Rear trackbar bracket weak point
#21
I installed both Teraflex Trackbars on Friday night. Very Simple Installs. Left the Jeep on the ground for both. It took about .5 hour to do each of them with the measuring involved.
I can tell you that both trackbars can be adjusted to the stock or "zero" length.
husky~
I can tell you that both trackbars can be adjusted to the stock or "zero" length.
husky~
#22
You guys need to know that just because you have a drop bracket or a new track bar, that will not solve the problem totally. The axle bracket is weak because of the force created when the track bar pulls when flexing the vehicle. Your bracket can break off even with a adjusable trackbar or a drop bracket. I have seen numerous of these on TJ's.
#23
JK Junkie
You guys need to know that just because you have a drop bracket or a new track bar, that will not solve the problem totally. The axle bracket is weak because of the force created when the track bar pulls when flexing the vehicle. Your bracket can break off even with a adjusable trackbar or a drop bracket. I have seen numerous of these on TJ's.
#24
I'm not sure how it puts rotational force on the bracket when it is a fixed bracket and it raises the track bar maybe 1". The track bar and axle still move in one direction. I'm just trying to clarify that a drop bracket is not going to make the track bar bracket any stronger and you still have just as much chance of breaking it as you would without any bracket. As I have stated in previous posts, a bracket from the pumpkin to the track bar bracket will stop the forces and support it so that it does not tear off.
#25
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Danbury, CT
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm not sure how it puts rotational force on the bracket when it is a fixed bracket and it raises the track bar maybe 1". The track bar and axle still move in one direction. I'm just trying to clarify that a drop bracket is not going to make the track bar bracket any stronger and you still have just as much chance of breaking it as you would without any bracket. As I have stated in previous posts, a bracket from the pumpkin to the track bar bracket will stop the forces and support it so that it does not tear off.
#26
JK Junkie
I'm not sure how it puts rotational force on the bracket when it is a fixed bracket and it raises the track bar maybe 1". The track bar and axle still move in one direction. I'm just trying to clarify that a drop bracket is not going to make the track bar bracket any stronger and you still have just as much chance of breaking it as you would without any bracket. As I have stated in previous posts, a bracket from the pumpkin to the track bar bracket will stop the forces and support it so that it does not tear off.
#27
JK Junkie
#28
The riser bracket acts as a lever and the rotational force is applied at the fulcrum point (stock bracket). I remember very little about how to calculate the force from my brief stint as an engineering student, but I do remember some of the basic principles. The drop bracket attached to the frame does not increase the strength of the stock bracket, it just doesn't increase the forces acting against it. Having a riser attached to the stock bracket does change the forces which are affecting the stock bracket.
#29
JK Junkie
There have been 3 reports on this board of stock JK brackets breaking off when riser brackets have been added. I know of none when the suspension is left stock or when a frame mounted drop bracket is used. We should probably agree to disagree on this one...
#30
I'm not disagreeing with anything, i just believe it is inevitable that the stock brackets will also fail if wheeled hard enough. JK's are so new that we will find out lots more once people start wheeling them. I have noticed that most JK owners are first time Jeep owners and really don't wheel them. I intend to strengthen my stock bracket with gussets or something else. My TJ had triangulated rear suspension so there wasn't a track bar which is by far the best way to go. JK's have a lot of crap in the way so triangulting is going to be difficult.