Thanks. I read through this document and there was some good information. I am not sure I gleaned enough to understand 'why/why not' a relocation bracket. Is it to say that the bracket allows to achieve the actual best location when a longer bar would not suffice?The relocation bracket is supposed to improve handling by bringing vehicle roll center up closer to the vehicle center of gravity. I’m a fan of AEV, they have a good document on lifts here:
https://www.aev-conversions.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/AEV_12ThingsToKnowAboutSuspension.pdf
Does it mean that companies including the bracket are looking to get a few extra bucks because they include it? Or does it mean that all kits SHOULD have the bracket but to lower their retail price point to attempt a competitive advantage that they do not include it?Because money
I've got the 3.5" Gamechanger on my JLUR and synergy brackets on both ends of my rear track bar. It doesn't at all limit uptravel. My rear sway bar was the only thing that was limiting it, as the bar was hitting the bottom of the frame. Antirock fixed that. After a year of having the relocation bracket, I've yet to find a downside from it.I occasionally think about adding a Synergy Jeep JL / JLU Rear Track Bar Relocation Bracket to the Metacloak Game-Changer 3.5" lift on my 2020 JLU Rubicon, but I have not thought through the details regarding what I might give up to gain the benefits.
It seems like there is some loss of potential for up travel, and I wonder how my current bump stop configuration compares with what would be required if a relocation bracket was inserted above the current mount.
When I drive slowly on the notoriously bad pavement found on our downtown streets I feel like I can perceive how the lift impacts the roll center. I imagine that I can sense the rear end lurch in a side to side motion as the solid axle distributes the road feel across the chassis. When I am off road on the trails, I can not sense this issue. I assume that my expectations are calibrated differently when I am on a paved street or off road path. It seems to be more obvious on the rough and hard pavement.
The effect may also contribute to my heartfelt dislike of washboard.
I think I would install a Rear Track Bar Relocation Bracket if I could learn more about the impact on up travel in context with my Jeep's setup.
The true beauty of the 6-packs short collapsed length is not for uptravel. They get coupled with drop down upper shock mounts in the front and riser brackets for the rear lower mounts. These shock relocation brackets allow the amount of droop equal to a longer extended length shock but without the uptravel restriction from a longer shocks taller collapsed length.It is good to learn that the rear track bar relocation bracket doesn't impede your up travel. It looks like you have 3" of bump stop blocks on the axle, which is what I have as well, but I have the Rocksport shocks that don't compress as much as your 6-paks. It seems like the 6-paks would not need as much bump stop, and the axle could travel further upward if the body work was ready to clear the tires.
When I look at the rear track bar mount on my axle it seems like there is a whole bunch of space available for up travel.
I am interested in the relocation bracket's ability to marginally improve the rear end handling in the circumstances I described above.
If I do purchase and install the relocation bracket I will continue to appreciate the strength of Metalcloak solid steel track bar that I already have installed even if the relocation bracket tends to negate the need for the track bar's adjustable length features.
Question: @Headbarcode Does the rear track bar brace that you mounted up on the frame change the geometry or is it just a reinforcement of the factory mounting point?
Thank you for the info.
Hey Mike…….. yeah that was the RK relocation bracket I had to clearance a bit. To flexy…………. Wasn’t a big deal really.The true beauty of the 6-packs short collapsed length is not for uptravel. They get coupled with drop down upper shock mounts in the front and riser brackets for the rear lower mounts. These shock relocation brackets allow the amount of droop equal to a longer extended length shock but without the uptravel restriction from a longer shocks taller collapsed length.
The frame side rear track bar reinforcement is just for added frame rigidity at the mounting point. It doesn't change the factory position.
I forget what brand axle side relocation bracket he used, but @Roky recently had to relieve it to clear the track bar at full stuff. Maybe he will chime in with some details. His Rock Krawler setup has a lot of flexibility.
Thanks buddy! Was just wanting to provide as much info to op, but couldn't remember who's bracket you had to give a minor trim. Figured it'd be best to hear straight from the man himself.Hey Mike…….. yeah that was the RK relocation bracket I had to clearance a bit. To flexy…………. Wasn’t a big deal really.
before
after
If you're happy and your Jeep is performing well, I'd say it's both "good" and "right", regardless of the cosmos.After mulling over and weighing these same concerns, I ended up adding RK adjustable track bars to my TeraFlex 2.50" lift kit. I didn't use relocation brackets, and just adjusted the track bars to center my axles as closely as possible. (They didn't have enough adjustment granularity to achieve a perfect center.)
I have no idea if that was good or bad, right or wrong in the great cosmic Jeep scheme of things. What I do know is when I picked up my Jeep at the differential shop, it was sitting in front of the guy's sign where he had photographed it. He told me he has done probably 300 Jeeps, and I had the best riding, best handling Jeep he ever drove.
Trying to figure out the wrong and right of the geometry and center of gravity considerations makes my head hurt, but I apparently made decisions that resulted in a pretty good build. Take this for what it's worth, and I'm not claiming to be an expert on any of these issues by any means.