DT TRACKBAR INSTALL

By Biginuf

DT says to block the wheels, set the brake and raise the vehicle so the front tires come off the ground and the suspension is at full droop. I did the install without raising the vehicle. When I needed to center the axle I used my winch and a friends truck. That was a lot easier than jacking the truck and removing tires and lugs.

First your going to need to remove the factory track bar, remove the cotter pin on the castle nut located on the ball stud of the frame end (Drivers side)

Remove the castle nut and using a BFH beat the Trackbar stud back through the hole, if you have a really big friend give him a few whacks with the BFH.

At the passenger side of the trackbar there is a 18mm bolt that needs removal, there isn’t enough room for a socket, you’ll need a box end wrench for this one. Keep this nut & bolt, you’ll need it later for the new DT Trackbar.

On the backside of the crossmember you’ll find a brake line with a bracket, using a 13mm wrench take the bracket off, move the brake line carefully to the top of the crossmember and bolt it back down. Note: There should be an empty hole on top of the crossmember that you can use if not drill a new one.

Now that you have everything out of the way, it is time to install the new DT Trackbar relocation bracket. This part is helpful to have a friend with you. Take the small tapered (cone shaped) sleeve and insert it into the bottom side of the frame where the stock trackbar ball stud was.

Using the 5/8" x 2-1/2" bolt (15/16" wrench) drop this bolt through the frame mount and down through the tapered sleeve, be careful not to knock the sleeve out the back.

Hold the DT relocation bracket up to the bolt and thread the large 15/16" nut onto the underside of the bracket.

Next take the 1/2" x 4-1/2" long bolt with a 1/2"washer and run it up through the DT bracket and frame rail, the threads will pop out just below your steering shaft (on top of the frame rail), drop another 1/2" washer on the bolt and then the nut, hand tighten.

Now go back and wrench down on the 15/16" nut on the frame, DT doesn’t give torque specs for these bolts, but I used a breaker bar to tighten this bolt as much as I could.

Now finish tightening the long 4-1/2" bolt, be careful not to crush the frame by over tightening the bolt. Clearance is tight on top, you’ll need an open ended wrench up there and 3/4" socket down below. This bolt will sit at a strange angle, but that is OK.

Now the fun begins, at this point if you have had more than 6 beers you’ll need to go sober up. With a 3/4" hole saw bit (remove the pilot bit) you’ll need to drill 2 holes into the backside of your cross member, you will use the DT Bracket to line these holes up. Note: If you have already had a Skyjacker Drop Trackbar Bracket on your truck you’ll only need to drill one hole. The Skyjacker bracket hole that you drilled to install it conflicts with the inside DT hole and cant be used. Make sure the holes are being drilled straight.

After the (2) 3/4" holes are finished re-install the pilot bit into the hole saw and drilling as straight as possible punch throw the other side of the frame rail on both holes. Here is a close up view of where the skyjacker drop bracket hole was in the way on one of the holes on the DT Bracket, DT ProFab said that was no prob, and just leave one bolt out.

Now open both of these holes on the front side of the cross member to 1/2".

Take the 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" bolts, put a washer on each, then a 3/4" crush sleeve on each and insert them from the back side of the cross member, put a washer on each and a nut, and tighten them down.

Go back and make sure all bolts on the DT Bracket are tight.

Trackbar Assembly, install the bushings into the lower end of the DT Bar, lubricate and install the large sleeve (1" x 1.6") into the bushings. Note: On the new DT Trackbar the assembly of the bar may be completed for you upon arrival from DT Pro Fab.(If so skip to step 23).

Thread the large 1-1/8" jam nut (left hand threads, the left handed nut has grooves in it) onto the lower end of the track bar.

Then screw the lower end of the DT trackbar into the Stainless steel bar.

Take the other 1-1/8" jam nut (right hand threads) and install it onto the adapter shaft.

Screw the adapter shaft onto the upper end of the Trackbar.

Thread the washer onto the heim joint and thread the heim joint onto the adapter shaft.

Trackbar Installation, reinstall the new DT Bar into the old axle housing on the passenger side, a little bit of grease and tapping with a hammer on the opposite end (Heim joint end) will help install it.

Re-use the stock nut & bolt and tighten down.

Make sure the axle is centered on the truck, once it is, adjust the bar so that Heim joint lines up with the Trackbar Bracket, and tighten all jam nuts.

Install the heim joint into the bracket with 1 chamfered ring on each side of the heim joint, and insert the 5/8" x 3" bolt with locknut.

Check your steering wheel, you may have to use the adjustment sleeve on the draglink to center you steering wheel.

Now go get your front end aligned.