VIDEO : JL JOURNAL - EVO JL Wrangler Rear Track Bar Relocation Bracket INSTALL

wayoflife

wayoflife

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Any time you change the ride height of a Jeep JL Wrangler, the front and rear axles will shift to one side or the other. The reason for this is because they're solid axles that are held in place with a track bar that's mounted on one end and then on the frame rail on the other. However, with a 2.5" lift or less, the shift is minute and really, not enough to matter. Certainly, it won't affect your steering, handling or otherwise. However, when you start getting into the 3"-3.5" of lift or more and if you're running shocks that will allow for big enough articulation, you will start to see some issues and especially so in the rear.

Because your rear axle will shift to the passenger side, your rear drive shaft may start to make contact with your gas tank skid. There are a few ways you can address this issue but one of the cheapest and easiest solutions is to install a rear track bar relocation bracket. By restoring the geometry of the track bar, essentially make it sit flatter again like it did when stock, your axle will return to a more centered position. Also, in addition to helping provide more clearance for your driveshaft, you may also see the added benefit of improved handling as well. For our purposes, we decided to install a track bar relocation bracket made by EVO Manufacturing and in this short video, you'll see just how easy it is to install.


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Tools You Will Need
• EVO Rear Track Bar Relocation Bracket
• 21, 22mm Sockets
• 9/16, 5/8, 13/16, 7/8" Sockets & Wrenches
• Ratchet
• Torque Wrench
• Hand Drill
• 9/16" Metal Drilling Bit
• Floor Jack
• Cutting Oil
• Touch Up Paint

Optional Tools You May Want
Milwaukee Impact Wrench
https://amzn.to/2Na92J5

I should note that if your JL Wrangler is sitting at 4" of lift or more, an adjustable track bar may be needed as well and with it set purposefully longer to push your axle further to the driver side. An aftermarket driveshaft may also help being that they typically have a narrower diameter tube.

Thanks for watching and we hope that you find our video to be helpful. :cool:
 
Andy5160 said:
So Rancho fixes the issue by including adjustable track bar with their 3.5 lift kit for JL Rubicon? Is that correct?
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Correct. However, from what we've seen, you could benefit from installing it AND a relocation bracket. This is what I am planning to do and use the adjustable track bar to purposefully push the axle out more to help prevent driveshaft rub at a full flex.
 
wayoflife said:
Correct. However, from what we've seen, you could benefit from installing it AND a relocation bracket. This is what I am planning to do and use the adjustable track bar to purposefully push the axle out more to help prevent driveshaft rub at a full flex.
Click to expand...

Sounds good, but what about the front? Did you notice any issues without drag link flip or adjustable track bar?


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Andy5160 said:
Sounds good, but what about the front? Did you notice any issues without drag link flip or adjustable track bar?
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With as much lift as we have now, yes, we are feeling a bit of bump steer. Not that big of a deal to me but yes, a front track bar relocation bracket and drag link flip would do well to address that.
 
But don’t ya know Eddie that this is an inferior design??

All you had to do was pour some of your used motor oil on the control arm mounts so that you can push the axle back in place, duh


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longarmwj said:
But don’t ya know Eddie that this is an inferior design??

All you had to do was pour some of your used motor oil on the control arm mounts so that you can push the axle back in place, duh


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Holy crap. I just read someone on Facebook say the same thing about using old motor oil to fight rust on his TJ frame...

“Dope”, came to mind. Just like the guy who said it here about a year ago.
 
Scoop315 said:
Holy crap. I just read someone on Facebook say the same thing about using old motor oil to fight rust on his TJ frame...

“Dope”, came to mind. Just like the guy who said it here about a year ago.
Click to expand...

Instead of buying skid plates just rub your current ones down with oil. They’ll slide right over rocks.


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Rocralr said:
thanks. Great job.
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You bet and glad to hear you found it to be informative :)

TrailHunter said:
Cool tutorial... Do you plan on welding the bracket to the axle in the long term or is bolting sufficient?
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I'll probably just leave it as is. If it were a front bracket, I would burn it in for sure being that it's more critical and a lot harder to get to all the bolts for regular maintenance.

OverlanderJK said:
Looks easy enough. Cool video!

Oh and fake news! It’s not t-shirt weather in Carson City. Lol
Click to expand...

:cheesy: Anything but. I think it's 10° out right now. :crazyeyes:
 
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