***TRACK BAR..HELP!
#1
11-01-2007 | 02:02 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Maine
***TRACK BAR..HELP!
Right now I have my truck down at my mechanic being looked at. I had it brought down there to see why my truck would make that loud noise when i turned the wheels are the way right. Well this is what he came up with. The truck is an off-road package truck, BUT, it was lifted additonally (he says 3-4" lift). Basically the guy never finished the lift kit who owned the vehicle previously. He says that the front stabalizer bar isnt big enough to compensate for the lift, hence why the vehicle's axle is out of line and why it cant get an allignment. But he says there is really only one option for the stablizer bar. He says skyjacker offers a kit that will compensate for the 3-4" lift thats around $650. He says if i have this installed, this will center the axle back, and then i could get an allignment. He's quoting me $800 to buy the skyjacker kit and have it installed. Does this sound right to you guys? He says its going to be a nice red polished kit, and it comes with all enccessary balljoints and hardware to have it installed. I know its pricey, but he says thsi is the only option to get a lifted truck centered back up so it can get an allignment.
#2
11-01-2007 | 02:18 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Sunny SoCal
RE: front stabalizer bar
Take it to another shop and get a second opinion. The guy is feeding you a line of crap from what you have posted. If the axle is out of side to side alignment, then the only thing that it should need is a new track bar. You can get a nice, very heavy duty adjustable one for various lift sizes from Thuren Fabrication for about $300 and labor to install it should only be about 1 hours worth of whatever the going rate around there is. The stabilizer bar as far as I know is also known as a swaybar. That should not be pulling the axle out of center and should only require longer links to function properly and accomodate the lift. Pictures of the truck and especially the front suspension would be helpful. Get a new mechanic, the current guys is just trying to rip you off.
#3
11-01-2007 | 02:21 PM
Champion
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,570
Likes: 0
RE: front stabalizer bar
ORIGINAL: 20DodgeNeon00
Right now I have my truck down at my mechanic being looked at. I had it brought down there to see why my truck would make that loud noise when i turned the wheels are the way right. Well this is what he came up with. The truck is an off-road package truck, BUT, it was lifted additonally (he says 3-4" lift). Basically the guy never finished the lift kit who owned the vehicle previously. He says that the front stabalizer bar isnt big enough to compensate for the lift, hence why the vehicle's axle is out of line and why it cant get an allignment. But he says there is really only one option for the stablizer bar. He says skyjacker offers a kit that will compensate for the 3-4" lift thats around $650. He says if i have this installed, this will center the axle back, and then i could get an allignment. He's quoting me $800 to buy the skyjacker kit and have it installed. Does this sound right to you guys? He says its going to be a nice red polished kit, and it comes with all enccessary balljoints and hardware to have it installed. I know its pricey, but he says thsi is the only option to get a lifted truck centered back up so it can get an allignment.
Right now I have my truck down at my mechanic being looked at. I had it brought down there to see why my truck would make that loud noise when i turned the wheels are the way right. Well this is what he came up with. The truck is an off-road package truck, BUT, it was lifted additonally (he says 3-4" lift). Basically the guy never finished the lift kit who owned the vehicle previously. He says that the front stabalizer bar isnt big enough to compensate for the lift, hence why the vehicle's axle is out of line and why it cant get an allignment. But he says there is really only one option for the stablizer bar. He says skyjacker offers a kit that will compensate for the 3-4" lift thats around $650. He says if i have this installed, this will center the axle back, and then i could get an allignment. He's quoting me $800 to buy the skyjacker kit and have it installed. Does this sound right to you guys? He says its going to be a nice red polished kit, and it comes with all enccessary balljoints and hardware to have it installed. I know its pricey, but he says thsi is the only option to get a lifted truck centered back up so it can get an allignment.
Well he is basically bending you over from this angle it seems. I can go buy the bar he his talking about at summit for 259.90 to my door with the handling charge. No where close to $650 He is charging you 150 to put it in... which doesnt seem too bad. I assume thats 1.5 - 2 hours labor at that cost? In all reality it doesn't reallytake that long. Seems plausable, but you could do yourself if you had some time and patients. Link to install instructions HERE. If you don't want to tackle yourself, just buy it and tell him someone knew you needed one and decided to give you an early present or something. lol, then tell him to hold to the 150 install and your all set. No matter which way you choose, you will need an alignment when its finished which I assume he will do also. At any local shops around my house, its is $60 max. Keep that in mind to find out if he really is trying to screw you.
