Adjustable front stablizer bar

[Grey owl]

How important is an adjustable front stablizer bar with 2 1/2 inch lift. I just had the toe set and caster measured but nothing was mentioned about the stablizer bar and diff position.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[serial car restorer]

I think you are talking about the track bar, not stabilizer. If you go out and measure the distance from the tires to the frame rails now, you'll probably find your front axle is offset to the left side. I can't remember how much mine was offset (3" lift), but it was not trivial. The adjustable track bar allowed me to get the axle centered, my offset is less than ⅛" now.

 

[Grey owl]

I think you are talking about the track bar, not stabilizer. If you go out and measure the distance from the tires to the frame rails now, you'll probably find your front axle is offset to the left side. I can't remember how much mine was offset (3" lift), but it was not trivial. The adjustable track bar allowed me to get the axle centered, my offset is less than ⅛" now.

Thank you, so in your opinion the adjustable track bar should be used.

 

[Grey owl]

Has anyone taken a stock track bar to a machine shop to have it made adjustable.

 

[serial car restorer]

Thank you, so in your opinion the adjustable track bar should be used.

Yes, IMO anything more than about 1-1.5" suspension lift. The more you lift it, the farther to the left it pulls the axle.

 

[serial car restorer]

Has anyone taken a stock track bar to a machine shop to have it made adjustable.

I'm sure a good shop could do it, but I suspect it would cost as much or more than buying a new one. And it seems that lightly used ones pop up reasonably often. That's how I got mine.

 

[Grey owl]

I'm sure a good shop could do it, but I suspect it would cost as much or more than buying a new one. And it seems that lightly used ones pop up reasonably often. That's how I got mine.

Trust me, when your in Canada nothing is cheap, we take a 30% hit on the dollar, shipping will exceed the cost of the item, then duties taxes etc and a 150.00 US item ends up north of 400.00

 

[Grey owl]

Trust me, when your in Canada nothing is cheap, we take a 30% hit on the dollar, shipping will exceed the cost of the item, then duties taxes etc and a 150.00 US item ends up north of 400.00

 

[Shimmy]

ex

Has anyone taken a stock track bar to a machine shop to have it made adjustable.

you fabbed your own bumpers, why not fab your own bar or make your stock one adjustable?

 

[Grey owl]

ex


you fabbed your own bumpers, why not fab your own bar or make your stock one adjustable?

Well bumpers were easy a little cardboard, measuring tape, a computerized waterjet some material and a programer. Steering geometry and safety are important concerns when building steering components.

 

[Grey owl]

Did you build your own front track bar ?

 

[DirtDonk]

Back in the day, there were no adjustable track bars so you had to go the custom route. Either yourself or at a shop.
Way back in the even farther back days, even most city shops were willing to do that kind of thing. Then people started getting more and more leery of messing with this stuff
To the point that it can be very hard, or impossible, to find a shop, even those in more rural areas willing to do the work.
All depends upon where you live.

Some of the earliest pre-made ones did actually look fairly “custom” in fact! Hacked even.
I think Superlift and Skyjacker were among the first to come out with adjustables that looked like they were built in a factory setting.
If I’m not mistaken.

Some of the early ones done at local four-wheel-drive or fab shops used several different methods. Starting with several different cores. Plenty of variations when you look under trucks to see what has been done.
Cut, extend, using an outer sleeve, and welded over practically every square inch, including plug weld holes. Because failure was not an option.

Not a lot of labor involved if you knew what you were doing. My guess is though, that nowadays the shop rate would be astronomical. Not just because they charge more labor per hour, but because as you pointed out, steering and suspension components are especially trouble prone and nobody wants to be involved in that. They basically quote you a price that helps cover their liability insurance. The old “I don’t really wanna do it“ price.

Back when I wanted to make my drag link adjustable (mid-80’s) I found out just how many shops around here wouldn’t even touch it. That was literally 100% of the ones I talked to!
They all took one look at the Moog steering link in my hand and practically ran out the other door!
Finally found out that a Bronco acquaintance of mine worked at a Machine Shop and he did the work for free. That was a huge score!
That drag link is still on my bronco.

Sorry for getting your discussion off track!
Brings back fond memories of working hard to try to get things to work properly, with few resources.
And hopefully take your mind off the hassles for a few minutes.

 

[Grey owl]

Back in the day, there were no adjustable track bars so you had to go the custom route. Either yourself or at a shop.
Way back in the even farther back days, even most city shops were willing to do that kind of thing. Then people started getting more and more leery of messing with this stuff
To the point that it can be very hard, or impossible, to find a shop, even those in more rural areas willing to do the work.
All depends upon where you live.

Some of the earliest pre-made ones did actually look fairly “custom” in fact! Hacked even.
I think Superlift and Skyjacker were among the first to come out with adjustables that looked like they were built in a factory setting.
If I’m not mistaken.

Some of the early ones done at local four-wheel-drive or fab shops used several different methods. Starting with several different cores. Plenty of variations when you look under trucks to see what has been done.
Cut, extend, using an outer sleeve, and welded over practically every square inch, including plug weld holes. Because failure was not an option.

