With the sweet DTR discount at RockAuto.com I can get the Moog TB delivered for $158.48. That's cheaper than the SSI bracket alone! Even if I do replace it every 5 years it would take me over 15 years to break even with the SSI set-up. Looking at it that way I guess it is a no brainer. Thanks again for all the help.

 

tywebb3, I'd suggest buying the Moog locally instead, get it at a store (like Advanced) who put a lifetime warranty on it so when it goes bad you can get a free replacement. I doubt it'd cost $25 more than the rockauto one, but the ease of taking it back should make it worth paying the extra.

 

BoostdCTD......point well taken. Guess I'll shop around local tomorrow.

 

The Thuren bar is hybrid poly at the axle end and a Rubicon Express style joint at the frame end. The RE joint uses a Delrin or poly hybrid (can't remember which) cup on either side of a stainless ball. The RE joint has an adjustment ring on one side so if it gets loose, you can tighten it up. The RE joint on both bars is the same, the exception being that the non lifted version has a bigger joint to accomodate a 3/4" bolt as it's mounted in single shear. The RE joint is also rotated between the two bars because of the difference in the way they're mounted ( the lifted bar frame end bolt is on a horizontal plane, the non lifted is a skewed vertical plane).

The RE joint is used on the frame end for articulation. Using a straight poly bushing, similar to the axle end, would cause a bind in the movement of the track bar when the axle moves toward full compression or extension. Not much bind, but the RE joint mimics the range of motion of the stock ball joint (without the premature wear!)

And it's $20 less than the 03 track bar alone.....

 

I dont know if this is stupid or not, but couldn't we go with all brass bushings in the front end of our trucks instead of rubber ones. The Semis have them I beleive, so couldnt we get some at least on the CAs and mabye some other places? What do you guys think?

 

Brass bushings don't allow flexibility for articulation. They would also transmit road vibration and noise into the cab and make driving the truck generally unpleasant.

 

Oh alright, just thought I would ask.

I should be getting my thuren fab bar soon but I cant get ahold of him, I sent an email with no reply. Mabye you guys can help me out, what is the difference between the stock-3" height bar and the 5"+ bar? Right now I just have 3" of lift in the front of my truck and plan on keeping it that way for a while, but what If I plan on going to 5", would I have to get a whole new trac bar? Thanks.

-Jared

 

Don's pretty busy right now...the short version is he's swamped with orders, planning a wedding in Sept. and preparing to move to a larger shop. He'll get back to you in the next day or two. He usually calls me back within an hour or two, but I called him friday and he called me last night on his way back from Vegas.

If you go from 3" to 5", you will need another track bar. The frame end of the 0-3" bar is different than the lifted bar. Sell the old one when the time comes...if you post it in the classifieds here and on pavementsucks.com you'll have it sold by the end of the day.

 

Well I picked up a TRW TB at Advance Auto today for $152.00. It has a lifetime warranty and the ball/socket end is larger than stock so I assume it is the same as the Moog? Installed it tonight and it made a big difference.

Now my steering wheel is off center. Is there an easy way to straighten it up?

 

You have to adjust the pitman arm to recenter the wheel after a track bar replacement.

 

Not necessarily.

There is an adjustment sleeve on the drag link, the link running from the pitman arm.


phox

 

You can't adjust the pitman arm anyhow, it's got indexing splines.

Unless you want to adjust it 90*.....

 

I'm sorry, that's what I meant.

 

Hmmm... Vibration and noise, I wonder how a hard rubber would help with that... NAHHH Thats JUNK....

 

Exactly.....now you're catchin' on.