Never trust anyones previous work or assume they even did any.
I've seen things that were absolutely dangerous.
Is this track bar movement acceptable?
- Thread starter jazngab
- Start date
I've seen things that were absolutely dangerous.
And yes, there is going to be some rubber movement at the bushing... That's why there is a rubber bushing there.
It is designed to cushion the movement so it is somewhat controlled movement.
With two bushings at each rear shock..
3 bushings at each front shock
16 on the control arms
Four on the track bars
Eight on the swing arm ends
Four where the swing arms connect to the frame
That is 42 bushings in addition to body mount bushings,motor mounts and any other similar rubber isolated connection.
A Tj runs on four springs with a system of rods and levers controlling the movements. It's pretty wild.
As fascinated as I am, I'm even more fascinated about my Johhny Joint that's coming.
That is always my concern with the stock 10mm, especially if older, worn, stressed, etc. I feel like it's being pushed to the limit to torque it down..also large tires are way, way heavier than stock, transmit more inertia from a bump, and a larger bolt and higher torque value make sense in my mind.
I have driven stock TJ's with lots of miles that drove great, and the front end was obviously holding up great when dry tested .
I've driven wheeled TJs with large tires and less mileage that were sloppy.
I'm convinced scaling the 1/4 ton components, thoroughly, as you are able, is beneficial short and long term.
Mine is running the stock bolt and it's in there on a drilled axle side mount. It doesn't move.
Assuming the 1/4 ton stuff is somehow beneficial, you need to make it fit. Can you do that on the axle side of the track bar?
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I'll have to contemplate that some but my initial thought is the tire size and weight wouldn't change the force transmitted to the trackbar connection at the axle by much at all. The weight of the vehicle is roughly the same and that weight is what is being supported by the suspension. I could make the case that the larger tire with less pressure actually absorbs more of the impact when you hit a pothole at speed than does a smaller higher pressure street type tire.
Also, if you haven't figured out by now two things are true about me. I am really good at solving problems and then building products that use that solution. The second true thing is I work on lots of rigs.
If anything larger than a properly torque appropriate strength bolt were deemed necessary, I would have done something about that a very long time ago.
I suspect the reason that bolt is an issue has to do with human nature. It's a little bolt, let's tighten the shit out of it because I don't want DW. Great, now you stretched it past the point that it is viable and moved it out of elastic deformation into plastic deformation and ruined the damn thing. Of course it is going to loosen up and wallow the hole.
You can easily at the axle but it's not so easy at the frame... Unless you have one of the track bars that accepts a bushing bushing oriented vertically.
I've seen some track bars that appear they would accept an es3096l at the frame....if that's consistent with the taper at the frame that would be a great upgrade.
I'll get back to you guys I have just seen something unbelievable.
Jameskennedy
Member
Thanks bro after i try the alignment if the steering is still loose and DW still scring the shite outa me then ill swap the new adjustable track bar for one of them dodge ones
Jameskennedy
Member
Ya i got under it and noticed all the new parts so i took and still take their word for it that everything in front end is new, and lift was done at same time and new exhaust new tires, i felt a little play in the steering in test drive and figured i could fix it but death wobble showed up 2nd drive after purchase and not on the initial test drive.
It's not the bar, only the bushing.
But remember... You can have an out-of-balance tire, a low tire , or other things.
But ....if it is mainly when you hit a bump, it's likely the track bar, or the upper right front control arm bushing or mount , it can be a number of several loose /worn components working together.
3 components with 1/16 slop equal one component with 3 /16 slop.
Death Wobble is auto oscillation ...the tires are constantly trying to return to center, if there is play it messes with that .
Jameskennedy
Member
Every piece in the front end is new even the steering box the only play is that bushing, looks exactly like OP video, but im hoping when the previous owner swapped everything And did the lift and new tores a couole weeks ago he never re-aligned it properly as soon as i have time to measure and re-allign ill update the thread
Cool... Don't replace the part just to be replacing the part... Diagnose and then decide.
All I was saying is you don't have to get a new track bar in order to get a new track bar bushing.
It is also possible to have an elongated hole on your track bar axle end mount that is notorious for issues if the bolt won't torque down.
Even with a new front end that part would be factory
Let me ask a question before I start a new thread. I ordered a Moog K3176 track bar bushing and it’s a two piece bushing with no outer sleeve, Today I dropped that end of the track bar hoping I could change the bushing without removing the track bar. The bushing that is in there has a outer sleeve like a control arm bushing. So I guess I just remove everything and just put the two piece rubber bushing back in its place? What is the easiest way to remove the old bushing? The other problem I see is there is a lot of play between the bolt and sleeve using the new sleeve the bolt goes through. From reading other posts above someone said use the old sleeve but that looks like it will be a very tight fit in the new bushing. Or should I order the K7252 bushing AndyG suggested? Thanks for any suggestions
Jameskennedy
Member
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