Swaybar Disconnect for non KDSS

A pretty neat product I wanted to share. Go for it I say.

https://www.apexdesignsusa.com/products/kwiklynx

 

Looks interesting.

It's about time someone made one of these.

 

Well, KDSS wasn't sufficient here and A-Trac had to be called upon. One inch extra travel and I would have made it. I don't think KDSS offroad = Zero swaybar. But the above product is a true disconnect.

 

I've been considering getting rid of the rear sway bar. I just can't seem to confirm whether the sway bars are dependent on each other when driving at speed.

 

Well my dealer says they are independant but also said 100% of the time folks get rid of both, and they charge $700 to do that.

 

I trust the dealership about as much as I trust a foreign prince who needs me to send them $100 before they can send me $1000000.

 

The thing about KDSS is that it is active all the time and behaves according to the situation, it is not just one dead stiff swaybar. If I replace it with the above product, the ride will suffer on road.

 

It looks like something you manually switch on and off at will. But you gotta get down in the mud to do it.

 

Here's a couple videos of this product:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j80kJC-l2xw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ5xZvI6Fjs

 

I was eyeing these

Unfortunately they don't work with gusseted spindles

 

I can see in the videos this is not for the casual person to install. I think if someone is wondering if they have the ability to properly install these, they should find a professional to do the work.

I'm very interested in these but I'd like to see more of these get installed and see how they hold up over some time.

 

Damn, I thought it was bolt-on. If you had to drill and weld to the frame, might as well do this:

 

All you need to do is remove a pin, seems easier than manual disconnect on Wrangler Willys. Manual disconnect is good, one less thing to break. And it will not nanny you when you go over 15 mph like Rubicon's electronic disconnect does

 

I can't see the everyday DIYer seriously contemplating taking on a task like this install. You'd have to be very serious about having sway bar disconnects to go this route, and would likely need them professionally installed for $$$. It's one thing for someone like Wanderlost Overland taking this on, they do just about everything, but another story for the usual 4R modder.

 

The product is $750, another $750 for the install by a shop. You think it needs more than 3 hours of labor?

 

Hard to say, brand new product. I'm sure an install shop would need some time to figure this one out, even with the written instructions.

 

Will report here

 

Biggest potential complication on an older vehicle? The sway bar mount weld nuts break off in the frame. Then you'd need to liquify the bolts with a torch, and fish out the loose nuts with a stick magnet. You'd then need to replace the cooked sway bar bushings.

 

So I was multi-tasking while watching the vendor's install video. I didn't see any welding. There was a bracket they said could either be welded or bolted. Did I miss something, again?

The install doesn't really look that hard. They even supply templates so you drill your holes in the right location. Hardest part, to me, looks to be working around whatever aftermarket parts you have going on. And maybe the price.

 

a bracket needs to be welded to the frame for mounting one side of the air shock part of the install. 7:47 of the Wanderlost video.

 

The install doesn't look difficult. It seems relatively straightforward. The people here saying it needs a professional are also the ones that probably don't need a swaybar disconnect in the first place. If you think this is complicated then you're likely screwed when something breaks trail side.

 

Hmm. I watch the video off of Apex's website. I think we're talking about the same bracket. According to their video if can be bolted on with nut-serts after drilling the holes. So maybe they changed this after getting feedback from testers. That's a good thing.

 

This might be the 100th repeat of this... But in one of Tinkerer's Adventure vids, he makes an argument for how removing the front sway bar and leaving the back creates the best articulation results. I'm not entirely convinced his testing setup was ideal, but I went with it anyway. Been driving with no front sway bar for a while and only really notice it on turns where the road rolls out and away. So almost never.

I'm having a hard time convincing myself that the safety factor of the front sway bar isn't a very narrow band. I understand what it's for, but at what points in an evasion maneuver does it not matter, both on the under and over? On the other hand, with the family in the truck, $750 is cheap insurance. I'd install it myself, even if it needs welding...

 

So who is volunteering to be the guinea pig? Maybe we can gofundme you

 

Just ordered them...

 

The disconnects?

 

Yessir. I didn't see a lead time, but they said they were in stock. No delivery options. "Free" delivery.

 

Cool. Keep us posted.

 

Wasn't there a pop-up on the site that said if you can add it to your cart then it's in stock or something like that?

I would order these things, but I'm not at that point with my 4runner.

 

They replied. This shop is a very good one, I am glad they are the dealer.