KA-SNAAPPPP... Mmmm, that doesn't sound good !!

[StealthTJ]

Went on a run through Charloureau Gap yesterday and had an interesting happening
About 6 miles into in (the total run is about 18 miles), right as I was entering an obstacle called the Rock Garden, right as I touched the first rock, I heard a snaaaapppppp... Mmmmm, not a good sound. Got out and looked at the front to see what had happened:



The bolt holding the track bar to the frame end had snapped !! Bummer. 9/16's and I have spares, but, of course, not with me.
We leave the Jeep and I ride back into town with Dan. The first little town, 3 hardware stores and none of 'em have anything close. We head down to the next little town, and the large hardware store didn't have anything that large in standard, but they did have a metric collect. 14mm was close, so I grabbed two of 'em and we headed back to the trail. Once we got back to the Jeep, it was just a 10 minute fix, literally, but the whole round trip took over two hours



Some any of y'all running after market track bars with rod ends, cartridge joints, etc., may want to throw a spare bolt in the 'ole tool bag. I have one now



Fred

[Stu Olson]

Been there, done that (at the start of the Rubicon last August), got a t-shirt (gave it to Robert Yates)! LOL

The spare I carry is from a nice little ACE Hardware about an hour's drive from Sacremento.

[chadjans]

Fred do you think this bolt failed because of the grease passage on the bolt? Makes me wonder about my ORGS bar on my Grand.

Chad

[Paradiddle]

I run the ORGS track bar and Currie arms which all come with those greasable bolts.

The break in the picture looks like it happened on the threaded part. The bolts I have are not drilled down that low - the grease port is usually mid way in the non threaded part.

Carrying spares is a good idea.

I will submit a question to Mark Hinkley as he's been running these bolts for a long time - have you broken one?

Jeff

[chadjans]

Yeah as I take a second look at Fred's pictures I see that the failure was at the treads. Granted I know it is a grade 8 fastner it just makes one wonder why it failed. I have never had one fail on me, just some close calls with a POS Procomp drop bracket. But that is GONE for good. Fred you didn't forget the lock nut or lock washer did you on that new bolt? Just thought I would ask just in case....

Chad

[StealthTJ]

Chad, nope, used a lock washer on the new bolt, but the new bolt was only intended to get me through the rest of the trail and then home. The 14mm bolt that I ended up with is just a touch smaller than the 9/16's that was in it. As I mentioned, I do have spare bolts. Sunday morning I removed the 14mm bolt and replaced it with the correct 9/16's bolt.
The bolt broke on the threads, not in the drilled section.
Mark asked about the lift height and which track bar I had, as there are two different sizes of track bars. I have the smaller on, as at the time when I purchased it, I had the 2 1/2" OME lift. Some time after installing the track bar, I switched lifts to the 4" lift. The track bar is probably binding some and perhaps caused it. I'll replace it with the correct sized track bar.



Fred

[Mark Hinkley]

As Fred just said he had the wrong bar on there and it doesn't have as much down travel as the correct one. This creates lots of bind on that joint and worked that bolt until it broke.

Real important to match your componets to your "lift height".

The correct ATB will solve this situation.

mark
orgs mfg

[StealthTJ]

I'll be replacing that TB ASAP. I'll order a new one today.

Thanks Mark...



Fred

[ChrisK]

Originally posted by Mark Hinkley
mark
orgs mfg

Dang it Mark! I didn't realize you were a resident here. I just ordered my Currie JJ rear trackbar and bracket today from Currie. I should have ordered it from you.

Edit: Just called Currie and cancelled and ordered it from ORGS. Better price too.

Chris

[Mark Hinkley]

Fred

Talk to Paul Sinclair he has one he wants to sell. He changed his whole setup and dosen't need it anymore.

mark
orgs mfg

Chris thanks for the order.