Community Forums

jpspaz · 07-16-2019, 09:47 AM

I am about to install a Blue Ox rear track bar on my 2011 F53 22K chassis. Per Blue Ox, the bar I needed was the TT2602. I am finding that there are two rubber brake lines directly where the bracket attaches to the differential. If I move them to the side they will be rubbing quite a bit on the plate. They already have a plastic wire loom cover over them but I am not sure that will be enough to protect them. I also can't relocate them anywhere without altering the metal lines they are attached to and I don't want to get into that.

I'm wondering if anyone has installed this on a similar chassis and dealt with these issues. I called Blue Ox and they didn't really offer me any solution. I have thought of cutting out a section of the metal bracket but I'm not sure I can remove enough without weakening it.

wildmanbaker · 07-16-2019, 10:11 AM

Contact Blue Ox about the problem. They may have the answers. If not, you may have to adapt the bar for your application. Good luck.

georgelesley · 07-16-2019, 03:13 PM

I had exactly the same problem when I installed a trac bar on our 22000 chassis. I did several things. 1. Put the black plastic shields on the brake lines. 2. Split a rubber hose and glued it over the edge of the trac bar plate so any rubbing would be plastic on rubber. 3. Took large heavy duty zip ties and gently pulled the brake hoses back just a bit away from the trac bar plate.

I did this with the wheels off the ground to make sure there was enough slack to not put any strain on the hoses with the zip ties. It is possible I suppose that the shields over the hoses may from time to time touch the rubber hose I put over the trac bar plate, but so far in over 25000 miles I have seen no evidence of that happening.

I do look at them each oil change and also when I do my annual check of the sway bar bolts and check all trac bar bolts.

Pirate · 07-17-2019, 05:01 PM

I just bent up the metal bracket that held the brake lines upward. The short metal brake lines bent upward fine. I have about 2" clearance now.

Another issue I had was the large rod hitting the trac bar mount on the differential. IIRC, I had to buy a longer bolt and add about 1" of washers to move the bar out away from the mount so when it traveled down (or the axle up), it would clear the mount.

Bad design from BlueOx.