Sway Bar Disconnects

[Zero_Accel]

It's been a minute, but SURPRISE, they ACTUALLY SHOWED UP! One of the longest email chains EVER! Not worth saving $50 bucks, that's for sure. I was getting ready to request a refund, showed up without notice on Saturday.

Was able to throw them on real quick, it's definitely nice to not have to get on the ground to disconnect. What good are manual disconnects that you hate messing with?

I'm banned from a proper off road flex test until my gears break in, so I found a berm behind my house just to do a quick check, they seem to work well. Very happy with them!

I also learned that I don't think I'll be able to stuff 37's under here until I find some more clearance.

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[dcmdon]

I think I'm going to go with the Teraflex. Under $200. About 1 minute to disconnect. No grinding or removing brackets. You don't actually remove the links. Provides a place to park the links.

Good enough.

 

[Zero_Accel]

I think I'm going to go with the Teraflex. Under $200. About 1 minute to disconnect. No grinding or removing brackets. You don't actually remove the links. Provides a place to park the links.

Good enough.

Fair warning, my Synergys had a similar setup, and on paper the idea is solid.

My experience: They were HORRIBLE to live with. Quick disconnects just don't really come off easily, you need to whack them with a mallet to get them on AND off, and they usually don't like going back on. Getting down in the dirt/mud/ice gets old quick, especially at the end of a long trail when you're ready to pack up.

The bracket that they were supposed to mount to? To be out of the way when in use? Mine never lined up, no matter how much I adjusted or "massaged' them. They were pre drilled and everything, installed them 3 times, gave up. Used a bungee to hold the links to them.

Got sick of them after 4 months, I would avoid disconnecting them, and that defeated the whole purpose of the quick disconnects. Ponied up the extra cash for the Apex links, it was definitely worth it to me.

 

[dcmdon]

Fair warning, my Synergys had a similar setup, and on paper the idea is solid.

My experience: They were HORRIBLE to live with. Quick disconnects just don't really come off easily, you need to whack them with a mallet to get them on AND off, and they usually don't like going back on. Getting down in the dirt/mud/ice gets old quick, especially at the end of a long trail when you're ready to pack up.

The bracket that they were supposed to mount to? To be out of the way when in use? Mine never lined up, no matter how much I adjusted or "massaged' them. They were pre drilled and everything, installed them 3 times, gave up. Used a bungee to hold the links to them.

Got sick of them after 4 months, I would avoid disconnecting them, and that defeated the whole purpose of the quick disconnects. Ponied up the extra cash for the Apex links, it was definitely worth it to me.

Thanks.

 

[dcmdon]

Fair warning, my Synergys had a similar setup, and on paper the idea is solid.

My experience: They were HORRIBLE to live with. Quick disconnects just don't really come off easily, you need to whack them with a mallet to get them on AND off, and they usually don't like going back on. Getting down in the dirt/mud/ice gets old quick, especially at the end of a long trail when you're ready to pack up.

The bracket that they were supposed to mount to? To be out of the way when in use? Mine never lined up, no matter how much I adjusted or "massaged' them. They were pre drilled and everything, installed them 3 times, gave up. Used a bungee to hold the links to them.

Got sick of them after 4 months, I would avoid disconnecting them, and that defeated the whole purpose of the quick disconnects. Ponied up the extra cash for the Apex links, it was definitely worth it to me.

When the Apex first came out I didn't own a Gladiator. They were (I believe $325ish). I was ready to get a set. Then after I bought a Gladiator their price was now pushing $450.

I just can't justify it. I'm not a "real" off roader and would only use them 3-4 times per year.

 

[dcmdon]

What would be the problem if you just disconnected one side of the sway bar??
It decouples the sway bar the same way undoing both ends would do.

The only issue might be what happens to the end that is free, moving up and down with the opposite side wheel. Will there be interference??

Upper limit is determined by the shocks. Compression limit is determined by bump stops. So its just the question above.

 

[Painkillerspe]

I think I'm going to go with the Teraflex. Under $200. About 1 minute to disconnect. No grinding or removing brackets. You don't actually remove the links. Provides a place to park the links.

Good enough.

I had the terraflex kit before I went with apex. They worked great, but the joint wore out fast in one side. Terraflex warrantied it no problem.

Also be prepared to do some grinding on the their driver mounting brackets. They bolt up to the axle where a weld is and most of them time will not line up until you grind off some metal. I used a Dremel

 

[dcmdon]

Maybe. I should just spend my money on a Milwaukee battery powered 3/8 drive socket wrench and just remove the struts. ha. At least I'll be able to use the Milwaukee for other tasks.

 

[Zero_Accel]

Maybe. I should just spend my money on a Milwaukee battery powered 3/8 drive socket wrench and just remove the struts. ha. At least I'll be able to use the Milwaukee for other tasks.

That's what one guy was doing, had the electric ratchet take the link lower bolts right off. Bungee to the frame so they didn't move. Just don't leave it behind like he did! I gave it back to him halfway up the mountain, he had a bit of a look when he realized what happened.

 

[dcmdon]

That's what one guy was doing, had the electric ratchet take the link lower bolts right off. Bungee to the frame so they didn't move. Just don't leave it behind like he did! I gave it back to him halfway up the mountain, he had a bit of a look when he realized what happened.

So you could just disconnect the end of the link at the axle and then fold them up with the sway bar. Hmm.

The Apex Design is so freaking clean. Just wish it wasn't $450.
I also have some reservations about how it will stand up to New England salty roads. Though it appears to be made of premium materials.

 

[Zero_Accel]

So you could just disconnect the end of the link at the axle and then fold them up with the sway bar. Hmm.

The Apex Design is so freaking clean. Just wish it wasn't $450.
I also have some reservations about how it will stand up to New England salty roads. Though it appears to be made of premium materials.

Yup, just make sure there's a spot that you can tie to easily. If you're still on the fence, I'd say go with the M12 electric ratchet, open ended wrench, and short 'ball' style bungees, and see if you can live with the hack. If you decide to go with the Terra or Apex's after all, you still have a useful tool. If you're going with a dedicated disconnect because it's difficult to reattach the links, the Terra's will only be a small improvement.

Just make sure you get the one's you want from the get go "Buy once, cry once". I went with the Synergys because I had a similar hangup with the price of the Apex.

Well, here I am, $650 dollars later with a set of the Apex's that I wanted in the first place, and a used set of Synergys that I don't know what I'm going to do with. At least if I went with the electric ratchet route, I would have a useful tool as well. You can use those electric ratchets anywhere you can fit them after all.

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