Well, got done w/ class today and decided I had enough time to install my new trackbar (Can't have a new goody layin' around just waitin to be put on, can you?). Anyway, here's how it went:
First, when you put the jacks on the frame behind the control arms and droop the suspension, it will droop a lot more then expected. I've never drooped my Dodge suspension before and it went a lot lower then I thought it would... had me concerned for a minute. Oh, and have good jacks if available too. I ended up using a combination of my bottle jack from the pickup and a cheap 2 ton floor jack a buddy has, along w/ 2x6's underneath them. Sure would be nicer with a good floor jack, but I got it done.
Removal of the old trackbar is nothing... take off the nut on drivers side, hit it w/ a hammer, she pops out. Be warned though, the axle will shift towards the pax side when you knock the stud out, as there is still tension on the trackbar. When taking off the pax side bolt, don't worry about it being stiff... there is what looks like blue-loktite on it... had me thinking I was ruining the nut/bolt for a minute (didn't at that time, that came later). After those bolts are out, it pops right out and then you can hit it with a hammer as much as you want.
Next comes mounting the new bracket. First take the screw out of the brake line holder... nothin' to this. Then put the tapered sleeve in the old stud hole, hold the bracket up, put a bolt through, then put the long bolt in from the top. This one is kind of a bugger to get a nut on at first cause you have to find the right angle to hold it at so you can get the most of it to stick out the bottom. Tighten them down, but be careful... it doesn't take much to start deforming the top of the cross-member with the long bolt... I crushed mine ever so slightly.
Now the fun part, drilling the holes in the cross-member. I went and bought a brand new 3/4" metal hole saw. Had a Dewalt 12v cordless... would be easier with a small 3/8" corded... more room to work. With my head towards the pax side, laying under the pickup, I had to reach my left arm under the axle and my right arm over the axle. Left pushed drill while right pulled trigger and pulled drill. I'm sooooooooo glad I had new drill bits, as this got very tiring, very fast. Tried to keep things as lined up as I could, and think I did a good job. Got the two 3/4" holes drilled, then put the bit back in and drilled the two small pilot holes out the front... these could have been straighter, but they worked in the end. Had a brand new Dewalt 1/2" bit too w/ a pilot hole thing on the tip that worked like a charm... ate right through the cross-member for the 1/2" holes. After this I put the two bolts through, then put the 3/4" crush sleeves on the bolts and wiggled them into the cross member. This kept everything fairly well lined up. Tightened these down, then drilled a new 1/4" pilot hole for the brake line and put that back in. So that's it for mounting the bracket.
Now, put the trackbar together (I did mine last night, so it was ready to go). I left about 2-1/2" of thread sticking out of all threadable things so I had plenty of adjustment room. Ended up moving in the drivers end some before mounting. Anyway, be careful when mounting the pax end into the axle bracket with the old bolt. I cross-threaded mine the right way, so ended up turning it around the wrong way and putting it on like that... I will get a new one next week from local dealer (for $50 I'm sure
). Now, put everything on the drivers end together and tighten down. No tricks to this.
Now, load the suspension w/ jacks/jack-stands and measure the axle vs. the frame. Takes a minute to find a good spot so your measurements are from the same spot on both sides. Mine was off about 1" and I got it within 1/16" by adjusting the bar. Now, I didn't have big enough wrenches to get on the end of the trackbar, so my shiny new bar has pipe-wrench marks near the pax end... only way I could turn the thing... oh well, it's underneath anyway. Once you get it adjusted, prepare to cuss as I did, cause I didn't have big enough wrenches to get on the jam nuts either, AND their a B!TCH to get to... I mean a royal PITA. So, after much cussing I finally got a chisel and hammer and locked 'em down that way. They're tight, but not good enough... will be going to see Dave @ DT tommorrow and borrowing wrenches to crank them suckers down.
After this, throw your tires on and let her down. My wheel was off about 1/8 turn. I went and testdrove for about 5 minutes, came back and straightened wheel (just used adjuster closes to pitman shaft/arm, as I have used it before). Took one full turn to get her back to straight. Then I drove back to my apartment and was all
the whole way. I like to drive my pickup again. Point it somewhere and it goes. Before I could move the wheel a little less then 1/8 turn before I got any noticeable movement. Now it responds right now!
I like again. Oh, I also have a DSS and I have almost zero bump-steer... just a touch on big bumps.
All in all, I'm pleased. Probably would have taken me 1 hour less time if I had had good jacks to work with. As it was it took from about 11:30 am to 4 PM. I was working by myself, and I'm very methodical and a perfectionist when it comes to my pickup (plan on having it a long time, so want it to last).
One of the better BOMB's I've done to my pickup, although I'm not sure it's worth +$300, it is a good investment.
Sorry for being long-winded, and I will take pics either tomorrow or Monday after I get back from Reno.
Josh
First, when you put the jacks on the frame behind the control arms and droop the suspension, it will droop a lot more then expected. I've never drooped my Dodge suspension before and it went a lot lower then I thought it would... had me concerned for a minute. Oh, and have good jacks if available too. I ended up using a combination of my bottle jack from the pickup and a cheap 2 ton floor jack a buddy has, along w/ 2x6's underneath them. Sure would be nicer with a good floor jack, but I got it done.
Removal of the old trackbar is nothing... take off the nut on drivers side, hit it w/ a hammer, she pops out. Be warned though, the axle will shift towards the pax side when you knock the stud out, as there is still tension on the trackbar. When taking off the pax side bolt, don't worry about it being stiff... there is what looks like blue-loktite on it... had me thinking I was ruining the nut/bolt for a minute (didn't at that time, that came later). After those bolts are out, it pops right out and then you can hit it with a hammer as much as you want.

