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Rear Sway Bar Reinforcement

Painkillerspe

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I wasn't able to get the heat shield to fit back on. Is that going to cause an issue?

Had to reinstall my shorter bolts until I can source some 75 mm ones.
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I wasn't able to get the heat shield to fit back on. Is that going to cause an issue?

Had to reinstall my shorter bolts until I can source some 75 mm ones.
I left my shield off, I believe it is more a brush shield than a heat shield
 

sass JT

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Gotcha. So I guess I would need that and perhaps have some better armor for the lower point. A buddy of mine had it damaged at the lowest point too.
To answer your question more.

rockjock and terraflex make an over the axle swaybar kit that you can buy to replace the low hanging swaybar links. They are spendy but if you play in the rocks and you don’t want to hit them, they are the only options at this time.
 

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The OEM brackets are being ripped out in a downward direction
I wonder if the original brackets would have fewer issues if there were a washer between the sway bar link and the bracket to spread the clamping pressure against more bracket material. From the factory the sway bar link's metal sleeve is pressed directly against the bracket and all those 65ft-lb or so of pressure is concentrated in a thin circle against the bracket. The Metal Cloak bracket serves as a large washer to distribute this pressure, and also adds the remote bolt fastening.
 

Mojave2021

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Installed mine today. No issues other than the nylon locking nuts I bought were too thick to fit on the longer link bolt. I had no issues reinstalling the shield on my 21 Mojave.
 

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jeepers29

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Installed mine today. No issues other than the nylon locking nuts I bought were too thick to fit on the longer link bolt. I had no issues reinstalling the shield on my 21 Mojave.
Can you post a pic of the shield. I installed this yesterday on my Mojave and there was no shield on either side.
 

jeepers29

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Here you go…I only have 1 on the driver side.

6EA8AA8C-D521-410B-A29C-9B6C92551140.jpeg
Thank you. I assume the the shield you speak of is the metal piece that is between the wire harness bracket and the metal cloak bracket? That is not on my mojave. I wonder what it is for?
 

Jaxmax

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Most of us think it has to do with shielding heat from exhaust or directing air towards exhaust which would explain why it is only on drivers side. My 2021 Mojave had it but came off when the RokBlokz mudflaps went on.....Jack
 

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I wonder if the original brackets would have fewer issues if there were a washer between the sway bar link and the bracket to spread the clamping pressure against more bracket material. From the factory the sway bar link's metal sleeve is pressed directly against the bracket and all those 65ft-lb or so of pressure is concentrated in a thin circle against the bracket. The Metal Cloak bracket serves as a large washer to distribute this pressure, and also adds the remote bolt fastening.
This is what I have been saying from the beginning........However I'm not sure the washer would fix it if the link has a rolled sleeve.

The aftermarket links most manufacturers are supplying are using a crappy thin rolled sleeves in the link bushings that just pinches the rivnut. Eventually it just rips the nut out of the bracket. Itf this doesn't happen, it's the sleeve that crushes, bolts come loose, and maybe the rivnut fails from that?

On my own truck, I used some links I had around the shop, but installed a 3/4" ID hourglass bushings with the appropriate machined seamless sleeves so there is some meat there to pinch the actual bracket like the stock ones. I bet I have more off road miles than 99% of the people on here and no failure yet!
 

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jeepers29

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Most of us think it has to do with shielding heat from exhaust or directing air towards exhaust which would explain why it is only on drivers side. My 2021 Mojave had it but came off when the RokBlokz mudflaps went on.....Jack
Why would some have it and not others? Doesn't make semse, but then again, we are talking about FCA
 

Mojave2021

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Why would some have it and not others? Doesn't make semse, but then again, we are talking about FCA
Honestly that shield doesn’t look like it’s protecting much to me. I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
 

Jaxmax

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The other questions not really ever answered , has anyone on a totally stock gladiator have a failure, no matter what trim? Perhaps it has something to do with lifts or heavy tire wheel combos. AEV makes a sway bar reinforcing bracket for their lift. I'm not doing polls or posting a thread, but there is the question, my mojave has been in the air a few times, minor amount, but no failure....Jack
 

Jaxmax

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Perhaps it is like the engine cover , just not needed?
 

Mojave2021

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The other questions not really ever answered , has anyone on a totally stock gladiator have a failure, no matter what trim? Perhaps it has something to do with lifts or heavy tire wheel combos. AEV makes a sway bar reinforcing bracket for their lift. I'm not doing polls or posting a thread, but there is the question, my mojave has been in the air a few times, minor amount, but no failure....Jack
Mine’s otherwise stock other than the rear Hellwig sway bar. Just bought the MC bracket in case the sway bar put too much pressure on the original bracket.
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