Trackbar end snaps in two pieces

[firehawk]

Well it "finally" happened today. My Rustys HD track bar frame end mount broke. By that I mean the end that screws into the TB, not the frame mount itself. Thanks god it was only in a parking lot! I WAS going to drive it from Indy to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. I was close to home, and nursed it back home at least. I just heard/felt a loud pop, and was suddenly headed for the curb.

Question I have is, who makes the heaviest duty "bulletproof" TB out there? Obviously not one with a TRE on the frame end. I'm NOT wanting to go thru this crap again, ESPECIALLY not if it was to happen on the highway! I'm running a 4" lift, and the Jeep is 99% a DD.

After searching, how about the RE extreme duty TB and mount? TB #1660, and mount # 1665?

[Mudderoy]

Well it "finally" happened today. My Rustys HD track bar frame end mount broke. By that I mean the end that screws into the TB, not the frame mount itself. Thanks god it was only in a parking lot! I WAS going to drive it from Indy to Columbus, Ohio on Saturday. I was close to home, and nursed it back home at least. I just heard/felt a loud pop, and was suddenly headed for the curb.

Question I have is, who makes the heaviest duty "bulletproof" TB out there? Obviously not one with a TRE on the frame end. I'm NOT wanting to go thru this crap again, ESPECIALLY not if it was to happen on the highway! I'm running a 4" lift, and the Jeep is 99% a DD.

After searching, how about the RE extreme duty TB and mount? TB #1660, and mount # 1665?

See we told you not to trust Rusty's! :smiley-laughing021:

[alwaysxj]

See we told you not to trust Rusty's! :smiley-laughing021:

x2

[xjjeepthing]

Kim I have the Rubicon HD bar,mount and brace. Fantastic set up. I was reluctant at first. But well worth it.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s44/xjjeepthing/My%20jeep/007-1.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s44/xjjeepthing/My%20jeep/008.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s44/xjjeepthing/My%20jeep/009.jpg

[firehawk]

Well I went ahead and ordered the RE Extreme Duty TB and mount. I ordered it from Jeepin Outfitters. Yea....FREE shipping. I asked them to contact me about any expedited shipping.... I NEED these parts ASAP!:smiley-scared002:

Don't know how long I can keep the company truck.:driving:

[4.3LXJ]

I think this goes to show that cheapest is not really the best deal. Sometimes you get to pay for it twice.

[xjjeepthing]

Kim get the brace. The mount can twist without it

[firehawk]

Kim get the brace. The mount can twist without it

I'll end up getting it. For now though I'll have to get by with just the TB and mount. I hope I won't have any issues just driving on the street until I can get the brace.

[xjjeepthing]

It should fine. Just driving.

[firehawk]

This is down right scarey!!! After looking at the broken end of the TB I see there is only about 1/8" or less of "freshly" broken metal. That means that 4/5ths of the threaded rod on the end has been cracked for some time now.:smiley-scared002: After thinking about this, this would explain why the Jeep has felt like it was 'wandering" around at times lately. The end was already cracked, and was flexing at the break.

I believe the problem with the design is that the poly bushing binds up on the frame mount and was not wanting to move up and down with the suspension. Instead of tightening down on the steel tube inside the poly bushing, it was tightening on the poly bushing itself. That means ALL the stress was at the weakest point, ie the threaded end of the TB end.

This is BAD! I have ALWAYS checked ALL the suspension parts on a regular basis, and NEVER saw ANY crack, break, etc...

I guess the RE spherical ball/jonnie joint on the end of the RE TB will solve this problem.

[Mudderoy]

This is down right scarey!!! After looking at the broken end of the TB I see there is only about 1/8" or less of "freshly" broken metal. That means that 4/5ths of the threaded rod on the end has been cracked for some time now.:smiley-scared002: After thinking about this, this would explain why the Jeep has felt like it was 'wandering" around at times lately. The end was already cracked, and was flexing at the break.

I believe the problem with the design is that the poly bushing binds up on the frame mount and was not wanting to move up and down with the suspension. Instead of tightening down on the steel tube inside the poly bushing, it was tightening on the poly bushing itself. That means ALL the stress was at the weakest point, ie the threaded end of the TB end.

This is BAD! I have ALWAYS checked ALL the suspension parts on a regular basis, and NEVER saw ANY crack, break, etc...

I guess the RE spherical ball/jonnie joint on the end of the RE TB will solve this problem.

I'd love to see a picture of this on the rig and off, if you can.

