Track Locator - Bar For Front Axle
 

Apparently this is a weak spot for the Dodges. So I'm told.

Does anyone know of an after-market solution, to buying a new Track locator bar?

Maybe a kit that eliminates it. that would be awesome...

This will be my second bar in three years.

Thanks in advance, Mark

your lucky you dont have a 2nd gen you would be going through them every 2 months.

there is a few companies that make after market kits but if your truck isnt lifted i would just get a lifetime MOOG one from auto zone or something. then replace it every year. Its pretty pointless to get an aftermarket one that costs more and isnt needed.

Are the aftermarket ones any better design?

I'll look into the MOOG, you suggested.

Look here:

https://www.dieselbombers.com/cummin...ar-option.html

Psss...he DOES have a second gen

Thanks guys. I did a search on track locator. no so good.
So I used track bar. Wow. That helps... :U::U:

oh snap. for some reason I thought he had a 3rd gen.
you could also go with a solid steel industries 3rd gen conversion.

Solid Steel Industries. I'll look into it...

Most of this question depends on how much money your willin to throw at it and as was said before if you have lifted truck or not. Lifted trucks or trucks with the Mag Tech covers are a tricky issue.

I've been runnin this DT Profab for 150,000 plus miles now and just put the first rebuild kit on it but they aren't cheap by any means. When you figure it over the life of the truck it has been the cheapest alternative. But I always know I'm gonna drive a truck till it falls over dead so I'm gonna get my money's worth out of parts.

No lift. I do have a 2" leveler on it.
I won't say money's not an issue, but if it solves the problem from happening again, I'll figure out a way to get it. :U:

Mine is good for up to 3" of lift in front and I've alway had the leveling kit with it.

thurens is good but I'm not big on the weld on bracket

I ran the DT and used a hefty poly bushing instead of the heim joint. Heim joints dont last long in upstate NY weather. the salt kills the teflon cleaner. That and the poly bushing made it ride smoother.

I have pictures I think. if anyone is interested

Pix are cool....

With my DT I did end up welding the bracket in place on mine. The instructions didn't call for it. It comes with some hefty bolts included but I added some weld to it just to be sure.

150,000 would do me fine. This is my second in less than 30K. I'm told that the (I bought the truck used) original was already a replacement.

The manufacturer recommends the rebuild at 40,000 or as needed. They also off an even beefier bar now also for these trucks that they advertise for the serious off roader and such. But even if you do rebuild this thing on the 40,000 mile schedule it's $40 or so for the kit and takes less then an hour to install. And the rebuild doesn't adjust your alignment so you don't even have to have it aligned when your done like all the others.

I could get 7 rebuild kits for the price of the aftermarket bars..

You mentioned a beefier bar. Does it have the same ends as the oem bar?

Nothin about this is anything like an OEM. This thing is a solid stainless steel bar with some huge ends on it.

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Nice. :U:

That seems kinda like a cheap fix if you ask me. Hiem's really arn't meant for on road apps. They have a tendency to wear our fairly fast. I use those QA1's that are shown in the picture on my rockcrawler and they are already wearing on me with only about 20ish trips. Given I flog the thing more than you would a dd, but IMO a tie rod should be used.

Every trac bar out there has heim joints in it. I'm no engineer so I won't try to explain why but there's no such thing as a trac bar tie rod. These are a whole different animal then you have on yer Ford. Chrysler is the only brand that uses this trac bar system.

.: THUREN FABRICATION :.

Don Thuren has THE BEST track bar for the 2nd Gens...You can't go wrong with his

That is wrong in many ways. I have never in my life seen a vehicle come stock with any type of heim joint, ever. I actually am a mechanical engineering student and have been in the 4x4 for many years now. I don't have a Ford either I drive a 2001.5 dodge. Chrysler is not the only brand that uses a track bar system. This is not a new and definitely not only a Chrysler specific thing. A 3 link with a panhard (track bar) has been used on many vechicles for many years.

The tie rod end is used on many panhard (track bars). It is the exact same type of idea that is used on on steering linkage ie. tie rods and drag links.

Now, I'm not saying that by using a heim(rod end) on your vehicle is a bad idea by any means. I personally have 10 of them, 4 1 1/4's and 2 7/8's and 3 3/4's on my rockcrawler. I too used the 3/4 on my panhard as well. The work wonderful for what I use them for, however I believe a johnny joint or a RE flex style joint would be a better option in this case.

Here is a example of what I am talking about.
Attachment 58550

And here is an example of my radius arm 3 link in action. It is extremely close to the dodge suspension system.
Attachment 58551

EDIT: The company that ChinookCE suggested I noticed uses a rubicon express joint as well. Thuren Fabrication-Dodge track bar

Easy Bud, were on the same team here. You don't have anything in your signature and I look at the name and have to assume that your a Ford guy.

On the Thuren Bar I can't see what's under the bracket but would have to assume that it's a heim joint under there. It also says that they fit between a 5 and 10 inch lift, can they be used on stock height trucks also. And ya Panhard bars are what I've seen on most other cars and trucks but I've never seen anything stock like our Trac Bars on anything other then Chrysler myslef.

