JKS Adjustable Track Bar Play

[adamsa87]

Hi all,
I have a 2004 Jeep LJ that I recently installed a 2.5in OME lift with JKS adjustable track bars. I had a shop install the track bars as I broke the rear shock bolts so decided to have them do that as to not deal with that headache. Anyway, my stock track bar had play at the axle side of the mount the bushings ended up being bad and this showed as death wobble when I lifted the Jeep. The shop installed the track bar and I noticed it still had severe death wobble. I got it home and noticed my new JKS adjustable track bar has about a .5in side to side play at the axle side. I took out the bolt and the hole does not appear to be wallowed out and the bolt does not move just the track bar itself. What do you guys think? Faulty product from the factory or something else? The guy at the shop said everything else in the steering was tight and that is what I see as well.

Thanks!

 

[tworley]

Hi all,
I habve a 2004 Jeep LJ that I recently installed a 2.5in OME lift with JKS adjustable track bars. I had a shop install the track bars as I broke the rear shock bolts so decided to have them do that as to not deal with that headache. Anyway, my stock track bar had play at the axle side of the mount the bushings ended up being bad and this showed as death wobble when I lifted the Jeep. The shop installed the track bar and I noticed it still had severe death wobble. I got it home and noticed my new JKS adjustable track bar has about a .5in side to side play at the axle side. I took out the bolt and the hole does not appear to be wallowed out and the bolt does not move just the track bar itself. What do you guys think? Faulty product from the factory or something else? The guy at the shop said everything else in the steering was tight and that is what I see as well.

Thanks!

Torque it to spec and try again

 

[LONGJP2]

Hi all,
I have a 2004 Jeep LJ that I recently installed a 2.5in OME lift with JKS adjustable track bars. I had a shop install the track bars as I broke the rear shock bolts so decided to have them do that as to not deal with that headache. Anyway, my stock track bar had play at the axle side of the mount the bushings ended up being bad and this showed as death wobble when I lifted the Jeep. The shop installed the track bar and I noticed it still had severe death wobble. I got it home and noticed my new JKS adjustable track bar has about a .5in side to side play at the axle side. I took out the bolt and the hole does not appear to be wallowed out and the bolt does not move just the track bar itself. What do you guys think? Faulty product from the factory or something else? The guy at the shop said everything else in the steering was tight and that is what I see as well.

Thanks!

I can't imagine there being 1/2" of play in the bracket. The bushing usually barely fits.

Pictures?

 

[jjvw]

Hi all,
I have a 2004 Jeep LJ that I recently installed a 2.5in OME lift with JKS adjustable track bars. I had a shop install the track bars as I broke the rear shock bolts so decided to have them do that as to not deal with that headache. Anyway, my stock track bar had play at the axle side of the mount the bushings ended up being bad and this showed as death wobble when I lifted the Jeep. The shop installed the track bar and I noticed it still had severe death wobble. I got it home and noticed my new JKS adjustable track bar has about a .5in side to side play at the axle side. I took out the bolt and the hole does not appear to be wallowed out and the bolt does not move just the track bar itself. What do you guys think? Faulty product from the factory or something else? The guy at the shop said everything else in the steering was tight and that is what I see as well.

Thanks!

If the bolt is not moving, then you are seeing elastic deflection in the bushing. This is entirely normal. Though, if it really is 0.5" of movement on either side of neutral, that is a tremendous amount that seems like it would be making a lot of noise.

 

[adamsa87]

https://imgur.com/a/LZWJy5g

Here is a video I took. I torqued the bolt to 55 ft/lbs but I can recheck that tomorrow. It may not be .5 in but it definitely feels more than what would be considered normal.

 

[adamsa87]

Bumping this thread again just to see if I can get some opinions. Tried to get an alignment today and the guy at the shop said he wouldn’t do it with the much play in my track bar. He recommended getting a bigger bolt from Clayton off-road but I’ve seen some other threads saying this movement is normal I just want some more opinions before I go drilling and just making things worse.

