Lukes link--track bar woes
05-11-2005, 08:17 AM
#31
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Originally posted by Mcmopar
There was a thread a while back talking about either Darin or Marv having a fittment issue? Does anyone have any info on that?
There was a thread a while back talking about either Darin or Marv having a fittment issue? Does anyone have any info on that?
RJ
05-11-2005, 01:08 PM
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My OEM track bar went out at 1,200 miles. Darwin says he has 100k miles on his 3rd gen bar. All things wear out, 100k miles is good enough for me on a $300 part.
Cowhand: You said you have the DSS. Looking at mine, the DSS does not allow you to lower the sway bar as KORE is now recomending with their Billet Drop Blocks. I have also looked at lift kits on other Dodges that also drop the sway bar. Do you think the sway bar need to be dropped with a 2" lift?
Cowhand: You said you have the DSS. Looking at mine, the DSS does not allow you to lower the sway bar as KORE is now recomending with their Billet Drop Blocks. I have also looked at lift kits on other Dodges that also drop the sway bar. Do you think the sway bar need to be dropped with a 2" lift?
05-11-2005, 01:15 PM
#33
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i ordered a lukes link today
hopefully its good for a temp fix until i can afford a thuren or 03tbk, i have a long trip coming up towing a race car and i dont wanna be worried about my track bar going out and me wrecking or being stranded somewhere
hopefully its good for a temp fix until i can afford a thuren or 03tbk, i have a long trip coming up towing a race car and i dont wanna be worried about my track bar going out and me wrecking or being stranded somewhere
05-11-2005, 02:49 PM
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Originally posted by Dr.Kayak
My OEM track bar went out at 1,200 miles. Darwin says he has 100k miles on his 3rd gen bar. All things wear out, 100k miles is good enough for me on a $300 part.
Cowhand: You said you have the DSS. Looking at mine, the DSS does not allow you to lower the sway bar as KORE is now recomending with their Billet Drop Blocks. I have also looked at lift kits on other Dodges that also drop the sway bar. Do you think the sway bar need to be dropped with a 2" lift?
My OEM track bar went out at 1,200 miles. Darwin says he has 100k miles on his 3rd gen bar. All things wear out, 100k miles is good enough for me on a $300 part.
Cowhand: You said you have the DSS. Looking at mine, the DSS does not allow you to lower the sway bar as KORE is now recomending with their Billet Drop Blocks. I have also looked at lift kits on other Dodges that also drop the sway bar. Do you think the sway bar need to be dropped with a 2" lift?
I'm looking for an aftermarket sway bar setup now, something similar to the Currie Rock Ready sway bar. My stock configuration isn't working very well anymore with my new found articulation. The link ends are bent forward about 30*.
You could probably get busy with a saw on those billet drop brackets and cut some off the back side, run some longer bolts. Another option would be to measure/sketch and go to your local machine shot and have some made out of mild steel, might be cheaper than Kent's super duper billet pieces.
I had another thought....IIRC, you could lengthen the stock sway bar links by cutting them in the middle, threading the ends and putting a threaded tube in the middle to tie them together. Put a jam nut on either end of the tube and you're set.....
Conrad
05-11-2005, 03:31 PM
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Originally posted by Cowhand
I had another thought....IIRC, you could lengthen the stock sway bar links by cutting them in the middle, threading the ends and putting a threaded tube in the middle to tie them together. Put a jam nut on either end of the tube and you're set.....
Conrad
I had another thought....IIRC, you could lengthen the stock sway bar links by cutting them in the middle, threading the ends and putting a threaded tube in the middle to tie them together. Put a jam nut on either end of the tube and you're set.....
Conrad
05-11-2005, 06:01 PM
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Cowhand,
2 weeks ago I searched your older posts and read up @pavementsucks.com and ordered a Thuren Track Bar. I got the 0"-3" Lift. It came today. Don even painted it
. Not sure how I'm gonna get 300 Ft Lbs of torque on the frame bolt, but I should be able to get close. This thing looks bulletproof. The Polybushing on the axle end is as hard as steel. I will install within a few days.
So Far:
Pros:
Simple, quick, no hassle installation.
Adjustable length (I can finally center my axle... At least while the truck is parked)
Good Price
It looks STRONG.
Cons:
No provision for a cotter pin after the nut on the frame side like the OEM bar (although I can't see how it would loosen w/ all that torque and a nylon insert in the nut)
Dons disclamer on his webpage is a little scary.
Again it looks like a very strong T-Bar.
2 weeks ago I searched your older posts and read up @pavementsucks.com and ordered a Thuren Track Bar. I got the 0"-3" Lift. It came today. Don even painted it
. Not sure how I'm gonna get 300 Ft Lbs of torque on the frame bolt, but I should be able to get close. This thing looks bulletproof. The Polybushing on the axle end is as hard as steel. I will install within a few days.So Far:
Pros:
Simple, quick, no hassle installation.