[firehawk]

Here's a pic of the end of the TB. It shows the broken threaded end of the TB end. It's not real clear, but you can see the shiney strip. That was all that was left before it broke.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a155/kbharbison/09deerseason006.jpg

[Mudderoy]

Here's a pic of the end of the TB. It shows the broken threaded end of the TB end. It's not real clear, but you can see the shiney strip. That was all that was left before it broke.
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a155/kbharbison/09deerseason006.jpg

No this is great. I had no idea where you were talking about before. I could have re-read and thought about it I guess, but this makes it real easy to understand. Thanks! :thumbsup:

[kryptonitexj]

I have the 1660 and bracket but not the brace yet. I think that this design is by far one of the best. Double shear, spherical rod and beefy as hell. I DD mine with out the brace with out a problem. But I will be adding It soon for good measure.

[BlueXJ]

Plz take pics of the new RE bar when you get it so that everyone can see the heavy duty Jonny Joint that they use on the RE bar.

[mizedog]

It's posts like this that make me miss the dirt simple set up on my old CJ. No track bar, no sway bars. Just good old sprung over leafs.

My Jeep came with the same Rusty's track bar. I glance at it every now and then for problems because I'm scared of it. So far, no wandering. I try not to Baja it over bumps. I amazes me to think of the forces that that little thing contends with.

Anyone use the JKS bar with the stock mount?

[mizedog]

Do I understand correctly that it was the tie rod end itself that failed, not the bar? If so, could this type of break possibly be avoided by changing the TREs frequently, and using the appropriate grease on the bushing end to allow it to move easier? Just wondering how to keep my TB alive.

[xjjeepthing]

Any of the Track Bars with a Tie Rod are not the best to go with. The tie rods really are not designed to flex the way they do on a track Bar. For a inexpensive bar a Heim joint style is better. The best is a double sheer with a flex joint

[firehawk]

Do I understand correctly that it was the tie rod end itself that failed, not the bar? If so, could this type of break possibly be avoided by changing the TREs frequently, and using the appropriate grease on the bushing end to allow it to move easier? Just wondering how to keep my TB alive.

There is/was no TRE on my Rustys "HD" TB. It had an end that screwed into it with a poly bushing. It came with a new frame mount. I had replaced my stock TB when I bent the end with the TRE the first time I wheeled it several years ago.

IMO, this TB failed because the steel tube/bushing that ran through the poly bushing was not long enough. Instead of tightening down on the steel tube/bushing, it was tightening down on the poly bushing and binding the frame end up in the mount. It simply overstressed the threaded part of the TB end and it finally snapped.

[firehawk]

Plz take pics of the new RE bar when you get it so that everyone can see the heavy duty Jonny Joint that they use on the RE bar.

Well... here 'ya go!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a155/kbharbison/09deerseason007.jpg

As you can see it is MUCH beefier than the Rustys TB. Look at the size of the threads on the RE TB compared to the Rustys.

Only thing you have to do to mount one of these up and is NOT in the instructions is open up the holes in the axle mount to 1/2" since the RE TB uses new hardware to attach that end. It has a 1/2-13 grade 8 bolt at both ends.

[Mudderoy]

Well... here 'ya go!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a155/kbharbison/09deerseason007.jpg

As you can see it is MUCH beefier than the Rustys TB. Look at the size of the threads on the RE TB compared to the Rustys.

Only thing you have to do to mount one of these up and is NOT in the instructions is open up the holes in the axle mount to 1/2" since the RE TB uses new hardware to attach that end. It has a 1/2-13 grade 8 bolt at both ends.

Great picture, thanks. This really helps me understand what happened.

[firehawk]

I decided to go ahead and get the RE TB brace today. That way I should be all done with THIS issue!:rolleyes:

[Mudderoy]

I decided to go ahead and get the RE TB brace today. That way I should be all done with THIS issue!:rolleyes:

Hey did you contact Rusty and see what he had to say? :smiley-laughing021:

[firehawk]

Hey did you contact Rusty and see what he had to say? :smiley-laughing021:

Uh... NO I didn't.:rolleyes: Rustys would have replaced, might have replaced a part I could not EVER trust again. As I have said, the TB itself is a strong one, it is the frame end that is a bad design....IMO. And not only Rustys uses the design.

I could "somewhat" understand this part failing if I NEVER checked/lubed, etc.... it. But I am ANAL about inspecting the steering/drivetrain on my Jeep. So it was time to "move on". I'm liable to start replacing other parts like control arms, etc when funds will allow.