Rear Sway Bar Angle and End Link Length

[wayoflife]

@wayoflife I was going to add, if I install 1.25 or 1.5 inch wheel spacers, would I need to mess with my rear sway bar or end links? I wonder if I'd be able to straighten them out or if I'd benefit from adjustable sway bar links, etc?

I'm thinking about going with these Teraflex 1.25" spacers. I want enough to get the job done, but nothing more than necessary. They seem to be a good option.

Teraflex 1055000 1.25" Wheel Spacers for 07-18 Jeep Wrangler JK with 5x5" Bolt Pattern

The TeraFlex JK specific wheel spacer is designed for those desiring to retain their stock wheels, but use a larger tire. The spacers are machined from aluminum and come with wheel studs pressed in. Additional lug nuts are included.

www.quadratec.com

1.5” minimum. You don’t want to be grinding down your factory wheel studs. Read their install instructions. And I also wouldn’t run anything but spidertrax spacers.

What overlander said. Go with 1.5 and Spidertrax.

 

[jeeeep]

1.5” minimum. You don’t want to be grinding down your factory wheel studs. Read their install instructions. And I also wouldn’t run anything but spidertrax spacers.

This.

Like you I thought getting the minimum required spacer would be best, I was wrong.
You don't want to grind down the studs, it's very time consuming and when you get new wheels and remove the spacers, you will have to replace every stud.
Get 1.5" as the minimum.

 

[mphilleo]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I've got some Spidertrax spacers on order and will be following their installation instructions to the "t." Since this is my first time with wheel spacers, it seems like a logical question to ask: do I need to make any adjustments to my steering stops to accommodate the spacers?

 

[wayoflife]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I've got some Spidertrax spacers on order and will be following their installation instructions to the "t." Since this is my first time with wheel spacers, it seems like a logical question to ask: do I need to make any adjustments to my steering stops to accommodate the spacers?

Nope, no adjustments will be needed. Also, this video might help you out.

 

[mphilleo]

I took your guys' advice and picked up Spidertrax spacers. Just got them installed last night. If nothing else, aesthetically, they make an improvement. Steering feels a little lighter somehow, but the stance does feel more stable as well. As an update, here's a picture of each side of the rear suspension:

 

[wayoflife]

I took your guys' advice and picked up Spidertrax spacers. Just got them installed last night. If nothing else, aesthetically, they make an improvement. Steering feels a little lighter somehow, but the stance does feel more stable as well. As an update, here's a picture of each side of the rear suspension:

View attachment 390133View attachment 390134

Glad that we could be of help and that your links are clearing well now.

 

[mphilleo]

Well, the other day, leaving work, reversing out of my parking spot with my wheel nearly at full lock, I got that soft clunk noise from the rear again. At this point, my opinion is that it has something to do with my bowed (Rough Country...didn't buy them myself) springs, possibly a bad bushing, or the orientation of my swaybar/end links. I already have Metalcloak's spring correction/retainer kit coming and I already have a replacement bushing for the rear track bar on hand. Beyond any of these possibilities, I'm at a loss and might just have to accept that it's there.

 

[wayoflife]

Was it just one or two clunks or a continuous clunking like something was rotating? If it was the prior and you suspect your coils, check how close they are to the rear track bar. If it is them that's causing the noise, you should see evidence of it where the two are making contact.

 

[Spazbyt]

I had a clunk in reverse and it was a loose control arm bolt. The bracket was starting to elongate but luckily I caught it in time so I only had to re torque it.

 

[mphilleo]

Was it just one or two clunks or a continuous clunking like something was rotating? If it was the prior and you suspect your coils, check how close they are to the rear track bar. If it is them that's causing the noise, you should see evidence of it where the two are making contact.

I'll have to check the coils. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell because they have chipped paint and rust flecks all over. I'm not sure if I got a really good look at the side closest to the track bar, but I will.

I had a clunk in reverse and it was a loose control arm bolt. The bracket was starting to elongate but luckily I caught it in time so I only to re torque it.

Thanks for the suggestion. I can't confirm if the hole is elongated at this point, but I did have the control arms installed and adjusted by my local frame and alignment shop. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because on a previous job, we had an issue with correct torque and they made it right.

 

[CalSgt]

I had a clunk in reverse and it was a loose control arm bolt. The bracket was starting to elongate but luckily I caught it in time so I only to re torque it.

I'll add:

My gas tank skid plate would make a clunk every so often, took forever to figure out. I crawled under the jeep with a dead blow hammer and started thumping things hoping to find something loose. The front mounting bolt (at the crossmember) loosened up and the skid would clunk when fuel sloshed a certain way. It loosened up twice after that, I eventually figured out the welded nut in the crossmember was broke loose so I replaced it with a nut and it hasn't done it since.

