Track Bar
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Western MA
Got under there this morning. Track bar mounting bolt was loose. So loose I was able to use 2 crescent wrenches to tighten it. Is the torque spec on that bolt really 416lbs? Then the three frame mount bolts on the bds drop bracket were all a tad loose as well. I need all the torque specs for those bolts and the U-bolts as well. 4 of the 8 U-bolt nuts took a flat or two as well!!
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 565
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From: Durango, CO
Got under there this morning. Track bar mounting bolt was loose. So loose I was able to use 2 crescent wrenches to tighten it. Is the torque spec on that bolt really 416lbs? Then the three frame mount bolts on the bds drop bracket were all a tad loose as well. I need all the torque specs for those bolts and the U-bolts as well. 4 of the 8 U-bolt nuts took a flat or two as well!!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Western MA
Yikes! Good thing you got under there to check it. Yes, the big track bar mounting bolt torque spec is 400 ft lbs plus. I have read it posted on here as 405 ft lbs and 410 and 416 but that’s splitting hairs. In my experience you need at least a 3 foot breaker bar to reach that kind of torque while under your truck or a torque multiplier tool. I don’t know what the specs are for the bracket bolts but they should be listed in your BDS instruction manual. If you didn’t save it you could look it up on line and if they don’t post it on line perhaps you could see if ReadyLift has their instructions for their drop bracket listed on line.
More Turbo
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 698
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From: Rural Northern California
I have Carli's bar with their 2.5" level (Pintop) and my truck drives like a dream. I am very happy with it.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 915
Likes: 1
From: oriental NC.
Yikes! Good thing you got under there to check it. Yes, the big track bar mounting bolt torque spec is 400 ft lbs plus. I have read it posted on here as 405 ft lbs and 410 and 416 but that’s splitting hairs. In my experience you need at least a 3 foot breaker bar to reach that kind of torque while under your truck or a torque multiplier tool. I don’t know what the specs are for the bracket bolts but they should be listed in your BDS instruction manual. If you didn’t save it you could look it up on line and if they don’t post it on line perhaps you could see if ReadyLift has their instructions for their drop bracket listed on line.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2018
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interesting the different feedback on the Carli trackbar. it would seem they wouldn't release a part that doesn't work with their own kit, sounds like it runs on the lower end of the adjustment, but as long as it gives the length you need that's good
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Joined: Apr 2018
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Just heard back from Dan at Carli. He says that on their next production run, they’ll offer an additional trac bar for those with the 2.5” leveling kit. Essentially, the length will be shortened 1/4” for the leveling kit. Current length is 37-5/16” and the shorter one being 37-1/16”.
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2018
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Likes: 9
Just heard back from Dan at Carli. He says that on their next production run, they’ll offer an additional trac bar for those with the 2.5” leveling kit. Essentially, the length will be shortened 1/4” for the leveling kit. Current length is 37-5/16” and the shorter one being 37-1/16”.
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
Ill probably go with the PMF one with it being more adjustable.
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Joined: Apr 2017
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From: SoCal
416 ft lbs is the correct torque number for the track bar, make sure you use a healthy dose of red loctite too. The frame mount bolts are only about 120 ft. lbs if I remember correctly....not as important as the track bar though. 4ft breaker bar and some gumption 
As for why Ford doesn't offer an adjustable trackbar, its more expensive and its another point of failure/maintenance. While most of us would love it, the 900k other Super Duties on the road that are running completely stock until the day they die would not like the added maintenance and issues that would arise. Its an economy of scale thing.
Carli, Icon, PMF, BDS, and....theres another....I can't seem to remember...all make adjustables. I'm happy enough with my drop bracket and stock arm for now. No issues and it centered the axle perfectly.
As for why Ford doesn't offer an adjustable trackbar, its more expensive and its another point of failure/maintenance. While most of us would love it, the 900k other Super Duties on the road that are running completely stock until the day they die would not like the added maintenance and issues that would arise. Its an economy of scale thing.
Carli, Icon, PMF, BDS, and....theres another....I can't seem to remember...all make adjustables. I'm happy enough with my drop bracket and stock arm for now. No issues and it centered the axle perfectly.
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 351
Likes: 2
From: AZ
Cool, they say when it'll be out? I'm about to Carli level soon too
Just heard back from Dan at Carli. He says that on their next production run, they’ll offer an additional trac bar for those with the 2.5” leveling kit. Essentially, the length will be shortened 1/4” for the leveling kit. Current length is 37-5/16” and the shorter one being 37-1/16”.
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
BTW- I have dibs on one of the first runs, but still have yet to buy my leveling kit. Time & money issue. No time and kids are milking me dry! (One college bound, and one is having a baby very soon). Someday it’ll happen...
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 53
Likes: 2
From: In a house.
The rod end is threaded directly into the tubing itself. Might be worth taking the track bar apart, and measuring how far into the bar the threads run. If the threads in the tubing are deep enough, you should be able to just cut 1/4" from the bar and srcew the rod end back in.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2018
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The rod end is threaded directly into the tubing itself. Might be worth taking the track bar apart, and measuring how far into the bar the threads run. If the threads in the tubing are deep enough, you should be able to just cut 1/4" from the bar and srcew the rod end back in.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 915
Likes: 1
From: oriental NC.
The rod end is threaded directly into the tubing itself. Might be worth taking the track bar apart, and measuring how far into the bar the threads run. If the threads in the tubing are deep enough, you should be able to just cut 1/4" from the bar and srcew the rod end back in.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Apr 2017
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From: Western MA
So I loosened the track bar nut and bolt this morning, hit it with some blue loctite and torqued as hard as I could with a small breaker bar and socket. If it comes loose again I’ll need a lift and a 3 foot pipe!!
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allingeneral
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May 12, 2017 03:42 PM