Swaybar Disconnect for non KDSS

Just finished install in my garage. Its a not that difficult but similar difficulty level to say installing my lift for the first time. Did it over 2 days taking my time. Mostly all the drilling that took forever. Buy good cobalt bits you will notice a difference vs titanium coated. The stepbit that they sell was 100% worth it to me.

Its very easy to use and when its disconnected it feels like no sway bar. (only been on 2 test drives around town no highway yet and no off road yet)
One unexpected thing I had to modify was the TRD skid plate. I had to cut 2-3 inches of the upper side splash guard part to make room for the air shock. (3rd picture)

Time will tell if the rivnuts and the fact that the disconnect mechanism attaches to the upper ball joint will hold. Everything feels well made and strong I just prefer a castle nut to be on there.

Pictures aren't great lol I wrapped up the project and thought I probably should take at least 1 photo.
Oh and a picture of my 4Runner because why not.

 

Awesome job, buddy! Now get it on the ramp and show us!

 

So... I am about the last person that actually needs one of these (yet )

But I watched the install video and its not that scary. They eliminated the welding of the prototype and have a bolt on bracket that just requires some drilling and rivnuts.


I agree with the thoughts up thread... If this is the first truck you have ever wrenched on, or your wrenching experience doesn't extend beyond oil changes and brakes - I would find a shop.
However if you have fairly extensive experience working on cars and a well equipped garage I wouldn't be afraid of it. The scariest part is drilling a couple holes but they give you nice drill templates to work off.

 

Can you post some pictures of, and describe the connection between the upper control arm and the disconnect link? Also, what are the rivnuts used for? Are the rivnuts taking any pulling forces?

I spent some time looking at how to temporarily disconnect and tie off the swaybar, but it seems like a lot of work to verify if a tied off bar will clear everything without causing some horrible interference at the worst time. So maybe 700 bucks for a well thought out solution isn’t so bad.

The only thing that gives me a little pause is the connection to the upper control arm and how rib nuts are used. Actually, one other thing is how it will stand up to corrosion and if that could lead to failures.

 

Thanks for sharing Eric! Your rig looks great and so does your install. Please do a follow up so we can see how they are holding up.

 

The install video they provide will make way more sense as to where the rivnuts are used and how the disconnect connects to the UCA ball joint.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6UjP62OCOk&t=189s

 

The rivnuts are mostly taking up tensile loads from just bolt torque. In the case of the sway bar mounts, those 14mm bolts have a (minimum) tensile load rating in excess of 10,000 lbs…way over what the sway bar could generate in terms of ‘pulling’ force on the mount. The rivnuts themselves (cad plated steel) have a thread shear rating well above the bolt tensile rating. You’d bend the frame member long before the fastener gives up. As for shear forces it’s a bit trickier to calculate because of several unknowns, but an ‘approximate’ single shear calculation puts a 14mm bolt well above its tensile failure load.

In short, those bolted joints should not fail in this application…sans a really bad drop onto a boulder while rock crawling.

As for corrosion, yes the drilled locations should be given some kind of protection on the exposed metal surfaces for long term benefit, meaning anything that stops oxygen from coming into contact with exposed ‘raw’ steel…

 

Thanks, watching that helped clear up how it all goes together.

Interesting, thanks! I’m just a little suspicious of rivnuts on a real life structural application with consequences. I’m no engineer, but I would imagine the sway bar mounts end up taking both shear and tensile loading. Rivnuts can probably test out with specs that exceed anticipated loads, but not knowing how much strength is affected by a slightly imperfect rivnut install, or once a little corrosion takes place around the holes (after say, 4 or 5 years), gives me a little pause. It seems like fishing through some stick nuts for the sway bar mounts would be more fool proof. But I’m not sure how possible that is.

My more general concerns with corrosion was more related to the actual hardware. The video makes it seem like they are all nicely coated though.

Anyone know if the over-center lock is anodized aluminum, or red painted steel?

 

the over-center locks are non-magnetic so I'm leaning anodized aluminum.

 

Can you describe how it interfaces with the steel? Any type of isolators between the two metals? Hard to see what’s going on with the bottom part that hooks on to something.

 

So it doesn't look like any aluminum and steel touch except for the tiny safety pin. The bottom is all aluminum and the top of the latch rests into some tough feeling rubber. The slide is steel but again the latch doesn't touch for the rubber. Not sure if this is what your asking.

