Track bar end

Bridge816

Bridge816

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Joined
Apr 30, 2024
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Utah
Howdy gentlemen, I've got an issue here that I'm hoping I can get resolved. Considering it's my daily driver I need this fixed as soon as I can.

A couple months after I bought my 98 TJ I noticed some sounds and the front end felt a little loose. It felt creaking and popping sometimes. When I looked into it was a loose or bad Hiem joint on my track bar end. Ended up getting a different Hiem joint that didn't end up fitting the bar, and then I bought the Rough Country adjustable track bar for it. I think my rig has a 3" lift on it. After a lot of swearing and grinding that dumb bolt off the bottom bushing part of the bar I finally was able to replace it with the rough country bar.

But when I installed it I noticed that the ball joint went to high up into the frame hole mount. The castle nut was all the way tight when too many threads from the bolt were exposed so the cotter pin would have been useless if that makes sense. So I had to ease the tension a little bit to make the cotter pin do it's job. I tried my best to center the axle by reading a bunch of threads on here (bouncing on it, ect) and my drivers side wheel is still too far out. Definetly and inch or so off center.


But anyways, I filled up that ball joint with grease and the whole thing was tight. Immediately felt better driving, especially on bumps and turns. But that only lasted 4 days.... Now the whole things loose and there is play in it. Only thing I can figure is the owner before my had reamed out the frame mount or something for the Hiem joint. I can't tighten it anymore if that makes sense. Definitely doesn't feel safe to drive


My question is what track bar end can I fit in the mount that that Hiem joint used to be in? What hiem or ball joint will fit in the Rough Country track bar?
I will provide pictures as well. I appreciate all the help I can get.

Thanks 👍🏻

Screenshot_20240515_105842_Photos.jpg


Screenshot_20240310_155237_Chrome.jpg
 
Bridge816 said:
My question is what track bar end can I fit in the mount that that Hiem joint used to be in? What hiem or ball joint will fit in the Rough Country track bar?
I will provide pictures as well. I appreciate all the help I can get.
Click to expand...
Assuming your frame side mount has been drilled and can no longer accept a tapered ball joint, I would suggest a JKS bar.
IIRC, the OGS126 uses a 9/16 bolt, and the OGS128 uses a 5/8 bolt.
I've heard heims are not ideal for a daily driver.
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Assuming your frame side mount has been drilled and can no longer accept a ball joint, I would suggest a JKS bar.
IIRC, the OGS126 uses a 9/16 bolt, and the OGS128 uses a 5/8 bolt.
I've heard heims are not ideal for a daily driver.
Click to expand...

Well since it has already been drilled out I'm not too sure of what my options really are. I think I need a Hiem joint now, is there any kind of a heim I can fit on my RC track bar? Or is there just no confirming that sort of thing? Thanks
 
Bridge816 said:
Well since it has already been drilled out I'm not too sure of what my options really are. I think I need a Hiem joint now, is there any kind of a heim I can fit on my RC track bar? Or is there just no confirming that sort of thing? Thanks
Click to expand...

They come in all sizes, measure the old one and the threads on the RC bar.
Maybe someone else knows.
 
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Bridge816 said:
I installed it I noticed that the ball joint went to high up into the frame hole mount.

Only thing I can figure is the owner before my had reamed out the frame mount or something for the Hiem joint. I can't tighten it anymore if that makes sense. Definitely doesn't feel safe to drive
Click to expand...
I doubt the hole is reamed for a taper. I'm sure it's drilled out for a regular bolt.
There's no way the RC joint will stay tight in that hole. Do not drive it that way.
 
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Bridge816 said:
Well since it has already been drilled out I'm not too sure of what my options really are. I think I need a Hiem joint now, is there any kind of a heim I can fit on my RC track bar? Or is there just no confirming that sort of thing? Thanks
Click to expand...

You shouldn't need a heim joint, you just need a joint with a straight bolt instead of a taper. Figure out what diameter bolt your heim joint has and get a trackbar or a joint with the same size bolt.
 
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The end on the RC bar is an ES 3096 , has a 7 degree taper.

You can likely get a Moog end that has no taper, their website has an exhaustive list of all they make.

You can also get a sleeve that converts the mount to accept tapered- I’ve held one but don’t know the source. Sizing will be the challenge.


A Currie,Clayton or JKS track bar will solve the issue fast as well, and likely your most straightforward route.
 
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Unbolt the current bar at the frame and look to see if it is drilled out. Buy a rockjock or jks bar if it is. If it isn't you can put a washer under the castle nut
 
LONGJP2 said:
Assuming your frame side mount has been drilled and can no longer accept a tapered ball joint, I would suggest a JKS bar.
IIRC, the OGS126 uses a 9/16 bolt, and the OGS128 uses a 5/8 bolt.
I've heard heims are not ideal for a daily driver.
Click to expand...

Awesome thanks for the help everyone I really appreciate it.
I have decided to go with the JKS bar, they seem like a huge upgrade.
I've done some measuring and the 5/8ths JKS track bar should work. But on their website I only found a 9/16th bolt on. Which one am I looking at? Thanks
 
The JKSOGS126 uses a 9/16 bolt at the frame.

The JKSOGS128 uses a 5/8 bolt at the frame. JKS says this one requires 2-1/2” of lift. You can measure your current springs and determine what your lift is. If I remember correctly, the stock springs are 12” in front and 8” in the back. Anything over that is your lift. If you have any spacers above the springs, that will count as lift too.
 
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AndyG said:
The end on the RC bar is an ES 3096 , has a 7 degree taper.
Click to expand...
Not that it matters for this discussion, but there is a 7 degree reamer sold by Snap On and others that is called an automotive reamer. It isn't correct. The correct taper is 1.5" per foot. That works out to about 7.15 degrees. The easy way to get it right is to use a tapered reamer from X-kut.
AndyG said:
You can likely get a Moog end that has no taper, their website has an exhaustive list of all they make.

You can also get a sleeve that converts the mount to accept tapered- I’ve held one but don’t know the source. Sizing will be the challenge.


A Currie,Clayton or JKS track bar will solve the issue fast as well, and likely your most straightforward route.
Click to expand...
Your last option is his best one. The hole has been drilled out straight and they are tough to repair.
 
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mrblaine said:
Am I the only one who can tell there is a bolt in the picture he posted?
Click to expand...

Sometimes you need to walk people through problems slowly. Building an understanding of the issue in a way that doesn't make them defensive.

Didn't the BMB HR dept give you sensitivity training?
 
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LONGJP2 said:
Assuming your frame side mount has been drilled and can no longer accept a tapered ball joint, I would suggest a JKS bar.
IIRC, the OGS126 uses a 9/16 bolt, and the OGS128 uses a 5/8 bolt.
I've heard heims are not ideal for a daily driver.
Click to expand...

Do we need to assume anything when we can clearly see there is a bolt there?
 
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