Adjustable Track Bar

[kastein]

I beg to differ as I have seen both claytons and my Ironman side by side and they are the same quality of craftsmanship. Also the factory bodyside mount when fitted with Andy's double sheer conversion that is welded in is stronger than most aftermarket mounts do to the fact that the material used to make the mount is very thick and it has a bend in the outside of the bracket to brace it to resist flex. Most aftermarket mounts are made out of flatstock that will flex. Not dogging on any other aftermarket mounts because they get the job done but this guy asked for a good AFFORDABLE piece and Ironman gets it without skipping where it counts. Claytons and IRO are both very well made products and I would hands down put either one on my Jeep however these names come with a price. All I am saying is Ironman is the best bang for your buck and that is what the OP was asking for.

DO NOT BUY ROUGH COUNTRY OR RUSTYS!!!!

I am not sure I am comfortable with the way he wants you to drill the stock mount out and put that bolt in (I'd rather have a tapered stud on it, requires less torque on the nut to get the same effective side load capacity since it results in zero clearance between the stud and the mounting hole instead of requiring the clamping force of the bracket and nut to handle the side loading) but you are 100% correct on the bracket itself. Most aftermarket ones are flat quarter inch plate with a bend to go around the frame that results in a pre stressed/work hardened section of metal there, and no bracing on the vertical section of the bracket to keep it from flexing. I have an RE unit I'm going to be installing soon, it's designed this way, my plan is to weld two 1/2" wide strips of quarter inch plate on edge up and down that section of the bracket to provide some stiffening.

 

[FlexdXJ]

they may have good customer service but they need to step up their parts game. my buddy has one on his xj. both bushings were beat in 4 month and one rock hit bent the hell out of the bar

I agree with you and am trying to talk him into something beefier. Tyler, drive your happy ass over here and look at my track bar!

 

[gradon]

I have a custom made straight adjustable track-bar that Andy(Ironman4x4fab) made as well as his adjustable control arms and they are awesome pieces and the prices are very reasonable. His communication was good as well.

 

[davidson99XJ]

I agree with you and am trying to talk him into something beefier. Tyler, drive your happy ass over here and look at my track bar!

I might make my way over that way sometime. I want to look at some things

 

[Spawn 93]

Ironman4x4 is the only track bar I would run.

Andy makes killer products that are affordable.

Check out his CA's too.

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

i love the "brand fights" I spent $XX.XX more then you, yours is junk..

Shut up and build one. seriously.. its a 3' section of tube, with two ends. I'll bet my whole jeep my Trackbar is stronger then anything you could buy .. 1.5'' x .250wall with Ruffstuff Heims And i'm less then $100 into it..


For the record, I have taco'd the old style AND new style rough country, aswell as the rubicon express re1600. and the RE is supposedly "super beef!"

i like the IRO, but i agree.. the bushings will fail.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

to the OP:
your in the MWC, there is a RE track bar for sale. its the 1600 version, which is single shear, but it can be made double sheer easily. probably your cheapest option that you wont regret and replace later.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1065192

 

[Mike1331]

I am not sure I am comfortable with the way he wants you to drill the stock mount out and put that bolt in (I'd rather have a tapered stud on it, requires less torque on the nut to get the same effective side load capacity since it results in zero clearance between the stud and the mounting hole instead of requiring the clamping force of the bracket and nut to handle the side loading) but you are 100% correct on the bracket itself. Most aftermarket ones are flat quarter inch plate with a bend to go around the frame that results in a pre stressed/work hardened section of metal there, and no bracing on the vertical section of the bracket to keep it from flexing. I have an RE unit I'm going to be installing soon, it's designed this way, my plan is to weld two 1/2" wide strips of quarter inch plate on edge up and down that section of the bracket to provide some stiffening.

My Rock Krawler bracket came with a gusset similar to what you speak of, on the back side facing the tire. I love my Rock krawler bar, got it and bracket delivered for 150 from DC4WD 4 years ago, it's been on countless runs both in desert at high speeds and on rubicon crawling a lil faster than recomended...:firedevil. I hate slow pokes.
The bushing on the axle end is finally starting to go, the giant heim is still going strong though. Bar has a few rock rashes but no signs of bendage.
I'm surprised clayton's is still single sheer. They've been around for ever they should have a double sheer by now. I'll never buy a single sheer bar again after all the crap i went through with my rubicon single sheered unit.
Word to the wise, before install plate at least the bracket portion of the frame and weld your tb bracket to the frame.

 

[jeeperjohn]

Nothing beats a straight track bar and over the axle track bar mount.

 

[RoyalXJ]

Nothing beats a straight track bar and over the axle track bar mount.

you need the steering angle to match it as well though. you cant just throw parts at something an expect it to work right.

 

[RoyalXJ]

I'm surprised clayton's is still single sheer. They've been around for ever they should have a double sheer by now.

since when is clayton's track bar a single sheer?

 

[kastein]

I definitely agree with plating the frame first. If you plate from the tb mount to the steering box mount you are already ahead of the game. Speaking of which I need to do that...

 

[zachandandy]

Wife folded her rough country on the first trip out. Custom service was great and they sent out a replacement, but it will never go on 1 of our rigs unless we fold her new IRO, my re, and/or the original that I beat an 1.25" rigid sleeve over to get her off the trail.

 

[davidson99XJ]

to the OP:
your in the MWC, there is a RE track bar for sale. its the 1600 version, which is single shear, but it can be made double sheer easily. probably your cheapest option that you wont regret and replace later.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1065192

I actually bought it from him

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I have an RE 1600, best thing to do is modify stock bracket (or buy a double sheer TB mount) and run the heim in double sheer. No issues here.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

i know off hand that RE's mount is 2" inside, so are the clayton track bar mounts, so you have some options to make it double sheer. a standard misalignment spacer is 2" wide.

 

[RoyalXJ]

i know off hand that RE's mount is 2" inside, so are the clayton track bar mounts, so you have some options to make it double sheer. a standard misalignment spacer is 2" wide.

clayton track bar mounts are 2 5/8" wide.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

i stand corrected... i remembered the clayton one because i had interest in using it. this should fit wit that mount though:
http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/3458WIDE.html

 

[RoyalXJ]

Yeah I run the clayton drop mount thats been cut and re drilled to get angles perfect with ruff stuff heims and the wide misalignments

 

[Mike1331]

since when is clayton's track bar a single sheer?

i just clicked on a google link straight to here...
http://claytonoffroad.com/product_i...d/102?osCsid=9a1d5e8e1c2e41dc3f7614d863a59708

but i just went back and saw they sell brackets as well to go along w/ a double shear. moving on...

there's a myriad of options for someone on a budget, i like the idea mentioned above to get a re1600 and modifying stock bracket to make it a double shear. You can find those used all day for under 80.