How can I fix my front axle being off-center?

BCB75

TJ Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 29, 2020
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321
Location
York, PA
So I've been trying to figure out where a front end squeak is coming from. Then I found this on the upper bolt of the driver side front sway bar disconnect. I looked up the instructions, and it turns out the bolt is installed backwards, which would definitely help. But then I checked the other side and there is a decent sized gap. After verifying the tire ends, compared to the fenders, the front axle is off center. This rough country 3.25 lift just has you drill a hole to re-mount the stock track bar. Should I get an adjustable? Should I flip the disconnect bolt? Thank you!

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You need an adjustable track bar to solve this issue the right way.

Regardless of that bolt, the sway bar end link shouldn't be anywhere close to rubbing against the frame.
 
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Thank you. The track bar mounting point was modified per the instructions by the previous owner. Guess it was too much, or not enough. I would prefer to just get an adjustable though if needed. Any product recommendations?
 
Thank you. The track bar mounting point was modified per the instructions by the previous owner. Guess it was too much, or not enough. I would prefer to just get an adjustable though if needed. Any product recommendations?

The Currie is probably the best top of the line one. Many of us run JKS as another more budget friendly option. Another popular one is Metalcloak, however theirs used a heim joint on the frame end that can get chattery. I think all of those do require the frame bolt to be drilled out to be larger.
 
Im cool with the best budget friendly option for this one. It's got high miles and is a bit rough around the edges anyway. After holding the sway bar out of the way, it still creaks, so I guess there's something else happening too.
 
Regardless of the trac bar it looks like the sway bar has shifted to one side, probably due to worn bushings.
 
Before you panic 100% take a look at your sway bar and make sure it hasn’t shifted to one side. It’s fairly common for this to happen and if it did then you can simply (or not simply) push it back into position. You may need to get a pair of lock collars to prevent it from moving again or going with a Anti Rock or similar.
 
Over time the bushings can wear on the bar slowly reducing the diameter giving the bar room to move, there are undersize replacement bushings available that will bind properly on a worn sway bar. I think the oem were 1-1/8" diameter and I found a 1" diameter set on Amazon that properly hold it in place.
 
So I need sway bar bushings, since I can move it myself? And an adjustable track bar because my axle isn't centered?
 
So I need sway bar bushings, since I can move it myself? And an adjustable track bar because my axle isn't centered?
The only (!) way (within reason) to re-center an off-center axle is via an aftermarket adjustable length track bar.

A suspension lift on a Wrangler TJ with its track bars naturally pulls the axles to the side. The letter Z illustrates why it does that. The diagonal line represents the track bar, the top line is the frame, and the bottom line is the axle. This is since the track bar is connected between the axle and frame, its job is to position/locate the axle left/right. Pull up on the top line (frame lifted by a suspension lift) and the diagonal line (track bar) pulls the bottom line (axle) to the side. Making the track bar longer allows the axle to be re-centered... which is a pretty easy thing to do.

That you can move your antiswaybar left-right with your hand doesn't necessarily indicate its bushings are bad. The antiswaybar needs to be able to move left/right as the axle moves left/right when it moves up/down on uneven (offroad) terrain or when you drive over a bump or dip in the road.
 
Thank you for your thorough response. I assumed relocating the lower mounting point would have fixed that, but apparently not. I'll skip the bushings for now then and work on getting the adjustable track bar. They seem easy enough from the bit of research I've done. The rear seems right on with it's relocation bracket installed.
 
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The only (!) way (within reason) to re-center an off-center axle is via an aftermarket adjustable length track bar.

A suspension lift on a Wrangler TJ with its track bars naturally pulls the axles to the side. The letter Z illustrates why it does that. The diagonal line represents the track bar, the top line is the frame, and the bottom line is the axle. This is since the track bar is connected between the axle and frame, its job is to position/locate the axle left/right. Pull up on the top line (frame lifted by a suspension lift) and the diagonal line (track bar) pulls the bottom line (axle) to the side. Making the track bar longer allows the axle to be re-centered... which is a pretty easy thing to do.

That you can move your antiswaybar left-right with your hand doesn't necessarily indicate its bushings are bad. The antiswaybar needs to be able to move left/right as the axle moves left/right when it moves up/down on uneven (offroad) terrain or when you drive over a bump or dip in the road.

100% correct except Jerry you don't live in the rust belt and my experience with several NJ Jeeps is the sway bars lose a lot of metal under the bushings, my bar could be easily shifted by hand and that should not be the case. He has a PA jeep and they love road salt ...
 
So, the track bar mounting point being relocated doesn't actually work? I don't mind buying the JKS bar if needed. I'm just surprised that a mass produced lift kit would include that instruction, even though it doesn't work. My passenger side tire sticks out around an inch further than my driver side tire.
Also, would dried out control arm bushings be a reason for suspension creaks and groans? Would I just replace the bushings, not the whole arms? Do I need adjustable control arms with the 3.25 lift?
 
So, the track bar mounting point being relocated doesn't actually work?
If you're referring to drilling a new mounting bolt 3/4" over for the front track bar, that works but it's not recommended as that weakens the bracket.

You can buy track bar relocation brackets for the rear that recenter the axle but not for the front axle.
 
So, just to be clear...
I bought the Jeep with this lift already on. I showed pictures of the front track bar mounted, with the new hole already drilled (unfortunately). Even with that done though, the axle is not lined up properly.
The rear does have the bracket on, and it is nicely centered from my measurements.
 
So, just to be clear...
I bought the Jeep with this lift already on. I showed pictures of the front track bar mounted, with the new hole already drilled (unfortunately). Even with that done though, the axle is not lined up properly.
The rear does have the bracket on, and it is nicely centered from my measurements.
That hole only works if your axle is 3/4" off. If it's not, it doesn't.
 
My passenger side tire sticks out around an inch further than my driver side tire.

It sounds like you don’t need to use the drilled hole since that is what pushed the axle toward the passenger side by that same distance.

Using the OEM hole would bring your axle back toward the driver side.