Traction control light

[Skirmish]

One way would be to have HD washers welded over the hole to make it round again. There are also brackets made to strengthen the mount. I have a Synergy brace on top and a Synergy 3" track bar lift bracket on the bottom. The bottom one you need to have a draglink flip done with it and must have at least a 3" lift.

The reason it sounds like a moving track bar is that it recenters itself. That most likely means something that should be solid is shifting and shifting back. The axle shifting would certainly move your steering wheel off center and shifting back would recenter it. I doubt it would be in the steering as that wouldn't likely recenter but get farther out of center. Same with the draglink. If the collar was loose it would slowly open up the draglink and the wheel would slowly move counter clockwise.

The only other thing I can see doing what you described is if someone is pranking you by putting shorter springs in then returning yours but that isn't likely.

 

[Skirmish]

You wouldn't need to change the track bar, just reinforce the mount holes it is bolted to.

 

[StrizzyChris]

thanks chris. i will continue to look into this and see if it is cracked. i really hope it isnt.

To be honest, that would be an easy/cheap fix. You'd just have to replace with a stock pitman arm someone is selling for $15 all the time on the forums.

if this is the case how would i go about fixing it? would i just have to get a new adjustable track bar or even replace it with a stock take off?

I could be completely wrong, but it doesnt sound like a track bar issue. I couldnt imagine you'd get that much of a steering wheel position change from a couple mm of variation in the track bar hole. It could cause death wobble from the track bar jumping back and forth in the hole if not torqued down enough. BUT if it is the trackbar hole, you could weld a washer to either side of the bracket to return the hole to stock bolt size.

I hope you get this resolved...I feel like we're playing Clue :crazyeyes:

 

[StrizzyChris]

haha I love this forum! Ask a question and three people respond to it immediately at the same time :thumb:

 

[Skirmish]

I've adjusted my trackbar 1/2" and it moved my steering 90 degrees.

 

[cozdude]

One way would be to have HD washers welded over the hole to make it round again. There are also brackets made to strengthen the mount. I have a Synergy brace on top and a Synergy 3" track bar lift bracket on the bottom. The bottom one you need to have a draglink flip done with it and must have at least a 3" lift.

The reason it sounds like a moving track bar is that it recenters itself. That most likely means something that should be solid is shifting and shifting back. The axle shifting would certainly move your steering wheel off center and shifting back would recenter it. I doubt it would be in the steering as that wouldn't likely recenter but get farther out of center. Same with the draglink. If the collar was loose it would slowly open up the draglink and the wheel would slowly move counter clockwise.

The only other thing I can see doing what you described is if someone is pranking you by putting shorter springs in then returning yours but that isn't likely.

yea its just weird cause it was fine before i did my alignment about a month ago now and it got worse overtime. then it got REALLY BAD the day after i had my gussets welded on. i guess i will be getting a new track bar. i only have a 2.5" lift so i think the drag link is a little much

 

[Skirmish]

It wouldn't be the trackbar itself but where it mounts. Check for allowed movement or deformation of the mounting holes. The trackbar needs to be solid and not move. The mounts are kinda weak and more movement will widen the mount holes so it would get worse to the point of death wobble.

 

[cozdude]

haha I love this forum! Ask a question and three people respond to it immediately at the same time :thumb:

it is great! and i appreciate all the help guys i really do. i feel clueless when it comes to cetain things due to my lack of knowledge and you guys help a lot!

 

[Skirmish]

Here is a pic of a worn mount. You can see the bolt is loose and would let the trackbar slip.
Once it starts moving it makes the hole bigger and bigger.

 

[StrizzyChris]

I've adjusted my trackbar 1/2" and it moved my steering 90 degrees.

I could see that, and Im not arguing with you because you could very well be correct, but I've never seen a trackbar hole open up that much with no prior symptoms. A 1/16 of an inch in hole variation is enough to cause death wobble if the bolt isnt torqued down enough(which is what would have caused the wallowing out to begin with). If the trackbar hole is reamed out soo badly that his trackbar could shift 1/2" from side to side, causing a 90* shift in the steering wheel, he wont even need to remove the bolt to see the hole is wallowed out.

(Read my entire post as brain storming, 'm having fun with this (unfortunately albeit at the OPs expense)

 

[Army_Vet]

yea its just weird cause it was fine before i did my alignment about a month ago now and it got worse overtime. then it got REALLY BAD the day after i had my gussets welded on. i guess i will be getting a new track bar. i only have a 2.5" lift so i think the drag link is a little much

How far away from Carlisle/ Mechanicsburg area are you steve? before you throw money at the jeep, why don't you let me look at it first.

