Track Bar!!!
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Tucson
Track Bar!!!
Ok first let me give you a little history on the truck. 2000 F-250 CC w/ 5.4, 6.5" ProComp Lift Kit, Dual Shocks, Dual Fabtech Steering Stabilizers, 16x9.75 Welds, on 37x12.50 PJ's.
After I had it lifted I had rubbing on the passenger side spring at full lock to the right, and rubbing on the drivers side fender when "beating on it"
I just installed a Fabtech Adjustable TrackBar today, Well the track bar shortened down all the way is about 1/2" longer than stock. I go to install the track bar and had to lift on the drivers side tow hook with a engine hoist. Got it all in and drove down the street. Now it doesnt rub anymore but the steering wheel is turned to the right with the Cruise On/Off Buttons at the top.
Question is...do I need to lengthen the track bar more? or just pop the steering wheel of and re-center it? It drives straight when the steering wheel is not straight. Or do you need to use the factory upper TrackBar bracket or can I still use the dropdown bracket?
Please let me know what your recommendations are. On a side note the only thing that was disconnected was the Track bar and the draglink @ the pitman arm to get access to the lower track bar bolt.
Thank you in advance.
Dan
After I had it lifted I had rubbing on the passenger side spring at full lock to the right, and rubbing on the drivers side fender when "beating on it"
I just installed a Fabtech Adjustable TrackBar today, Well the track bar shortened down all the way is about 1/2" longer than stock. I go to install the track bar and had to lift on the drivers side tow hook with a engine hoist. Got it all in and drove down the street. Now it doesnt rub anymore but the steering wheel is turned to the right with the Cruise On/Off Buttons at the top.
Question is...do I need to lengthen the track bar more? or just pop the steering wheel of and re-center it? It drives straight when the steering wheel is not straight. Or do you need to use the factory upper TrackBar bracket or can I still use the dropdown bracket?
Please let me know what your recommendations are. On a side note the only thing that was disconnected was the Track bar and the draglink @ the pitman arm to get access to the lower track bar bolt.
Thank you in advance.
Dan
Last edited by hc130flyboy; May 25, 2005 at 09:42 PM.
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
This is normal after the install. There is no need to take the steering wheel off. Loosen the two bolts on the collar on the drag link and twist the collar. Do this with the wheels off the ground. I forget the directions of twist for turning the steering wheel right and left, so you may have to play. Do a half-turn of the collar then drop the truck and drive it back and forth ten or fifteen feet and see how the steering wheel is. Make sure you leave enough threads in the collar to keep it secure.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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From: Putnam Valley, New York
DO NOT REMOVE THE STEERING WHEEL !!!
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RON
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You have to lengthen the drag link. Loosen the 2 clamps on the sleeve just down the drag link from the pitman arm, and rotate the sleeve to lengthen the link. You will probable have to go a turn or 2 to get the wheel to go back 90 degrees. Just make sure that you have enough thread engagement left in the sleeve for safety. I would say at least a 1/2 inch on each end should be enough.
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From: Tucson
Ok but the Track bar is as short as it will go, It was actually about 1/2" longer than the factory bar. Is this normal? Im afraid I will have to go shorter to get the steering wheel straight, and wont be able to. How do you tell exactly how long to make the trackbar? Is there any measurements based on lift size? My Procomp 6.5" lift sits higher than most lift kits I think in part to the crappy lift and light engine. One thing I did notice that due to the short factory track bar the passenger spring appeared to be twisted and the drivers side twisted in the the same direction. Im thinking that with the factory bar the front axle was off center, and that cause the rubbing.
Last edited by hc130flyboy; May 25, 2005 at 10:39 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: San Bernardino CA area
Sorry to say, your first mistake was installing a 
PRO CRAP kit. I am assumng you are talking about the PANROD bar from the frame to the front differential? Does it adjust? Install the panrod bar in both ends, install the bolts and lenghthen the panrod just until it is snug but not forcing the differential to move. Loosen the collar on the drag link (15mm nut) and twist until it is straight enough. Go drive it on various streets and fine tune adjustment that way.
PRO CRAP kit. I am assumng you are talking about the PANROD bar from the frame to the front differential? Does it adjust? Install the panrod bar in both ends, install the bolts and lenghthen the panrod just until it is snug but not forcing the differential to move. Loosen the collar on the drag link (15mm nut) and twist until it is straight enough. Go drive it on various streets and fine tune adjustment that way.
Last edited by Newcastle; May 25, 2005 at 10:51 PM.