 

Yes that answers my question. It really is a neatly engineered kit. Is that a ball joint of some sort underneath the nut that attaches to the upper control arm bolt?

Time will tell how these do, but it’s really cool that they had the guts to put as much effort and thought as they did into it.

Do you daily drive your 4runner? I think it would be cool if you could update the thread on how it’s functioning over time.

 

I suspect based upon that flexible boot that underneath lies a ball or other two-DOF joint due to the suspension's complex articulation path.

Replacing the factory sway bar link with this design is smart. My only concern is really with the gas shock damper. We know what can happen with conventional shocks and the potential for overheating so that's where I think the only weak point is with this design. Would like to see before, during and after a trail run temperature readings of this component.

 

What exactly does that shock control? Is it meant only to damp the impact of the sway bar ends when they hit the limits on the sliding rod?

Also, is it a shock (with oil), or is it basically an air spring?

 

In the video they are 'charging' it with compressed air...does it have oil? Only they can answer that question. The air shock/dampener looks to work in conjunction with the conical rubber 'bumpers' on the sliding link shaft to help keep the swaybar from really banging hard against the hard stops by controlling rapid movements. In mechanical design we call that a 'dashpot' system.

 

They put up a bunch of videos explaining how it works and showing the install. The shock is there to put some preload on the swaybar forcing it against the upper end of the end link sliders, so that when it is disconnected at both ends it doesn't just bounce up and down randomly (which I suspect would hammer the end link connections and break something in short order).

The shock is most likely filled with oil and uses air pressurization. You know why standard car/truck shocks are charged with nitrogen, right? Its to keep the oil under pressure so that it doesn't cavitate and boil under heavy motion. Its not there to give a spring effect on purpose, that is just a secondary result.

Shocks for high end mountain bikes work the same, but rather than being nitrogen charged at the factory some are adjustable and have an air nipple to pump them up from a hand pump -they are just reusing the same concept here.

 

Come on guys, report, how did it go?

 

Oh NO. I was hoping to see your experience. I'm considering this upgrade.

 

I'm sold. I think this upgrade would help a lot and it seems like a quick on/off switch type deal. Let's see how you do. Thanks for sharing.

 

I read this whole thread which I think is full of great information and details. Thanks to all for the great back and forth. I'm sold that this upgrade seems to be the way to go as it can be an ON/OFF approach. Personally, you get into the trail, you disconnect and you are done. You are done with the trail. you put it back on and done. If I'm not mistaken the new models will have this on/off with a switch. I haven't driven yet a vehicle with a disconnect but I'm sure it would make a difference. See the yellow line here.....straight as it can be....this can't be good if you are trying something difficult.

 

hoping this summer i can get some time to get it flexed out and at speed on dirt... I have a newborn so adventures are on hold for a bit.
There is a big difference disconnected vs connected... lol on road at the mall.

 

The swaybar disconnect on the new 4runner/Tacoma is totally different , and it’s “push button” operation.

For the Apex partial disconnect system, you’ll need to at least squat down and reach to grab those locks to disconnect. Probably not too huge a deal for the occasional time you need to disconnect

However, I wonder how easy they are to re-connect. @19Granite4Runner , has it been fairly straighforward to reconnect. Do they have to be on perfectly level ground to lock them back in, or does the cam action of that lock overcome any unevenness of the two front wheels?

 

incredibly easy on flat. The latch gives you extra leverage. cant say on uneven terrain yet

 

What is the horizontal hydraulic silver linkage in your photo please?

 

Its essentially a bike shock. It keeps the swaybar from swinging around uncontrollably when disconnected is my understanding.

 

I caved in and bought the damn kit and got it today. I now have the dilemma of figuring whether I can do or just go to a reputable shop and see if they can do it.....more on it soon.

 

I got it done.....finally. It took me two days and I had to get some help from some neighbors kids as I couldn't get it done by myself. This install is not hard per say but lots of "measure twice cut once" kind of thing since you are drilling and cutting things. I drove it today with and without and yes...there is a difference. I will need to take it offroad and hopefully it will make me smile. Thanks to all for this thread and the push.

 

Any updates? On the fence about this and wondering how it performs on and off road.

 

I haven't been out there off roading these days. But I have disconnected them just around to test things and go around curves and see the body rolling and yes this thing makes a difference. If you DIY this one, take your time. It is tedious.

 

I'm very interested in these. ...along with a long list of other expensive items.