adjustable track bar or drop bracket or both?
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: southern oregon
adjustable track bar or drop bracket or both?
I have a 2002 ford excursion with the procomp 22210 leafs up front. When we tried to align the track bar with the bolt holes it was 1/2" to short. Do I need the zone offroad adjustable track bar or a drop bracket? Will a drop bracket move the hole closer so an oem track bar would work? thanks
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
A drop down trac bar bracket is used to keep the drag link and track bar parallel when you install a dropped pitman arm. The reason for installing a dropped pitman arm is to keep the angle of the TRE within its design parameters and not bind on full droop. If the 2 are not parallel they will move in seperate arcs as the suspension cycles and that is the cause of bump steer.
With a 4" lift I don't think most people are using dropped pitman arms or drop down trac bar mounts.
Do you need an adjustable trac bar. Maybe , maybe not. The only real way to know is to measure. However measuring a vehicles front to rear track and squareness isn't the easiest exercise so most people will take it to an alignment shop and have it put on a rack.
You can use a ratchet strap to cinch the axle over and install the track bar for the purpose of getting it to an alignment shop.
With a 4" lift I don't think most people are using dropped pitman arms or drop down trac bar mounts.
Do you need an adjustable trac bar. Maybe , maybe not. The only real way to know is to measure. However measuring a vehicles front to rear track and squareness isn't the easiest exercise so most people will take it to an alignment shop and have it put on a rack.
You can use a ratchet strap to cinch the axle over and install the track bar for the purpose of getting it to an alignment shop.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 4
From: North Texas
I bet a zone adjustable trac bar will cure your issue. I had to use one with just ATS X codes up front. Not even 4 inches of lift. Before I got that I used the ratchet strap method and beasted the factory bar in place. The axle was out of center by about an inch to the drivers side and it had strange behavior over bumps as well. I actually had to cut some of the threaded end off one side of the zone bar to get it short enough to install, then adjusted from there using a tape measure from the frame on each side to edge of tires. I got the axle centered enough that the alignment shop didn't have to do anything to it.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 17
4" combination lift on mine, I used an Icon adjustable track-bar threaded about halfway. Pretty much anything I've lifted over 3.5" gets an adjustable, IMO if you have to ratchet strap or force the hole to line up you need an adjustable. Weight on wheels, the holes of the track-bar and the bracket should line up without need to crank and force things around. For a 1/2" however, I'm on the fence. Personally I would throw an adjustable on there anyway, as well as having there in case you decide to add some height later. I thought I was happy with mine, but X and C-XL's are in my future so it's a good thing I put an adjustable on when I first lifted it.
Let's not slot the hole either, seen that mentioned as a 'fix' on other forums... ugh.
Let's not slot the hole either, seen that mentioned as a 'fix' on other forums... ugh.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,259
Likes: 346
From: Northern California
Just keep in mind that when you put a new spring in and lower the vehicle down off the jacks the vehicle isn't nessasarly going to be sitting at its natural ride height, so what ever difference in track bar alignment you have at that moment isn't what you should be using to determine the final length. You need to take it for a drive to let the suspension cycle and settle. Then set the track bar length ( without jacking up the vehicle )
FTE Chapter Leader
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11,273
Likes: 100
From: North Dakota
I drove mine for a few days without the trac bar to let the springs "settle" in, than slapped it into place. I cheaped out and just lengthened my factory one to the right length.
Note: driving without trac bar causes some bump steer
Note: driving without trac bar causes some bump steer
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
viperbluelx
1999 - 2016 Super Duty
5
Jul 6, 2007 09:17 PM