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku
or part number SJA-DTBA27 if the link doesnt work at summit racing.
Good luck!
pcfixerpro
#4
11-01-2007 | 02:23 PM
Grand Champion
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,099
Likes: 5
From: Colorado
RE: front stabalizer bar
No, doesn't sound right at all.
If you do have additional lift, and your axle is pulled back, you would need new control arms and a drop pitman, track bar, and maybe shocks (if they are still stock height shocks). That's pretty much it. Everything else in the front can stay stock (assuming none of it is damaged), including drag link, tie rod, and sway bar (though Skyjacker does make a simple sway bar kit for trucks lifted over 3", but it costs less then $50).
Sounds to me like they don't really know what to do, so they just want to:
-start over and put a new lift kit on your truck, or
-they are talking about an adjustable track bar when they stabilizer bar. That shouldn't cost $600 though.
If you do have additional lift, and your axle is pulled back, you would need new control arms and a drop pitman, track bar, and maybe shocks (if they are still stock height shocks). That's pretty much it. Everything else in the front can stay stock (assuming none of it is damaged), including drag link, tie rod, and sway bar (though Skyjacker does make a simple sway bar kit for trucks lifted over 3", but it costs less then $50).
Sounds to me like they don't really know what to do, so they just want to:
-start over and put a new lift kit on your truck, or
-they are talking about an adjustable track bar when they stabilizer bar. That shouldn't cost $600 though.
#5
11-01-2007 | 02:38 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Sunny SoCal
RE: front stabalizer bar
OK, just found some pics of your truck that you posted in another thread. The front axle looks pretty centered front to rear and side to side from those pics. I kinda doubt the lift was not completely installed. I would still like to see a good picture of the front suspension, basically just looking at it from an ants point of view centered on the truck from the front and including both tires. I'm starting to think that the popping noise is nothing more than a coil spring popping in its seat when you have the wheel cranked one way. I still say take it to another mechanic for a second opinion.
#6
11-01-2007 | 04:51 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Maine
RE: front stabalizer bar
Well heres my question in regards to the Thuren Fabrication track bar. They have one thats for a 0-3" lift, could that compensate for a 4" lift. my mechanic was convinced it was a 3-4" lift. He told me the one he was ging to buy was skyjacker and that the kit is $450. Hes charging me 350 to have the kit put in. Should i say something to him about the thurlen fabrication track bar? Or is it going to be too small?? I dont want to say anything to him unless im positive it would work because it might sound rude considering he said it was my only option. im close with him, but i also dont want to be jerked off here. So the truck is a 3-4" lift, and it needs the track bar assembly kit to allign the front axle. Will the Thurlen work, or does it have to be the skyjacker kit? thanks guys for all your help so far, its a big help!
#7
11-01-2007 | 05:13 PM
Record Breaker
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 0
From: Gaylord, MI
Trending Topics
#8
11-01-2007 | 06:58 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Maine
RE: front stabalizer bar
Can you guys find me a track bar for a 3-4" lift kit? Here is the one he wants to sell to me:
http://www.skyjacker.com/products-se...tnumber=DTBA27
those essentially are the pieces he is trying to sell to me. it comes with all necessary hardware to install, an comes with a lifetime warranty from skyjacker. what do you guys think i should do?
http://www.skyjacker.com/products-se...tnumber=DTBA27
those essentially are the pieces he is trying to sell to me. it comes with all necessary hardware to install, an comes with a lifetime warranty from skyjacker. what do you guys think i should do?
#9
11-01-2007 | 08:04 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Sunny SoCal
#10
11-01-2007 | 08:06 PM
Thread Starter
|
Banned
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,865
Likes: 0
From: Maine
RE: front stabalizer bar
Ok, good idea. I'll call them first thing tomorrow. I want to check prices as well. My mechanic told me skyjacker was the only route. Either he was lying to me, or he didn't look hard enough. $800 just sounds way too much for me. He says once I replce this trackbar assembly, I'll be able to get an allignment, and my trucks front end will be centered. I'll let a guys know what Thuren says tomorrow