NovaPath

Excellent detective work! I found Grainger will sell a 3ft section of 1/2-20 solid Stainless all thread for 39.00, so I think I am going to go that route. I will wait and see what the ebay guy posts first though. Seems like the jeep guy really preferred the heim joints, but I'd like to give this way a go first as well-seems easier. I also really liked his retain-age system, although I don't necessarily know how it would work on our pathys. I honestly think that figuring out a way to secure the sways is going to be the hardest part of all this, I haven't found any documented cases of someone being successful at it(not that it means we can't!). I'll most likely be out of town when the joints arrive next week, but the week after I should have some time to fiddle around with them.

So I think i'm going to go ahead and order a 2 ft section of 316 grade stainless 1/2-20 RH threaded rod. I've been on the fence about buying a grinder for a while now, and I think that this will help motivate me to make it a "need". I think that the stength will be just fine compared to what is on there now, and if it bends these rods than the links themselves are going to have problems anyways(just my thought process). I've also been thinking about the required lubrication, and i've come to the conculsion that as long as I am able to wheel this thing once every couple of months(which is my goal), and I re-lube them every time, that they should in theory last a long time. I'm getting very excited to get some parts in hand and spend a day tinkering with this project, the payoff would be huge the next time I am out wheeling and flexing like crazy!

Alright, just placed an order for: 6 Qi500 Ball Joint, Quick Disconnect USD $3.42 USD $20.52 2 QIL500 Ball Joint, In-Line Quick Disconnect USD $9.25 USD $18.50 Looks like someone else is stalking this thread because the previous stainless steel ones that were available last night are now gone...

Thats my thought as well, although another concern with the front sway is it looks as if we may have to push the abs and brake lines out of the way to not snag them while it is rotated up. This is actually a large concern as it would make disconnecting the front a two person job. At this point I think the best thing to do is to get some parts in our hands and start fiddling. I'm going to go ahead and pull the trigger on the 6 SQI's and 2 QLI's now. If the QLI's rust it will be an easy swap at a later date. Did the ebay guy get back to you on the links yet?

I think I'm going to go 1/2" all the way around, seems like i'm being lazy not to and would just introduce a weak point for failure. Let me know what the guy says about stainless rods, I'm going to figure out a way to cover most of these things anyways but with the salt up here in the mid atlantic I'm concerned about corrosion regardless. I was had my cart loaded up last night but decided to hold off and call them to see if getting the stainless ones would be an option anytime soon, if not I will go ahead and order 6 SQI500's and 2 QIL500's(the stainless version of these is what is not in stock). Seems like stainless steel ball joints with stainless steel links should be pretty darn bulletproof as long as you lube them occasionally. Also thinking about the possibility of only needing one side secured with the wire loop once the sways are disconnected, essentially we just need to make sure that it never drops down lower than the lower track rod. My concern with securing both sides would be getting into a situation where the sway was putting force onto the hangers, and then it ripping them off.

I suspect they will as well. Problem with the rods is they will need to be some sort of treated metal or else they will simply bend. Ideally we would want stainless for the rods....There are a few options online I just don't know how I'd cut them at home.

I was looking for the stainless version it appears, I see now that the regular version is in stock. I'm about to place an order as well, did you order the shafts from there as well? I'm debating between ordering off this site or waiting and seeing if I can find something at HD etc that would work...

The 3/8" 90* and the 1/2" 180* are not in stock. I just checked amazon/google and it appears I will have to make some calls on monday to see if I can order over the phone from them or another distributor. Insert angry face here. Edit: My main concern now is trying to figure out a way to keep them partially sealed so that grease can keep them lubricated. I guess we will have to take a closer look once one of us receives them, otherwise greasing them will be a weekly activity...

oh and with regard to the spring popping out, I don't see that happening unless of course a shock fails or breaks off, either way you've got problems if that happens anyways.

