Track bar bushings?

I just bought a 1997 1500 5.2 auto 4x4 with a roughly 6" fabtech long arm lift. I have to turn the steering wheel pretty far to get it in a straight line and it's somewhat unresponsive. I took it to an alignment shop this morning just to have them check it out because I still have my finger wrapped up and can't mess with it too much (took the end of one of my fingers off with a hammer). Ball joints on the driver side are bad, one tie rod end is bad, and the track bar bushings are bad is what they told me. And the stabalizer bolt is loose because it's not the right one. Everything else they said checked out fine. The track bar is an aftermarket adjustable one but they told me it's not a fabtech one. So if that's the case, how do I determine which bushings I need to replace them? This shop wants over $1000 for parts and labor which I didn't plan on them doing, I just wanted them to diagnose it for me. I plan on doing both sides ball joints and the tie rods when I do the front end work regardless if some stuff is fine for now. Doesn't make sense to tear into it and do half and the other half fail a few months later. It's also a lifted truck so it will be eating through front ends I'm sure.

Do I need to remove the track bar and measure it and then order bushings for that wise track bar from any manufacturers? Or can I just call fabtech and order the bushings that go on the track bar that comes with the 5.5" long arm kit they currently sell? I was also told that fabtech used to do blue suspension parts and about 10 years ago they switched to black ones. Their website only shows a black kit and the one on my truck is blue. The track bar I think is black buts it's kind of dirty. But it's an adjustable one that they claim isn't a fabtech track bar. Just trying to get all my ducks in a row and parts ordered for when my finger heals and I can tear into this.

If the ball joint end is bad you may simply need a new track bar but if it's just bushings, Energy Suspension makes a poly bushing kit. I myself just ordered it

dapepper9 said:

If the ball joint end is bad you may simply need a new track bar but if it's just bushings, Energy Suspension makes a poly bushing kit. I myself just ordered it

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The track bar isn't stock. It's some aftermarket adjustable one. It connects to some bracket that I think is in place of where there used to be a tie rod. I will post a picture so I sound less dumb talking about this.

Also, when rebuilding my camsros I have read a lot of things about poly bushings being a lot stiffer and cause vibrations. And the more you use the worse it gets. They will of course last a lot longer but some might find that vibration unwelcome. I used an Energy Suspension transmission mount for my 88 Camaro and the vibration from it now even after it has barely anything left that was useable on the stock rubber one, the vibration was very noticeable. Not sure that I would feel a vibration that much from track arm bushings but you never know.

This is the driver side mount. It looks like some sort of mount that comes off the frame and one side of the track bar attaches st this point.



Passenger side.

Whiplash tb bracket

BBartow said:

Whiplash tb bracket

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What is a tb bracket?

Edit-I'm an idiot. Yeah there is no structural damage but there's corrosion from the previous owner not tying the batter down and it leaking down the driver side. Might be why the bushing is shot.

Did you yank it yet? Find any problems? I just got a new one from DOR and love it. It is quality and can be for any size lift.

Track Bar "TB" Bracket.

TBH a lot of manufacturers use OEM style bushings (if they're not a johnny joint) due to dimension wise fitting inside the factory brackets. I know my BD Diesel track bar uses stock bushings, it had been sitting on the top shelf here at my work for several years and the bushings had been robbed out of it. I ordered in the Energy kit and the stock bushings fit perfect inside. Best option (if it's not your only vehicle) is to pull it and run down to your local auto parts and see if they have a track bar bushing that will fit in it.

joepizuro said:

Did you yank it yet? Find any problems? I just got a new one from DOR and love it. It is quality and can be for any size lift.

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No. Unfortunately I am in the last 2 weeks of school and have a ton of work to do, because colleges like to be communist and give the entire semesters assignments the last few weeks of school. That, and I ripped my left index finger tip off with a hammer last week so it's hard to grip anything or do much with my left hand.

I plan to tear into the front end when I get done with school, I just want to start planning for it if I can.

NightMares said:

Track Bar "TB" Bracket.

TBH a lot of manufacturers use OEM style bushings (if they're not a johnny joint) due to dimension wise fitting inside the factory brackets. I know my BD Diesel track bar uses stock bushings, it had been sitting on the top shelf here at my work for several years and the bushings had been robbed out of it. I ordered in the Energy kit and the stock bushings fit perfect inside. Best option (if it's not your only vehicle) is to pull it and run down to your local auto parts and see if they have a track bar bushing that will fit in it.

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That was one of my ideas. It is not my daily but i want to have it as a backup vehicle ASAP.