Adjustable length (I can finally center my axle... At least while the truck is parked)
Good Price
It looks STRONG.
Cons:
No provision for a cotter pin after the nut on the frame side like the OEM bar (although I can't see how it would loosen w/ all that torque and a nylon insert in the nut)
Dons disclamer on his webpage is a little scary.
Again it looks like a very strong T-Bar.
05-11-2005, 06:57 PM
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Bill,
I wouldn't worry about the disclaimer.....the same kind of thing comes with every mass produced lift kit sold out there, they even go so far as to say the warranty is void unless the sticker is conspicuously posted in the driver's compartment. And they carry millions in product liability insurance.
I have a bunch of Don's work on my truck, and if the factory welds holding the truck together looked half as good as Don's welds I might be concerned over what would break first.
As far as the lack of a cotter pin on the frame side bolt....I ran a straight nylock nut on my old track bar bracket, no cotter pin. When I took it off to put Don's bar on, I had to put a 3 foot cheater bar on it. If it weighs on your mind, you can do one of two things. Drill the bolt out for a cotter pin or back it up with another nylon lock nut as a jam nut. I would be shocked if it ever moved, there's a custom taper fitting between the bolt and the frame boss, it should act like a swedge fitting.
That's a 3/4" bolt, I'm running the same bolts in my steering knuckles for over 10K now and they haven't loosened up a bit. I can't get any more on them with the tools I have at the house, and they're only torqued to about 250.
Should work out fine for ya, glad I could help.
Conrad
I wouldn't worry about the disclaimer.....the same kind of thing comes with every mass produced lift kit sold out there, they even go so far as to say the warranty is void unless the sticker is conspicuously posted in the driver's compartment. And they carry millions in product liability insurance.
I have a bunch of Don's work on my truck, and if the factory welds holding the truck together looked half as good as Don's welds I might be concerned over what would break first.
As far as the lack of a cotter pin on the frame side bolt....I ran a straight nylock nut on my old track bar bracket, no cotter pin. When I took it off to put Don's bar on, I had to put a 3 foot cheater bar on it. If it weighs on your mind, you can do one of two things. Drill the bolt out for a cotter pin or back it up with another nylon lock nut as a jam nut. I would be shocked if it ever moved, there's a custom taper fitting between the bolt and the frame boss, it should act like a swedge fitting.
That's a 3/4" bolt, I'm running the same bolts in my steering knuckles for over 10K now and they haven't loosened up a bit. I can't get any more on them with the tools I have at the house, and they're only torqued to about 250.
Should work out fine for ya, glad I could help.
Conrad
05-11-2005, 07:02 PM
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Originally posted by Hemi Dart
Dons disclamer on his webpage is a little scary.
Dons disclamer on his webpage is a little scary.
Insurance these days... 
I'm glad you like it so far Bill, can't wait to hear your feed back, and don't worry about the nut. These days all OE suspension/steering parts use either nylocks or prevailing torque nuts as they have been proven totally safe. Cotter pins are sorta' outdated...
Don..
edit: Conrad, you snuck your post under me...
05-11-2005, 08:24 PM
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Originally posted by THURENfab.
edit: Conrad, you snuck your post under me...
edit: Conrad, you snuck your post under me...
05-14-2005, 10:03 AM
#41
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well...jsut got done putting a luke link in there...man the steering is so stiff and tight....will def have to get a whole new track bar eventually and a steering stabilizer...but man does this ever help so much from my 1/4 turn slop.
thanks for all the info guys
thanks for all the info guys
05-22-2005, 09:23 AM
#42
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I installed a 0-3" lift Thuren Track bar last weekend. I am VERY happy w/ the improvement and was fairly simple to install.
Before I started I test fitted the ¾" mounting bolt in the frame end and noticed that it would not fit through the top. I grabbed a Dremel tool with a sand paper roll and ground about .005 all around the top. Problem fixed. I think the bolt would have thread through it no problem anyhow.
I have leveling springs on the truck and wanted to center the axle (at least while it's parked). I used a come-along and the left side tow hook (front) and centered the axle under the chassis. I worked alone. I found getting the proper length on the bar was trial & error. I lined up the axle end in the mount hole and then looked to see how the frame end lined up. It has a tapered stud like the OEM bar and I wanted to get a nice straight shot to the hole. After about 5 trys it lined up nice and I was happy with it. You'll see what I mean.
The frame end tapered part on the Thuren Track bar gets thin when it ends. If you look at it the wrong way it dents in. I felt it was easier to test fit it without the bolt. The bolt would have prevented the dents. I used a big drift to fix it. Takes about 5 seconds to re-straighten.
