‘04 wrangler, 4” lift on 35’s
I don’t expect it to ride like a Cadillac but…

I can feel the rear end of the Jeep kick sideways, not dangerously or violently, but noticeably when hitting a bump or dip. Just the rear, the front seems to trac true. It might get a little interesting in the rain. Haven’t driven it much yet and none in the rain.

It looks like they added an extension to the track bar on the axle to raise it up, but the bar is still ~4 inches higher where it attaches to the frame than where it attaches to the axle.
Axel is well centered.

Seems to me the track bar should be approximately parallel with the ground/axle…

What do you think?

Oh…
The shocks are 10+ years old, but they seem to be functioning OK when I bounce them, no signs of leaking.

Those bushings in the track bar don't look very good. Looseness in them will cause the rear axle to shift sideways when hitting a bump.

As for whether it should be parallel to the ground and axle, it can't work like that.

You might need to use an adjustable rear track bar also to get the correct geometry for the rear axle.

I kept my JK at stock height because I didn’t want to deal with death wobble and or premature prop shaft u-joint wear. I went up to 285/70-17” but went back down to 265’s because I was getting some tire to sway bar interference in hard right turns. I was hesitant to do a lift kit despite having a free used one available and definitely declined using wheel spacers or wheels with more offset. The spacer or offset wheel options, never liked those because of the additional loads placed on the bearings.

Looks like a job for a 4WD shop with experience.

Lateral axle movement es no bueno.

A common tire size, so the solution should be evident and readily available.

My instinct was correct… here’s what I found.

Yes — your rear track bar should be as close to parallel to the rear axle as possible when the vehicle is sitting at ride height.

Here’s why:
• The track bar controls side-to-side movement of the axle.
• When it’s angled (especially steeply), the axle will shift laterally as the suspension moves up and down — a phenomenon called axle walk or side shift.
• The more parallel and level it is, the more consistent your axle’s position stays through suspension travel.

How to check:
• Park on level ground at normal ride height.
• Stand behind the Jeep and look at the track bar — it should roughly follow the same line as the axle.
• If it angles down toward the frame side, your lift has changed the geometry — you might need a rear track bar relocation bracket (either on the axle end or frame end, depending on your setup)

(I started typing... "I thought everybody just took them off?? Then I remembered that's just us leaf spring folks)

quote:

Originally posted by cas:
(I started typing... "I thought everybody just took them off?? Then I remembered that's just us leaf spring folks)

Sway bar yes, optional… But right, Track bar a must have on coils.

quote:

My instinct was correct… here’s what I found.

Yes — your rear track bar should be as close to parallel to the rear axle as possible when the vehicle is sitting at ride height.

Whatever this source is, it's wrong. If the track bar is anchored to the frame on one end and the axle on the other, just how is it going to be parallel to the axle?

quote:

If it angles down toward the frame side, your lift has changed the geometry — you might need a rear track bar relocation bracket (either on the axle end or frame end, depending on your setup)

That can't possibly work. How can the track bar angle down towards the frame?

The one thing it got right is that it would need a relocation bracket on the frame or axle. It looks like you already have one on the axle.



I still think you need to look at those end bushings. The one in the top photo, in particular, looks pretty shabby. Take a small pry bar, wedge it between the brackets and bar, pry back and forth and see if there is movement in the bushings. Being rubber, a very small amount is normal, but any excessive movement is bad. Also physically check those bolts for tightness. Although what I can see looks pretty clean and relatively free of rust, check the frame for cracks in that area.

If the track bar bushings are loose it might cause a side to side bump but even though you said the shocks look good I would suspect one is not as good as the other. Maybe swap sides with the shocks and see if it’s different. Careful with the bolts holding the top. They can rust and seize tight so don’t twist one off. It’s a hard spot to reach for repair.

Is the relocation bracket the correct one for use with a 4” lift?

When I installed the AEV lift on my Gladiator the kit came with a track bar relocation bracket and a new track bar which was longer to compensate for the increased diagonal length.

As for your shocks I’m sure they’re shot. Take one off and check the compression and rebound. Buy a set of Bilstein 5100’s.

I put Rancho 5000’s on my two door JK. Fronts are fine but the rears are a bit too stiff for my liking FWIW.

quote:

Originally posted by shovelhead:
Is the relocation bracket the correct one for use with a 4” lift?

Apparently not.

When I lift the jeep on the lift and set it right back down it scoots the rear of the jeep over about two or three inches! That is what it does when I hit a bump.


The bar has to be level to minimize the side shift