[FineJeep]

Hello. I just recently purchased a '93 Jeep Wrangler YJ. It has been lifted, although I'm not sure by how much. I was looking at the trackbars and noticed the front one is bolted directly to the axle bracket. Whereas the rear trackbar seems to have approximately 3" bracket between the trackbar and axle. There are 1 1/2" or so spacers between the crossmember and frame. Is it okay to remove the rear bracket? Or does a front bracket need to be installed? Any help any of you might provide is appreciated. Thank you

 

[Tyler92yj]

Remove both track bar and u will have a better ride more articulation and if u cut the end off they make a great offset cheater bar

 

[Xpress]

Remove the bars permanently. They do more harm than good with leaf springs.

 

[Riff Raff]

^ X2 I have 6 sets of them, just need to figure out what to do with them. Tyler's idea is a good one, I will have said cheater bar.

 

[BlueRidgeYJ]

If you do only highway driving, leave them. If you think a jeep is a racecar, leave em.

If you go off road, take em off. It will help stabilize the body (what you sit in) by loosening the suspension to the level leaf springs allow.

 

[DirtyRob]

It sounds like you have approx. a 4" lift and that sounds like a relocation bracket in the rear. Do the shocks have any name on them? (most people use the stickers that come with them for other stuff) That may give you the name of the lift you have. (probably Rough Country)
As far as the trac bars. It is personal preference, but I do have mine removed without any ill effects on it's driveability

 

[Xpress]

If you do only highway driving, leave them. If you think a jeep is a racecar, leave em.

If you go off road, take em off. It will help stabilize the body (what you sit in) by loosening the suspension to the level leaf springs allow.

Sounds like you're confusing the Track Bars with the Sway Bar. The track bar limits suspension flex, and can mask all kinds of issues with your suspension. It has to move in an arch in one direction, whereas leaf springs flex slightly in both directions.

The sway bar on the other hand keeps the front axle parallel to the body, and prohibits body roll. It helps improve on road handling, and can easily be disconnected for offroad use with a set of quick disconnects.

Coil springs mandate the use of a track bar, as the springs are not limited to up and down movement. But that's an entirely different subject.

There are hundreds and hundreds of trucks and SUV's using leaf springs that do not use track bars. They aren't required on our leaf sprung Jeeps.

 

[BlueRidgeYJ]

Oh me, why I almost didn't even respond.

I agree there is MUCH confusion on the actual function of a "track bar" on a jeep. When a panhard bar (what jeepers call a track bar) is installed on a leaf spring suspension, it functions to limit the rolling effect of the body atop the frame. Yes, the sway bar does that too - but more to limit the axle flex from the frame. CJs flipped over, so the YJ had a longer & wider stance and these "new" suspension bars... why? To limit the potential for rollovers due to heightened COG or high speed manuevering. How? By restricting the flex capable of a leaf suspension by adding these restricter bars(what you should call em). If you look into the use of them and purpose for it on race cars that are leaf sprung it will make a bit more sense how the geometry is effected.

Yes, the leaf suspension is limited in flex to an arc equal the radius of the length of the panhard bar. Thats my whole point. This is a benefit to emergency oversteer, the leading type of cause of high impact MVA on highways. Rolling over potholes is hardly a benefit worthy to remove them, unless youre in them yankee states of new england. Off road they allow more axle/body independence removed, which is very noticable.

Got it?

 

[BlueRidgeYJ]

And I would not drive any vehicle, let alone a raised jeep, without swaybars. It isn't a stable suspension design, although you may feel comfortable driving it.

I know guys that cut coilsprings down, too. One feller I didnt know in the town I grew up in did, took a left turn and had the spring pop out. Lost control, hit by a dumptruck - wanna guess how it ended? Short walk with 6 friends.

Don't take things off if you don't fully understand suspension geometry, at least not for on road use. For the safety of all those buses full of nuns out there

 

[Xpress]

My commentary on the matter:

I agree there is MUCH confusion on the actual function of a "track bar" on a jeep. When a panhard bar (what jeepers call a track bar) is installed on a leaf spring suspension, it functions to limit the rolling effect of the body atop the frame.

