Trac Bar question

[Kachess]

Putting a 79D44 under my 95 ranger and leaving it fullwidth . My trac bar drop bracket is adjustable but should I be looking for a tracbar from a fullsize or EB? Fullsize seems like it would be too wide, EB seems like it wouldn't reach. What am i lookin for?

 

[Bray D]

trac bar = one piece of tube and two bushings (or joints of your choice).

 

[yyc_tbird_sc]

You want your trac bar to be as close as possible (preferably the exact same) length and angle as your drag link for your steering. The less angle you have (ie, the longer the trac bar & drag link) the less your axle is going to shift sideways when it moves through it's travel.

 

[Doom's Day Custom]

I would stay away from using 2 bushing on the track bar because it allow to much axle movement and can cause some problems ... I had 2 bushing set up in my other truck and it allowed the axle to move more than it should...

 

[Kachess]

Right on, thanks guys. Anyone got a pic of an ideal one with joints? Also, to lessen the trac bar angle, should I mount the top point lower, or raise the lower mounting point? or does it even matter?

 

[Snurfer]

once you get your steering and draglink setup you'll want to make the tracbar mount on the frame so that the tracbar runs parallel at the same angle as the draglink. you dont want the tracbar mount on the axle too high or it could possibly cause contact issues when the suspension gets cycled. some guys have used xj cherokee tracbars cut to fit with the d44. building your own tracbar wont be that expensive though.

x2 on not using bushings at both ends.

 

[Bray D]

Do what you wish with the joints. I'm not sure if these guys are talking from experience or what, but here's a few aftermarket panhard bars that are sold with bushings at both ends.

Steeda Adjustable Panhard

UMI adjustable panhard with lower links

Wildhorses 4x4 EB trac bar

That being said I've got a poly bushing at the frame end, and a heim at the axle end. I did it simply cause the heim requires a smaller mounting bracket. I wouldn't hesitate running a bushing at each end though.

 

[Doom's Day Custom]

Do what you wish with the joints. I'm not sure if these guys are talking from experience or what, but here's a few aftermarket panhard bars that are sold with bushings at both ends.

Steeda Adjustable Panhard

UMI adjustable panhard with lower links

Wildhorses 4x4 EB trac bar

That being said I've got a poly bushing at the frame end, and a heim at the axle end. I did it simply cause the heim requires a smaller mounting bracket. I wouldn't hesitate running a bushing at each end though.

To answer your questions yes i have experience with both setup and i would never tell anyone to run both bushing setups because it allows the axle to move to much and cause ailgment issues and just because some one sells you somthing does not mean it will not give you hell!!!! I have have learned over the years just because some aftermaket company sell you something and says it will work for you truck does not always mean it will work for your application and they are almost never a direct bolt in when it comes to steering or suspension...

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Do what you wish with the joints. I'm not sure if these guys are talking from experience or what, but here's a few aftermarket panhard bars that are sold with bushings at both ends.

Wildhorses 4x4 EB trac bar

Wildhorses 4x4 EB trac bar POS

It's being replaced with (2) 3/4" hiem joints and 1"ID x 1.5"OD DOM

 

[Bray D]

Dooms Day - I'm not familiar with stock solid axle setups (full size rigs that are still available with solid axles from the factory) but I'm willing to bet they use bushings at both ends of the trac bar. I can't see them using a heim joint that is prone to wear out relatively quickly.

Your trac bar has nothing to do with your alignment either. 3 alignment variables are toe, camber, and caster. Your trac bar doesn't adjust/affect either of these.

UrbanRedneck - That sucks man, but looking at it, you were looking for trouble with that much thread showing.

 

[NMB2]

i agree that bushings will not directly cause issues. Ive run them on several trucks instead of heim joints. You have something else jacked up.

 

[Doom's Day Custom]

okay here read this
click here to read

 

[NMB2]

I guess that page did its job. it sold you on it.

 

[Bray D]

okay here read this
click here to read

That page is full of fail.

 

[JohnnyU]

Dooms Day - I'm not familiar with stock solid axle setups (full size rigs that are still available with solid axles from the factory) but I'm willing to bet they use bushings at both ends of the trac bar. I can't see them using a heim joint that is prone to wear out relatively quickly.

Ding Ding Ding.

OEM Dodge track bars use RUBBER bushings on both ends. Upgrading them to POLYURETHANE does help with their longevity, but remember that there is twice as much weight on the front of those trucks as there is on an entire RBV.