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adjustable trac bar.

Pa PITT

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
11,252
Loc.
Stephenville TEXAS
How do you make an adjustable trac bar.. Do you just saw it into and thread both ends and put on a sleeve to fit you new threads......
....I'm thinking if I could push the front axle to the driver side about 1/2 inch it might help me clear my oil pan on my 4bt swap .. on this swap the oil pan has to be cut and reshaped ..I've done this but it still seems close ..So in someones post I saw on here it was talking about using the adjustable trac bar with the tall lifts.. I NOW HAVE 3.5 and would really like to not have to go to 5.5 I'm a short challenged feller.. So I thought the adjustable might help a fraction .. If I did move it to the left do I need to shim one of the strut arms forward just a smig...It's no show car. It's used on the farm mostly and Hunting ..a few trips to town at 50 mph and that's only 5 miles But of course after I get to town I'll have to make the drag 10 miles at 25 mph .. Showing off my decal on the back glass asking... What do you
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ned72

Jr. Member
Joined
May 26, 2005
Messages
120
Loc.
Truckee
i bought one from bc for like 130. its threaded like a foot on the frame end so u can just cut it to where u need it and thread the bushing back on. it was super easy
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
I've seen them just cut and sleeved without any adjustability too. If you know where it's going to sit, you could go that way.
All the store-bought units I've seen were female threaded on the bar (lower) end and male threaded with a jam-nut on the upper end.
The adjustable draglinks however, seem to have male threads cut into the two halves and a standard tie-rod type adjusting sleeve connecting.
Maybe the reason they don't use one like that on the trackbar is that they're just not readily available in that larger size? Don't know, that's just how I've seen them.

Paul
 
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Pa PITT

Pa PITT

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
11,252
Loc.
Stephenville TEXAS
trac bars..

I FORGOT TO SAY I have use of a lathe but then again since it is a bent item it may not fit to thread ..Surely there is a sleeve out there large enough to fit that trac bar....&....Do I need to just cut one of the several I have or will it take 2 to make one adjustable .. Seems to me like a fellow would only need one trac bar ..cut into and thread and add sleeve ..and new bushings..
 
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Pa PITT

Pa PITT

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
11,252
Loc.
Stephenville TEXAS
trac bars..

I FORGOT TO SAY I have use of a lathe but then again since it is a bent item it may not fit to thread ..Surely there is a sleeve out there large enough to fit that trac bar....&....Do I need to just cut one of the several I have or will it take 2 to make one adjustable .. Seems to me like a fellow would only need one trac bar ..cut into and thread and add sleeve ..
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After you've put one of these on . Are there any other items that have to be used with them..
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
After you've put one of these on . Are there any other items that have to be used with them..

You still need a trackbar relocating bracket (upper or lower) if you don't have one already, to keep the angles correct.
Adjustable only allows you to fine-tune the side-to-side location. You still need the bracket and a pitman arm to correct for angle.

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
As for shimming the radius arm bushings, nope. No need to go to that length for perfection. Your axle changes from side to side a pert' fair amount every time the suspension goes up or down. The bushings can handle it. Might shorten their lives a tiny bit, but I don't think it'd be noticeable.
The only thing I'd worry about is, since you're moving it against the grain, steering-wise, if you go too far just to clear the new engine pain, you might run into other handling/steering issues. Which can be just as important.

Paul
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,355
Yep. Whatever you do to one, you usually have to do to the other. Exceptions are with the '76/'77 Broncos and steering conversions and whatever else might have changed the orientation.
It's all a system and it's subject to differences from vehicle to vehicle. Just keep an eye on the relationship between the trackbar and draglink and things can usually fall into place.

Bottom line is, the lower the angle, the better. And the closer the two are to parallel, the better. Barring any interference issues with other components that is. Like the axle, frame, knuckles, shock mounts, brackets, frame and other minor inconveniences like that.

But you knew all that already...

Paul
 
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