Shop Discount Track Bars

the whole Jeep shakes when this happens a local shop fixed it 3 months ago by tightening the bolts on track bar bracket, it is loose again today shop retighten the bolt, it quit. I had another shop look at it they said it needed
a gear box, a track bar & a bracket. bracket/track bar was welded before i bought it they said they would have to cut old bracket off & re-weld another one on. my question really is in the ballpark how much would it cost in parts & labor? ( the 2nd shop would not give a cost estimate until I pay a $100 inspection fee? )

I am also preplexed as why only tightening the bolts solve the problem for awile.

thanks

took the cherokee to a friends mechanic's shop he found a worn bushing and he replaced the bushing for a minimal charge. the jeep drives really nice now with no shaking or wobbling.

thanks Carjunky for the Post.

Hmmm? I'm a bit perplexed too! I admit I don't know the layout of the front end of these very well but I smell a fish.

? First shop tighten a bolt and that fixed it. If same bolt needed tightening again there's some wrong about that IMO. New bolt needed for some reason? I'm not there but I don't understand that one.

I also don't understand a new mechanical part needing to be cut and welded in - perhaps for collision repair items.

What's with the $100 bucks to give you a price? A diagnostic charge I would understand.

Whole situation begs the question of how hard this vehicle was used AND has it been altered? If so - anything goes.

I dunno about the diagnostics you've already had. Whatever that bolt the loosend up twice might have been a one time bolt and a new one would be the fix.

Steering boxes last a long time so I don't get that either. Many can be adjusted if just that item is causing too much freeplay

What to do: Go back to first shop and ask why about that bolt. That or another shop yet again.

This isn't adding up to me so far,

T

Had the Cherokee fixed today at a 3rd shop turned out to be a worn bushing which was replaced with a new one for a minimal charge.
the Jeep drives & handles nice now with no shaking or wobbling.

thanks Carjunky for the post & answer.

Now that sounds more like it! Great.

To add: There are nuts and bolts here and there that are self locking and that really only work ONCE and those are intended to be replaced and frequently come with new parts.

The real proof now would be to get a high quality 4 wheel alignment which should include that there are no worn parts that don't allow it to be put into spec including tires, wheels bearings and more. That would be money well spent to have a good safe vehicle,

T

P.S. there were No "welding" on the bracket either.

Thanks for coming back with that info. I just knew I smelled a fish as said! If a part is welded it comes that way new - the shop doesn't do it! Been at this a while - routine parts don't need welding for automotive MECHANICAL repair to any I know of.

Fixing a rusted frame or sometimes in much older stuff you might make up an exhaust hanger and weld the hanger to a pipe or something but I hate that way of doing even that.

Don't get me wrong as there certaily is welding all over a vehicle but I put that in the body + frame catagory NOT routine mechanical repair.

Now custom stuff is a whole different game. Funny cars and trucks lifted so high you can drive under them - do what you want.

Again - thanks for the report and good news,

T

I have a 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette V6 156k miles. We heard a loud pop and the rear end started swaying back and forth. We made it home going 25mph and looked underneath the back and the metal bar that runs from axle to axle is snapped in half. The bar is the width of the axle. What is this called and how difficult is it to repair? Thank you.

Its called a track bar. You probably can only get it from the dealer or a salvage yard.

I have a '98 nissan pathfinder with 150,000 miles. Original owner, never involved in an accident. For several months the truck has been rocking from side to side doing 50 to 55 mph on open road. My long time mechanic has checked the sway, track bar alignment and shocks. Says he can't find anything wrong. He also rotated the tires and tightened any loose components in the suspension. After going upstate this weekend the car rocked so much sometimes it felt like it would flip over. Any suggestions you can make would be greatly appreciated

Pat,

I’m having the same problem with my 97 Nissan Pathfinder. Did you ever find out what was causing the problem?

This thread is almost 3 years old. I doubt anyone is monitoring it. If you have a question, you would do better to start a new question for your vehicle.

My 2008 dodge 3500 is giving me some major issues! I'll be going own the road and all of a sudden it starts jumping and feels like I'm riding a bucking bull! It's been to multiple mechanics. They've checked the engine, trans and rear end. We've replaced the fuel pump and shocks. Originally we thought it was the clutch or trans, but it doesn't stop if you engage or disengage the clutch.

Please help!

You need a suspension shop to look closely at your front track bar and suspension bushings. Its not a driveline issue if pushing in the clutch doesn't change it.

Hello everyone.

I drive an old rusty 1986 Toyota Tercel Wagon SR5 and the other day I was driving to work and i noticed a slight shaking through out the whole car. The next day on my way home from work i had the supposed death wobble. I pulled over to see what was wrong and in the rear of the car i saw a bar hanging down. I am assuming it is the track bar. Anyways the bar was intact but on the right side it was bolted to a bracket that had rusted off from the body. Now this car is pretty badly rusted and it is only supposed to last me for a couple more months untill i go to school.

My question is if there is anything i can do to fix it temporarily and if not is it possible to give me a quote on how much it would cost to get it fixed.

Here is a photo of the car:


If you need additional information please ask.

Thanks

Thanks for the suggestion of photobucket. A picture is now available