Nobody liked this option?:

I was in Billings a few weeks ago and came across a good track bar replacement. Im not affiliated with this guy in any way but I thought this might help some of you out.

What he does is take the stock track bar and welds a cap on it, he then takes the OEM nylon out of the cup and replaces it with a steel socket. He then puts a cap on the top, greases it up and youre good to go. The cost was $215 and he claims that this will be the last track bar you will buy. Also, said if you ever wear it out, he will REPLACE it - no questions asked.

If youre interested - heres the info:

Franks Auto
316 Reynold Road
Billings, Mt
406-591-4644

As a point of reference...I was going to get a ThurenFab Trackbar - they retail at $300 + shipping, or a DT Profab and they are running $360+ shipping. At the time I bought this, A Moog bar was over $200 and the NAPA Gold was $217


He is more than willing to ship these out and if you have any questions, just give Frank a call. One thing - he will need you to supply an OEM Trackbar.


Heres a couple of pics:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3.../Trackbar4.jpg


Attachment 58549

No hard feelings, I didn't mean anything by it, but on the Thuren Bar, you can't see it, but it says they uses a RE joint under the parts listed....

I got pretty well slammed every time I have ever mentioned Lukes Links.

My track bar went out a week and 2 days ago (last Friday). I experienced death wobble on the freeway, at 65 MPH. Was NOT fun. Had to drive to work shortly after. Experienced DW about 8 times in 2 miles or so. Rattled so bad it took out my welded starter leads out of my T top terminal connections, leaving me to believe my starter had gone. Went back to truck next AM, found that wasnt case, shoved wires back in T connection, started truck, and got it home.

Posted this all up on another forum I am on, and was looking into all types of alternatives. After calling/leaving a message, and looking at prices for OEM replacements, it is looking like I am going to wait the 2 weeks for Thuren Fabrication's trackbar, as Don has been nothing but a great help on the phone. As a backup though, I am looking into a Lukes Link for my spent bar I am pulling out, as it has been recommended by a friend of mine who has used it and is satisfied (though he does not off-road his truck as much as I do).

For the price, $300 for Thuren, $340 (for my build date 4x4 CTD Ram), and $360+ for DT profab's, I think I will get best bang for my buck with Thuren's $300 rebuildable model, + $60 lukes link for my old bar as a emergency replacement.

-Jeremy

if you install Dons (thurens) trac bar you cant use your stock one ever again. you have to weld on a bracket on the frame end.

I see that. (Aftermarket frame bracket)...

Hmmmm. Is that the bracket I have to add in order to use the 3rd gen. track bar?

Thurenfab makes a stock replacement bar that is good for 0-3" of lift and you don't have to cut any brackets off, it's a pure stock replacement that is adjustable.

No...


Theres too much confusion here. Its real easy - for second gen applications with 0-3" of lift, the ThurenFab Trackbar is a bolt-on:

Thuren Fabrication - 0-3" lift track bar

Supposed to be a kick butt chunk of iron too.

The welding is required if you have a second gen that is lifted 5+" (you can see it in the picture in the link):

Thuren Fabrication-Dodge track bar


****************************
Now, the third gen trackbar conversion you are talking about is a whole different matter.

Look here:

Solid Steel.biz

To this bracket (which is bolton - no welding is involved), you will need to install a third gen trackbar (OEM or aftermarket, your choice).

Heres the install directions:

Solid Steel.biz

Was about to post the same info doc posted above. Thanks Doc for clarifying that for everyone.

Looking like I MAY have to go with a weld on bracket for my track bar, as my truck is 4.5" lift in front and not 0-3". This info is based on what I discussed with Thuren Fab. on what I plan on doing with my truck. If it was simply a street truck I could get away with a 0-3" version though.

Wow, so many to choose from.

I'll be spending the next three days going over all these options. :argh:

and it is!!! in an offroad forum I spend some time on, where guys 'wheel their trucks HARD, the only one that's had an issue with a Thuren bar was an improper installation with the 5"+ track bar.

I put Thuren's adjustable 0-3" bar on the '96 I used to have with 2" steel leveling spacers, both brothers have 3" coil lifted 3rd gens, one with/one without Thuren's track bar and they drive very, very differently. Needless to say the brother without ordered a Thuren-bar within a few days of driving the other truck!

For the 2nd gen, it's an adjustable heim at one end and a poly bushing at the other and there's no welding/fabricating, just bolt it in. I only had my truck for about 50k miles with the Thuren track bar on it...I towed heavy, drove very 'spirited' empty and taught myself how to rally race on mtn dirt roads(30-60mph 4 wheel-drift corners) Basically, I abused the hell out of it and never had a problem. Plus, Don has AWESOME customer service, I've done a fair amount of business with him for track bars and suspension systems for my family and friends' trucks because of how helpful he was to me with my truck.

Spend some money up front to do it right and you won't have to worry about it again...eventually you'll have to rebuild the ends but that's going to be well over 100k miles of working better than any other option.