Need Help! Track Bar Bushing Going Bad?

[tjbrown23]

Is this too much play in the track bar bushing? I am experiencing slight death wobble at highway speeds, all other suspension bushings seems solid. Only 10k miles on the steersmarts adjustable track bar.

Sponsored

 

[Uparms]

What other suspension modifications have you made? What tires and size? Did you or a shop install the trackbar? Did you get it all aligned after mods and or tires? Have you called SteerSmarts? What was their response?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Is this too much play in the track bar bushing? I am experiencing slight death wobble at highway speeds, all other suspension bushings seems solid. Only 10k miles on the steersmarts adjustable track bar.

What the XXXX am I seeing - the whole axle shifting left and right while the wheel is turned? Yikes! Yeah, that bushing is bad - too much play (if I had an idler arm on a CAR with that much play it would be in the iron pile). But what really got me was seeing the axle wiggle left and right. There's your "death wobble", IMO.

As far as alignment, all that can be done is toe and centering the steering wheel. Camber is set, caster can only be changed with a control arm change - or adjustable control arms.
I see alignment mentioned over and over as if there's something that you can adjust to make thing better.
There isn't.
Toe is it unless you change parts.
I almost chuckle when I read "I had a shop do an alignment on my Gladiator" - yeah, set toe and center the wheel and CHECK stuff over. That's a JT alignment.

 

[tjbrown23]

What other suspension modifications have you made? What tires and size? Did you or a shop install the trackbar? Did you get it all aligned after mods and or tires? Have you called SteerSmarts? What was their response?

Mopar lift, 37s, alignment, recent balance on the wheels. I have not called steersmarts that may be what I do next as this bushing is bad.

 

[tjbrown23]

What the XXXX am I seeing - the whole axle shifting left and right while the wheel is turned? Yikes! Yeah, that bushing is bad - too much play (if I had an idler arm on a CAR with that much play it would be in the iron pile). But what really got me was seeing the axle wiggle left and right. There's your "death wobble", IMO.

As far as alignment, all that can be done is toe and centering the steering wheel. Camber is set, caster can only be changed with a control arm change - or adjustable control arms.
I see alignment mentioned over and over as if there's something that you can adjust to make thing better.
There isn't.
Toe is it unless you change parts.
I almost chuckle when I read "I had a shop do an alignment on my Gladiator" - yeah, set toe and center the wheel and CHECK stuff over. That's a JT alignment.

I noticed the axle moving as well and it caught me off guard! What else should i be looking for or would the track bar be the main cause of the axle moving?

 

[Chris262]

I noticed the axle moving as well and it caught me off guard! What else should i be looking for or would the track bar be the main cause of the axle moving?

The track bar holds the axle assembly in place so if the bushing is bad the whole thing moves

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I noticed the axle moving as well and it caught me off guard! What else should i be looking for or would the track bar be the main cause of the axle moving?

What Chris262 said.......

How's the bushing on the other end? IF they are both loose even a little, it all adds up and road forces will make it move even MORE than you see in your vid.

 

[CerOf]

That is definitely too much. There should pretty much be zero play.

double check the torque.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

That is definitely too much. There should pretty much be zero play.

double check the torque.

Yeah, always good to triple check that - but that bolt ain't moving. I'd expect it to shift a tiny bit unless it's the whole bushing shifting and not being clamped tight enough to keep the center sleeve from moving on the bolt. Even then - to have a bushing that is so large it could move that much on the bolt if not tight - that's poor design. The center sleeve of the bushing should just fit over the bolt so close that if the bolt or bushing center sleeve corroded, it would be hard to take apart. Yes, it's the clamping force that holds the bushing center in place, keeps it from moving, but I see a lot more play than just that.
That being said - any time there's play like that or even less, the bolts need to be checked. The torque on those must be very high since those literally hold the axle from moving laterally.
There should be no play - the bushing should not allow lateral movement, only rotational.
I don't have that much play in the control arm bushings in my old cars!

 

[tjbrown23]

What Chris262 said.......

How's the bushing on the other end? IF they are both loose even a little, it all adds up and road forces will make it move even MORE than you see in your vid.

The other end didn't have any play at all, it was solid. I just verified the torque and it's 110ft lbs and wasn't loose.

 

[tjbrown23]

That is definitely too much. There should pretty much be zero play.

double check the torque.

I checked the torque and it's good, I guess I'm just going to have to replace the bushings. But it makes me wonder what caused it to wear so fast.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I checked the torque and it's good, I guess I'm just going to have to replace the bushings. But it makes me wonder what caused it to wear so fast.

Just be sure that when you tighten those things beyond "just touching" that the thing is resting on the ground. Never tighten anything with the vehicle raised and the wheels off the ground.
If you clamp that bushing in place with the axle sitting down, the vehicle raised, it can screw up a bushing in short order.

 

[Gren71]

What the XXXX am I seeing - the whole axle shifting left and right while the wheel is turned? Yikes! Yeah, that bushing is bad - too much play (if I had an idler arm on a CAR with that much play it would be in the iron pile). But what really got me was seeing the axle wiggle left and right. There's your "death wobble", IMO.

As far as alignment, all that can be done is toe and centering the steering wheel. Camber is set, caster can only be changed with a control arm change - or adjustable control arms.
I see alignment mentioned over and over as if there's something that you can adjust to make thing better.
There isn't.
Toe is it unless you change parts.
I almost chuckle when I read "I had a shop do an alignment on my Gladiator" - yeah, set toe and center the wheel and CHECK stuff over. That's a JT alignment.

I really wish i knew enough to feel confident in setting my own toe. Im learning a lot lately and want to try…but im fairy certain ill fudge it up

 

[tjbrown23]

Just be sure that when you tighten those things beyond "just touching" that the thing is resting on the ground. Never tighten anything with the vehicle raised and the wheels off the ground.
If you clamp that bushing in place with the axle sitting down, the vehicle raised, it can screw up a bushing in short order.

You know...... I wonder if that is why my bushing failed after only 10k miles? I had the dealership install everything to limit warranty issues but my guess is they torqued it down while still on the lift.

 

[Renegade]

I really wish i knew enough to feel confident in setting my own toe. Im learning a lot lately and want to try…but im fairy certain ill fudge it up

It's not hard. Just measure the fattest part of the sidewall in front of the tires, then again on the back side at the same height off the ground. Set the toe to 1/8" less on the front side and you should be right about where you need to be. Good luck!

Sponsored