Trac Bar Blues

[roante]

Took a trip to WH yesterday, bought the 66-75 trac bar drop bracket, adjustable trac bar, 4 1/2 progressive front bump stops, and extended driver/passenger e-brake lines.

Got home excited by the fact that at the end of the day I would finally be able jump up and down on my new bouncy front end (love the WH 3.5" progressive coil springs) and get to the rear axle work finale ... not so much, as I probably did not explain what I had/needed properly to get the right parts.

1. the drop bracket holes did not line up by almost 1/4" (see pic below) forcing us to "egg out" the hole with a grinder to get the 3rd bolt in. Not sure if there is that much variance from Ford (appears stock, untouched prior) or if the part tolerance was the issue. Since the bracket requires a final weld (hope I can drive it safely to the shop on the 3 bolts and a tack weld?) should I ask the shop to repair this, or will the final weld strength make this a non-issue?

2. With the FW HP Dana 44, neither the stock (27 1/2") nor F150 (35 1/2") trac bars center the front axle properly. I bought the WH adjustable bar specifically to remedy this, but it just barely extends that far. 32 1/2" appears to be the sweet spot (trac bar length), but that pushes the WH inner bar well past the 3" safety margin suggested in the WH instructions. My thoughts are to call WFO and ask about making a custom adjustable bar (heim joint was suggested by buddy?) or seeing if WH has an extended version not listed in their manual. Suggestions to do this right, and try to stay in the same $$$ ballpark???

3. Drag Link - is it likely/unlikely that I will also need a different drag link once I finally get a trac bar properly fit?

I realize that anything on a 40+ year old rig is basically custom, but its really frustrating and costly to take two steps back, especially if its because I'm not providing the right details to get the right parts.

Much thanks for your help here!!!

[kevoson]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

sent ya a pm.

[gddyap]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

Raised axle mount would have been better. Then measure for the trackbar and have one made by Performance Unlimited.

[TBS-POPS]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

The stuff you bought (riser, adj tb. ) are for eb axle and width only. When messing with FW stuff, its all custom fit in an eb. NOBODY stocks the correct fit fw parts. you might as well go with complete heim steering and trak bar. oh damn, sorry drop should have fit, you should be ok if ya egged the bracket holes. here is my set-up all fabbed here at the house. never got around to making a riser cause the bump steer isint that bad. I will though someday.

[71BRONCO71]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

1 I dont think I ever got around to welding mine on.

2 Need to fab one up

3 idk?

[tortuga]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I'd say you are looking at a new drag link, and should be thinking about a track bar riser that will allow you to place it where you want, or possibly an extended bar if your angles are OK.

You can get a straight track bar from Partsmike.com up in Lincoln for around the same cost as the WH bar, with heims on both ends.

Where are you mounting it on the axle? Got a pic?

[welndmn]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

Like Pop's was saying, the WH adjusable one just won't fit because it's made for an EB axle, you will have do to a custom one.

The drop bracke is a bummer, I have seen a few fit and a few not fit like yours, no idea what vendors they came, I'd bet it's more of a Ford thing.
Really, it does not matter because it does need to get welded. Weld it on and it's a non-issue.
I welded one on a few weeks back that was missing that bolt and been on there for 5-6 years probally with out falling off.

[slvregl]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I have the same drop bracket and after wheelin' awhile, the stock portion on the frame started tearing off....So I would suggest haveing the shop weld around the frame on the stock bracket as well. my .o2....

[Fungus232]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

To answer #1: YES, you'll be fine until you get it welded up. I drove and wheeled mine like that for 4 years before one of the bolts finally gave. This was because the holes on mine didn't line up as yours do apparently and the shop that installed it just put in two of the 3 bolts & I didn't know any better to double check EVERYTHING they did as they were an EB specialty shop! Anyhow, bent the whole thing back, egged the one hole out to get all 3 bolts in then weldered the piss outta it...

As for #2 & 3: I'll be building all my stuff myself when I get to that part of the project on the 68. Like POPS said, all custom.

[roante]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

Gracias x10. Know what I gotta do now to get past this front axle hurdle, and the relative bliss (minus pinion angle setting) and simplicity of finishing up the rear.

Nothing worse than "not knowing" when your shelling out ducats, and often I'm not far removed from George Costanza in that respect -"....By the way, you need a new Johnson rod in there." "Oh, a Johnson rod. Yeah, well, you better put one of those on."

