SWAYBAR DISCONNECTS

This design should allow the sway bar to perform as designed for street use with the ability to be disconnected for better articulation off road. First off I have to give credit where credit is due. This set up is basically a duplicate of one that was designed and fabricated by Eric Johnson for his Toyota 4Runner. He deserves the recognition for coming up with the basic design. I had a few questions during construction that I needed to contact him about and he was always very helpful and prompt with his responses. Thank you, Eric. This design uses polyurethane bushings but the stock rubber bushings could also be used in place of these.
Difficulty = 3-3.5/10

• (2) 3/8" bolts - 8" long
• (2) 3/8" shaft collars - Item #38336 @ Harbour Freight and Tools
• (8) 3/4" x 1" end link bushings - Prothane #88-8039N @ J.C Whitney
• (8) stock end link washers
• (2) 3/8" nylon lock nuts
• (2) 5/32" hitch pins
• (2) small springs with at least 3/8" inside diameter - low spring rate
• (2) cable zip ties or (2) 1" 1 5/16" D-rings
• Loctite

• Socket driver
• 14mm socket + 3/8" deep socket
• small file
• drill
• drill bit at least 3/16" in diameter
• jack
• awl or some kind of marking tool

1. Use the file to "round off" the ends of the hitch pins. They will install much easier this way.
2. Disassemble one of the stock end links. Pay attention as to where the stock washers/bushings are located, you will need to reassemble them in the same order. Mine came apart like this: (sway bar to upper A arm) 14mm nut, stock washer, stock bushing, sway bar, stock bushing, stock washer, sleeve, stock washer, stock bushing. Under the lower link was as follows: Bolt, stock washer, stock bushing.
3. Partially assemble the new end link: 8" bolt, stock washer, poly bushing (if that is what you are using).
4. Feed this up through the hole in the lower link then add a bushing, stock washer, shaft collar (don’t tighten this yet) spring, new 3/8" washer, stock washer and bushing.
5. Place the sway bar over this assembly. This is where you will locate the hitch pin.
6. Here the construction will be open to interpretation depending on if you use the old bushings or new bushings as they will probably be of different dimensions. Here I did a little guesswork, wanting enough room to allow the sway bar some movement when disabled. Pushing the bolt up from the bottom, I located the sway bars eventual mounting height and with an awl I scratched a mark on the 8" bolt between the new 3/8" washer and the stock washer. When I disassembled the new end link and checked the mark on the bolt, I found it was located at 4 3/8" from the bottom of the head of the bolt.
7. Drill hole with 3/16" bit for the hitch pin on both bolts. Remember, if you re-use the stock bushings or your replacement bushings are of a different height, then your measurements may be different.
8. Repeat the assembly procedure as previously described but this time insert the hitch pin (remember it goes between the new 3/8" washer and the stock washer.)
9. Place a bushing, stock washer, and the 3/8" nylock nut on the upper part of the new end link and tighten this down. Don’t cinch this down too tight, otherwise it will put too much pressure on the hitch pin making it difficult to remove and insert
10. To locate the shaft collars use a 3/8" drive deep socket (doesn’t matter what size, it just has to fit through the hole in the lower link) and feed the drive end (the end that would attach to your ratchet) up through the hole in the lower link, butting it against the 8" bolt.
11. Take a floor jack and place it under the socket, bringing the jack up just enough to put pressure on the bolt to seat it tight.
12. Snug down the shaft collar andturn in the set screw a little on the shaft collar until it justs made contact with the bolt. Twist it from side to side a couple of times and then loosen the set screw and slide the collar up the bolt (compressing the spring). Re-tighten the collar so that it will be out of the way.
13. Take the drill and with a small bit drill just a little notch (on the mark left by the set screw) for the set screw to seat into. Release the shaft collar, put some Loctite on the set screw and tightened it into place.
14. Use the zip ties and loosely secure hitch pins to sway bar. Make sure it won't contact the CV boot and there is enough slack to allow the removal of the pin.

Before and After Photos

After finishing, I noticed that the top of the end links didn't fit flush with the ends of the swaybar. This is due to the end links being taller than the stock ones. I wanted to correct this. After trying unsuccessfully to bend the swaybar to fit the bushings, I decided to get the bushing to be flush with the swaybar. I filed off the bottom of the bushing until it fit flush. I also wanted to address the problem with the hitch pins and zip ties. I picked up two 1"X 1 5/16" D rings and with the sway bar off (or with the end links removed), I slipped these over the ends of the sway bar (I had to bend them open to get them over the ends of the bar and then bend them back into shape). These now act as the restraints for the hitch pins. Inserting the hitch pins through the D rings first and then into the hole in the end link bolts will keep the hitch pins from rotating into the CV boots.

Final photo showing changes