Yj Front Trac Bar


i know this is probably a stupid question, but, what does taking off your track bars do?
 
Removing track bars and often swaybars can greatly improve axle articulation, which increases traction as the tires will stay on the ground more.

Leave the YJ front track bar on, but the rear is okay to remove. I run without the YJ front swaybar but that's personal preference.

Never remove the track bars on a TJ or XJ, they are an integral part of the 5-link suspension.
 
Thanks for the response, because we are going to take off the sway bars on a buddy's YJ and I was wondering if we could just take the front trac bar off as well. Glad I didn't do that.
 
More roll prone? I don't think it does. If you drive the jeep to the point you're going to roll it, it's going to roll regardless of the rear track bar or front swaybar.

It does slightly increase body roll on the suspension onroad, but you learn to live with it. Just drive it like a jeep and not a sports car.
 
Just to play devil's advocate, there are several jeepers in my club that run their YJs with no front or rear track bar nor sway bars. I only have a front track bar. I drive mine 70% on road. If I drove it more than 50% offroad, I would remove the front track bar.

C
 

That holds true, unless you have a locker in the rear axle. The rear locker will give the jeep a natural tendency to stay straight when onroad, even fighting any steering input. It's this resistance to steering input by the rear locker that causes the steering to push the axle sideways before pushing the steering knuckle into turning. It takes about twice the steering input to make a curve when locked in the rear with no front track bar. I've been there, and put the track bar back in.

You may be able to get away with it unlocked, but don't do it with a rear locker.
 
Yeah. I still don't understand why all YJ guys say to leave the trac bars on the front. The CJ never had them and works fine. I guess it will remain a mystery.
I think that if I had a YJ that I would leave the trac bar on for street driving and make a disconnect for trail use.
 
redrooster said:
Yeah. I still don't understand why all YJ guys say to leave the trac bars on the front. The CJ never had them and works fine. I guess it will remain a mystery.
No mystery, CJ's don't work fine without them. I've seen many a CJ that wanders all over the road, most owners tolerate it. Everything in the front end of a CJ has to be in top condition for anything near proper handling and steering. The best handling CJ's have a shackle reversal, which negates the need for a front track bar.

The rear axle tracks straight behind solid frame spring hangers. The front axle tracks behind shackles, CJ and YJ, that allow side to side forces to act on the front axle while moving forward. The steering compounds this by pushing the axle side to side. This effect is greatly compounded by the addition of a rear locker.

Just by saying no trackbar is fine because the CJ never had one doesn't make it right (faulty logic). That's why they have R&D and we're constantly improving upon vehicle models.
 

It is my understanding that the trackbar on the front of a YJ helps locate the axle, as without it only the leaf springs keep the axle centered which would be fine if not for the shackles being in front. This is why it is ok to remove the rear but not the front.
I was told, and I think it good advice, that if you want to remove the front trackbar on a YJ, then do a shackle reversal first.

If you have a shackle reversal you can run a YJ with no trackbars or swaybars.

I will have to add that when I ran my YJ with no swaybar, it was a little hairy at highway speeds in high winds. That prompted me to put it back on that very day. I decided that disconnects were the better way to go for me. Just something to keep in mind.
 
Tire recommendations for '04 TJ?

Does anyone know if it could hurt anything by taking off the front tracbar? I'm used to driving trucks that don't handle good on the road at all, so that is not an issue. I know it might be considered a little more dangerous, but could it hurt the springs or anything else?
 
Back
Top