TJ Track Bar Mods for 4" Lift?

[Mudman&Crawler]

Working on a 1998 TJ, UK Model. Have installed a 4" Short Arm Full traction Shocks and springs. Due to being a UK Model Front track bar and mount wont fit, plus the rear mount for the axle to use in conjuntion with stock track bar, is for a Dana35 but the UK model ships with a Dana44 (so im told?)

Right theres a bit of background! Now to the Question! My intentions are to take the Original Front track bar and Mod the ends (Rose joint) Make it adjustable and do the same for the rear.

Any for and against? I have the facilties to a machine shop so i intend to make it as strong as possible. If anyone has (likely) modded there own, or has some good info on this type of mod?

Cheers for any advice

Mark (UK Forum Member)

[sir_camel]

I am sure others with more knowledge might chip in here later. But i'd avoid Rose Joints. WHen they wear they get VERY loud and flog a bit i believe.

I have an adjustable Track Bar for the front of my 4.5 lifted TJ suited to RHD. It has a Poly bushing at the diff end and the normal top end (not sure what its called) Then it just has the threaded section in the middle. If you look at http://www.rubiconexpress.com.au they are the Australian RE dealers and manufacture a RHD Adj Track Bar for front and rear. Would possibly make things a lot easier.

[blu125]

On the front I bent the chassis end so that the TRE had full travel at rest. Then extended the bar (14mm from memory) to get the diff centered. On the back I used an ARB drop bracket. Easy & cheap!

[Mudman&Crawler]

On the front I bent the chassis end so that the TRE had full travel at rest. Then extended the bar (14mm from memory) to get the diff centered. On the back I used an ARB drop bracket. Easy & cheap!

Sounds like a good way to go, i shall have a look tonight. Cheers

[Mudman&Crawler]

Well here are the Modded track bars, front and rear. At fully closed they are identical in length as standard. Expanded a 2" Max adjustment can be achieved, without compromise to strength. At the moment they are at a stage where i shall have to see what is needed to finalise them. The Bars measured 1.062" in diameter and 3/4 BSPF thread OD is 1.041" So by choosing this thread i have managed to leave as much meat on the bars as possible.

Hopefully this can solve a problem for now? It will need a few tweeks here and there. Its a compromise for now, but will save a few £££'s utilising stock parts.
Got to say after surfing a few AU sites this type of modification seemed the way to go?

Any comment or Q's let me know

[Mczook]

Well here are the Modded track bars, front and rear. At fully closed they are identical in length as standard. Expanded a 2" Max adjustment can be achieved, without compromise to strength. At the moment they are at a stage where i shall have to see what is needed to finalise them. The Bars measured 1.062" in diameter and 3/4 BSPF thread OD is 1.041" So by choosing this thread i have managed to leave as much meat on the bars as possible.

Hopefully this can solve a problem for now? It will need a few tweeks here and there. Its a compromise for now, but will save a few £££'s utilising stock parts.
Got to say after surfing a few AU sites this type of modification seemed the way to go?

Any comment or Q's let me know

G'day Mudmancrawler

That is some funky arss fab work . Remember your panhard is not something you want to compromise on. We have tried several different solutions and found a new bracket up off the diff, plus a new on at the chassis and then eliminate the balljoint. We found this is the strongest and most effect. I disagree with the comment that hiem joints (rose joints) flog out quicker. This certainly is not the case if you use quality joints and if they are mounted with a bracket that allows a bolt to run pararall to the chassis. This set up will also help axle walk ie axle is pulled to the right when the left wheel drops in a hole and assist with bump steer. I will see if we got some pics somewhere.

You will find if you operate your standard balljoint at greater (ie 4in lift) than the strandard angle they will flog out quicker. Even bigger units like GQ dont seem to stand up.

Hope your moded one does the job.

Cheers

[Mudman&Crawler]

I think the original balljoints will not suffice, but this has got my mate back out and in the Mud. I am in the processs of considering mocking something up using "Johnny Joints" rather than ball or rose. Have a looky at the link below. Good bit of kit??

http://www.currieenterprises.com/cestor ... px?id=1081

Modded track bars on TJ

[zzzz]

G'day Mudmancrawler

That is some funky arss fab work . Remember your panhard is not something you want to compromise on. We have tried several different solutions and found a new bracket up off the diff, plus a new on at the chassis and then eliminate the balljoint. We found this is the strongest and most effect. I disagree with the comment that hiem joints (rose joints) flog out quicker. This certainly is not the case if you use quality joints and if they are mounted with a bracket that allows a bolt to run pararall to the chassis. This set up will also help axle walk ie axle is pulled to the right when the left wheel drops in a hole and assist with bump steer. I will see if we got some pics somewhere.

You will find if you operate your standard balljoint at greater (ie 4in lift) than the strandard angle they will flog out quicker. Even bigger units like GQ dont seem to stand up.

Hope your moded one does the job.

Cheers

Definitely have to agree with Sean on this one.
To give you an idea of how to set it up a lot better have a look at the following parts.

RE1610 on the following page
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/dynamic/m ... lderid=220

RE1611 on the following page
http://www.rubiconexpress.com/dynamic/m ... lderid=196

cheers

z

[Mudman&Crawler]

zzzz,

Had a look at that gear, the rear bar looks o.k But again US kit front track bars sit opposite to RHD jeeps. They dont need to clear the diff pan, whereas RHD jeeps (in standard position) need to bend around it.
To fit the LHD straight bar, a wee bit of fab work is required.


I have gone with a cheap alternative, using other peoples ideas! SeeFront and rear track bars on:
http://www.suburban4wd.com/components/components.htm

Cheers for the input, always good to get ideas and www pages for info

[Steve F]

I got a panhard for $255AUD for the front of my XJ, same as the TJ. It still uses the standard style joints but has a bend near the frame mount to allow for lift so the TRE has penty of movement left. Here's a couple of pics of mine on the XJ with 4" of lift.

Its from Whiteline





Cheers
Steve

[Mczook]

I got a panhard for $255AUD for the front of my XJ, same as the TJ. It still uses the standard style joints but has a bend near the frame mount to allow for lift so the TRE has penty of movement left. Here's a couple of pics of mine on the XJ with 4" of lift.

Its from Whiteline





Cheers
Steve

WOW that is one awesome panhard it looks like something from my spaghetti plate or something that should be the basis of a rollercoaster ride 

I am sure this will do the job however it still causes diagonal forces on the ball joint as with most z link setups. My 2-bobs I am just not a fan of balljoints on a on such a critical part of a 4bys suspension we unfortunately have seen too many fail, particulary when the suspension is loaded up ie really working it and flexing up.

The ultimate solution is to fab new brackets as I noted in my previous post. Generally speaking the closer to parallel you can get your panhard and draglink the better the steering & suspension geometry is ie close to or better than factory particulary when you use a balljoint.

Keep us up to date on how you find the whiteline unit.

[Steve F]

It's worked well so far and allows more travel than the stock one which would bind up before the suspension maxed out and, due to it being to short for the lift, caused the tyres to rub. For the price the other option was to redrill the axle bracket and move the stock one over a little. I wasn't keen on this so really wanted an adjustable panhard.

No bumpsteer and the drives side tyre doesn't hang out past the guard anymore

As for the bends, the lower clears the diff and is not really any different to stock, the upper just means the TRE is at less of an angle at rest but like you say the forces will be exactly the same as a straight piece of rod.

When I was looking at other options if I wanted to change the mount at the chassis end and get a panhard to fit I was looking at over $400, just too much for me.

Cheers
Steve