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Custom Adjustable Trackbar

Starboard M

Starboard M

NAXJA Member
NAXJA Member
Location
Lafayette, CA
I am looking into building my own adjustable trackbar for my front D44.

This axle will have high steer, and hopefully a trackbar that ends somewhere by the inner C.


For those of you that have done your own adjustable track bar, what ends are you using? JJs? Heims? Bushings? Combination?


I found this JJ at Poly:
http://polyperformance.com/shop/Forged-Johnny-Joints-p-388.html

Adjustable, and uses a 9/16'' bolt.



Im now stuck on the other side. I would try to stay away from a bushing, so seems to leave me using another JJ, or a RE joint.
http://polyperformance.com/shop/Johnny-Joints-p-16765.html
JJ 7/16'' bolt

http://polyperformance.com/shop/Super-Flex-Assembly-XJ-MJ-ZJ-TJ-WJ-p-1990.html
RE joint, uses a 10mm or ~.39''


Is there a difference between any of these options? Any input would be great.
 
I prefer RE joints because they are adjustable,they also now have a axle side bolt upgrade available(I think its 1/2").
 
I have the JKS trac-bar kit (bushing at axle end, JJ at frame mount).

Works killer, had to modify the RE frame mount to make it work (1/2" hole...7/16" bolt for JJ).

No noises, klunking, and minimal flex from the rubber bushing.
 
MoparManiac said:
I have the JKS trac-bar kit (bushing at axle end, JJ at frame mount).

Works killer, had to modify the RE frame mount to make it work (1/2" hole...7/16" bolt for JJ).

No noises, klunking, and minimal flex from the rubber bushing.
Click to expand...

The JKS frame side mounts vertically?How did you use an RE bracket that mounts the joint horizontally?
 
This is mine with RE flex joints on both ends.

DSC_2487.jpg


I bought one of the flex joints you have in the last link (10mm hole in ball), then I bought a coupler for the other end. I had to call up RE and get a ball with a 1/2" ball to fit with the RE trackbar bracket.

I did noticed the other day that the hole in the ball isn't 1/2", so there is slop. I'm not sure if it was originally like that, or it wallowed itself out. I called RE and the guy had never heard of that happening, especially in only a month.
 
MoparManiac said:
RE Frame bracket - 2.5" wide opening

JKS trac-bar kit http://store.jksmfg.com/merchant2/m...0_951&Store_Code=JKS01&Category_Code=FABParts
2.5" wide JJ at the frame-side.

Only problem was the RE frame bracket has a 1/2" hole for the trac bar and the JKS JJ uses a 7/16" bolt so that had to be welded up and redrilled.
Click to expand...
That kit uses the same adjustable JJ that I had posted above, and a bushing which I would like to stay away from. I can buy those parts a lot cheaper then I can buy the entire kit from JKS.

This Jeep is not a DD, gets wheeled about 3-5 times a year, and is unfortunately parked the rest of the time for the most part. I drive it around town every once in awhile, and drive it to go offroading, and thats about it. I am not all that worried about not having bushings.


Begster said:
This is mine with RE flex joints on both ends.

DSC_2487.jpg


I bought one of the flex joints you have in the last link (10mm hole in ball), then I bought a coupler for the other end. I had to call up RE and get a ball with a 1/2" ball to fit with the RE trackbar bracket.

I did noticed the other day that the hole in the ball isn't 1/2", so there is slop. I'm not sure if it was originally like that, or it wallowed itself out. I called RE and the guy had never heard of that happening, especially in only a month.
Click to expand...

So you got a RE coupler, and a small RE joint, a piece of DOM, and a threaded rod? Where did you get the coupler, and how did you stick the rod into the DOM?


I seem to recall hearing about the JJs wearing out, but most people have a lot of success with the JKS trackbar (myself included) and they use the same adjustable JJ that I had posted above.


At this point, I am leaning towards the adjustable JJ for the frame side, and a large RE superflex joint on the axle side.

I now have a couple questions about the JJ:
-What is the difference between the 1'' and 1 1/4'' joint size?

-Does the left or right thread matter if only one side is adjustable?

-What are the differences of the tube adapters?
http://polyperformance.com/shop/Forged-Johnny-Joints-p-388.html
 
poly performance is the $hit. i used to work 2 minutes away from them. they brought all their rigs to my work so i could mount the tires up. pain in the a$$ mounting up some 44's
 
Last edited:
RE has everything you'll need for the bar in the builder parts section. That being said, I have not had good luck with their Super Flex joints in my TB. I have to adjust them more than I think should be required. They develope too much slop.

I would go JJ at both ends. That's what I plan to do when I re-do mine.