Make sure you have some big opened end and boxed end wrenches. The lock nut on the axle end is 1¼" and the bolt head on the frame end I think was 1+". I could not get a socket to go on it. Not enough clearance between the diff cover. I had to run the bolt through the frame end w/ a wrench. The torque is 300 ft lbs at the frame end. I think I got close to it.
My steering wheel was off center about 10 minutes to the right. I adjusted the drag link and it was fixed.
The Thuren Track Bar really cleaned up the wanderering. I could not believe the improvement. And keep in mind I pulled off a still very tight, Lukes Link'd, poly bushed axle end track bar. The steering has a new "smoothness" feel to it.
I also noticed the front end has much more articulation compared to the OEM bar. I hit a dip in the road, and noticed the front really squatted like I have never felt before.
I am very pleased w/ Don's track bar. It's priced very good. It even came Painted.
If anybody has any questions feel free to ask.
http://thurenfabrication.com/
Before I started I test fitted the ¾" mounting bolt in the frame end and noticed that it would not fit through the top. I grabbed a Dremel tool with a sand paper roll and ground about .005 all around the top. Problem fixed. I think the bolt would have thread through it no problem anyhow.
I have leveling springs on the truck and wanted to center the axle (at least while it's parked). I used a come-along and the left side tow hook (front) and centered the axle under the chassis. I worked alone. I found getting the proper length on the bar was trial & error. I lined up the axle end in the mount hole and then looked to see how the frame end lined up. It has a tapered stud like the OEM bar and I wanted to get a nice straight shot to the hole. After about 5 trys it lined up nice and I was happy with it. You'll see what I mean.
The frame end tapered part on the Thuren Track bar gets thin when it ends. If you look at it the wrong way it dents in. I felt it was easier to test fit it without the bolt. The bolt would have prevented the dents. I used a big drift to fix it. Takes about 5 seconds to re-straighten.
Make sure you have some big opened end and boxed end wrenches. The lock nut on the axle end is 1¼" and the bolt head on the frame end I think was 1+". I could not get a socket to go on it. Not enough clearance between the diff cover. I had to run the bolt through the frame end w/ a wrench. The torque is 300 ft lbs at the frame end. I think I got close to it.
My steering wheel was off center about 10 minutes to the right. I adjusted the drag link and it was fixed.
The Thuren Track Bar really cleaned up the wanderering. I could not believe the improvement. And keep in mind I pulled off a still very tight, Lukes Link'd, poly bushed axle end track bar. The steering has a new "smoothness" feel to it.
I also noticed the front end has much more articulation compared to the OEM bar. I hit a dip in the road, and noticed the front really squatted like I have never felt before.
I am very pleased w/ Don's track bar. It's priced very good. It even came Painted.
If anybody has any questions feel free to ask.
http://thurenfabrication.com/
05-23-2005, 12:44 AM
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That's what I'm talkin' about...
My wife drove my truck this weekend for the first time since I re-did the front end with Don's stuff....now she's not afraid to drive it anymore. Apparently it's not quite the handfull it used to be, she can actually keep it pointed straight down the road without working at it.
I've found the easiest way to install the track bar is with two people. Adjusting is trial and error, but if you measure from the outside edge of the tread to the frame just behind the shock, you can usually get within 1/8" in one or two tries. Have someone turn the steering wheel until the frame end hole lines up and stab the bolt in.
Nice thing though is you only have to adjust it once and it's set.
Glad to hear you're happy with it Bill.
My wife drove my truck this weekend for the first time since I re-did the front end with Don's stuff....now she's not afraid to drive it anymore. Apparently it's not quite the handfull it used to be, she can actually keep it pointed straight down the road without working at it.
I've found the easiest way to install the track bar is with two people. Adjusting is trial and error, but if you measure from the outside edge of the tread to the frame just behind the shock, you can usually get within 1/8" in one or two tries. Have someone turn the steering wheel until the frame end hole lines up and stab the bolt in.
Nice thing though is you only have to adjust it once and it's set.
Glad to hear you're happy with it Bill.
05-23-2005, 11:25 AM
#44
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well i now have a pretty bad popping in the lukes link...havent been able to figure out why yet...but ill work on it after the truck gets its new heartbeat (vp-44)
05-23-2005, 01:16 PM
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Originally posted by getblown5.9
well i now have a pretty bad popping in the lukes link...havent been able to figure out why yet...but ill work on it after the truck gets its new heartbeat (vp-44)
well i now have a pretty bad popping in the lukes link...havent been able to figure out why yet...but ill work on it after the truck gets its new heartbeat (vp-44)
Also try this thread for help. Let me know if helps you find a solution.
http://www.turbodieselregister.com/f...nk+AND+popping