Agreed

Yes, the sway bar does that too - but more to limit the axle flex from the frame. CJs flipped over, so the YJ had a longer & wider stance and these "new" suspension bars...

As far as I know, CJ's never had an inherent roll over issue. Same thing with the late 3 wheelers from the 70's and 80's. Nobody could prove they were unstable, it's all operator error.

why? To limit the potential for rollovers due to heightened COG or high speed manuevering. How? By restricting the flex capable of a leaf suspension by adding these restricter bars(what you should call em).

Again, it's not a design flaw, it's idiot drivers. If you blame the machine for your own mistakes, you're making yourself look more like a fool

If you look into the use of them and purpose for it on race cars that are leaf sprung it will make a bit more sense how the geometry is effected.

A Jeep YJ is nowhere near being a race-car. Invalid point.

Yes, the leaf suspension is limited in flex to an arc equal the radius of the length of the panhard bar. Thats my whole point. This is a benefit to emergency oversteer, the leading type of cause of high impact MVA on highways. Rolling over potholes is hardly a benefit worthy to remove them, unless youre in them yankee states of new england. Off road they allow more axle/body independence removed, which is very noticable.

Realistically, there is no proof of them aiding in keeping the vehicle more stable. The swaybar does that PERFECTLY fine on its own. We can take a look at an IFS vehicle (which do not feature a track bar on the independent suspension components). Without a swaybar in the front, the vehicle can rock back and forth equally as easily as a Jeep YJ with no track or swaybars. What's stopping an IFS truck from rolling over in a hard corner with no sway bar? Nothing, really, it happens all the time in desert racing.

I was watching Robby Gordon race in one of his mini trucks on a mini course, no swaybars (and I'll tell you how I know this if you keep reading). He took a corner a little bit too hard and wound up rolling the truck once then coming to a rest on the passenger side (and yes, he was fine, infact they flopped the truck back upright and he went and did the track another 5 times). All because he didn't have a swaybar, which was clearly evident as I was looking at the undercarriage.

So no swaybar and you're definitely risking getting a wheel or two up in the air if you corner wrong. I don't like the feeling of the whole body rolling on my Jeep, so I keep my swaybar connected (I have quick disconnects). There is very limited consequences to running without a track bar. Like I mentioned, the swaybar does a perfectly fine job of keeping the front axle parallel to the body.

And I would not drive any vehicle, let alone a raised jeep, without swaybars. It isn't a stable suspension design, although you may feel comfortable driving it.

I concur. I don't like the feeling of the whole body rolling. I definitely do not want to find out what happens if I have to corner hard if someone cuts me off.

I know guys that cut coilsprings down, too. One feller I didnt know in the town I grew up in did, took a left turn and had the spring pop out. Lost control, hit by a dumptruck - wanna guess how it ended? Short walk with 6 friends.

I still don't understand why people cut the springs, then don't do anything else to the suspension. It's not a very well thought out process, you need to do it right the first time, otherwise, as you mentioned, you could suffer the consequences...

Don't take things off if you don't fully understand suspension geometry, at least not for on road use. For the safety of all those buses full of nuns out there

In the case of the track bars on YJ's, it's been proven countless times that there are limited to no ill side effects of not having them on the vehicle. I drive without them every day, my Jeep is my DD.

 

[cvb-66]

I definately agree with "BlueRidge", if your interested. I drive an 87 wranger, on the road more than off (unfortunately) I got a 4' suspension lift, another inch in the boomerang shackes, and 3" of body lift. all sittin on 9.00x16 "tall and skinney military tires" Corner at 45 on a (posted 25 mph turn) with little or no sway, because of the swaybars. If all I did was "crawl" around in the swamp/rocks/desert/mountains etc. etc. I might remove them, but since I ride on the road alot, and off a little. I leave them on. (just my two cents)

 

[Pudwak]

Remove both track bar and u will have a better ride more articulation and if u cut the end off they make a great offset cheater bar

That's what I made mine into.

