Ok i just want to know if my idea is stupid or would it work, i work at a jeep dealership and we have a disconnect on the front sway bar on the jeep rubicon coming standard. The bar is cut in two with spline on both side and a slider that goes over it to connect the two side with an electrical actuator. Now i was thinking if i would cut the oem bar on my ranger in two and put a sleeve over it welded on one side and drill a hole on the other side trought the sway bar that i could put a pin in it what kind of pin should i use and what gage the sleeve would need to be. I dont like the idea of deconnecting the link has the bar itself may it the inner tie rod, that way the bar would travel with the wheel but free up the travel.

 

sounds like a cool idea. i was wondering how the electronic sway disconnects work.

 

Are you talking about something like this? If you are, the only problem is what to do with the sway bar once it is disconnected.
Quick Disconnects

 

x2

 

He is talking about making a center disconnect in the middle of the bar. If you could make an electric coupler work of the Rubicon that would be the way to go getting a pin to the bar would be difficult and getting it lined back up would be a challenge as well. especially if you have a front skid plate.

 

that sounds like a good idea as long as the bar is still structurally sound with that hole and pin in it. wouldnt help much on the road if it would just deform the metal where that stress concentration is by the hole and eventually break. look into it more and post a how to if you do end up doing it (which i think you pretty much have to now)!

 

could you pick up a jeep one from work for cheap? have any pictures of them?

 

thats cool the jks ones just say zip tie or bungee cord the swing arms to the chassis so they don't interfere with suspension

 

im pretty sure once you cut, then reweld the steel that makes a sway bar you've lost all the properties you need.

im no expert though.

 

OK i mesured the bar today an it exactly 1inch an 1/8 outside and it a perfect round so ill try to get a tube that will fit perfect over it with a good wall. the sway bar seems full so it should hold no trouble to the load. Reinstalling the pin should not be to hard has long has i have a level place to park the truck. I have a trail this weekend and my truck is getting new leaf tomorrow so i dont think ill have the time this week but im really going to try it, if it doesnt work i just weld the bar on each side.

P.s. here a pic of a rubicon swaybar http://www.quadratec.com/products/52446_112.htm

 

It takes less than 10 minutes to unbolt the swaybar endlinks on a Ranger, IMO this is too complex to try and mod a Ranger to work like the Rubicon

 

Thats how i do it for the moment but i want to plate under the table so i dont get stuck anymore on rock like the last time i wheeled so the link will not be accessible without removing the plate and i dont like the idea that the bar could it an inner tie-rod if it lower by itself. Ill try it and see the result, i figure around 2 hours to try it, if it doesnt work ill live with it and find a way to remove the link each time i go wheeling.

 

so your gonna cut what? 1" out of the middle of the sway bar, then drill a hole in each half.. then connect them with a heavy wall piece of tube and a bolt?

just take the sway bar off all together.

 

No ill cut the bar around 5 inch from one of the side, then take a tube that fit over it around 10inch long and slide it over both section. Weld one section to one side of the bar and drill one or more hole in the other section throw both shaft and put a pin in the hole for day to day driving, for the trail ill remove the pin then the two section of the sway bar will rotate independently just like a rubicon sway bar does with the electric disconnect. If i have the time to pass at my friend shop tomorrow ill ask him to make me the tube next week.

 

Just take the thing off. I haven't have the bar or links for 6 months now.

 

your making this much more complicated than it needs to be.
and cutting/welding on metal changes the properties of it.

 

Thats why the cut is made at one end of it, so the flex properties will still be there in the center where it flexes. I think it might work, just be very careful when welding, so you don't get the bar too hot. I think maybe the 2-pins and sleeve idea may work better for you, but heck go for it! Worst case scenario, you get a new sway bar.

 

I think it will work fine as long as you can keep the bar cool enough when welding cutting and drilling. making it hot then cooling it will make it stronger but brittle (exactly what you dont want in a sway bar).

 

took us less than that lol