Not a lot of labor involved if you knew what you were doing. My guess is though, that nowadays the shop rate would be astronomical. Not just because they charge more labor per hour, but because as you pointed out, steering and suspension components are especially trouble prone and nobody wants to be involved in that. They basically quote you a price that helps cover their liability insurance. The old “I don’t really wanna do it“ price.

Back when I wanted to make my drag link adjustable (mid-80’s) I found out just how many shops around here wouldn’t even touch it. That was literally 100% of the ones I talked to!
They all took one look at the Moog steering link in my hand and practically ran out the other door!
Finally found out that a Bronco acquaintance of mine worked at a Machine Shop and he did the work for free. That was a huge score!
That drag link is still on my bronco.

Sorry for getting your discussion off track!
Brings back fond memories of working hard to try to get things to work properly, with few resources.
And hopefully take your mind off the hassles for a few minutes.

No that was great info. The machine shop i use employs mechanical engineers they make custom aviation parts so building
a track bar is not an issue. They have all the latest CNC equipment. The only reason its an option is that the cost of parts from the USA, has become prohibitive to buy and ship. Steering parts should only be made by qualified engineers using the highest quality materials and equipment.

 

[ntsqd]

When you start down the road of building your own trac-bar there's some obvious partial solutions. The better designs use a spherical rod end (SRE, "heim joint") at the axle end and a "Johnnie Joint" or similar at the frame end. Personally I'd use a MetalCloak joint at the frame end. The reason for not using two SRE's is NVH transmission into the frame. Putting the SRE on the axle saves some room in an area where it can get pretty tight. Were it not for the large space claim I would use two of the MetalCloak joints, but I'm not sure that there is enough room at the axle to actually do that. My reason is that I don't particularly care for using SRE's on street-going vehicles*. Road grime can eat them up fairly fast, and good brands that last do not come cheap! Seals-it washers can help with keeping grit out of the SRE's.
Can buy threaded bungs for these joints to thread into and which are welded into a suitable piece of tubing.
Assuming no local inventory of all of these parts you're going to need to buy them South of the Border. I suspect that the $400 adjustable trac-bar might be a bargain even if it is an absurd amount of money.

*Proof that I am a bit of a hypocrite, sometimes there's just no better solution than the one that you don't like.

 

[Grey owl]

When you start down the road of building your own trac-bar there's some obvious partial solutions. The better designs use a spherical rod end (SRE, "heim joint") at the axle end and a "Johnnie Joint" or similar at the frame end. Personally I'd use a MetalCloak joint at the frame end. The reason for not using two SRE's is NVH transmission into the frame. Putting the SRE on the axle saves some room in an area where it can get pretty tight. Were it not for the large space claim I would use two of the MetalCloak joints, but I'm not sure that there is enough room at the axle to actually do that. My reason is that I don't particularly care for using SRE's on street-going vehicles*. Road grime can eat them up fairly fast, and good brands that last do not come cheap! Seals-it washers can help with keeping grit out of the SRE's.
Can buy threaded bungs for these joints to thread into and which are welded into a suitable piece of tubing.
Assuming no local inventory of all of these parts you're going to need to buy them South of the Border. I suspect that the $400 adjustable trac-bar might be a bargain even if it is an absurd amount of money.

*Proof that I am a bit of a hypocrite, sometimes there's just no better solution than the oarene that you don't like.

You are absolutely correct, quality materials has to be used, and that will be expensive. The TOMs one has the engineering done and its bolt on and forget.

 

[ntsqd]

I would expect that by now all of the major Bronco parts vendors have a well sorted-out adjustable trac-bar solution. You might be able to build something better for more money, but I doubt that you can build something comparable for the same expenditure.

 

[DirtDonk]

Unless you know people, who know people…

 

[Grey owl]

I would expect that by now all of the major Bronco parts vendors have a well sorted-out adjustable trac-bar solution. You might be able to build something better for more money, but th doubt that you can build something comparable for the same expenditurear

Yes i am sure they do. We were just musing about building one due to cost of parts for Canadian. We pay 30% on the dollar exchange, the shipping is about the same as the part cost. The duty, taxes , fees add another 125, so what costs you guys 110.00 US can codt me over 400. Canadian

 

[Qumanchew]

Keep in mind that if you are building one there is no need for it to be adjustable. Remove the old one and center the frame over the axle. Two ratchet straps work great for this . Run the straps from the far side frame rail to the inner C on each side. This gives you the adjustability to move the frame left or right as needed. Once the frame is centered you just measure the length you need. It's as simple as a piece of DOM and some weld on bushings. This route by far is the most economical. This isn't rocket surgery , your just building a suspension link. Any shop should be able to handle that.

 

[DonaldDouchebag]

I just added an adjustable track bar along with a 2.5” lift, long arms, and a TRO swap. The adjustable track bar had to be threaded all the way in to get close to having the axle centered. Not sure if that is typical.