Cracked both rear sway bar end link mounts. Back plate? Weld?

[Rummie]

Both of my rear sway bar end link mounts are cracked. The shop was suggesting possibly putting a plate on to be stronger than welding it. Or maybe there is a stronger bracket?

What do you think? Backing plate? Weld the cracks?

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[kevman65]

Square washer with correct sized hole, weld all around AFTER squeezing the bracket back together. 1/4" thick flat stock to make washers.

 

[Average Oregonian]

I believe this is one of the reasons why AEV used a secondary/doubler plate in this area on their DualSport lifts. Surprised there aren't more out there, it's a fairly simple design.

 

[jsalbre]

Both of my rear sway bar end link mounts are cracked. The shop was suggesting possibly putting a plate on to be stronger than welding it. Or maybe there is a stronger bracket?

What do you think? Backing plate? Weld the cracks?

I'd follow the above advice. Reinforcement plate and weld.

What's your suspension set up? Lift? Stock or aftermarket swaybar? Stock or longer links?

 

[Renegade]

The way Jeep made these is a poor design. It's a split bracket (the crack is actually manufactured in, but possibly minimally welded) with a nutsert pressed in. They easily rip out if your sway bar links aren't the correct length for the shocks you are running. If they aren't deformed or ripped out yet, you could have someone simply put a weld on the back of the bracket and nutsert. I fabricated some plates to reinforce mine after ripping one out.

 

[Rummie]

I'd follow the above advice. Reinforcement plate and weld.

What's your suspension set up? Lift? Stock or aftermarket swaybar? Stock or longer links?

Metalcloak 3.5" Gamechanger. It adds rear swaybar end links.

I would guess that this wasn't caused directly by the equipment. If I had to guess I would say it happened after having all four wheels off the ground at the same time and coming down hard.

 

[jsalbre]

Metalcloak 3.5" Gamechanger. It adds rear swaybar end links.

I would guess that this wasn't caused directly by the equipment. If I had to guess I would say it happened after having all four wheels off the ground at the same time and coming down hard.

Assuming MK's links are the appropriate length then I'd assume you're right. It probably popped on the bounce back up after the impact. It sounds like those of us that get aggressive with our JTs may need to pre-emptively reinforce that spot.

 

[Rummie]

Assuming MK's links are the appropriate length then I'd assume you're right. It probably popped on the bounce back up after the impact. It sounds like those of us that get aggressive with our JTs may need to pre-emptively reinforce that spot.

Yep. Sounds like the right approach.

 

[darkhorse13]

I believe this is one of the reasons why AEV used a secondary/doubler plate in this area on their DualSport lifts. Surprised there aren't more out there, it's a fairly simple design.

Synergy Mgf has them too...

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just thinking aloud here so could be all wet (but I'm good up to 30" so.........)
Two things -
That link is pushing up and pulling down on that bolt - and because that bolt sticks out to the side of the bracket, it would appear it can't be pulling straight down or pushing straight up.

The bolt clamps that bushing inner sleeve hard against the bracket - fine, that's how these bushings work, but as things go up and down there's a certain amount of twisting force on that bushing. It's not totally straight up and down as the sway bar ends swing in a slight arc so the link is like a connecting rod with the lower end moving for and aft and putting some twist on that bushing which is bonded to the center sleeve. That slight twist is transmitted to the bracket.

It seems to me that the bushing should be clamped between two brackets and not have a bolt hanging out there like that, and, it would be even better if that joint was more like a tie rod joint, free to pivot and not be stuck in a bushing, more like front links.

OK, engineers may laugh and say the force wouldn't even bend your finger nail, but..............

 

[Rubiwoo]

googled these
https://www.vividracing.com/-p-1531...PAFHrfVs_xht7vNVmgi63zZ8LN7y87jBoCNKIQAvD_BwE

https://www.extremeterrain.com/icon...7p8GlEbEC0NHFS9fxMBoCFp8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...x0FU86xnWW9ezuH6RaBHC6yZwdSzXK9hoCbUIQAvD_BwE

 

[Rusty PW]

googled these
https://www.vividracing.com/-p-1531...PAFHrfVs_xht7vNVmgi63zZ8LN7y87jBoCNKIQAvD_BwE

https://www.extremeterrain.com/icon-vehicle-dynamics-jeep-gladiator-rear-sway-bar-relocation-kit-22062.html?utm_content=XT Handling - Swaybars and Disconnects|ICON Vehicle Dynamics&T5_Var4=JG9147&utm_campaign=XTG+Gladiator+Vehicle+Medium&dialogtech=ppc&utm_source=google-pla&utm_medium=shopping&T5_Var2=shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiAlfqOBhAeEiwAYi43F0YTPF-05veWb3FpBFCb5CxrP1tupfZIz3j7p8GlEbEC0NHFS9fxMBoCFp8QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.northridge4x4.com/part/...x0FU86xnWW9ezuH6RaBHC6yZwdSzXK9hoCbUIQAvD_BwE

The first link is change to a different style of sway bar. Will not work with the stock bar.

The second with move the top location forward for clearance with coilovers.

The third link with move the top location down 2". It's for 2" and greater lifts.

 

[JTDay]

So what is the correct sway bar arm orientation? Assuming the shocks aren't too long for the links, should the arms be parallel to the ground or to the truck? Is it better to have the links slightly too long or too short? Or do they need to be just right?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

So what is the correct sway bar arm orientation? Assuming the shocks aren't too long for the links, should the arms be parallel to the ground or to the truck? Is it better to have the links slightly too long or too short? Or do they need to be just right?

Jeep folks can comment, but on all vehicles I've worked on prior, the "arms" of the sway bar should be parallel to the ground. Not up, not down.
That way they can flex the same either way, and the arc swing is smaller.
If they are down or up when not moving and move down more, they swing not just down, but back or forward. If they are parallel, they don't move forward or backwards much at all.
So it's not just an issue of over-reach, it's a matter of swinging in an arc and moving backward or forward as they go up or down.
Any suspension I work on I try to make sure the sway bar arms are parallel to the ground.

Pardon my poor drawing. DaVinci I am not.
The left side is the bar looking at it endwise. The right is the arms of the sway bar that go up and down. If they start out down, as they move more down, they move to the left, for example. Starting out level they move more straight up and down.

 

[Rusty PW]

What is ripping the sway bar mount is flex. That's where the axles are crossed up. Here's a good picture of flex. One front wheel stuffed in the fender and the opposite rear is too. This is a lot of stress on the sway bar mounts.

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