I've replaced the trackbar on my 96 twice in 2 months . Both new ,2nd one is lifetime warranteed from Canadian Tire .It had some movement on tire rod after install ,but Iwas told by a mechanic that was acceptable .Now after 2000 km it has 1/4" of movement on the tie rod .Yes the studs are both tight .This is the OEM style .I guess if the replacement isn't any better I'm gooa have to go to the solid steel kit.Any ideas (other than that these aren't engineered for the diesel) why their not standing up atleast a little longer?
99% of driving is on resonable paved roads .The rest is thru farm fields ,not high sped off roading or anything like that.
Thanks for any ideas.

 

For what its really worth..

Go with solid steel, and stop aggravating yourself. I have over 100k on mine now, with no problems, and I drive on less than ideal surfaces all the time. We get frost heaves that make your farm fields look like an expressway. For that matter, you could call them dry heaves, makes you sick every time you hit one.

I put the DSS and the adjustable 3rd gen track bar on at the same time, made a serious difference in how the truck handles. It still doesn't handle like it should, but it is a LOT closer to going down the road in a straight and safe manner. There are other things that I will deal with under there as time permits.

Good luck

 

If you have the MOOG, I've had good experience with it.

There should not be any movement at the tie rod end. Any noticeable movement is too much, and should be replaced. You probably got defective parts, or they were installed incorrectly (a bunch of grit put in the joint??? I'm stabbing for why you'd manage to go through 2 in 2 months).

I probably would have gone for a solution like Luke's link, but I had to replace the trackbar right when I got the truck, and bought a Moog part. It was replaced after about 50,000 km, but the replacement was free. Another 50,000 k, and the current one looks fine. I just need to get a DSS.

The trackbar is easy to replace (and you don't need an alignment, the only thing you need to adjust is one barrel). ~1 hr

 

Why not just order

a thuren trackbar kit? Many people have had great results with it, Expensive yes, worth it? definately...

Rick

 

I've been running my luke's link on the trackbar for almost 100 000 kms now- needed a readjustment after 2 days (maybe I didn't do it right) and no problem at all ever since.
I think I'm gonna do the tie rod ends with it soon.

 

Thuren fabrication makes a nice trackbar. If you want to do this once and get it done with, Id check them out.

 

I have the DSS and the Solid Steel 3rd gen trackbar kit and love it. I have 33x12.50 BFG M/T's and it is just as good as my brother-in-laws 07 Mega Cab. I would not mess with using any thing else but thats just my $.02 worth. Also replace any tierods that have any movement and get an alighnment.

 

I'm surprised they are failing that quickly for you. My 96, at 230,000 kms. has only had the track bar replaced once. The replacement was a MOOG, which has a much larger ball socket than the OEM ones, and it's still doing well so far. If you go the MOOG route, talk to the partsman. Some say they have a lifetime warranty.