JKS sells builder parts for the JJs.
 
FWIW, I used to run a 'small' JJ at my frame side, and a 7/8" shank, 3/4" bore heim at the axle end. the small JJ developed too much play, and rather than re-build it, I replaced it with a 3/4"x3/4" heim, drilled out the hole from 3/8" to 5/8" (I used some misalignment spacers to reduce the bolt size) and it helped to make the front end feel more secure...

the JJ's use a ruber in them that is a tough rubber, but it still 'gives'. the heims are metal on metal, and there is no 'give'...

the RE joints use a plastic that has less 'give' than a JJ...

watch the mounting widht on the joints you choose to buy - most of the stuff with a 9/16" bolt is a 2-5/8" mounting width, that ends up needing a mount that is 3" wide by the time you have 3/16" steel on either side, and requires a 4" long bolt to hold it all together with a washer on either side and a good locknut.

I didnt have that kind of room on my axle side of the trackbar - the drag link rubs the front of the bolt at full lock, and the back of the bolt stuck into the coil a bit with the heim that I have in there right now, and its only a 1.75" mounting width with 3/16" steel on both sides, and a 2.75" long bolt...
 
XJ_ranger said:
I replaced it with a 3/4"x3/4" heim, drilled out the hole from 3/8" to 5/8" (I used some misalignment spacers to reduce the bolt size) and it helped to make the front end feel more secure...
Click to expand...


How well has your set up worked? Lasted as far as play?

I can see your point on the JJ vs. SFJ. I just feel like the JJ is more solid than the SF. That's just my limited experience anyway.

Never thought of using hemis though.
 
Matt, if I were you I would make both ends solid using something along the lines of JJ's or RE superflex bushings. I had poly bushings on the axle end, and got tired of replacing mine too often. I took my RE trackbar and lopped off the bushing end and welded on another RE superflex bushing. There were some drawbacks though...I had to grind down the bushing a little to fit in my Over Axle Trackbar bracket. As well I had anough forces going on there that I noticed the other day that theres about a 2 inch tear in my uniframe :eek: I think the easiest way to make one would just get some 1.5" x .25" DOM, two tube inserts, two jam nuts, and two JJ's and call it good.
 
Deadman 94 xj said:
How well has your set up worked? Lasted as far as play?

I can see your point on the JJ vs. SFJ. I just feel like the JJ is more solid than the SF. That's just my limited experience anyway.

Never thought of using hemis though.
Click to expand...

Opie's car lives on a trailer.

I haven't had any problems wearing out superflex joints, and if they do wear down some, you can tighten them. Johnny Joints I believe you are buying new inserts or shimming the housing. You did grease them before assembly instead of trying to just squirt grease in when assembled?
 
Phil said:
Opie's car lives on a trailer.

I haven't had any problems wearing out superflex joints, and if they do wear down some, you can tighten them. Johnny Joints I believe you are buying new inserts or shimming the housing. You did grease them before assembly instead of trying to just squirt grease in when assembled?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I greased them before the install. I did not adjust them before hand though. I only use them in the track bar. It's been in for ~8months. It got real sloppy (frame side) and I let it go tooo long so I ended up getting new races for it. About a month later its sloppy again, not as bad this time, yet. I still have to get under there and adjust it.

I'm not knocking the joints, who knows what circumstances effect mine. It doesn't bind anywhere as far as I know...


I'm thinking I should have tightend it out of the box and not let it go for so long. Maybe the new races weren't enough to fix this one.
 
Starboard M said:
I now have a couple questions about the JJ:
-What is the difference between the 1'' and 1 1/4'' joint size?

-Does the left or right thread matter if only one side is adjustable?

-What are the differences of the tube adapters?
http://polyperformance.com/shop/Forged-Johnny-Joints-p-388.html
Click to expand...
I called Poly and they gave me some answers, figured someone might need the info later on.

-The 1'' vs 1 1/4 is not the joint size, but rather the threaded shank. They recommended a 1'' for my case. They said 1.5'' 0.125 wall is fine for the tooob part.

-The right vs left does not matter if only one side is adjustable.

-The thread adapters depend on the shank size you chose. On the Poly website, the first two are for the 1'' shank using either a 1.25'' or 1.5'' ID tube, while the third and forth ones are for the 1.25'' shank.


I think I am going to end up using the JJ at the frame side, and the larger RE joint at the axle side.

I am honestly not all that worried about wearing out JJs, or RE joints. I have a JJ on my daily driver with no wear, and I have several RE joints on the one these parts are going onto, and I have not adjusted any of them in the last 5 years. That, and this Jeep does not see all that many miles, so I figure it will last a couple years before I have to replace/rebuild it.
 
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