American Adventure Lab inner fender with Synergy Brace

[lembowski]

Has anyone installed the AAL front inner fenders with the Synergy Track bar brace? The Synergy brace covers the rear facing mounting hole for the inners and looking for recommendations other than cutting the rear part off. Photo shows the rear mount bolt that is covered by the Synergy brace.

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[Headbarcode]

Has anyone installed the AAL front inner fenders with the Synergy Track bar brace? The Synergy brace covers the rear facing mounting hole for the inners and looking for recommendations other than cutting the rear part off. Photo shows the rear mount bolt that is covered by the Synergy brace.

Well, the priority needs to go towards the track bar reinforcement laying flat on the chassis.

I've opted to not mount my Synergy bracket with brace and am selling it in the marketplace. I will be going with the SteerSmarts reinforcement, and plan on cutting off that rear mounting ear on the AAL bracket. I'll fab a new ear that will go under the head of the steering box bolt head, and be bent inward, over the top of the reinforcement flange and welded to the liner mount. That will keep the liner mount in its original position.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Well, the priority needs to go towards the track bar reinforcement laying flat on the chassis.

I've opted to not mount my Synergy bracket with brace and am selling it in the marketplace. I will be going with the SteerSmarts reinforcement, and plan on cutting off that rear mounting ear on the AAL bracket. I'll fab a new ear that will go under the head of the steering box bolt head, and be bent inward, over the top of the reinforcement flange and welded to the liner mount. That will keep the liner mount in its original position.

@Headbarcode how did this turn out? I’m in the exact same situation (SteerSmarts bracket) and unsure of how to best make it work.

 

[Headbarcode]

@Headbarcode how did this turn out? I’m in the exact same situation (SteerSmarts bracket) and unsure of how to best make it work.

Yeah, I didn't get that fancy because once I went from thinking about it to doing it, I felt that cutting the one offending ear of the AAL liner bracket was fine as is. The remaining bolt is holding it just fine. It's been like that for months now, and there's zero movement or rattles.

I'm glad that I ended up giving away that synergy reinforcement with the sector shaft brace. I ended up getting the SteerSmarts straightforward front track bar reinforcement. Like I previously expected, the track bar reinforcement is what deserves the real credit for stiffening the steering feel, not a flimsy sector shaft brace.

Whether sitting still or at highway speed, turning the wheels wants to shift the axle from side to side. The only thing standing in the way of that movement is the factory track bar bracket, which acts like a lever on the frame rail. Everything from taller tires to adding sprung weight will also increase the leverage forces on that tb bracket, thus increasing flex and unwanted movement. That in turn translates to the driver as an increasingly vague steering feel that requires more corrections to hold a line. The reinforcement helps to beef up and add rigidity to that axle connection point. Less unwanted movement equals a more solid and definitive steering feel that doesn't require as frequent and as large of corrections to hold that straight line.

Also worth mentioning: I also have both a frame side reinforcement and an axle side relocation/reinforcement for the rear track bar. Amongst other ride and handling improvements, it also had a positive affect on the steering feel and straight line holding ability. I've put a specific focus on eliminating any and all unwanted movement during my build, and the result is a Jeep that has over 4" of lift and on 40x13.5's and it rides and handles much better than stock.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Yeah, I didn't get that fancy because once I went from thinking about it to doing it, I felt that cutting the one offending ear of the AAL liner bracket was fine as is. The remaining bolt is holding it just fine. It's been like that for months now, and there's zero movement or rattles.

I'm glad that I ended up giving away that synergy reinforcement with the sector shaft brace. I ended up getting the SteerSmarts straightforward front track bar reinforcement. Like I previously expected, the track bar reinforcement is what deserves the real credit for stiffening the steering feel, not a flimsy sector shaft brace.

Whether sitting still or at highway speed, turning the wheels wants to shift the axle from side to side. The only thing standing in the way of that movement is the factory track bar bracket, which acts like a lever on the frame rail. Everything from taller tires to adding sprung weight will also increase the leverage forces on that tb bracket, thus increasing flex and unwanted movement. That in turn translates to the driver as an increasingly vague steering feel that requires more corrections to hold a line. The reinforcement helps to beef up and add rigidity to that axle connection point. Less unwanted movement equals a more solid and definitive steering feel that doesn't require as frequent and as large of corrections to hold that straight line.

Also worth mentioning: I also have both a frame side reinforcement and an axle side relocation/reinforcement for the rear track bar. Amongst other ride and handling improvements, it also had a positive affect on the steering feel and straight line holding ability. I've put a specific focus on eliminating any and all unwanted movement during my build, and the result is a Jeep that has over 4" of lift and on 40x13.5's and it rides and handles much better than stock.

So you cut off the rear frame mounting hole on the bracket? How does it stay in the correct position? Do you still use both Dzus nuts to mount the fender or only one? A picture would help immensely if you can…

 

[Headbarcode]

So you cut off the rear frame mounting hole on the bracket? How does it stay in the correct position? Do you still use both Dzus nuts to mount the fender or only one? A picture would help immensely if you can…

Yes, I cut the rear ear off of the AAL liner bracket so that the SteerSmarts track bar reinforcement could sit flat on the outside of the frame rail. The liner bracket is still held firmly in place by its forward mounting hole into the frame. And yes, all Dzus fasteners are used.

