Teraflex Track Bars, Who’s had no issue on your JL?

[chevymitchell]

Maybe you missed my previous post, but I've talked to more than 3 reputable shops in the area and none of them thought this was "normal" or "safe". They either said that I have the wrong track bar installed, or the track bar was faulty.

Nor would they risk responsibility performing alignment on my vehicle with that track bar installed.

In fact, my dealer threatened to void my warranty if I don't get the track bar replaced.

So, please, tell me again why this is OK

This happens every time a newly designed part is released. It's easy to stay on the "We've always done it this way" path.

The IR bushing is not bonded like a traditional rubber bushing. The bar and the sleeve you torque against are not bonded together.

Your tie rod and drag link will do this as well. They all make noise. They're designed to take a specific type of load and when you rotate any of them in a direction outside of that load, they should make some sort of noise. Now, if they make noise in their load direction, then yes, you have a problem.

A lot of manufacturers that are designing rubber mounted bushings are incorporating some sort of anti-rocking tech into their product. They all rock and move like this to varying degrees. Here's a snapshot from Steersmarts' Pro tierod notes.

What you made a video of is perfectly normal. I get that your reputable shops and dealer and whomever else you talked to about this don't think it's ok, but I think there's more of a knowledge gap with a new design versus old than there actually being a real problem.

Maybe one day, Teraflex will also incorporate some anti-rocking into their IR design, but again, it's nothing to worry about. My trackbar has performed great. I'll be in PA this weekend hitting Rausch Creek and then I'm about to go on a 6 month wheeling trip and I have no qualms taking this trackbar with me on that journey.

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[eck]

Mine does that and has done that since the day it was installed. I would consider this normal and no issue at all. It makes no noise when driving on or off-road. All trackbars need to rotate as the suspension flexes. This one having the IR bushing, will not be bonded like a traditional rubber bushing. The movement in your video is normal. I'm sure Teraflex would say the same thing and it was designed this way.

+1 to Shawn, that part of it is working as designed. It's fine for it to rotate like that around the imaginary axis through the length of the track bar. That part never bothered me.

My issue, echoed by others here, exhibits the same sort of sound, but it's separate and distinct. It's easy to connect the two and assume the track bar is flopping around as if you were rotating it by hand. Instead, the noise can be heard if you just rock the steering wheel back and forth while parked; there is no rotation at all in that scenario. Doesn't even need to have the ignition in acc/run (actually much easier to hear with the Jeep completely powered off). I would also hear the same clunk every time I went over a bump, one tire after the other. The most obvious place for me was turning into the driveway at the "curb" area and again at the (very small) bump into the garage threshold.

I'm still not 100% sure where exactly the noise was originating from. I don't think it was the frame end joint. Either the axle end joint or the adjuster mechanism seems more likely. I can say with 100% certainty that the noise was gone after switching to a different track bar, and it also completely corrected some intermittent, minor wobbling that I was having.

 

[ronrodriguez114]

I have the Teraflex IR track bar which rotates along it’s horizontal axis as in the video posted. I called Teraflex, their response:

1. They hear this compliant a lot.
2. The bar was “engineered” to do this.
3. They have replacement bushings to stop it from doing this.

I call BS as 2 and 3 can’t both be true and still make the bar effective as designed. It 100% rattles at low speeds all the time.

I have a replacement from Steer Smarts that I have not installed yet. Of note, I did a lot of research in this topic across the internets and no other manufacture that I found rotates like this.

Having said that, DM if you’re looking for a Teraflex track bar that is “engineered to behave like this”. I’ll let it go cheap.

(Yes this topic irritates me a lot.)

 

[chevymitchell]

+1 to Shawn, that part of it is working as designed. It's fine for it to rotate like that around the imaginary axis through the length of the track bar. That part never bothered me.

My issue, echoed by others here, exhibits the same sort of sound, but it's separate and distinct. It's easy to connect the two and assume the track bar is flopping around as if you were rotating it by hand. Instead, the noise can be heard if you just rock the steering wheel back and forth while parked; there is no rotation at all in that scenario. Doesn't even need to have the ignition in acc/run (actually much easier to hear with the Jeep completely powered off). I would also hear the same clunk every time I went over a bump, one tire after the other. The most obvious place for me was turning into the driveway at the "curb" area and again at the (very small) bump into the garage threshold.

I'm still not 100% sure where exactly the noise was originating from. I don't think it was the frame end joint. Either the axle end joint or the adjuster mechanism seems more likely. I can say with 100% certainty that the noise was gone after switching to a different track bar, and it also completely corrected some intermittent, minor wobbling that I was having.

This makes more sense to me that there would be an actual track bar problem. I've talked to several guys that have reported something like this. One of them got rid of their bar before we could look at it, 2 others had their adjuster bar bolts not tightened all the way. Several others got their bar replaced by Teraflex due to some bushing issue they were experiencing when they were launched. I think there was actually a couple different lots of parts that made it out the door with different problems. @mgroeger got to experience both of those, I think.

 

[DHW]

For what it’s worth (which may not be much) I’ve had the Jeep in two different dealerships 4 separate times about the steering. The second dealership knew their shit. Possible issues were raised over the Mopar lift and the Teraflex SS, but neither said a word about the track bar.

