Topic: Adjustable Track Bars (Read 7699 times)

chrisjones · « **on:** December 20, 2005, 02:22:56 PM »

Anyone know if you can get one that works on a RHD XJ without having to cut and weld it???

shep · « **Reply #1 on:** December 20, 2005, 03:38:04 PM »

have a chat with Scotjeeps
i know he was trying to get some made up via BDS

chrisjones · « **Reply #2 on:** December 20, 2005, 03:55:27 PM »

Cheers Shep. I've sent him a PM.

Interesting repair that had been done. :shock:

shep · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2005, 04:00:26 PM »

yea the twat that did it needs a punch in the throat :wink:

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #4 on:** December 20, 2005, 05:50:35 PM »

are you sure you need one? If you just need to centre the axle after a lift you can usually just redrill the hole in the mounting on the axle. It only moves about an inch for a 4 inch lift.

Psychoman · « **Reply #5 on:** December 20, 2005, 09:11:03 PM »

Fair point Mike - its a good trick, but you can only do it once! And if the lift settles, your axle is out of line again. IMHO I'd fit an adjustable, if you can get a decent one - or think about relocation brackets.

On that subject, be careful if you get offered "Warrior" track bars - I had one of these on the XJ originally and it had the solidity of a slightly warm Finger of Fudge - one good bang and it was bent out of shape :-(

not recommended.

chrisjones · « **Reply #6 on:** December 20, 2005, 09:32:31 PM »

There's a bit of history to this Mike.

We originally fitted the adapter bracket which came with the Skyjacker kit.

It was welded in place cos it was designed for a LHD.

That promptly ripped the factory bracket to bits.

Steve Wright welded it up for the MOT...it broke a week later.

Greggmo welded it last week........it broke at the weekend.

Now it needs a serious re-think.

Psychoman · « **Reply #7 on:** December 20, 2005, 09:55:01 PM »

Hang on Chris - you said that the weld on resulted in ripping the standard set-up apart? In which case an adjustable won't help, surely? Or am I missing something...? :?

chrisjones · « **Reply #8 on:** December 20, 2005, 10:02:54 PM »

Yup.

The adapter moves the pivot point away from the original bracket and inceases the leverage on it.

This is what keeps ripping the original mount apart.

I need to remove the adapter, repair or replace the factory bracket and fit either a longer or adjustable track bar.

I think I've got way of doing this sorted now :roll:

Psychoman · « **Reply #9 on:** December 20, 2005, 10:09:59 PM »

Okay - gotcha. The Warrior ones are tubed, and include a rose joint in place of the standard chassis mount. The rose joint is threaded into the tube - and hey presto, you've an adjustable track bar. These were made for RHD cars and work (in as much as you can make the adjustments) but the tubing wasn't really up to the job. I'm sure you could do something similar tho'?

chrisjones · « **Reply #10 on:** December 20, 2005, 10:13:25 PM »

The Birtys Tech Crew have ways of making it work. :wink:

Anonymous · « **Reply #11 on:** December 20, 2005, 10:49:49 PM »

Still think extending the orginal bar is better than hacking/drilling/adding bracket to the original axle bracket.
Have you worked out a way of fixing your axle chris? Its all flat plate so you should be able to get something made up, I know a man who can if you need something fabricating, he is going to extend my track bar for me, hopefully make it into an adjustable one too

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #12 on:** December 20, 2005, 10:50:16 PM »

Have a word with Steve at FTE, I think he can supply one.

greggmo · « **Reply #13 on:** December 20, 2005, 11:15:11 PM »

oh and you forgot to mention that it was not my welds that broke mate. my welds dont break.

chrisjones · « **Reply #14 on:** December 21, 2005, 08:03:15 AM »

Oh yeah, and Greggmo's welds didn't break. His welds never break. :wink:

(Is that OK mate?)

Anonymous · « **Reply #15 on:** December 21, 2005, 08:35:31 AM »

Speaking of track bars, I broke my second one at Ribbo! We thought it was a loose nut at first but its started to make that loud 'crack' sound which says to me the knuckle has gone. Now this is a new bar which has been on only 10 days straight from Lighthouse :-k

chrisjones · « **Reply #16 on:** December 21, 2005, 09:00:04 AM »

Is it the track bar (Panhard Rod) or is it the drag link in the steering?

Your first port of call has got to be Lighthouse if it's bust after 10 days.

Try Rustys for heavy duty steering bits for XJs, or MJs :wink:

Anonymous · « **Reply #17 on:** December 21, 2005, 09:03:10 AM »

Its deffo the track bar Chris, I got under and had a look, you can see the knuckle moving as the wheel is wiggled. And it cracks now and again, exaclty the same sound as the last one that was fuked.

Manda · « **Reply #18 on:** December 21, 2005, 09:15:48 AM »

Owen, check it's not the bracket that the knuckle joint goes thru, Greggmo thinks it's more likely to be that than the bar itself.

chrisjones · « **Reply #19 on:** December 21, 2005, 09:16:00 AM »

and there was me thinking, only yesterday, that you had had a day out without busting anything! :roll: and one of the problems can be that when your truck flexes you are over extending the knuckle joint. (They don't like extreme angles)
There are several ways around this:

Fit an adapter at the chassis end (Cracks the chassis rail)

Fit an adapter at the axle end (Don't think we need to go into that one!)

Fit an adjustable track bar, they're shaped to reduce the joint angles.
(but most won't fit RHD trucks and from what's been said, those that do are made out of egg noodle!)

Finally; make your own track bar and chassis bracket that uses the same type of joint as used at the axle end and throw the knuckle joint in the bin! :wink:

Anonymous · « **Reply #20 on:** December 21, 2005, 09:40:44 AM »

Quote from: "Manda"

Owen, check it's not the bracket that the knuckle joint goes thru, Greggmo thinks it's more likely to be that than the bar itself.

Will have a look at it Manda, I thought it couldnt be the track bar either untill it started making that cracking sound.
Will go take a peek.

Mike Pavelin · « **Reply #21 on:** December 21, 2005, 10:05:45 AM »

It's normal to have some movement in the ball joint at the chassis end of the track bar. Have a careful look at the chassis where the steering box bolts on. The RHD XJs had a problem with stress cracks around the bolt heads under the wheelarch and behind the steering box. This causes a cracking noise when turning the steering side to side when staitionary. They were all recalled for this but it's worth checking. If yours has a big reinforcement plate welded into this area it should be ok, otherwise have a good look and if there are cracks DaimlerChrysler will repair it free of charge.

daggie · « **Reply #22 on:** December 21, 2005, 04:05:14 PM »

Owens has the plate on his :wink:

the only way at the moment to get a stronger trackbar is cut & shut :?
I have MDG over axle t/bar conversion on our XJ, feckin brilliant

but expensive, its been on the for over two yrs now without a murmour

twas a skyjacker trackbar.

but I dont see a problem with getting one & getting it professinaly welded,
BUT, the mounting bracketry on the axle needs completely raising/remaking, hense the expense

monkeybiz · « **Reply #23 on:** December 21, 2005, 05:10:28 PM »

im still waiting on BDS's R&D department to come up with the RHD trackbar in thier usual overengineered way...... they seem to be a bit slow about it though :cry:

Author Topic: Adjustable Track Bars (Read 7699 times)

shep

shep

Mike Pavelin

Psychoman

Psychoman

Psychoman

Anonymous

Mike Pavelin

Anonymous

Anonymous

Anonymous

Mike Pavelin

monkeybiz