 

[jjvw]

Bumping this thread again just to see if I can get some opinions. Tried to get an alignment today and the guy at the shop said he wouldn’t do it with the much play in my track bar. He recommended getting a bigger bolt from Clayton off-road but I’ve seen some other threads saying this movement is normal I just want some more opinions before I go drilling and just making things worse.

If the inner bushing sleeve is slipping, then the existing bolt is not tight. If the existing bolt is correctly tightened to the proper torque value to generate sufficient clamping force of the mount onto the inner bushing sleeve, then the inner bushing sleeve is not slipping and a larger bolt accomplished nothing.

If the inner bushing sleeve is not slipping because the bolt is tight, then the movement we see is the elastic deflection of the rubber bushing material. A larger bolt still accomplishes nothing.

 

[adamsa87]

If the inner bushing sleeve is slipping, then the existing bolt is not tight. If the existing bolt is correctly tightened to the proper torque value to generate sufficient clamping force of the mount onto the inner bushing sleeve, then the inner bushing sleeve is not slipping and a larger bolt accomplished nothing.

If the inner bushing sleeve is not slipping because the bolt is tight, then the movement we see is the elastic deflection of the rubber bushing material. A larger bolt still accomplishes nothing.

Okay thank you for that. So based on the video would you say this is normal movement? The jeep is had severe death wobble and every shop has told me everything in the front end is tight (I have looked at it as well and it seems tight) the only thing with movement is the track bar. I have tightened to spec and the bolt does not move. I put a new steering stabilizer on which I know fixes nothing but it has made it driveable until I can figure out what is wrong. I was hoping an alignment would help as I know one needs to be done after the lift but the shop wouldn’t do it. He said the track bar has too much play and the drag link to pitman arm has some play too he recommended switching to the rough country HD steering which I have decided is not a good option. But I really want to figure out the permanent fix for my floaty steering and death wobble.

 

[jjvw]

Okay thank you for that. So based on the video would you say this is normal movement? The jeep is had severe death wobble and every shop has told me everything in the front end is tight (I have looked at it as well and it seems tight) the only thing with movement is the track bar. I have tightened to spec and the bolt does not move. I put a new steering stabilizer on which I know fixes nothing but it has made it driveable until I can figure out what is wrong. I was hoping an alignment would help as I know one needs to be done after the lift but the shop wouldn’t do it. He said the track bar has too much play and the drag link to pitman arm has some play too he recommended switching to the rough country HD steering which I have decided is not a good option. But I really want to figure out the permanent fix for my floaty steering and death wobble.

I don't know if that is normal movement or not. If it isn't, then the only fix for a worn out bushing is a new bushing.

Otherwise, your death wobble problem could be as simple as tires being unbalanced.

 

[OldBuzzard]

That looks like much more movement than I get out of my identical JKS track bar. I would replace that bushing.

 

[adamsa87]

That looks like much more movement than I get out of my identical JKS track bar. I would replace that bushing.

Okay thank you. My only question is that this is a brand new track bar. How could the bushing already be shot? Unless I just got a bad one from the factory?

 

[OldBuzzard]

Okay thank you. My only question is that this is a brand new track bar. How could the bushing already be shot? Unless I just got a bad one from the factory?

Talk to JKS?

A close-up video of that bushing showing that the metal sleeve is not moving, but the rubber is squashing too much might convince them.

 

[Hasselblad]

Late to to the party, but park of my DW issue was the softness of the JKS track bar stock bushing. Cannot recall what company it was, but I found a place that sells a specific replacement bushing that are tons more stiff and I wager it was the bulk of cure of the DW I experienced in my 06 rubi.

Edit: Found It
https://kevinsoffroad.com/products/...zSk3V8uO0Uef57WBQwKd-y0BlSv2ycfKuu_rtrOOhCH_L

 

[adamsa87]

Late to to the party, but park of my DW issue was the softness of the JKS track bar stock bushing. Cannot recall what company it was, but I found a place that sells a specific replacement bushing that are tons more stiff and I wager it was the bulk of cure of the DW I experienced in my 06 rubi.

