Track bar fell off while wheeling today: Anyone know the bolt size?

ac_

zombicon
Supporting Member
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
4,698
Location
AZ, United States
Getting ready for a trip coming up I wanted to do a trial run with the new trailer, and haul my jeep somewhere to see how it goes. I went to a place about an hour away from home and I had to take 3 freeways to get there lol. Anyway the towing part when good, but the wheelin part not so much.

I was driving down a sandy path/road to Sycamore Creek, of which actually has water right now. I felt like I was driving on ice a bit. It was a weird sensation, but I figured it was just the sand. Me and the wife wheeled for about an hour and a half or so, and I mentioned that it is weird that when I hit the brakes it veered to the left every time and slightly. Still blamed the sand. Then we went way in the back, and I was crawling over this rock bed getting ready to cross the creek, and this family yelled something at me in broken english. I thought they were telling me my hook for my winch came unhooked from my D-ring and I blew him off, but then they all started yelling at me so I stopped to get out and look and they were yelling "Your track bar is hanging down!" Holy shit sure enough:


84095


Here is my fix to get me back to my truck. It totally worked, put some of these your tool box:

84096


84097



Does anybody know what size bolt that is Length and width?

I made it all of the way back to my truck with my track bar bungie corded in place. I am probably lucky I didn't have disconnected disco's.

So the symptom if you feel like you are driving on an ice-rink and your brakes pull slightly off-road check your track bar.
 
What is that red thing on your shackle?

Oh, and the track bar axle side bolt should be a class 12.9, M10x1.5x75.

You could use a 1.25 pitch bolt as well, as long as you have a matching nut to go with it.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
Oh man that sucks. Glad you made it back to the truck alright.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
@ac_ damn i bet you are glad you towed it there. I could not imagine trying to get it home like that.
So I wasn't going too crazy because we were by ourselves.

Here is what we did, I drove down the bee line down to the entrance on the opposite side of the 4 Peaks entrance. I then parked in the first staging area. I need a pull through because I didn't want to try and maneuver my trailer around off road if I didn't need too. We then unloaded the Jeep and jumped back on the freeway to the Bush Highway exit and went down to sycamore creek. We played around in the creek then drove to the very back and cruised some trails back there. The Jeep started feeling weird but I just assumed it was the sand. Then these yelled at me and told me my bar was hanging down. I was like well I guess that kills the day. I knew I didn't want to drive back to the truck via the freeway so we went down trails trying to find the back way to the staging area. It took us about 2 hours and we took a bunch of dead end trails before we found the right trail.

We loaded up without incident.

To be safe next time, you are coming with me!
 
Nice save. That's scary. Glad nobody got hurt.
I carry a coil of bailing wire and wire cutters in my jeep tool kit always. I highly recommend it. It has a million uses like duct tape but stronger.
You prolly won't use it as much as bungee cords, but it will save your ass of you need something stronger.
My 2 cents.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
Nice save. That's scary. Glad nobody got hurt.
I carry a coil of bailing wire and wire cutters in my jeep tool kit always. I highly recommend it. It has a million uses like duct tape but stronger.
You prolly won't use it as much as bungee cords, but it will save your ass of you need something stronger.
My 2 cents.
Is bailing wire the same as safety wire? I have a ton of that and some safety wire pliers, left over from my motorcycle track days, I can definitely throw that in the tool box.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fouledplugs
Is bailing wire the same as safety wire? I have a ton of that and some safety wire pliers, left over from my motorcycle track days, I can definitely throw that in the tool box.
I spelled it incorrectly. Its baling wire. Cheap. Found at farm supply. No, its cheaper than safety wire.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ac_
Any time. It would be fun.

Im going to search the garage for my old bolt and flag nut. Hopefully I didn't toss it after i drilled the hole larger.
I appreciate that, and may take you up on it if you find it, but ultimately I think I am going to take @zebra12's advice and run to ACE tomorrow, and put the heavier duty bolt in. Although if they don't have it, I will take anything I can get till I get the heavier duty bolt. I don't want that to happen again.