tracking bar drop bracket-Busted

[nysledge]

Took the EB trail riding yesterday and lost my steering deep in the trails. Upon inspection I discovered my tracking bar drop bracket had broken in half. Has anyone ever heard of this happening before? I was pretty damned surprised! With limited tools, I was able to pull a bolt out of the roll cage and rig the bracket up just enough to make it out of the woods and into the parking lot of a nearby watering hole. On the way there I discovered the truest form of bump steer. Scared me to death! A few beers later and a $50.00 tow bill home, the wife met me at the door. So after I cooked her dinner and cleaned the dishes, bathed the kids and put them to bed, she seems to have settled down a bit. This story makes it clear who wears the pants in my house. Today is supposed to be in the mid 70's and I have a broken down EB in the garage covered in red clay...Bummer

 

[HotWheels]

Yikes!! Was it welded in?

 

[nysledge]

No. At the time I didn't feel that it needed to be. Rest assured that the new one will be though

 

[welndmn]

Yeah, sad thing is its common.
I added a brace to mine, its really just another heim that the trac bar bolts slides into, then that bar runs accross to the other side of the frame
old pic, but you can kind of see it

 

[HotWheels]

No. At the time I didn't feel that it needed to be. Rest assured that the new one will be though

there is ALOT of lateral stress placed upon that thing, ESPECIALLY with larger tires. I'm going to cut mine off and install the Performance Unlimited setup eventually. It will improved the steering geometry promoting better handling also. I've also got dual sway bars to help with lateral stress on front and rear.

 

[Allen_69]

Duff's makes an extreme duty bracket that wraps around 3 sides of the frame. After my std drop bracket busted the welds and the bolts that's what I went with. I admit my welds weren't the greatest, but after ending up in a ditch, I made damn sure it wouldn't happen again.

 

[nysledge]

Actually the drop bracket was Duff's. I did not weld it though. My mistake! I called them yesterday and they are actually being very helpful. I will let you know how it turns out. Yesterday when I took it apart, I discovered that it destroyed one of the shocks when it came loose, so I will be spending some $$$ there as well.

 

[Allen_69]

Duff's actually makes two types, one that comes with their kits, and then an extreme duty one, couple of bucks more but much beefier.

5405 Tracking Bar Drop Bracket, 66-75, $37.50
#5401 Tracking Bar Drop Bracket, 76-77, $37.50
#5407 HD Brkt, 66-75 $79.00
#5409 HD Brkt, 76-77 $79.00

correction looks like they call it HD not extreme

 

[BroncoMarc]

I got rid of my drop bracket and went back to the stock hole. I built a bracket on the axle end to raise the track bar up 3 inches. Much beefier and I don't have to worry about the track bar having so much leverage on the frame.

http://www.broncomarc.com/temppics/raisedtrackbar1.jpg
http://www.broncomarc.com/temppics/raisedtrackbar2.jpg
http://www.broncomarc.com/temppics/raisedtrackbar3.jpg
http://www.broncomarc.com/temppics/raisedtrackbar4.jpg