CO_pathfinder Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Recently, before setting off on a 4th of July trail run (the first for my in my Pathfinders), I wanted to test the rear articulation of my mostly stock truck. No surprise, it sucked. As most of us know, one of the easiest ways to increase your rear articulation, with nothing more than minor modifications, is to disconnect your rear sway bar. This, however, requires you to crawl under the truck, and unbolt the sway-bar connecting rod, which isn't a fun thing to do, especially if you are older, or, in the case of many off-road trails, "muddy conditions." Now, initially, I cut the sway-bar connector with a dremel, right in the middle. I hadn't actually ever intended to make disconnects, but on my way back from my trail run, I was forced to swerve at high-speed to avoid a deer on the highway. Without the sway-bar functioning to keep the body of the truck mostly parallel to the rear axle, I nearly rolled my truck. So, when I got back home, I rooted around my garage for the supplies to make: Rear Sway-Bar Disconnects. 1 - Steel Spacer, Zinc (1/2" x 5/8" x 3 or 5") 2 or 4 - Steel Codder "Hitch" pins (.093" x 1-1/2"-ish) > .093" is approx. 3/32" (.094), which is the drill bit size to use for a snug fit. If you prefer a snug fit that is also a little easier to insert/remove, go with 7/64" You'll also need a dremel, or some other tool to cut the connecting bar in half, and a drill. It helps to remove the rear wheel before starting, as it gives you direct access to the rod. n Once cut, simply slide the spacer onto the top piece first, rotate the bottom piece into place, and then slide the spacer down slightly so that equal portions of it sit above and below your cut line. You may find it helpful to tape the spacer in place so that you can do the next step: drilling. Drill a hole in the top part of the sleeve, using Wd40 as you go, since the bit will get hot and may dull more quickly. Drill all of the way through both the sleeve, the rod, and the back side of the sleeve. Insert one of your codder pins into this hole. You're halfway done. Repeat the drilling process again for the bottom part of the sleeve, and again insert your codder pin. Tada! You're done, and now have a disconnect system for your rear sway-bar that cost you less than $5 in parts, gas, and WD40 together!! Heres what mine looked like when I was done. Please ignore the rust and dust. Please note: I actually had the sleeve that I used lying around in my garage, and had the codder pins left over from another project. When doing this yourself, you'll want the sleeve to be longer than the one pictured (1.5") so that you don't end up with a slight bend in the rod. In reality, this isn't actually a safety issue, as the only purpose of the disconnect is to keep the two halves together on the road, and allow for the bar to be quickly disconnected when off-road. As soon as I find the time, I'll head to nearest hardware store (30 miles) and snag a longer sleeve. Until then, this seems to be working just fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN_S4 Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I don't understand why you have 4 pins there?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Redundancy is good, especially with 2.3mm pins... CO_p, can you take a better, off axis (isometric) picture of it though? I get what you did, but I think it would help some people understand. Allow me to hit a few items... So the sleeves are only 1/16" (1.6mm) thick? I don't know what kind of load the sway bar is under, but I don't know the type/strength material of the sleeve. Hopefully it won't fail... "Cotter pin"? This, this, or this? 7/64 will drill a .110" hole, a bit more than the 3/32 (.094") pin. For those with anything other than fractional drills, something in the #40 or 2.5mm drill range 9.098") is a happy medium. Make sure to chamfer the holes for easy lead in... WD-40 only surpasses urine or spit as a cutting tool lubricant, but all 3 are better than nothing. Gear oil, motor oil or even household 3-in-1 oil would be far better than WD-40; just think viscous oil. Not tearing it down, but building it up. This is something I've been planning on doing, but the list before that is long... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanicalbaron Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I've been entertaining an idea that I got when working on my brothers jeep. Newer jeeps have a electronic disconnect on the front sway bar. That being said my idea is to basically pull off the bar, cut it in half, install a sleeve, weld it on one side, reinstall it and drill a hole through the non-welded side for a pin or bolt to be installed. Seems like a clean way to make a disconnect and not have to worry about the hardware when off road. The two downsides I see are noise and getting the pin or bolt back in when your done wheeling. Any thoughts on this? Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkindred Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You are making me regret throwing my rear swaybar in the scrap pile, but I have not noticed a problem with my stiff AC coils though. mechanicalbaron, the method you describe if I understand it correctly would put a twisting load on the disconnect right? I would think there would be a lot of mechanical advantage working to shear your pin. But I don't know how big of a sleeve you are considering, if big enough it could work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanicalbaron Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You are making me regret throwing my rear swaybar in the scrap pile, but I have not noticed a problem with my stiff AC coils though. mechanicalbaron, the method you describe if I understand it correctly would put a twisting load on the disconnect right? I would think there would be a lot of mechanical advantage working to shear your pin. But I don't know how big of a sleeve you are considering, if big enough it could work.I was thinking about that, the sleeve and pin would have to be hardened somehow. And long term I'm not sure about wear and tear. But after looking at the jeep setup I was thinking that is brilliant, how can you simplify that setup?, seems like sway bar disconnect is a major benefit to pathfinder's. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 The front swaybar does almost nothing for offroad performance, may as well just leave it on. The rear however, if you hit the trails regularly, just take it off, That's what I did, although I kind of had to since i ripped the link right out of the brakect driving over a berm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clkindred Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Mechanicalbaron, first thing that comes to my mind is have the two halves of the sway bar end with the spline portion of a scrap torsion bar or axle shaft, so that the two spline parts sit next to each other. The two are joined together with the corresponding internal spline of the donor system, be it hub or whatever the torsion bar indexes into, the joining internal spline part can slide to one side separating the two. It would be exactly the type of force the spline was designed to experience, but probably less. It would be a lot of work, if the front sway bar dose not change offroad performance, then it would be one of those projects done just to see if it can be done, as a design challenge of sorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CO_pathfinder Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 So the sleeves are only 1/16" (1.6mm) thick? I don't know what kind of load the sway bar is under, but I don't know the type/strength material of the sleeve. Hopefully it won't fail... The only serious loadings on the swaybar connectors are axial. I could hook a load meter up to it and jack the axle up on one side to see exactly what the forces are, but the only thing to worry about is the pins shearing; if I see any bending over the next week or so of any of the pins, I'll drill the holes out larger and use larger pins.. The middle ones of your three choices by the way. CO_p, can you take a better, off axis (isometric) picture of it though? I get what you did, but I think it would help some people understand. Yea I'll snag a pair of pictures with the wheel off tonight. Plus it looks like the original photo link already exploded itself.. getting the pin or bolt back in when your done wheeling. your idea would require that the truck be on level ground and that your coils/shocks are in equal condition and hold the two sides of the truck at the same level. WD-40 only surpasses urine or spit as a cutting tool lubricant, but all 3 are better than nothing. Gear oil, motor oil or even household 3-in-1 oil would be far better than WD-40; just think viscous oil. eh. its what I had on hand. Had some ProLube but I was using some old bits so I really didn't want to use the nice stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mechanicalbaron Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Mechanicalbaron, first thing that comes to my mind is have the two halves of the sway bar end with the spline portion of a scrap torsion bar or axle shaft, so that the two spline parts sit next to each other. The two are joined together with the corresponding internal spline of the donor system, be it hub or whatever the torsion bar indexes into, the joining internal spline part can slide to one side separating the two. It would be exactly the type of force the spline was designed to experience, but probably less. It would be a lot of work, if the front sway bar dose not change offroad performance, then it would be one of those projects done just to see if it can be done, as a design challenge of sorts. I've thought of that also, I just don't have the fabrication skill or tools to do something like that. Certainly would be a more solid type of coupling. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Looks functional. What do you do with the links when they're not hooked up? I would be interested to see how Jeep's done the electronic swaybar disconnects. I would be leery of welding new ends to the sway bar--not sure that wouldn't screw with the temper of the spring steel. Easiest thing that comes to my mind would be to grind flats into the ends to take square tube, slide the tube into place (press fit?), and then use a larger piece of square tube as the engagement sleeve. Seems like it would be fairly stout and as an added bonus over splines, if you engaged it on uneven ground, it couldn't lock the sway bar with the ends pointing off in different directions. The actuator could be sprung, or set up like a vacuum disconnect axle, so that you'd flip the switch whenever and then the sleeve would slot across when it could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CO_pathfinder Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 What do you do with the links when they're not hooked up? The upper link just sits there, and is just short enough that even with the opposite tire stuffed into the fenderwell, the free-moving swaybar end does not tag it. As for the link connected to the swaybar still, for now at least, I just lay it down and zip-tie it to the swaybar. Functional, but not quite what I want.. I'm probably going to drill out one of the holes and stick a long pin through it into the swaybar.. I'll post pictures tomorrow when I get a chance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CO_pathfinder Posted July 14, 2015 Author Share Posted July 14, 2015 (edited) I would be interested to see how Jeep's done the electronic swaybar disconnects. Ask and you shall receive.. http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/how-does-sway-bar-disconnect-work-111375.html Second post, see the picture And then watch the first minute and a half of the video at the very bottom of the thread for a good laugh.. Edited July 14, 2015 by CO_pathfinder Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Thanks man I was hoping for a picture of the internals of the unit, but no worries, found that too: Apparently the Jeep units are unreliable enough that people convert them to manual operation once the warranty runs out. Score another point for your mod for not bringing up an error light on the dash when it gets wet! Maybe a clip like what holds down the hood prop or the jack rod under the rear seat would work for your link end? I'd avoid drilling holes in the bar if possible, but a couple hose clamps could probably hold a clip. Or, speaking of hose clamps, just put a hose clamp on the swaybar and slide it over the rod when it's disconnected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now