Front trackbar bolt looks loose (as in bolt too small for the hole)

[TerryMason]

Does this look like too much play to you guys? The stock bolt seems to have plenty of wiggle room in the front trackbar bracket. I ask because I broke the bolt and had to order a new one.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Hey Terry , I see you got the same problem as me , don't know your own strength ! Lol.
took a dash out to my '92 XJ w/ d30 front and the track bar bolt has a 15 mil head with a 3/8" dia. shaft. It displaces the welded bracket hole entirely on the axle . I did not have her jacked up so I did not actually drop the bar but have to say the bolt slipped right out easily which would mean it is smaller than the I.D. of the sleeve in the track bar bushing . Bolted up tight , it produces no wobble or sign of loosening and has been in place for well over 5 years at least .
Im certain this should be the same size bolt your TJ should take. Hope this helps. Greg
P.S. - my track bar is replacement MOOG , could yours be different , like from a lift kit and the inner sleeve be different I.D. sleeve ? Just a thought .

 

[TerryMason]

Thanks for checking yours out. I think my TJ is different - it uses a 10mm bolt (with a hardness / grade of 10.9) from the factory. I heard that the later TJs switched over to metric bolts for the trackbar. It's a strange bolt though, because the threads are larger than the shaft.



I've got a JKS trackbar, and the sleeve in it is a bit smaller than the axle bracket holes, but not by much.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

Guessing that since 10mm is close to 3/8" , it was meant for a similar size sleeve in the track bar ? Wish I was able to pull the bar down , but must be jacked up and must be reporting back to work again soon , still in uniform and sorry I can't get into my work duds to do it , lack of time too , sorry. Hoping your replacement bolt does the trick and no excess play to worry over ?
Yeah , it seems strange to use larger threads than the shoulder for a sleeve , I concur.

 

[superj]

I can't help, no more track bars and my Cherokee was to long ago to remember anything usefull

 

[TerryMason]

I got it put back together using a standard 10mm bolt (instead of the factory thinner version) - the fit was much better! A standard bolt with the slightly larger shoulder filled the hole and had much less play.

I haven't driven it yet, but I think I'm good to go.

 

[JPNinPA]

YES! That is not right. I took the new track bar bushing down the local TruV hardware and fit the largest bolt I could. As the stock bolt was small for both the axel and bushing. If from there if the bolt is still too small for the axel I suggest buying some large washers that are tight to the bolt and welding them to the axel. There are many threads out there suggesting of using a larger dial bolt and welding in washers when the holes get wallowed out.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

So glad you did it your way ! Sorry if jeep dosen't like it , but a jeep guy gotta do what a jeep guy gotta do ! Can't have the boss man driving around with inferior bolts !

 

[richgilbert81]

My 87 wrangler with 4.5 in lift has given me front track bar issues for ten years now. First they were breaking, so I got a nice grade 10 bolt and put good washers on each side. Lasted for a little while. Then they kept loosening up on me. Even with a lock nut. So then I tried blue lock- tite and they still loosened up. So then I said screw it and put red lock tite and a lock but and still loosens up every once and a while. I think maybe the PSC steering box, no front away bar, and no track bar might have a little something to do with it but I'm not sure. I just add it to the "have to check list" before each trip out now. So good luck I know how annoying it can be.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

It's a YJ, have you tried it without the front trackbar?

 

[superj]

unless its required on your safety inspection, i would throw the trac bar away on your yj. i removed them on my wife's past 93 and they have been gone a long time on my 87. throw front and rear bars away

 

[richgilbert81]

That has been recommended to me several times from my wheeling buddies. They all said I do not need track bar with leaf springs. I do not think that it would matter for inspection. As is I have no rear track bar or front sway bar so what's the difference?' I think that would be the next step because it would give me better traction I Would assume due to more articulation. Hmmmm. I think it's getting ripped out. I'm sure once I finally get my waggy 44 front In and my small block that's still on the stand in the garage I will not be able to use one anyway....

 

[mackmech]

Does this look like too much play to you guys? The stock bolt seems to have plenty of wiggle room in the front trackbar bracket. I ask because I broke the bolt and had to order a new one.

What I did on our JKs is since the bolt holes in the bracket are 9/16. I drilled the bushings in the track arm to 9/16 also.

 

[TerryMason]

Was it hard to drill the sleeve / bushing? I've read that they are often hardened steel and can be difficult to drill.

 

[mackmech]

Not at all..easier than I thought it would be.

 

[TerryMason]

I ended up getting a new 10mm from Fastenal (they had to order it). It is similar to the stock bolt (I bought one of those to compare), except that it has a larger shoulder.

Here are the two bolts - the silver is the stock Jeep bold with threads larger than the body, and the gold is a normal 10mm bolt.

 

[jeppers88]

have same issue,the new prothane bushings fit 1/2 inch size bolt but the new track bar fit sloppy 7/16 bolts? tried metric but still sloppy. I might try drilling new bar bushings to 1/2 inch.