I have the rockkrawler "bomb proof" Trackbar and I have had problems with it ever since installing it 2 years ago.

It has always made creaking noises and its just gotten so bad now that the noises can be heard from inside my house when I'm pulling out of the driveway.

I dropped the steering damper and discovered last night that the Trackbar has a solid clunking/play at the heim joint and a slight amount at the frame. The ball inside the heim joint is actually very scratched up as opposed to shiny and smooth.

The torque has been set and rechecked properly since its installation. I called rockkrawler many times about it and just kept getting told "it can't be the Trackbar we never heard anything like this before."

So much for "bomb proof."

At this point I have to check to make sure the bolt holes aren't wallowed out (hope not) but assuming they are ok, should I replace just the heim end or get a different Trackbar all together?

 

i installed mine a few weeks ago and so far no issues other than trying to tighten the jam nut on the axle side is a PITA. How the heck are you supposed to get it tightened down once adjusted to the proper length and it's in the mount? There is no room to put an open end wrench on the jam nut and it's difficult to keep aligned and tighten it down when not in the bracket?

 

Heim joints do wear out over time. However, 2 years is a little quick, RK now has the new Monster Crawler Pro Joints. You could just toss one of those in for much less than a new track bar.

 

My complaint is that it was bad from the beginning but multiple calls to rockkrawler got me no where but the same response of "we never heard of this issue before it can't be from the Trackbar."

Now that it has grown worse and worse I know for a fact it's been the Trackbar all along and I hope it didn't wallow out the holes. I don't particularly want to weld washers in.

I'm not familiar with the monster crawler joints. Are they a replacement option for the heim end? A new heim from RK is around $35 I believe assuming I only need the heim end.



To the guy with the Jam nut issue, I set the length, took it out and tightened it and put the Trackbar back in. I don't see why that wouldn't be ok.

 

Yes the monster crawler joint is a replacement heim. It is rebuildable and offers much more misalignment.

If the joint has play chances are the bolt hole didn't wallow out.

 

I have this Trackbar

JK Bomb Proof Adjustable Front Track Bar

Any idea which of the following actually fits it?
Krawler Joints

Is there any reason to replace the frame end? It has some movement but I believe that's normal?

 

Anyone know? I need to order it ASAP it's getting worse.

 

Would this be considered wallowed out? It's not an oval or any weird shape but the hole is definitely is about 1/16 larger than the bolt itself.

 

.. Get rid of those bolts...


Chrysler put thread right to the top of the bolt head on all the trackbar bolts, and lower control arm bolts. These are 14mm. Changed them out for grade 8 9/16" bolt with a shoulder to the top. Northridge sell a kit for them, here's the link;

http://www.northridge4x4.com/shop/nr...k-hardware-kit

The washers that come with the kit, have them welded on your brackets and that will tighten up alot of things. Also you should change out that Heim joint because the threads would have wallowed out the hole. If you look at the lower control arm mounts you will also see that the bolt holes aren't round, there square.

Hope this helps.

 

RK uses a standard heim on the axle side, not a krawlers joint. I believe it is a regular 3/4" RH thread heim (3/4" ball and 3/4" shank).

I see you live in NY. Lots of salt and salt air down on Long Island. I've found that a little shot of lube, even with a PTFE lined heim, keeps the rust and damage to the heim down.

FWIW, like it was said before heims wear. Many companies use them on trackbars at the axle, sometimes they last, sometimes they dont. I have heims on my trackbars, some of my control arms, and my drag link. I've had two fail in a little over 2.5 years.