>>You can get a straight track bar from Partsmike.com up in Lincoln for around the same cost as the WH bar, with heims on both ends. Where are you mounting it on the axle? Got a pic?>>

Thought I would need the bend to clear the diff (or maybe you meant having it "bent" after purchase?)? Mounting it from drop bracket to stock spot on axle as it appear Pops has done from his pic. The red arrow on pic attached.

So Monday I'm going to find someone here (Sac) to make an adjustable trac bar (aiming for 32 1/2", with at least 3-4" of play because my math skills suck ass) and possibly a drag link. Is partsbymike a guy or a shop?

[tortuga]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

Good Morning. PartsMike.com is an online shop, with a brick-and-mortar operation up by Auburn, right of I-80 where 193 comes in. They have a lot of cool stuff and prices are good.

They also stock tubing that is cut to various lengths and threaded R & L for tie rod ends or heims, so often you can walk in and walk out with a drag link or whatever instead of having to find someone to fab one.

If you go that route, bear in mind this is all custom and they are going to ask you what length you need - you can't give them the application and have them give you the length.

Also, if they tell you they have plenty of tubing and all lengths in stock, ask them to check anyway - I made the drive a few times to find out they had everything 1" longer and 1" shorter than what I needed.

I'm going to mix your pot a little here, so forgive me for complicating your build but... What kind of shape is your existing tie rod in? You can probably buy the parts to go tie rod over for about the same cost as replacing the stock piece. If you do that, your drag link angle will change, and so should your track bar angle.

Given what you have on hand today, I think you should reconsider the drop bracket, go back to the stock track bar mount on the frame and go with a raised mount on the axle. This would allow you to set the location and angle of the drag link while using the WH link you already have.

Haven't had my coffee yet so this thought might not be fully baked, but probably worth thinking about it.

[garberz]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I'm with tortuga on this. Leave the track bar frame mount the stock length and add some reinforcement to it. With a full width axle and 35's or bigger tires, you'll eventually rip the drop bracket off the frame. Go with a raised bracket on the axle, make the track bar as long as you can. You'll have more options for this, with a wider axle. If you get the track bar and drag link close to the same length and angle,(traveling on the same radius) you can get rid of 99% of your bump steer. My track bar is 7" longer than stock and doesn't need a bend to clear the diff. 3 1/2" lift with 35's.
Mark

[Lars]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I'm with tortuga on this. Leave the track bar frame mount the stock length and add some reinforcement to it. With a full width axle and 35's or bigger tires, you'll eventually rip the drop bracket off the frame. Go with a raised bracket on the axle, make the track bar as long as you can. You'll have more options for this, with a wider axle. If you get the track bar and drag link close to the same length and angle,(traveling on the same radius) you can get rid of 99% of your bump steer. My track bar is 7" longer than stock and doesn't need a bend to clear the diff. 3 1/2" lift with 35's.
Mark

Looks like the full length track bar is catching on. When I did mine it killed off what little bump steer I had. Nice too, to have a simple, straight track bar.

What OD tube is your track bar made from? Mine is 1.125", thinking about upsizing.

Also like that steering box brace. Did you fab the extension for the steering box that supports the heim?

[garberz]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I copied the full length from your work on Todd's Bronco. The tubing is 1.250" with 3/4" heims. The steering box brace, Sector shaft nut I bought from Evolution Offroad. It's part of a JK brace and just happens to fit the ford boxes. It would be simple to make out of some hex stock, but I didn't have a lathe. The rest of the brace is just .250 wall DOM with a 5/8" heim, and a couple of shock tabs.
Mark

[Lars]

Re: Trac Bar Blues

I copied the full length from your work on Todd's Bronco. The tubing is 1.250" with 3/4" heims. The steering box brace, Sector shaft nut I bought from Evolution Offroad. It's part of a JK brace and just happens to fit the ford boxes. It would be simple to make out of some hex stock, but I didn't have a lathe. The rest of the brace is just .250 wall DOM with a 5/8" heim, and a couple of shock tabs.
Mark

Thanks!

I pointed Todd to this thread last night; he mentioned you had seen the setup on his. I have a 1.125" track bar, but I have a 1.25" track bar on my workbench that I made up on a whim. Doesn't sound like much of a difference, but mathematically it's a lot stiffer, which could make a difference on big bumps at speed with the longer track bar. Or not...

Since I'm right in the middle of a 4x4x2 box swap, that brace looks intriguing. I do have access to a big lathe, and the rest looks simple.