 

[Skirmish]

I could see that, and Im not arguing with you because you could very well be correct, but I've never seen a trackbar hole open up that much with no prior symptoms. A 1/16 of an inch in hole variation is enough to cause death wobble if the bolt isnt torqued down enough(which is what would have caused the wallowing out to begin with). If the trackbar hole is reamed out soo badly that his trackbar could shift 1/2" from side to side, causing a 90* shift in the steering wheel, he wont even need to remove the bolt to see the hole is wallowed out.

(Read my entire post as brain storming, 'm having fun with this (unfortunately albeit at the OPs expense)

Not sure I read that he was 90 degrees out but 1/8 on either side becomes 1/4" total which gives around 45 and that feels like a lot. Definitely enough for the ESC light to come on.

The real piece of evidence is the fact that another bump recentered it. It would be crazy luck if that happened in a broken steering component.

It would be easier if we could be in front of his rig right now but short of that this spit balling session will at least tell him what it isn't. Hopefully one of us is right so we tell him what it is.

 

[Army_Vet]

Not sure I read that he was 90 degrees out but 1/8 on either side becomes 1/4" total which gives around 45 and that feels like a lot. Definitely enough for the ESC light to come on.

The real piece of evidence is the fact that another bump recentered it. It would be crazy luck if that happened in a broken steering component.

It would be easier if we could be in front of his rig right now but short of that this spit balling session will at least tell him what it isn't. Hopefully one of us is right so we tell him what it is.

I wish he would have mentioned it 4 days ago when i was right in front of it....:doh:

 

[Skirmish]

I wish he would have mentioned it 4 days ago when i was right in front of it....:doh:

But then I wouldn't have any fun.

 

[Tackerdown]

funny how it works. I saw the thread before we hit Rausch but the light went out so he didn't say anything when there were 13 guys to look at it. Then we all could have said yup your lights on.

 

[Army_Vet]

funny how it works. I saw the thread before we hit Rausch but the light went out so he didn't say anything when there were 13 guys to look at it. Then we all could have said yup your lights on.

Nice Tom!!! All Hank Hill Like... "Yup.... Yup.... Yup.... Yup.... Yup lights on"

 

[cozdude]

funny how it works. I saw the thread before we hit Rausch but the light went out so he didn't say anything when there were 13 guys to look at it. Then we all could have said yup your lights on.

Lol the light went out. It hasn't been on since but my wheel just keeps going in and out of line. It's pissing me off


Sent from my iPhone

 

[Army_Vet]

Lol the light went out. It hasn't been on since but my wheel just keeps going in and out of line. It's pissing me off


Sent from my iPhone

Steve Please! lets figure a time to meet up tomorrow before that steering comes apart and you end up upside down somewhere!!!!

 

[cozdude]

It wouldn't be the trackbar itself but where it mounts. Check for allowed movement or deformation of the mounting holes. The trackbar needs to be solid and not move. The mounts are kinda weak and more movement will widen the mount holes so it would get worse to the point of death wobble.

I could see that, and Im not arguing with you because you could very well be correct, but I've never seen a trackbar hole open up that much with no prior symptoms. A 1/16 of an inch in hole variation is enough to cause death wobble if the bolt isnt torqued down enough(which is what would have caused the wallowing out to begin with). If the trackbar hole is reamed out soo badly that his trackbar could shift 1/2" from side to side, causing a 90* shift in the steering wheel, he wont even need to remove the bolt to see the hole is wallowed out.

(Read my entire post as brain storming, 'm having fun with this (unfortunately albeit at the OPs expense)

Not sure I read that he was 90 degrees out but 1/8 on either side becomes 1/4" total which gives around 45 and that feels like a lot. Definitely enough for the ESC light to come on.

The real piece of evidence is the fact that another bump recentered it. It would be crazy luck if that happened in a broken steering component.

It would be easier if we could be in front of his rig right now but short of that this spit balling session will at least tell him what it isn't. Hopefully one of us is right so we tell him what it is.

so with taking into account for what you both have said i am going to start with tightening down the track bar bolts on both sides. i am hoping it may be as simple as that. if not i will try and take it off to see if it looks like the bolt holes are worn out which i hope they are not as well. if worse comes to worse i throw a fit, tell my parents im not moving out for a while longer and buying a PR44 lol

 

[cozdude]

Steve Please! lets figure a time to meet up tomorrow before that steering comes apart and you end up upside down somewhere!!!!

lol your more than welcome to drive to my work and take a look at it while im on lunch. other than that im booked solid. suppose to take it to the beach this weekend as well since my gf car is getting repaired