 

[BlueRidgeYJ]

...Nobody could prove they were unstable, it's all operator error....

Again, it's not a design flaw, it's idiot drivers. If you blame the machine for your own mistakes, you're making yourself look more like a fool...

Why they engineered people out of it with aforementioned restricter bars. The caster angle leads to oversteer in old jeeps to begin with, add people and they will be known for flipping which is bad for sales. 1st time I told my dad I wanted and was gonna get a Jeep he said I was crazy, they flip. That was the early 90s. Fact or fiction, sales were jeopardized.

A Jeep YJ is nowhere near being a race-car. Invalid point....

Realistically, there is no proof of them aiding in keeping the vehicle more stable....

Suspensions act as suspensions act. A dirt car running leafs and panhard bars will be subjected to the same geometric angles or articulation that your jeep is subjected to. Physics don't change by manufacturer. A racecar in a turn wants to remain flat due to suspension reassertion of force to the inner wheels. This is exactly how you do not want your jeep to ride, as it will not let the wheels articulate independently.

In the case of the track bars on YJ's, it's been proven countless times that there are limited to no ill side effects of not having them on the vehicle. I drive without them every day, my Jeep is my DD....

OK. I am done trying to explain on here what takes years of education to get. Go ask a professional undercarriage speacalist what they do and how. Funny, our arguement is so similar.

 

[nicks_yj]

Im extremely confused on all of this now do you need track bars or not and what is a cheater bar

 

[STEVE 0]

It sounds like you have approx. a 4" lift and that sounds like a relocation bracket in the rear. Do the shocks have any name on them? (most people use the stickers that come with them for other stuff) That may give you the name of the lift you have. (probably Rough Country)
As far as the trac bars. It is personal preference, but I do have mine removed without any ill effects on it's driveability

just to add the rough country spring part numbers are 8010 and 8012. (I believe) should be painted on the top of the spring

 

[cvb-66]

ok "fine Jeep" their not "traction bars" they are sway bars, they may help with traction I dont know, but they are there to keep you from rolling over when you turn at speed (whatever speed your going, if its too fast your gonna roll anyway, but thats on you), I think someone already said it, but "LEAVE IT ALONE UNLESS IT BRAKES OR YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING" you really cant see 'em, so why mess with them. Unless your planning on doing something other than "daily driving" then sway bars are the least of our concerns.

"cheater bars" allow you more leverage when you are trying to loosen, tighten, move or bend something. and it may be true, but the "author" was making a half hearted joke, I'm sure.

 

[Speedy4x4]

I'm just going out on a limb here.

I thought track bars and traction bars are 2 different things.

Track Bars keep you axle possitioned under your side to side and straight. Currect?

Traction bars plant your rearend in a downward motion as you mash on the throttle.


Sway bars a third completely different thing that can help with tracking and help with launch traction.

Sway bars keep the spring compressed at the same rate. From left to right. They are a spring in themselves. If they weren't our front ends would do zero flexing. The keep you from tipping side to side.


So traction bars (jeep yj's don't have factory)
Mostly for planting the rearend downward

Track bars keep you going straight and keep your axle where they belong.

Sway bars keep you from tipping from side to side.

All three will effect each other.

Or in the case of most yj's just the 2.

 

[cvb-66]

WHAT?? we're not talking about "traction bars", get out!!
I thought we were talking about the "sway bars" at least thats what I'm callin them. located front and rear, mounted to the frame and axle, restrictive for the rock crawlers, necessary for the speed demons.... go left to right...or is it right to left....

 

[Speedy4x4]

I don't know about your jeep but mine doesn't have a sway bar in the rear. Never has.

Are we talking about the bar that hooks on one side of the axle then goes to the frame?

Or are we talking about the bar that hooks to both sides of the axle then the middle is mounted to the frame?

 

[cvb-66]

the bar that hook to the frame on the left (as your looking at the front of the vehicle) and the top of the rear axle. and the frame on the right and the front of the front axle.
what are those things called....
your jeep is deformed man.... its missing a whatchamacallit.. lol