Uptravel and track bar interference

[Mike_H]

Been spending the last couple days installing a flipped tie rod and raised sway bar link brackets. I'm in the home stretch and and checking clearances. Trying to get to a 1" bump stop (cuz that is what my shocks allow) and I notice that my Currie tie rod is crashing into my JKS track bar.

I can get to 1 inch bump on the passenger side, but my driver's end up around 2.5 inches of bump.

I might be able to bend the axle end of the track bar a bit straighter to lift the track bar Up... Not sure that will get me what I need. I could also bend the tie rod a little away from the track bar.

Any other ideas? @jjvw @hosejockey61 @mrblaine

I'd rather not buy a new trackbar, but if that's the real answer, it's not out of the question.

 

[jjvw]

How much room is there between the track bar and diff cover in that pic?

The easy answer looks to be to pull the axle back.

 

[Mike_H]

How much room is there between the track bar and diff cover in that pic?

The easy answer looks to be to pull the axle back.

A good amount, fingers width at least.

I could pull the axle back but the bumps are centered right now. Also going to get tight on my tires. I'll give it a shot though...

Looking at the picture again, it looks like cutting the track bar and rotating it about 10 degrees would fix it... Not what I want to do though.

 

[GASnBRASS]

How much room is there between the track bar and diff cover in that pic?

The easy answer looks to be to pull the axle back.

Woudn't pulling the axle back increase the tie rod to track bar interference? If anything you'd want to push it forward, provided it still maintains track bar to diff cover clearance.

 

[jjvw]

A good amount, fingers width at least.

I could pull the axle back but the bumps are centered right now. Also going to get tight on my tires. I'll give it a shot though...

If there is room between the bar and the cover, then you can reshape the track bar with a shop press. Flatten out the bend around the cover.

Fwiw, this is why the Currie track bar has the offset JJ barrel. Even then, I still had to reshape mine to do what you are doing.

Eventually, the bottom of the barrel can make it halfway into the diff spreader hole. And probably more if you want it.

 

[jjvw]

Woudn't pulling the axle back increase the tie rod to track bar interference? If anything you'd want to push it forward, provided it still maintains track bar to diff cover clearance.

Pull the axle back and all of those clearances open up.

 

[GASnBRASS]

Pull the axle back and all of those clearances open up.

I'm not quite following. Pulling the axle to the rear would move the tie rod closer to the frame end of the track bar.

 

[jjvw]

I'm not quite following. Pulling the axle to the rear would move the tie rod closer to the frame end of the track bar.

Not when the tie rod is attached to the drag link.

 

[GASnBRASS]

Not when the tie rod is attached to the drag link.

Doh, now I understand. I thought he was using a crossover tie rod, knuckle to knuckle. No wonder I was confused.

 

[jjvw]

...

I could pull the axle back but the bumps are centered right now. Also going to get tight on my tires. I'll give it a shot though...

Looking at the picture again, it looks like cutting the track bar and rotating it about 10 degrees would fix it... Not what I want to do though.

@hosejockey61, remember that time I cut and moved the frame side spring seats forward to make the bumps line up again? That was a miserable job.

 

[Mike_H]

Better pictures... It's worse that the original picture showed...I have just less than a fingers width clearance between the track bar and diff. I'll pull the axle back some tomorrow.

Was hoping to drive this thing to the tire shop Thursday for new shoes... Might have to put the wheels and tires in my truck and leave the hover Jeep in the barn!

 

[jjvw]

Better pictures... It's worse that the original picture showed...I have just less than a fingers width clearance between the track bar and diff. I'll pull the axle back some tomorrow.

Was hoping to drive this thing to the tire shop Thursday for new shoes... Might have to put the wheels and tires in my truck and leave the hover Jeep in the barn!

View attachment 276788

View attachment 276789

I see a combination of bending the track bar and moving the axle.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I think the easiest fix will be to get more lift so you can get longer shocks that require 2.5" of bump stop, and then none of this will matter

In all seriousness though, tie rod to track bar is also my first contact, so I'm using all the parts in the Currie bump stop kit, as well as deliberate positioning of the track bar to keep them from meeting. But I also run the 11" Ranchos in front so that happens to be the right amount anyway.

