle reasonably centered ...I'm no automotive engineer ...but I do believe small things can matter..good or bad. And I believe in the cumulative power of small things adding or taking away from the vehicles feel.
 
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LukesfirstJeep said:
When my jeep was lifted 3", the axle was off center 1/2". I eventually recentered it with an adjustable trackbar, and could not tell the difference, both on and off road. When my jeep was lifted 3", the axle was off center 1/2". I eventually recentered it with an adjustable trackbar, and could not tell the difference, both on and off road.
Click to expand...
I get that I won’t change anything material by installing an adjustable track bar. However, the fact that for example you had a 1/2” shift with 3” lift and I have a shift of more than 1” with 2” lift makes me wonder if there is something else that causes this problem...
 
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Fouledplugs said:
:ROFLMAO:


No one has explained why the Jeep engineers even bothered to align the front and rear axles or why they added track bars ...just that it doesn't matter if they are off by an 1/2 inch or so.

A question that might actually get answered for future searches, at what measurement does it matter? 3/4 of an inch? 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75? More? Where is the cut off for allowable tolerances?

Does the front not follow the same rules as the rear? What is the vilified pinion offset of the Ford 8.8?
Click to expand...

The track bar (panhard rod/bar) does a couple things:

1. It is the lateral constraint point to make sure the axle is "centered" under the chassis. This aids is keeping suspension components in a relative plane and for the front axle allows you to steer.

2. It controls the roll center of the chassis so depending on its mounting height relative to the chassis center of gravity will determine how much roll the chassis has.

Allowable tolerances are dependent on who is setting up the chassis and for what. You have to take into consideration that a track bar moves in an arc so that has a bearing on how centered you can be at ride height. Things may move too far one way throughout the axles range of travel and cause excessive bind or interference with other parts. The axles do not have to be perfectly centered to each other, although for some people that drives them crazy and if too far off causes "dog walking" which you get looked at funny driving down the road. This is why some go to a triangulated rear suspension, it allows less bind, decreases the lateral shift through a wider range of travel at the sacrifice of having independent control over the roll center.


Kon said:
I get that I won’t change anything material by installing an adjustable track bar. However, the fact that for example you had a 1/2” shift with 3” lift and I have a shift of more than 1” with 2” lift makes me wonder if there is something else that causes this problem..
Click to expand...

The amount of shift is relative to the actual change in ride height and not the "advertised" change in ride height. No two TJs are the same and no lift company agrees on how to market their products. This is why an adjustable track bar is better than trying to drill the mount per most lift companies instructions.
 
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