[Dana]

Has anybody seen or used one of those new center swaybar disconnects? I've seen two (in magazines). One was some kind of electric deal, controlled by a switch. The other (in the new JP mag I just received) has a pin you pull. Both require cutting the swaybar in half and welding the coupling halves to it. Dunno 'bout the electric one, probably cost more than I'm willing to spend anyway, and (from the photo) the pin in the manual one looks awfully weak.

I like the basic concept though, and am playing around with a design for a stronger one, which would be cable actuated from the cab (gotta get the guts to cut my swaybar in half first, though! /wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif) Part of the problem is that I don't know what the loads really are (does anybody?), I can only reverse engineer the existing components to determine how strong they need to be if one side is fully compressed and the other is fully extended..... probably an unrealistic scenario; after all that's what the bar is supposed to prevent.

-Dana

Place a half full glass of water before a pessimist, optimist and an
engineer:

The pessimist says the glass is half empty.
The optimist says the glass if half full.
The engineer says the glass is too large.

 

[Guest]

the only problem I can really see with the pin type disconect is getting the holes to line up again when you have to reconect the bar, just seems like it would be more difficult then standard disconnects

Jeff
'83 Toyota long bed
5" lift, YJ front springs

 

[WILL]

i disagree with the glass being too large, it has a safety factor of only 2.

79/CJ-7/AMC360/TH400/Q-TRAC/d30/d44/33's/RS9000s/Herculiner/Pro-jection 2D

 

[Dana]

In reply to:

the only problem I can really see with the pin type disconect is getting the holes to line up again when you have to reconect the bar

True, but no different from a standard disconnect, no? At any rate I think the pin on the commercial version is way too weak, and if it suddenly let go as you're going around a sharp turn...../wwwthreads_images/icons/frown.gif. However, the design I'm working on will be spring loaded to engage, sort of like locking hubs-- if it doesn't lock in right away it will as soon as it starts to move.

-Dana

Democracy is three wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for lunch.

 

[Guest]

Center disconnect does not give you all the droop that the link disconnects will give. Yes, the sides will be able to move independantly to each other, but the real advantage to disconnecting the sway bar is that the wheel can "get away" from the frame. Look at some pictures with major droop, and you'll see that the link would not be able to be hooked up in that position, by several inches. Anyone with a welder can modify their stock sway bar links to disconnects in an afternoon and with 2 hitch pins that cost 50 cents each. I believe these center disconnects are a gimmick - just pull the pins on the links when you get out to air down and lock the hubs. Sway bar disconnects are a must have, in my opinion, and most guys who don't really drive their Jeeps on the road just chuck the whole 9 yards. - Chuck

Chuck Hadley

 

[Pete88YJ]

On a Friday the Engineer says...

"My one beer after work is already half gone." /wwwthreads_images/icons/frown.gif

Pete BSME

....on a similar note... They say that one beer can put you over the limit of most state's breathalyzer limits. Surprizingly, most bars still have parking lots. /wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif Sounds like something that would be kinda easy to nip-in-the-bud, don't you think? /wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif

Pete

88YJ,4"susp,33"BFGMT,9kwinch,homemade swingout,258,999,4.10,weber32/36,GMHEI,one moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Dana]

In reply to:

Center disconnect does not give you all the droop that the link disconnects will give. Yes, the sides will be able to move independantly to each other, but the real advantage to disconnecting the sway bar is that the wheel can "get away" from the frame. Look at some pictures with major droop, and you'll see that the link would not be able to be hooked up in that position, by several inches.

Hmmmm, good point. I wonder just how much the difference would be in a mildly built Jeep with only about 2½" of lift. I guess the easiest way to check is to pull one swaybar link off and see how much difference there is in the drop of each side.

-Dana

Always keep clothes and weapons where you can find them in the dark.

 

[Dana]

OK, did that. Pulled one link stud off and jacked up the front-- no measurable difference in suspension travel..... but interestingly the link was about 1/2" shy of the swaybar..... maybe my swaybar is bent? Lines up fine with both wheels on the ground, though. At any rate, even 1/2" doesn't seem to be enough to matter. Took a spin around the trails behind my house (nothing too hardcore) with just the one link off, the improvement was subtle but noticeable, so it's time to go for it! I'm figuring $20 for parts, $20 for a 7/8" drill; bit, $20 for welding..... still cheaper than the commercial units, with the added convenience of remote activation.

-Dana

It did what? Well, it's not supposed to do that.