It doesn't look like a balljoint to me. Guess when you pull it we'll know. Hopefully it's not and you can just buy a new set of bushings. As mentioned above

joepizuro said:

It doesn't look like a balljoint to me. Guess when you pull it we'll know. Hopefully it's not and you can just buy a new set of bushings. As mentioned above

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Did you mean track bar? I'm just a little confused by your response. The trackbar is in question here. The ball joints are also no good.

Yes sorry... The stock track bars had a balljoint on the end of them that resulted in the whole bar being replaced...

joepizuro said:

Yes sorry... The stock track bars had a balljoint on the end of them that resulted in the whole bar being replaced...

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Ah yeah the alignment shop guys said that. Except they referee to it as a tie rod. They said the factory track bar has a tie rod at the end of the track bar that attaches to the frame. This setup has a track bar bolted through a bracket that looks like it's been welded to the frame.

So a question I haven't asked yet is how much tension should I expect to be on the traction bar when I go to remove it to replace the bushings? Also, does anybody have any good methods for pulling the front hubs when doing the ball joints because my 2001 hubs were frozen and wouldn't budge. I broke several gear pullers trying to pull them and ended up having to have a shop do them when I had the new wheels and tires put in. 6 months ago I discovered a torch as I needed it to take apart the front end on my Hyundai. Heating up the tie rod end and the sway bar end link made it night and day easier. Car had massive water damage I think so everything was badly corroded and wouldn't budge. Since then, I hit everything that's rusted with my torch first unless it's next to a gas line. I will use a piece of sheet metal to place blocking brake lines or other stuff and sort of pull them away when using it too.

IrocRam said:

So a question I haven't asked yet is how much tension should I expect to be on the traction bar when I go to remove it to replace the bushings? Also, does anybody have any good methods for pulling the front hubs when doing the ball joints because my 2001 hubs were frozen and wouldn't budge. I broke several gear pullers trying to pull them and ended up having to have a shop do them when I had the new wheels and tires put in. 6 months ago I discovered a torch as I needed it to take apart the front end on my Hyundai. Heating up the tie rod end and the sway bar end link made it night and day easier. Car had massive water damage I think so everything was badly corroded and wouldn't budge. Since then, I hit everything that's rusted with my torch first unless it's next to a gas line. I will use a piece of sheet metal to place blocking brake lines or other stuff and sort of pull them away when using it too.

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Well the end of it will have a tie rod thingy and it should be firm and stiff to move by hand. 2 bolts to loosen aren't too bad.. Best luck I have for removing the hubs are using power steering with an extension, just dont hit the brakes. leave 1 bolt in the back of the wheel hub turned in like 5 turns and an extension rigged to frame. turn wheels!

joepizuro said:

Well the end of it will have a tie rod thingy and it should be firm and stiff to move by hand. 2 bolts to loosen aren't too bad.. Best luck I have for removing the hubs are using power steering with an extension, just dont hit the brakes. leave 1 bolt in the back of the wheel hub turned in like 5 turns and an extension rigged to frame. turn wheels!

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I have heard from somebody before that they loosened the bolts and then they put the wheel back on and drove it to break it free. I think they meant they just put it on the ground and rolled it a few yards then checked. Didn't seem like a safe idea at the time so I avoided that.

IrocRam said:

I have heard from somebody before that they loosened the bolts and then they put the wheel back on and drove it to break it free. I think they meant they just put it on the ground and rolled it a few yards then checked. Didn't seem like a safe idea at the time so I avoided that.

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at least my way has no chance of damage lol

Took the track bar off today. The heim joint (I think that's what it's called) can be moved kind of easily with my fingers, which I don't think is right. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be kind of stiff. The bushing on the other end was almost completely gone and the sleeve was just rolling around in the hole because the caps it sits in was basically just disintegrated.

Anybody know what I'm looking at as far as resolving this? Can I take it to a shop and press that joint out and press a new one in? Can I replace the end of the bar with a whole new piece that threads in place? Or am I looking at buying a new track bar? This is an adjustable aftermarket track bar that's on a 97 1500 with either a 5.5 or 6" long arm fabtech lift.

IrocRam said:

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Took the track bar off today. The heim joint (I think that's what it's called) can be moved kind of easily with my fingers, which I don't think is right. I'm pretty sure it's supposed to be kind of stiff. The bushing on the other end was almost completely gone and the sleeve was just rolling around in the hole because the caps it sits in was basically just disintegrated.

Anybody know what I'm looking at as far as resolving this? Can I take it to a shop and press that joint out and press a new one in? Can I replace the end of the bar with a whole new piece that threads in place? Or am I looking at buying a new track bar? This is an adjustable aftermarket track bar that's on a 97 1500 with either a 5.5 or 6" long arm fabtech lift.

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Yes you can just buy a new rod end and replace. Poly performance, ballistic fab, ruff stuff, etc will sell heim joints that you can use.