 

[pagrey]

This might be the bonehead remark of the decade but is it really a big deal if they just touch. Do they bend or cause steering problems at full flex? I understand getting everything just right but these rods aren't exactly rigid, they might just deal with a little interference on their own? I've got a few, not quite clear issues on my Jeep and rub spots here an there and nothing breaks. Not suggesting you take risks, just asking for experienced answers to see if I'm off base. Will this cause problems or will it just push out of the way and spring back?

 

[someguysjeep]

i been bitchin about this for a yr now we need a TB that jumps the dif cover not bend around it.
that dam steinjeager bar has the right design to do it, but IDK if their joints are any good. i altered a JK rear TB to do it, but have not finished it yet.
my current homemade TB fits right up in there next to my DL, 2 bends and straight legs. that hoop bend is the cause of this problem.

and since the contact (the hoop) is closer to the driver side you'd have to pull the axle back quite a bit to use the passenger end to pull it back, it's not budgin from that frame end, all the motion has to come from the axle end.

if we had a bar to jump the dif cover with we could be pulling the axle forward and allow the dif cover to be closer to the DL since the TB is out of the way.

 

[Mike_H]

i been bitchin about this for a yr now we need a TB that jumps the dif cover not bend around it.
that dam steinjeager bar has the right design to do it, but IDK if their joints are any good. i altered a JK rear TB to do it, but have not finished it yet.
my current homemade TB fits right up in there next to my DL, 2 bends and straight legs. that hoop bend is the cause of this problem.

and since the contact (the hoop) is closer to the driver side you'd have to pull the axle back quite a bit to use the passenger end to pull it back, it's not budgin from that frame end, all the motion has to come from the axle end.

if we had a bar to jump the dif cover with we could be pulling the axle forward and allow the dif cover to be closer to the DL since the TB is out of the way.

I'm actually leaning that way too. Cut the bar free of the Johnny joint, rotate the bar so the bend is more vertical, and weld in it's new position. Gotta get my new tires in first though...I have 33s here and I'd hate to do all the work to resolve the interference, then install 35s and need to add more bump stop to keep the tires out of the fenders.

 

[Mike_H]

I decided that a screw up was only a 300 dollar mistake, but the gain would be huge if it worked out...

No turning back now!

Does just exactly what its supposed to now

I have about an 1/8" of clearance all the way around. Nothing touches, and I'm at an inch of bumpstop. I probably can't leave it that short with the 35's, but it's there if I highline or something stupid like that.

Tacked it in place, then pulled it back out to strengthen the tacks. Yes, I know the joint is upside down. I'm tired...I promise I'll flip it over and re-check the clearance before its final welded.

It has a decidedly more upward tilt in the bend than before.

And...its a bit offset, more like the Currie, so I made a little gusset for it too. Not sold on the design yet...It looks a bit "chunky" on the JJ end. Could round off the corners for a more organic look.

I'm also pretty sure this will have to come apart again and the tube will need to be fit better. I have a professional welder buddy coming over tomorrow to weld this together (since failure here would be TERRIBLE). We'll look at it and adjust then. At least I know it works.

 

[jjvw]

I decided that a screw up was only a 300 dollar mistake, but the gain would be huge if it worked out...

No turning back now!

View attachment 276953

Does just exactly what its supposed to now

View attachment 276954

I have about an 1/8" of clearance all the way around. Nothing touches, and I'm at an inch of bumpstop. I probably can't leave it that short with the 35's, but it's there if I highline or something stupid like that.

Tacked it in place, then pulled it back out to strengthen the tacks. Yes, I know the joint is upside down. I'm tired...I promise I'll flip it over and re-check the clearance before its final welded.

View attachment 276956

It has a decidedly more upward tilt in the bend than before.

View attachment 276957

And...its a bit offset, more like the Currie, so I made a little gusset for it too. Not sold on the design yet...It looks a bit "chunky" on the JJ end. Could round off the corners for a more organic look.

View attachment 276959

I'm also pretty sure this will have to come apart again and the tube will need to be fit better. I have a professional welder buddy coming over tomorrow to weld this together (since failure here would be TERRIBLE). We'll look at it and adjust then. At least I know it works.

Did you kick the tube forward on the barrel, too?

 

[Mike_H]

Did you kick the tube forward on the barrel, too?

Yes. Looking at pictures, I don't think I'm quite as far forward as Currie, but its definitely not centered anymore.