The SteerSmarts reinforcement is stepped down in thickness at the top, right at the point where the top of the frame rail starts curving inward for its upper web. I shaved the AAL bracket to the point that it is slightly wedged in between the tb reinforcement and the beginning of that inward curve of the frame.

Let know if these pics help. The 1st is of the passenger side to show what the AAL bracket looks like with both mounting ears. The 2nd and 3rd are of the driver side, which is difficult to show exactly what the AAL bracket looks like without removing the track bar reinforcement.

Again, all of my original talk in my earliest post about modifying a new AAL bracket ear to extend around the front of the track bar reinforcement, turned out to be my over thinking it. Once actually doing it, I realized it'll be perfectly fine to just cut the ear off and be done with it.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Yes, I cut the rear ear off of the AAL liner bracket so that the SteerSmarts track bar reinforcement could sit flat on the outside of the frame rail. The liner bracket is still held firmly in place by its forward mounting hole into the frame. And yes, all Dzus fasteners are used.

The SteerSmarts reinforcement is stepped down in thickness at the top, right at the point where the top of the frame rail starts curving inward for its upper web. I shaved the AAL bracket to the point that it is slightly wedged in between the tb reinforcement and the beginning of that inward curve of the frame.

Let know if these pics help. The 1st is of the passenger side to show what the AAL bracket looks like with both mounting ears. The 2nd and 3rd are of the driver side, which is difficult to show exactly what the AAL bracket looks like without removing the track bar reinforcement.

Again, all of my original talk in my earliest post about modifying a new AAL bracket ear to extend around the front of the track bar reinforcement, turned out to be my over thinking it. Once actually doing it, I realized it'll be perfectly fine to just cut the ear off and be done with it.

Thanks for this. I was considering loosening the SS brace bolts and trying to “sandwich” the AAL mounting bracket between the brace and the frame rail and retorque the bolts. The reason is because without something to fasten the rear end of it in position, I thought it won’t be possible for the fender bracket to stay securely in place to fasten the second Dzus nut to. Does that make sense? I thought it would flop around and not hold the fender liner in place securely. But if it has worked for you I won’t reinvent the wheel.

Thanks again!

 

[Headbarcode]

Thanks for this. I was considering loosening the SS brace bolts and trying to “sandwich” the AAL mounting bracket between the brace and the frame rail and retorque the bolts. The reason is because without something to fasten the rear end of it in position, I thought it won’t be possible for the fender bracket to stay securely in place to fasten the second Dzus nut to. Does that make sense? I thought it would flop around and not hold the fender liner in place securely. But if it has worked for you I won’t reinvent the wheel.

Thanks again!

Anytime, buddy!

Yeah, the forward bolt does a good job of keeping the bracket in place. The Dzus fasteners go in and out and the bracket doesn't flop around.

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

Anytime, buddy!

Yeah, the forward bolt does a good job of keeping the bracket in place. The Dzus fasteners go in and out and the bracket doesn't flop around.

I’m committed. This better work!

 

[Headbarcode]

I’m committed. This better work!

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

You were mostly right. The bracket fits and seems pretty stable. However, the Dzus nut on the rear end won’t seat deep enough to catch the retaining wire on the bracket no matter how much I try to force it. The SteerSmarts brace interferes just slightly with the inner fender sitting as flush against the frame as it should. If the Dzus nut were maybe 1/4” or 3/8” longer I think it might catch. But the inner fender seems very stable and well attached with just 5 fasteners. I won’t let being anal stop me from enjoying it.

 

[hoag4147]

You were mostly right. The bracket fits and seems pretty stable. However, the Dzus nut on the rear end won’t seat deep enough to catch the retaining wire on the bracket no matter how much I try to force it. The SteerSmarts brace interferes just slightly with the inner fender sitting as flush against the frame as it should. If the Dzus nut were maybe 1/4” or 3/8” longer I think it might catch. But the inner fender seems very stable and well attached with just 5 fasteners. I won’t let being anal stop me from enjoying it.

It looks like Mike has a spacer behind bracket on left bolt. Not sure that would place a different angle on the bracket that would allow the back Dzus to work

 

[Chocolate Thunder]

It looks like Mike has a spacer behind bracket on left bolt. Not sure that would place a different angle on the bracket that would allow the back Dzus to work

It certainly doesn’t look like it in the photo, but I’ve got the spacer on there too. I tried again and got so close to it fastening but not quite. It doesn’t shake or rattle at all though.

 

[hoag4147]

It certainly doesn’t look like it in the photo, but I’ve got the spacer on there too. I tried again and got so close to it fastening but not quite. It doesn’t shake or rattle at all though.

Cool. Definitely didn’t see spacer on your pic, must have been angle. Glad it’s working out. Looks great

 

[DLW]

It looks like his inner fender sits behind the SS bracket, but yours is sitting on top of it which makes it sit far away from the Dzus. Anyway you can loosen up the inner fender and reposition it the way his is, which would allow the Dzus fastener to work?

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