My Duramax would clunk when turned full lock in reverse, turned out to be a hub unit bearing.

 

[mphilleo]

I'll add:

My gas tank skid plate would make a clunk every so often, took forever to figure out. I crawled under the jeep with a dead blow hammer and started thumping things hoping to find something loose. The front mounting bolt (at the crossmember) loosened up and the skid would clunk when fuel sloshed a certain way. It loosened up twice after that, I eventually figured out the welded nut in the crossmember was broke loose so I replaced it with a nut and it hasn't done it since.

My Duramax would clunk when turned full lock in reverse, turned out to be a hub unit bearing.

Interesting, I'll take a look. The axle was re-geared and had new bearings installed recently, so I'm not sure if it's that yet. But I will check underneath with a dead blow.

 

[JimLee]

I'll have to check the coils. Unfortunately, it's hard to tell because they have chipped paint and rust flecks all over. I'm not sure if I got a really good look at the side closest to the track bar, but I will.

Thanks for the suggestion. I can't confirm if the hole is elongated at this point, but I did have the control arms installed and adjusted by my local frame and alignment shop. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt because on a previous job, we had an issue with correct torque and they made it right.

If you suspect contact but are having a hard time verifying because a part is scratched/ chipped up already, put some blue painters tape (or, I like to use the silver heat tape) on the area where contact might be happening and drive it for a couple of days. It'll show on the tape if you are making contact.

 

[mphilleo]

If you suspect contact but are having a hard time verifying because a part is scratched/ chipped up already, put some blue painters tape (or, I like to use the silver heat tape) on the area where contact might be happening and drive it for a couple of days. It'll show on the tape if you are making contact.

Good idea, I might have to give that a try.

 

[CalSgt]

Interesting, I'll take a look. The axle was re-geared and had new bearings installed recently, so I'm not sure if it's that yet. But I will check underneath with a dead blow.

Since you recently had a regear check for loss of motion at the pinion. Chock the front tires, jack up one side of the rear axle & put on jack stand, transfercase in neutral.

Rotate the lifted tire forwards and backwards while watching the driveshaft, driveshaft should change directions immediately and the pinion flange should not move in or out of the differential housing at all. You can also turn the driveshaft by hand and actually may have a better feel for it there. It doesn't need to be rapid changes in direction or even lots of spinning, just enough to feel or see if there is a void where power wouldn't be transferred when changing directions.

Grab the driveshaft near the pinion flange and forcefully push and pull it; left, right, up, down. It should not be able to move, check it at the transfer case flange too.

 

[mphilleo]

Since you recently had a regear check for loss of motion at the pinion. Chock the front tires, jack up one side of the rear axle & put on jack stand, transfercase in neutral.

Rotate the lifted tire forwards and backwards while watching the driveshaft, driveshaft should change directions immediately and the pinion flange should not move in or out of the differential housing at all. You can also turn the driveshaft by hand and actually may have a better feel for it there. It doesn't need to be rapid changes in direction or even lots of spinning, just enough to feel or see if there is a void where power wouldn't be transferred when changing directions.

Grab the driveshaft near the pinion flange and forcefully push and pull it; left, right, up, down. It should not be able to move, check it at the transfer case flange too.

Thanks, I will put this on my to-try list this weekend.

 

[mphilleo]

It was time to re-check the torque on my Spidertrax spacers today, so I figured I would grab some pictures of the rear suspension. While I was at it, I did snug down the fasteners for the rear sway bar end links. I'm definitely thinking that this is related to the curvature of my springs and their seating. Of course, it could just be my optimism that the spring spring correction and retainer kit resolves the issue. These pictures better show the bowing of the springs and the spacing related to the rear track bar. I'll be trying some of the other suggested solutions later this weekend.

 

[wayoflife]

I apologize if you've said it before but, do you have a 2-door? What do you have your rear lower arms set to?

 

[mphilleo]

I apologize if you've said it before but, do you have a 2-door? What do you have your rear lower arms set to?

It's an Unlimited 4 door. I specifically bought the adjustable rear control arms to correct the rear pinion angle. The 4x4 shop that I mentioned earlier are the ones who made the initial justments.They were maintained or rechecked by the alignment shop that serviced the Jeep afterwards.

 

[wayoflife]

It's an Unlimited 4 door. I specifically bought the adjustable rear control arms to correct the rear pinion angle. The 4x4 shop that I mentioned earlier are the ones who made the initial justments.They were maintained or rechecked by the alignment shop that serviced the Jeep afterwards.

Okay, eye to eye, what is the length of your lower control arms? For a 4-door, you seem to have a LOT of spring bow, even for pinion angle correction. If I could guess, your lower arms are set too long.