Edit: Found It
https://kevinsoffroad.com/products/...zSk3V8uO0Uef57WBQwKd-y0BlSv2ycfKuu_rtrOOhCH_L

Thank you! I actually did exactly as you did. I went with a stiffer polyurethane bushing with a larger bolt and my track bar play is basically gone. So I agree that for some Jeeps the JKS track bar bushing might be too soft. If I were to do it again I would likely order their HD trackbar as that appears to have the stiffer bushing and larger bolt but either way my issues have been fixed by your solution as well.

 

[jjvw]

Late to to the party, but park of my DW issue was the softness of the JKS track bar stock bushing. Cannot recall what company it was, but I found a place that sells a specific replacement bushing that are tons more stiff and I wager it was the bulk of cure of the DW I experienced in my 06 rubi.

Edit: Found It
https://kevinsoffroad.com/products/...zSk3V8uO0Uef57WBQwKd-y0BlSv2ycfKuu_rtrOOhCH_L

I would never use that type of bushing on a suspension component. The moment the inner sleeve wears away the poly race, uncontrolled movement will start to occur.

 

[Hasselblad]

Thank you! I actually did exactly as you did. I went with a stiffer polyurethane bushing with a larger bolt and my track bar play is basically gone. So I agree that for some Jeeps the JKS track bar bushing might be too soft. If I were to do it again I would likely order their HD trackbar as that appears to have the stiffer bushing and larger bolt but either way my issues have been fixed by your solution as well.

Mine is the HD. Bushing was definitely soft.

 

[Hasselblad]

I would never use that type of bushing on a suspension component. The moment the inner sleeve wears away the poly race, uncontrolled movement will start to occur.

The alternative is death wobble. Personally I would prefer to replace a bushing set for ~$35 every 10 years or so, than have wobble all the time. I only own so much underwear.

 

[jjvw]

The alternative is death wobble. Personally I would prefer to replace a bushing set for ~$35 every 10 years or so, than have wobble all the time. I only own so much underwear.

I don't know if that is the alternative or not.

Three things I do know are that the two piece poly bushings are nowhere as effective at controlling movement as bonded rubber Cleavite bushings are, this is the first time I am aware of someone fixing DW with a two piece poly bushing, and we don't see people experiencing DW attributed to JKS track bars.

 

[adamsa87]

I don't know if that is the alternative or not.

Three things I do know are that the two piece poly bushings are nowhere as effective at controlling movement as bonded rubber Cleavite bushings are, this is the first time I am aware of someone fixing DW with a two piece poly bushing, and we don't see people experiencing DW attributed to JKS track bars.

I understand what you are saying. I am just going by my own personal experience here. I had severe death wobble and significant play in my JKS track bar. My bolt hole on the axle side was also slightly wobbled out. So between replacing that bushing with a stiffer one and drilling out the hole to accommodate a larger bolt my death wobble is gone and there is no longer any significant play in my track bar. Not saying it makes sense but I replaced all of my front end steering components before doing so and this is what finally solved the issue in my case. A temporary fix? Only time will tell!

 

[jjvw]

I understand what you are saying. I am just going by my own personal experience here. I had severe death wobble and significant play in my JKS track bar. My bolt hole on the axle side was also slightly wobbled out. So between replacing that bushing with a stiffer one and drilling out the hole to accommodate a larger bolt my death wobble is gone and there is no longer any significant play in my track bar. Not saying it makes sense but I replaced all of my front end steering components before doing so and this is what finally solved the issue in my case. A temporary fix? Only time will tell!

Ok. The bolt was loose and contributed to death wobble. You corrected that by tightening the bolt. And now you also have a garbage bushing that you get to replace in the near future after you complain about the shaking.