New drag link hitting steering stabilizer bracket

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Pic of the bracket is with tires turned to full right on flat ground.

Pics of sway bar is with tires strait. The sway bar hitting the frame is why I replaced the track bar and track bar bushings. Now the axle is centered but sway bar is still closer to the frame on the driver side.

How to rule out bent sway bar?
 
View attachment 550219View attachment 550220View attachment 550221Pic of the bracket is with tires turned to full right on flat ground.

Pics of sway bar is with tires strait. The sway bar hitting the frame is why I replaced the track bar and track bar bushings. Now the axle is centered but sway bar is still closer to the frame on the driver side.

How to rule out bent sway bar?

If you're sure the axle is centered and the sway bar isn't, then slide it over so it is.
If it doesn't stay there, replace bushings and/or add a collar to hold it there.
 
Looks like your using stock arms, so you're not going to be able to shorten/extend your front axle position, you're not going to be able to adjust your caster. You could add a slight bend in the drag link and re align. Its been done by several on the forum.
 
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Looks like your using stock arms, so you're not going to be able to shorten/extend your front axle position, you're not going to be able to adjust your caster. You could add a slight bend in the drag link and re align. Its been done by several on the forum.

Interesting. I’ve got a press and the previous drag link. It’s looks to be the back of the tie rod ball joint that’s hitting. Where would you bend drag link? Is the goal to push where the tie rod connects further towards the front? Would one bend at the that point be better or multiple bends at different points be better?

I just started to hear a slight knock when taking a sharp right turn maybe a month prior to changing the these components, it got worse after the track bar was installed. I assumed it was the driver side sway bar hitting the frame.

This just started to happen semi recently. Could something like worn front control arms cause this?

I don’t use the hard top in the summer so there’s no weight in the back on OME HD coils. The back sits up higher than the front currently. Could this change the axle angle enough to cause a problem?
 
Looks like your using stock arms, so you're not going to be able to shorten/extend your front axle position, you're not going to be able to adjust your caster. You could add a slight bend in the drag link and re align. Its been done by several on the forum.

Interesting. I’ve got a press and the previous drag link? Where would you bend it where the
If you're sure the axle is centered and the sway bar isn't, then slide it over so it is.
If it doesn't stay there, replace bushings and/or add a collar to hold it there.

i just replaced the front bushings with some from autozone and it slid back over. Might have to get a collar. These new bushings squeak at every bump though. Made the Jeep sound like a shitty trailer.

Edit: you got me thinking to check the box. I went to that autozone specifically because they had MOOG in stock and they sold me duralast.
 
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Where would you bend drag link? Is the goal to push where the tie rod connects further towards the front? Would one bend at the that point be better or multiple bends at different points be better?

Just enough bend to get the clearance you need.

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I just started to hear a slight knock when taking a sharp right turn maybe a month prior to changing the these components, it got worse after the track bar was installed. I assumed it was the driver side sway bar hitting the frame.

This just started to happen semi recently. Could something like worn front control arms cause this?
Do a dry steering test, see if you can hear anything knock, and see/feel if anything is moving that isnt supposed to be.
 
Do a dry steering test, see if you can hear anything knock, and see/feel if anything is moving that isnt supposed to be.
Will do but first, what do you consider a dry steering test?

Do I put the front axle on jack stands so tires are off the ground and have someone turn the wheel?

Since it contacts the most when turning right into an upward slope, is there a way to mimic this during the dry test?

Would it make sense to have the passenger side jack stand higher than the driver side? Use ratchet straps or a coil clamp to compress the coil further on the passenger side?
 
Will do but first, what do you consider a dry steering test?

Do I put the front axle on jack stands so tires are off the ground and have someone turn the wheel?

Since it contacts the most when turning right into an upward slope, is there a way to mimic this during the dry test?

Would it make sense to have the passenger side jack stand higher than the driver side? Use ratchet straps or a coil clamp to compress the coil further on the passenger side?

Engine running, wheels on ground, someone turning left/right while you look and feel for anything loose.
 
Since it contacts the most when turning right into an upward slope, is there a way to mimic this during the dry test?

Pull the jeep onto a ramp on that side. You need to have the weight of the Jeep, and the resistance from the tires to properly test...
 
Will do but first, what do you consider a dry steering test?

Do I put the front axle on jack stands so tires are off the ground and have someone turn the wheel?