I'm willing to be a guinea pig on this one. I'm going to try to do some research(or read the research you've already done thoroughly!!) tonight and then place an order. The swaybars don't see all THAT much force, and frankly if it fails it isn't the end of the world and can be easily repaired. I like the u-bolt and strap idea for the rear, and I think we can find someplace to hang the front one on off of the body/wheel well etc. Thanks for putting so much thought into this!

I'm 100% in. Please keep me posted. My only concern is if those will rattle and how tight the fit is. Regardless, we NEED to come up with a disconnect plan for these trucks, and I'm glad I've found a like minded individual that isn't just trashing them entirely. I'll do some research on those links this weekend(thanks for posting!), but let me know if you pull the trigger first.

what about looping something(say a bungee) around the center where it bends up around the pumpkin, and pulling that towards the rear of the car and looping it around the LSV bracket? That would point both of the swaybar ends up, the only question is if they would hit the wheel well during compression?

It seems like there must be a good solution for this rear swaybar dillemma, although that hump over the pumpkin certainly isn't doing us any favors. I just don't want to have to deal with laying on the dirt/ground after a 2 hour drive to remove the dang thing for every off road trip. I'll look at it again some more this weekend and see what I can think up..

So I just went out and looked at it again, and I don't think that would work. Our swaybar is attached to the rear axle as a fixed location instead of the chassis like that photo depicts. Therefore, it would actually make more sense to disconnect at the sway I think. Could you zip tie the swaybar to the rear lower control arm? My head isn't working right to figure out the physics of that at the momemnt...will think some more.

hmm, I see your point. It seems like an L bracket made of 1/4" steel would be plenty strong for the rear sway bar, if you drill a hole in each end of the "L" you could in theory use any adjustable swaybar link of your choosing. This seems to simple, am I missing anything?

These are the ones that I was referring to. http://www.amazon.com/JKS-2000-Replacement-Swaybar-Disconnect/dp/B005TTZ64M/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1430960420&sr=8-5&keywords=swaybar+disconnects

I've read that many people have done that with no ill effects, but for my own reasons that is not something that I feel comfortable doing. I sincerely appreciate the input, but every other thread that starts out like this one turns into a battle between those for and against sways, so for this conversation lets keep it solely to how to get some disconnects that work

Thanks, those are good points. I found some on amazon made for a front end of a TJ that are adjustable and look like they utilize the same setup as the rear of our cars, I wonder if they would work? With regard to keeping the sway bar in check, couldn't you only remove one of the sides? That in theory would make it useless but still attached enough not to bang around....

From the looks of it with a torn off lower control arm. I hope I'm missing something but those bolts look way too small to handle that type of load. Also, is there any cross bracing inside of the subframe drop? It is obvious the OP has much better fabrication skills than I do, so I would assume this has been thought of, hopefully the pictures are just painting a bad image. I definitely admire the ingenuity and originality of this post, but I would like to hear that it is actually safe as well.

resurrecting a thread from the dead here, but would any of the xterra rear ends with the electronic locker fit our pathfinders?

Does anyone have first hand experience with these? I'm not interested in totally removing the rear swaybar, but would like to have the option to have it disconnected for wheeling trips. They look like they are solid in the pictures, but I've heard conflicting things. My main concern is that you have to drill out the holes in the swaybar to make them fit, so if they are junk and you want to go back to stock you'd have to replace the rear sway afterwards... Thanks!

I like this idea Fleury's, I always forget that option. I have ordered some manual hubs so it's not like I need to worry about lifespan as they will hardly ever be used unless I'm off road.

No worries. Any input on brand of axles to buy? Reman vs new?

Thanks Fleurys, but why would that show up immediately after the lift? The U joint angles haven't changed? Love the skid plate btw!

Thanks for the input guys. I've been thinking about it more, and I think it must have to be the CV joints. The front driveshaft, while symptoms are similar and certainly could be a culprit, did not change when I installed the lift. The angles of the cv joints, however, have changed considerably. I did double check all of the bolts and all is tight. Could it be the CV's binding?