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how do you remove the rear track bar?

I was trying to fit my new tailpipe in and there wasn't enough room (the hangers wont squeeze past the track bar and the floor) so I thought I'd just drop it for a few minutes... So I snapped the bolt (frame side) and got the nut off the axle side but the axle side bolt wont pound out. It spins and the bar moves so it's not just bound up, is there a retaining clip in there? or a puller needed? Also anyone know if it's okay to replace the OEM torx head bolts with a grade 8 or is the OEM bolt specifically hardened for the track bar? My haynes manual doesn't show a retainer but there's a piece of metal with two little holes in the bottom between the axle side mount, it swivels so I'm guessing this is the hang up.

Of course only after I got this far into it did it dawn on me that I could have just jacked the thing up to maybe get enough space to squeeze the tail pipe through. But no big deal; from the looks of the bolt I snapped they needed replacing anyway.

Reply to
Simon Juncal
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Uh...I forgot how this works (which side) but just jack up one side higher than the other...this will free up the bar and it will come out easy.

Brian

88 YJ
Reply to
Wranglerjeep1

I got the tailpipe in (jacking up the frame gave me just enough room). While I was under it I took a "pickle fork" to the head of the bolt that wont come out. Couldn't get it off.. I'm guessing from the lack of replies; that there isn't supposed to be a retainer of any sort in their (axle side rear track bar mount) The bushings are so cruded up and pushed out that I can't see in there to figure out what sort of retainer it is; or how it's supposed to be removed. It appears to be a little bracket with two small holes in the bottom that is sandwitched between (inside) the track bar mount, with the track bar itself in between the two flanges of this retainer (or what I think is a retainer).

Anyone with an 88 YJ come across anything like this? I've got the nut off, pounding it didn't work, the fork didn't manage to pull it out... and all the while the freaking track bar is loose and movable... leading me to think there's some sort of retainer.

Reply to
Simon Juncal

Problem is I can't actually get the bolt on the axle side mount to come out. I can jack it up and get the frame side out (I snapped that bolt)... Hmmm maybe the axle side bolt is worn so much that I have to take the load off it to get the flattened part to unbind.. I'll try that.

Reply to
Simon Juncal

As I recall when I removed mine many years ago the bolts came right out on both ends. All there was were the bolts, the little u-shaped brackets (kind of acts as a shim) and locking nuts on either end.

Perhaps you need to soak it down real well with Liquid Wrench and then try & drive it out with an air chisel punch bit. Some heat might help as well, but don't get the axle too hot.

Reply to
Jerry McGeorge

The bolt in mine was worn to the point where it did have a flat edge - I had to cut off the head of the bolt and pound the heck out of it to get it out because of that. It just wouldn't budge the other way at all. It was the bolt on the frame side though, the axle side came out relatively easily.

Reply to
jdarg

Just play with jacking up the rear of the jeep. put jack stands under both sides but leave one side higher than the other. When you do this you cause the track bar to shift.....then get a bigger hammer. Mine came out pretty easy but I did have to use elbow grease.

Brian

88 YJ
Reply to
Wranglerjeep1

Yeah I snapped that one, it was worn flat the axle side was also so this turned out to be the problem... I would have figured it out quicker but the bolt was spinning, and the track bar was moving back and forth in the slot but still the bolt wouldn't budge even with a pickle fork on the bolt head and 2 pound hammer on the other end. I just had to relieve the tension like everyone suggested. Thanks everyone.

Reply to
Simon Juncal

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