Next comes mounting the new bracket. First take the screw out of the brake line holder... nothin' to this. Then put the tapered sleeve in the old stud hole, hold the bracket up, put a bolt through, then put the long bolt in from the top. This one is kind of a bugger to get a nut on at first cause you have to find the right angle to hold it at so you can get the most of it to stick out the bottom. Tighten them down, but be careful... it doesn't take much to start deforming the top of the cross-member with the long bolt... I crushed mine ever so slightly.
Now the fun part, drilling the holes in the cross-member. I went and bought a brand new 3/4" metal hole saw. Had a Dewalt 12v cordless... would be easier with a small 3/8" corded... more room to work. With my head towards the pax side, laying under the pickup, I had to reach my left arm under the axle and my right arm over the axle. Left pushed drill while right pulled trigger and pulled drill. I'm sooooooooo glad I had new drill bits, as this got very tiring, very fast. Tried to keep things as lined up as I could, and think I did a good job. Got the two 3/4" holes drilled, then put the bit back in and drilled the two small pilot holes out the front... these could have been straighter, but they worked in the end. Had a brand new Dewalt 1/2" bit too w/ a pilot hole thing on the tip that worked like a charm... ate right through the cross-member for the 1/2" holes. After this I put the two bolts through, then put the 3/4" crush sleeves on the bolts and wiggled them into the cross member. This kept everything fairly well lined up. Tightened these down, then drilled a new 1/4" pilot hole for the brake line and put that back in. So that's it for mounting the bracket.
Now, put the trackbar together (I did mine last night, so it was ready to go). I left about 2-1/2" of thread sticking out of all threadable things so I had plenty of adjustment room. Ended up moving in the drivers end some before mounting. Anyway, be careful when mounting the pax end into the axle bracket with the old bolt. I cross-threaded mine the right way, so ended up turning it around the wrong way and putting it on like that... I will get a new one next week from local dealer (for $50 I'm sure

Now, load the suspension w/ jacks/jack-stands and measure the axle vs. the frame. Takes a minute to find a good spot so your measurements are from the same spot on both sides. Mine was off about 1" and I got it within 1/16" by adjusting the bar. Now, I didn't have big enough wrenches to get on the end of the trackbar, so my shiny new bar has pipe-wrench marks near the pax end... only way I could turn the thing... oh well, it's underneath anyway. Once you get it adjusted, prepare to cuss as I did, cause I didn't have big enough wrenches to get on the jam nuts either, AND their a B!TCH to get to... I mean a royal PITA. So, after much cussing I finally got a chisel and hammer and locked 'em down that way. They're tight, but not good enough... will be going to see Dave @ DT tommorrow and borrowing wrenches to crank them suckers down.
After this, throw your tires on and let her down. My wheel was off about 1/8 turn. I went and testdrove for about 5 minutes, came back and straightened wheel (just used adjuster closes to pitman shaft/arm, as I have used it before). Took one full turn to get her back to straight. Then I drove back to my apartment and was all


All in all, I'm pleased. Probably would have taken me 1 hour less time if I had had good jacks to work with. As it was it took from about 11:30 am to 4 PM. I was working by myself, and I'm very methodical and a perfectionist when it comes to my pickup (plan on having it a long time, so want it to last).
One of the better BOMB's I've done to my pickup, although I'm not sure it's worth +$300, it is a good investment.
Sorry for being long-winded, and I will take pics either tomorrow or Monday after I get back from Reno.
Josh