bimmerjeeper
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- USA
First, I want to identify the major parts.
Then, I want to understand what they do, and how they fail.
My 1998 XJ is not quite the same as the photo, so I will post a few.
Can you verify I have the names correct?
Yellow = Sway Bar (Most forward bar)
Red = Drag Link
Purple = Tie Rod
Green = Track Bar (Has a big bend in it)
Below is my driver's front wheel.
1) End of Drag Link (ball joint)
2) Sway Bar Link? (Isn't the sway bar at the very front, under the grille??)
3) End of Track Bar (ball joint)
4) Tie Rod
Red = Drag Link
Green = Tie Rod
Yellow = Track Bar
Sway bar? At the very front, under the grille...
There is a 4th bar that has a "strut".
What is this called? Does the bolt ever get loose? (Like the trackbar?)
The dealer told me that I needed a new track bar.
I grabbed this "crooked" bar and it did not move, for what it's worth.
Is this why he said it was bad? Ball joint seal is shot?
Or, is it because the bolt on the other side might be loose?
Then, I want to understand what they do, and how they fail.
My 1998 XJ is not quite the same as the photo, so I will post a few.

Can you verify I have the names correct?
Yellow = Sway Bar (Most forward bar)
Red = Drag Link
Purple = Tie Rod
Green = Track Bar (Has a big bend in it)

Below is my driver's front wheel.
1) End of Drag Link (ball joint)
2) Sway Bar Link? (Isn't the sway bar at the very front, under the grille??)
3) End of Track Bar (ball joint)
4) Tie Rod

Red = Drag Link
Green = Tie Rod
Yellow = Track Bar

Sway bar? At the very front, under the grille...

There is a 4th bar that has a "strut".
What is this called? Does the bolt ever get loose? (Like the trackbar?)


The dealer told me that I needed a new track bar.
I grabbed this "crooked" bar and it did not move, for what it's worth.
Is this why he said it was bad? Ball joint seal is shot?
Or, is it because the bolt on the other side might be loose?