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
I have little experience with a Procomp drop bracket so I'm not sure if they have multiple holes in them for mounting a trac bar. Normally to mount the track bar you simply make sure the truck is sitting flat and level on the ground at it's normal ride height. To do this you can drive the truck a few feet in a straight line without any trac bar on there. Then you just attach the new drag link by lining up the holes in the trac bar brackets with the holes in the trac bar joints. Make sure the trac bar is on before you adjust the drag link. Once the trac bar is on you don't need to touch it again to adjust the collar on the drag link for steering wheel position. The drag link adjustment won't affect the trac bar at all.
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From: Tucson
Yea I wish I knew about PRO CRAP before I bought it, but now Im stuck with it till funds allow me to upgrade. Like I stated before when I removed the stock track bar (panrod bar) it was about 1/2" shorter than the Fabtech unit fully shortend. I had to use a Engine hoist on the drivers side tow hook to get the holes to line up so I could get the bolts back in. My Drop bracket only has one hole. I have everything installed and torqued down, funny thing is how 1/2" inch turned my steering wheel about a half revolution. So how do I tell if the track bar did infact center the axle under the truck so I can make the steering adjustments accordingly? Truck drove straight as an arrow prior to install, Like I said earlier the tires rubbed on the right front spring at full lock right and rubbed on the left fender when romping. I now have no rubbing issues only the steering wheel, does that mean just mess with the steering bar?
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Normally you remove the track rod,,,Drive the truck a few feet for and aft. Then with an adj track rod ford calls it, you adj till it slides in. Thats the reason you got an adj rod. Make sure you didn't get one for a bigger lift cause it sounds like its not gonna work. Like I said it should slide in. B4 you put it in make sure your springs look perp to the truck and everything looks square. make sure you have the correct brackets etc..
Dick
Dick
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
It's actually the springs that center the axle under the truck. The trac bar is an extra measure to help keep the axle from moving side to side when a lateral load is placed on it. I'm still a little curious as to why ford added a trac bar to begin with. If you made sure the truck was at it's static height (how it would sit normally on level ground,) before you put the new trac bar on, the axle should be centered. Just for clarification, are you saying that when you went to attach the new trac bar you twisted in the rod ends as far as they would go and the bar was still 1/2" too long to line-up with both bracket holes?
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From: Tucson
Thats exactly what I am saying, I disconnected the Factory unit, drove back and forth 10 feet, Adjusted the New trackbar on the bench to AS CLOSE to factory as possible and after shortening it to the point that both ends touched in the collar, It was about 1/2 too long, I thought about cutting both ends but didnt think that was a good idea, FUNNY THING IS!....I was getting fed up so I was going to put the factory Track bar back in...and it was 1/2" too short!!! Thats when I looked at the springs and noticed a slight twist to them. (I wheel it pretty hard, already dented the rear shocks on the frame somewhere) I got an idea to lift up on the drivers side tow hook with a Engine hoist and it the bolts went in like butter! NO RUBBING Either!! Just messed up steering. This truck is the epidemy of Murpheys Law! I will say this much, I love my truck, HATE my Lift, and despise Parnelli Jones! I planted a money tree in my yard, Im just waiting for the leaves to grow and Ill get me a new lift!
Last edited by hc130flyboy; May 25, 2005 at 11:39 PM.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2003
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
So cut it and take an inch out and have it professionally welded and you are good to go. Then if you have to adj steering go ahead as above its easy. Don't touch the wheel as said B4.
Dick
Dick
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
I say drive it as is and see how it drives before you do any cutting. When I lifted my dually I had one heck of a time getting the stock trac bar into the new drop bracket, the stock bar was about 3/8" too short. I ended up using a pry bar to align the holes. Afterwards I took it to an alignment shop and they said everything was fine. So I would put a few miles on it to give everything a chance to settle and see how it goes.
Lead Driver
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From: Lyndonville, Vermont
Originally Posted by EnviroCon
I say drive it as is and see how it drives before you do any cutting. When I lifted my dually I had one heck of a time getting the stock trac bar into the new drop bracket, the stock bar was about 3/8" too short. I ended up using a pry bar to align the holes. Afterwards I took it to an alignment shop and they said everything was fine. So I would put a few miles on it to give everything a chance to settle and see how it goes.
My opinion.
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From: Milky Way Galaxy
Dick- I couldn't agree with you more. The alignment shop I took my truck to wasn't checking for camber or caster they checked to make sure the front wheels were equidistant from the center line of the vehicle. This let me know whether or not the axle was centered. I say drive it because he's had the stock trac bar on there and it may already have pushed the axle to one side (the rubbing on one side not the other problem.) He also wheels it pretty hard and may have bent or twisted something. I would hate to have him cut up a new trac bar and come to find out something else is in need of replacing, get it replaced, and then find-out he can't use the new trac bar because he cut it up.