My truck is lifted up front with f-superduty 2wd springs, it’s about 5” lift. I must first comment I don’t recommend for a smooth ride....I do have a drop pitman arm on and the stock panhard/track bar and mount. I get a lot of “hop” and noise when I hit bumps, and because the springs are very unforgiving, it can throw the truck all over the road if you aren’t careful. Also, on a complete standstill, I can hear a bit of a clunk when cutting the wheel one way or the other. Steering otherwise feels good, pump and linkage seem to work as good as can be expected, although the play in the steering wheel is a bit excessive. I feel like the track bar needs a drop bracket to keep it in line with the steering linkage, and also because the top of the bar is resting on the axle mount. Are any of these issues related, and will it solve some of the steering problems I have? I have thought about changing to a better spring, and the shackle reversal, but that will be difficult due to the trailer hitch mount that is currently welded up front between frame rails where the shackle mount is.

 

 

 

Anything attached to the frame needs to drop with the axle dropping. So the steering box is attached to the frame, so you have a dropped pitman arm. The shocks are attached on one end, so they need to be longer. The brake line brackets are attached, so they need to be lowered or you need longer lines. The track bar is attached to the frame on one end, so you do need a drop bracket for that. I bet your front axle is not even centered evenly under the truck unless someone lengthened the track bar. If the track bar is not angled like it was at the factory, that can be your steering control problem. As the angle of the track bar gets to be too much, it will shift the axle from side to side as it goes over bumps. If you hold the steering wheel tight, then that makes the tie rod ends turn the wheels, and you dart all over the place.

 

 

So it has leaf springs right?
Why is it some truck use a track bar with leaf springs and other don't?

Early Jeeps up to 1975, Toyota F40 LC 72/73, early chevy 73,78, 86 all K5 Blazers and I am sure PU trucks did not use a track bars.
BTW we raced the Jeeps & F40 off road and never had any issues.

Now I know the later Jeeps that still used leaf springs used a track bar but why?
I am thinking as a test remove it and see what happens.
Dave ----

 

 

There is nothing to control the axle side to side movement except the bushings on the leaf springs and the leaf springs themselves. If everything was in tip top shape and you were running smaller stock tires, you may be able to get by without the track bar. But a lot of trucks will develop a death wobble without the track bar. Worn bushings and oversize tires aggravated this. Soft leaf springs for a nicer ride would also aggravate the need for a track bar.

 

Well a 73 CJ5, and the Toyota would do 80 mph and never any issues before turned into off road race trucks.
The 86 K5 would also do 75 mph pulling a car trailer even with 230K on the clock, none of them had a death wobble.
I don't know why they came from the factory with out a track bar and were ok?

Maybe there were clamps around the leaves to keep them from moving side ways but still let them move forward & back?
I will have to check my sons Jeep YJ, I have it here in my yard, to see if it has a track bar or not and if not if it has spring clamps.
Dave ----

 

i thought a track bar (and DW) was for coil spring suspensions

leaf spring fronts exempt