Track bar/ Panhard rod Mount Pics and Info

[UrbanRedneckKid]

My searches have come up negative.
What are, is or, did everyone do with their track bar mounts? The most important part of the coil sprung SAS, the only part that doesn't practically bolt up. There are practically no pics or info on how it's done. I've got my way of doing it and will be posting my pics when I'm done. I've got good fabrication skills, but what about those who don't? What about the guy who had no outside input and has his truck fall apart and roll over because there was no specific info about how to properly mount a track bar.

Please post any info and or pics of your mounts. And hopefully this will get stickied in the Fabrication and/or Extreme Suspension Forums.

 

[AllanD]

The way I would do it would be in combination with a bumpstop location reinforcement.

I'd add a pair of Vertical 2" square tubes inside the C-channel of the frame
spaced EXACTLY 2" apart, because there's gong to be a third piece of tubing sandwiched between tying the two sides of the frame together
The flat "crossmember" on the top of the frame on gen2 trucks
is ONLY designed to hang the third leg of the fuel tank strap from it.

Now depending on which way you want to run your trac bar, you'd
want to weld a piece of heavy tube through those vertical square tubes
parallel to the frame and sized to accept a 5/8" diameter bolt 7" long
(you need length for a pair of washers and an elastic stop nut.)
and that bolt will preferably will be grade 8 and fine thread...

BTW, instead of JUST welding those vertical reinforcements inside the C-channel
go a step beyond... cut a reinforcement plate to fit the outside of the frame arch
and with the tubes and plate clamped in place drill through the plate the frame
and the wall of the tube reinforcements

If you wish to have the attachment "hidden" only drill the side against the
frame (two locations), if you want access to the nut drill through both
sides of the tube with your pilot drill then holesaw a socket access hole
on the inboard side.... Bolt everything up TIGHT before you start welding.

I'm a paranoid cuss, I never trust either bolts or welds, I like using BOTH.
It may be heavier but it doesn't break

Personally I'd prefer my inside fasteners to be hidden and after welding
everything up I'd remove the outer bolts and blow those reinforcement
tubes full of aerosol foam insulation.... if something like "Great Stuff"
is filling the sealed void it's for damned sure that water won't be getting in....

But anyway those vertical reinforcements will be more than adequate to
support the lateral load from a trac bar...

I'd be inclined to make one more improvement... a diagonal gusset
out of smaller tube on either side of your tube crossmember
diagonally down to the bottom of the vertical tube reinforcements
atleast on whichever side you attack the trac bar to the frame...

that'll prevent the lateral load from trying to flex the lower edge of
the frame in and out, because the tube braces will transfer the tension
compression and lateral twist of the frame member into a bending load distrubutted across that length of 2" square tubing that crosses to the opposite frame rail...

the frame side pivot point will wind up being a double shear mount transmitting the load through two lengths of tube welded parallel to the frame inside the vertical reinforcing members. I doubt you will be able to attach it to the axle as securely...

BTW, to complete the setup you'll need to cut a chunk of 3-16" plate and weld it to the underside of the frame rail flange to actually reinforce the bump stop mounts


Can anyone visualize what I am describing and make a line drawing?



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[TireIron]

ummm, one of you is talking about front and one about rear. Seeing as I think the OP was talking about the front I'll show what I did for mine. And I guess I don't have a picture of it but I added a brace (piece of 1inch 1/4inch thick flat bar from the bracket bolt to the engine crossmember)

Oh and make sure you don't light yourself on fire when welding things up...

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

heres links to some products
http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/mercha...oduct_Code=RC-TB200-UV&Category_Code=SUS_TRAC
https://www.4wdfactory.com/store/products/Ruff-Stuff-Frame-Mount-Panhard-{47}-Track-bar-Bracket.html
https://www.4wdfactory.com/store/pr...ame-Mount-Panhard-{47}-Track-bar-Bracket.html
http://www.wabfab.org/products/suspension/3link.htm
http://store.ultimateoffroad.net/trbarmofrsi.html

A good write up
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=714656

For examples just look at anybodys sas build thread thats using rad arms.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

but what about those who don't? What about the guy who had no outside input and has his truck fall apart and roll over because there was no specific info about how to properly mount a track bar.

Well i would hope that anyone attempting a sas would know what a tracbar is and how it should be mounted.

 

[AKBroncoII]

Somewhat a picture of mine. My cardomain has changed again so I can't figure out how to access my pictures that will allow me to link them. They change that site every other month, it's getting old.

 

[wahlstrom1]

Here's mine, total bolt on with bumpstop removal.

 

[Bray D]

Mine is one with my coil bucket, which is bolted to the face of my frame, as well as under my frame. The bolts under my frame are the same ones that bolt the engine crossmember to the frame, so essentially the engine crossmember, my track bar mount, and my coil bucket are all one.

 

[Maverick]

It's built out of 3/16" plate and mounts using the factory steering box bolts. I added one extra bolt to the mount later on in the thread. http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1485&page=3

 

[AllanD]

Sorry, I was thinking the track bar for a rear four link suspension....

For a front trac bar on a SAS'ed Ranger?

I would bother making a frame bracket for a track bar.

I'd simply drop by a ford dealer and buy the frame side bracket from an F-350 4x4 and spend my time figuiring out how to mount it to my frame.

which basically boils down to "1/2 or 5/8" bolts?"
and "washers or backup plate?"

Life is too short to engineer things that already exsist on the shelf somewhere.



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[UrbanRedneckKid]

That seems like more work,
The older 1 tons, where the 3/4 and 1/2 tons were TTB, The track bar was mounted to the middle of the engine crossmember. Looks like a messed up TTB pivot bracket.

And the Super Dutys have a bend in the frame where the track bar mounts, it wouldn't sit flush on the bottom of the frame rail. I actually was gunna use this one, took it from my buddy when we jacked his up. It won't fit without seriously modifing and redesigning the whole bracket. And IIRC it is made from cast too.

 

[meatheaded nucklebuster]

I try to avoid buying parts from the stealership but I cant deny you can pick up reasonably priced parts there. Just make sure your friends with someone behind the counter otherwise its a waste of time to find or try to buy anything there.

 

[Bray D]

I would bother making a frame bracket for a track bar.

I'd simply drop by a ford dealer and buy the frame side bracket from an F-350 4x4 and spend my time figuiring out how to mount it to my frame.

A quick google search brought me to this:

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/20905.html

Granted its a 2.5-3" mount, but it's $104. Even if it costs a third of that, you still need to mod it to fit your application, if it will even work for your application. You need your track bar to be a certain length, and at a certain angle - which will be different for every application depending on lift height, steering type, etc.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Here's mine.
It's the mount from Ballistic Fabrication. The outer side of the mount was cut and rewelded for access to the steering box bolt.
I added a set of 1/4" plates to the sides to spread the load up the entire frame rail.