 

[redsyphon]

I went from Synergy to TF front track bar because of clearance and squeaking (metal on metal due to lack of clearance) with Synergy...

I went from TF front back to Synergy, because of the noise and flighty feel in the steering after install. I too talked with TF and understood the horizontal movement allowance, but the Jeep just felt different and not to my liking.

Once I used a press to move the Synergy bushing forward 1/4" on the axle end, to allow for more clearance on the mount bracket, it's worked fine.

I also have an old RK front track bar, but it just doesn't want to go into the axle side bracket. It's a shame because I like their track bar the best. It's simple, bomb proof and allows for great articulation.

I plan on putting on a Synergy tie rod and drag link soon. I have their springs and rear track bar bracket... all have worked great.

 

[Arterius2]

+1 to Shawn, that part of it is working as designed. It's fine for it to rotate like that around the imaginary axis through the length of the track bar. That part never bothered me.

My issue, echoed by others here, exhibits the same sort of sound, but it's separate and distinct. It's easy to connect the two and assume the track bar is flopping around as if you were rotating it by hand. Instead, the noise can be heard if you just rock the steering wheel back and forth while parked; there is no rotation at all in that scenario. Doesn't even need to have the ignition in acc/run (actually much easier to hear with the Jeep completely powered off). I would also hear the same clunk every time I went over a bump, one tire after the other. The most obvious place for me was turning into the driveway at the "curb" area and again at the (very small) bump into the garage threshold.

I'm still not 100% sure where exactly the noise was originating from. I don't think it was the frame end joint. Either the axle end joint or the adjuster mechanism seems more likely. I can say with 100% certainty that the noise was gone after switching to a different track bar, and it also completely corrected some intermittent, minor wobbling that I was having.

Regarding the video of the noise I posted above.

I also have the same noise when I rock my steering wheel from side to side. Also have the same noise when I go over bumps.

I pinpointed with certainty that it is the track bar causing it because I asked someone to rock the steering wheel while I creeped down there with a hand on the track bar. Every time the clunk happens, I get a little movement on the track bar.

 

[eck]

I also have an old RK front track bar, but it just doesn't want to go into the axle side bracket. It's a shame because I like their track bar the best. It's simple, bomb proof and allows for great articulation.

Yeah that part was a pain. I got it barely started by coming in from the side, and slowly and gently tapping with a hammer down at the frame end of the bar to drive it into the bracket.

 

[aro]

the noise can be heard if you just rock the steering wheel back and forth while parked; there is no rotation at all in that scenario. Doesn't even need to have the ignition in acc/run (actually much easier to hear with the Jeep completely powered off).

100% my experience as well.

 

[DHW]

Judging by this thread and others on here, and all the Youtube videos I watched last night, it is apparent every single track bar manufactured for the JL has serious issues.

Accordingly, I've decided to run no track bar at all. Will keep you updated.

 

[chevymitchell]

Judging by this thread and others on here, and all the Youtube videos I watched last night, it is apparent every single track bar manufactured for the JL has serious issues.

Accordingly, I've decided to run no track bar at all. Will keep you updated.

Haha... with enough research, you'll find problems with every piece of equipment and gear out there.

Won't make any noise if it's not there. Sound logic! Lol. Love it.

 

[Roky]

Haha... with enough research, you'll find problems with every piece of equipment and gear out there.

Won't make any noise if it's not there. Sound logic! Lol. Love it.

...... sound logic.... I saw what you did there......

 

[mgroeger]

As @chevymitchell noted I've had the joy of going through 3 TF trackbars and finally got my money back and bought a Steer Smarts HD one and could feel the difference.
When the TF first came out they had bushing problems almost immediately and made noise. TF replaced those with a new bushing design and I got one of those... which also made noise. Turns out there was a batch of those where the bushings were pressed in wrong and they would creek and moan at low speeds like pulling into garage or speed bumps. They sent me a third bar which still made the noises and at which time I said enough is enough I want out.
Bought the SM and put it on and immediately noticed a tighter feel up front and no noise.

Also of note, no matter how much I tweaked the Falcon steering stabilizer and clamps on various components, at full cock the stabilizer would always make contact with either the track bar or the drag link. Not enough to cause damage but they touched. When I went to the SM track bar I can be at full cock and fit a piece of cardboard between every component... no touchy.

 

[DHW]

When the TF first came out they had bushing problems almost immediately and made noise. TF replaced those with a new bushing design and I got one of those... which also made noise. Turns out there was a batch of those where the bushings were pressed in wrong and they would creek and moan at low speeds like pulling into garage or speed bumps.

What's your opinion on the rotational play in the bar as seen in the video above? Is that normal and by design?

 

[mgroeger]

What's your opinion on the rotational play in the bar as seen in the video above? Is that normal and by design?

Yeah all three bars had that play in them. I always found it very odd but I get why it is there. It does not allow side to side movement but allows rotation of the bushing as the axle travels up and down. I chalked it up to TF spin on how they wanted the bushings and TB to function. After the experience I had I decided it wasn't my cup of tea and prefer the traditional bushings SM uses in their bar.

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