Track Bar Creaking

[BAPilot2]

I have a 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (LJ). I have been using Metal Cloak short arms and front track bar for the past three years. I just finished installing MC springs and rear track bar along with their RockSport shocks. I cycled and measured for proper bump stop lengths and installed custom bump stops before adding the new springs.

However, after adding the springs, and adjusting the track bars, my front track bar has begun to creak when turning the steering wheel. I believe the creaking to be coming from the frame side (drivers side) mount. I torqued the bolts as per MC specs, 150 ft-lbs frame side, and 130 ft-lbs axle side.

What advice can y’all offer as to what I should do to stop the creaking? Should I just tighten the hell out of it with a heavy impact and hope for the best? Or should I get an new bolt and nut and retighten to spec?

I look forward to thoughts and suggestions.

BTW... It was not making any noise before I removed and readjusted it to accommodate for the new MC springs.

 

[Chris]

Does it have grease fittings on the track bar?

 

[BAPilot2]

Does it have grease fittings on the track bar?

No sir. No grease fittings. The track bar utilized a grim joint where it attaches to the frame.

 

[BAPilot2]

No sir. No grease fittings. The track bar utilized a grim joint where it attaches to the frame.

Heim joint... not grim joint. Danged auto-correct.

 

[Goatman]

Check the frame side mount isn't loose/cracked anywhere. How tight is the bolt to the hole you drilled out? If there is any looseness there it can creak. That is the benefit of using the stock taper design. A bit of slop can be removed when it gets pulled tight. Is the jam nut good and tight? Is the heim joint centered in the bolt so it can roll both directions? If it is rolled all one way when you tighten the jam nut then it might creak from lack of flexibility. Hope this makes sense. Double check the axle side too.

 

[g.hayduke]

Try putting a little lube on the heim joint as a diagnostic step. I had a MC track bar heim joint creaking when it was almost new. Spraying some WD40 on the heim joint stopped the creaking in my case which confirmed it was the heim joint.

MC provided a new heim joint under warranty but I believe it may have been damaged by the trackbar making contact with the diff cover. I installed new upper & lower adjustable front CAs and pulled the front axle back slightly to prevent any further contact between the TB and the diff cover.

In your case, if it is the heim joint, you have a couple options. You can get a new heim joint from MC or you can replace the heim joint with a Johnny Joint from Currie. Make sure there is no contact between the TB and the diff cover.

 

[Alex01]

Every so often I add a bit of graphite grease to mine
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000K7TOLE/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[BAPilot2]

I will check the bolt hole for tightness and to see if it is still concentric. That's a good place to start.

The heim joint is properly centered. I made certain of that as I tightened the jam nut. I will recheck the tightness of the jamb nut to make sure it hasn't backed off any.

As for the axle bolt, I'll give it a look as well.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[BAPilot2]

Try putting a little lube on the heim joint as a diagnostic step. I had a MC track bar heim joint creaking when it was almost new. Spraying some WD40 on the heim joint stopped the creaking in my case which confirmed it was the heim joint.

MC provided a new heim joint under warranty but I believe it may have been damaged by the trackbar making contact with the diff cover. I installed new upper & lower adjustable front CAs and pulled the front axle back slightly to prevent any further contact between the TB and the diff cover.

In your case, if it is the heim joint, you have a couple options. You can get a new heim joint from MC or you can replace the heim joint with a Johnny Joint from Currie. Make sure there is no contact between the TB and the diff cover.

I'll give that a try as well. That's an easy one! I should have tried that to begin with but I didn't because I know it was dry when the the track bar was first installed.

 

[BAPilot2]

Currie makes a Johnny Joint that fits the MC track bar and replaces the original heim joint on the frame mount? I can't quite picture how that would work. If it goes on the axle side of the track bar I could see that.

 

[g.hayduke]

Currie makes a Johnny Joint that fits the MC track bar and replaces the original heim joint on the frame mount?

Yes, they actually make a couple that will work. You just pick 1 where the threaded portion is the same thread/pitch and the mounting hole is the same size. Then get a new grade 8 bolt, lock nut, etc.

The axle end of the MC TB is welded on with a rubber bushing so no easy way to swap that out and no need for a JJ on that end anyway.

 

[jjvw]

Has anyone successfully replaced a MC heim with an off the shelf JJ? Post a pic, part number with a testimonial and I'll buy one right now.

 

[g.hayduke]

Post a pic, part number with a testimonial and I'll buy one right now.

If that's what you want to do, why not buy one, take the pics and provide the testimonial yourself?

Or are you implying that you believe it wouldn't work for some reason? If so, what would be your reason?

Lot's of TBs use a JJ (or a fake JJ ala JKS) on the frame end, including the Currie TB. Currie makes a couple JJs that are spec'd the same as the MC heim joint. What would prevent one of these JJ options from working on a MC TB?

 

[jjvw]

If that's what you want to do, why not buy one, take the pics and provide the testimonial yourself?

Or are you implying that you believe it wouldn't work for some reason? If so, what would be your reason?

Lot's of TBs use a JJ (or a fake JJ ala JKS) on the frame end, including the Currie TB. Currie makes a couple JJs that are spec'd the same as the MC heim joint. What would prevent one of these JJ options from working on a MC TB?

I am not contesting the use of a Johnny Joint in that location. It is very well suited for that use. And far better than anything Metalcloak will ever use until they give up and try copying a Johnny Joint.

The problem as I understand it, is the forged housings with an attached threaded shank are too large. The answer is to use the smaller weld housing and attach your own shank. At that point you are copying the Currie track bar design with an offset shank and their trimmed JJ ball meant for front track bars.

Now, if someone has successfully used an off the shelf Johnny Joint to fix the Metalcloak front track bar, I would be thrilled to see it. In the meantime, I'm not going to recommend something I don't believe is possible.

 

[BAPilot2]

I called and spoke to Metal Cloak. They said that their heim joint was probably worn out and that they would replace it for free. So I guess I'll go that route. That's good customer service.

However, I'm a bit disappointed that the heim joint on their track bar has only lasted 3 years. If I had been doing a lot of off-road wheeling over the past 3 years I would be more accepting of the fact the joint is worn out. But I've only driven about 20,000 miles, in the past 3 years, and I've had it off-road on mountain trails, in Ouray/Silverton, Colorado, about 15 days and maybe 1000 miles. All the rest of the driving has been on paved roads around town.

Also, for what it's worth, I spoke to Currie, giving them the specs of the Metal Cloak heim joint, and they said they don't have any johnny joints that are a match.