Since it contacts the most when turning right into an upward slope, is there a way to mimic this during the dry test?

Would it make sense to have the passenger side jack stand higher than the driver side? Use ratchet straps or a coil clamp to compress the coil further on the passenger side?

The draglink has a bend, bend it some more and be done with this mess.
 
The draglink has a bend, bend it some more and be done with this mess.

Got the drag link off and bent it using a 20T press. Just unthreaded it from the steering link. Measured from the ball joint to end of the adjustable sleeve. It’s now 1/4” shorter in length. It’s hard to measure the depth of the bend compared to the previous one but the bend is now roughly 1/2” deeper.

Think that’s enough extra depth? It was hitting without the grease fitting in the back.

Should I try to put a new grease fitting in after or should I try to find a set screw or something to fill the hole? Idk if the grease gun end will fit in there without separating the ball joint.

Has anyone ever relocated a grease fitting? If so is it worth doing vs removing the ball joint to grease?
 
Engine running, wheels on ground, someone turning left/right while you look and feel for anything loose.

I’ll try it after the drag links back on.

Almost all of the CA bushings are original and badly worn. Could this cause the axle to change position slightly?

The rear lower CA’s are adj. I replaced the bushings in the front upper stock CA’s and have the bushing to replace all but would rather go adjustable when funds better.

I also need new body mount bushings. Two of the bushings below the frame have cracked and have mushroomed out just recently.
 
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Should also mention I bought new front pads and routers because I get a front steering shake when braking at >50MPH. It’s a legit shaking but don’t think it’s DW but I’ve never felt DW.
 
Think that’s enough extra depth? It was hitting without the grease fitting in the back.

Put it back together and turn the steering wheel. If its still hitting, put more bend in.
 
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Almost all of the CA bushings are original and badly worn. Could this cause the axle to change position slightly?
There are threads in the forum for people having a "tail wag" in the rear when unloading/reloading from the rear axle shifting from failed bushings. I had something similar from a failed adjustable control arm recently. Let go of the throttle (unload) axle would shift, more throttle (load) axle would shift back
 
Put it back together and turn the steering wheel. If its still hitting, put more bend in.
Yeah, still hit once back together. I think it’s clearing the bracket now but hitting the sway bar link bracket that’s attached to the track bar bracket. Sway bar link bracket sticks out past the front of the track bar bracket an estimated 1/4”.

I also heard a contact noise on the driver side and I’m pretty sure it’s the sway bar hitting the frame. I’ll have to get the sway bar locks.
 
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I’m still trying to find the initial cause of the problem. Think I may have found part of the story.

Since had the wheels off for the ball joints, I replaced the front brakes and routers. On the passenger side knuckle, the brake pads slide left to right on a rail (not sure what that part of knuckle is called). The top and bottom rail had a divot in it where the inside pad was getting stuck on.

I doubt the passenger front brake was working much at all. If the front driver side brake was majority of the braking, would that cause the sway bar to slide to the passenger side?

I filed that part of the knuckle as smooth as I could without taking too much off. Hoping the pad doesn’t get hung up anymore.
 
There are threads in the forum for people having a "tail wag" in the rear when unloading/reloading from the rear axle shifting from failed bushings. I had something similar from a failed adjustable control arm recently. Let go of the throttle (unload) axle would shift, more throttle (load) axle would shift back

Interesting. I’ll check it out. Can’t hurt to check. I poked at two of the front CA bushings tonight while under the jeep and they feel better than I expected. Little cracked around the edges but I’m not so sure that’s the problem yet. Although still on the list of replacing.
 
I centered and installed collars on the front sway bar tonight. The sway bar was moving a solid .5” after driving around the black once. Sway bar was still in place after Collars were installed. so that’s a good thing but still didn’t solve the main concern. Might make a video tomorrow and have yall hear it.

Overall the creaks are going away slowly but I’m still getting that damn popping/grinding sound. I can’t see any new marks since bending the drag link out the original time.

That leads me to my next question. Whats the best way to test the U-joints on the front axle? It makes the sound on a hard right turn or when turning right into a bump.

I bought the front wheel bearings when I bought the rear axle bearings etc. Long story with a previous noise. That sound ended up being a chipped a rear pinion tooth an a broken rear DS U-joint. This sound isn’t as loud as that was. That sounded like the drive shaft was hitting the floor boards.