How many of you TJ guys would buy an Auto Disconnect Sway Bar if one went into production? Im developing one for a class im taking and want to see what the response would be. It really doesnt seem to make much sense for a YJ but I could make one for them as well...You guys seem to be more Tech's than JU's and would like some feedback. Thanks.

My sway bars are completely removed right now. When I add the RE long arm, etc in the next month, I plan to run without them. Then, I will decide if I need to add something like the Anti Rock.

There are a several disconnects out there now, so yours would need to be a better mouse trap. Make it easier/more convenient to use than any others.
:D

it would be a remote auto disconnect...a dash mount under the gauges or above the gear shifters. it would be a switch and you could modify it however to fit your dash but the main point is that on road you push a button, shits connected, off road dont have to get out of your rig and push a button and it would disco...I would make it disco from the center and retract and not go from a side next to where it connects to the axle. this would allow more flex and it would also hide the sways easier

Originally posted by SBgreenYJ
off road dont have to get out of your rig and push a button and it would disco...I would make it disco from the center and retract and not go from a side next to where it connects to the axle. this would allow more flex and it would also hide the sways easier

Whoa, whoa, whoa ... you lost me here.

You want to devise a system that disconnects the links rather than the bar? That certainly is a new idea but I'm not sure if it is a "better mousetrap" in terms of complexity and part count.

Can you explain this better? Maybe lay off the :smokin: this time.

cm ":rasta:" k

Sounds to me like a 2 piece sway bar with a splined collar to connect the left and right halves... kinda like the vacuum disco on a YJ front end.

Hummmm, how about leave it connected and lock the axles :flipoff2:

Originally posted by Mo
Sounds to me like a 2 piece sway bar with a splined collar to connect the left and right halves... kinda like the vacuum disco on a YJ front end.

Exactly. These aren't new. Having an in-cab switch to engage/disengage the collar is certainly new, but Ive seen a device similar to the one you're describing in Quadratec or 4WD Hardware over a year ago... You have to slide the collar manually--not a bad idea really.

Seems to me you'd have to get past the same reliability and the whole "is it unlocked or isn't it?" problem that you have with a YJ axle disco. (I'm speaking from personal experience with the YJ disco here ;) )

How would the aforementioned disconnect system be actuated? Vacuum? Solenoid? Air pressure? Hydraulic fluid from the steering pump? :barf:

Any of these answers add complexity and IMHO are just one more thing that can crap out on the trail...

Jake

Im looking at it being a PITA to work on your discos every time you ride. Yea i know its not the hardest thing to do but the fact that you could get an auto disco is kind of appealing. I was first thinking an electrical circuit with a hyrdaulic action, but I want to keep this as simple as possible. I can see the obvious problem being would it be seperated or jam up or what? I appreciate your guys responses, Its tough for my class because Im afraid im going to bore the hell out of them...as long as i can relate to most of them and say
Honda Civic :rainbow: = Sway Permanent connect...stabilize for the "high speeds" in those stock 4 banger engines
Jeep/4x4 :usa: = Flex, low speed rock crawling etc etc etc...

Hey, I didn't mean to rain on your parade. I'm just saying that if you want to sell these things to hardcore folks, the design had better be foolproof so you don't have to piss around with it to lock or unlock it. It had better work the first time every time.

I mean, sure--fumbling around with "traditional" sway bar disconnects and zip ties is certainly a PITA, but at least you KNOW they're connected (or not).

As for myself, one of the (many) reasons I swapped in 44s in place of the anemic stock axles on my YJ is to rid my life of that heinous axle disconnect on the front end and all of the anguish it caused. **shudder** Now, at least I know where I stand if something isn't turning when it should be.

This product sounds like something that might be more appealing to a crowd that's a little less serious about their jeeping...

Good luck,
Jake Harsha

I agree Jake...i dont think im going to sell many of these things to someone who is serious and goes off road often. I think it would appeal to those in the median range...im selling the idea that this is a full-proof item. Nobody would spend $400 on a vegas pipe dream unless they were mr moneybags.
Im gonna update this with the progress i make with this idea...

i think you got to be extremly lazy if you can't jump out and disco the swaybars....the other thing is that almost all YJ's have removed there swaybars and the larger TJ's usually go with an antirock or something, and not to mention it's alot of money, just for another moving part that can potentially fail.:rolleyes:

It wouldnt be YJ product because leafs by themselves are more stable then coil springs. I mean look at Steel Horse. They come out with shit all the time and are still in business. I think there is some market for this, at least yuppie jeepers i guess...thanks guys for the input...it actually is a big help!

You might check out Addco's version, here's a link.......

http://www.addco.net/atb/in-cab_anti-sway_bars_descript.html

Don't let this discourage you, it could be improved upon.

HTH

I'm in the same boat as dnscwrk - removed the swaybars - actually one of my disconnects decided it didn't like being connected anymore and ripped off the axle mount and bent the Tera disco. One problem I could see is that the vehicle would need to be on a flat surface for the swaybar to be re-connected. The splines on each half would need to line up correctly for the sleeve (or whatever you're using) to connect properly also. Which way would you power the actuation? Power to it to release or power to it to actuate?

Originally posted by Hellbender
You might check out Addco's version, here's a link.......

http://www.addco.net/atb/in-cab_anti-sway_bars_descript.html

Don't let this discourage you, it could be improved upon.

HTH

OMG! Check out this quote from the ADDCO link:

There's something about fixing up a 4X4 for serious off-roading. :rainbow: Picking out just the right lights, a killer stereo, :rainbow:maybe a brush guard and a winch. And there's nothing better than bolting on a set of monster wheels and tires with a high-rise suspension!

POSEURAMA!!! :rainbow:

I removed my rear swaybar and left it off when I put the lift on my TJ, and it only takes a few minutes to hook the front up or take it off. Admittedly, the RE disco's suck, but a little lithium grease makes it much easier.
While the idea of an auto-disco might be appealing, what you are looking to do sounds pretty complex (aka: expensive)....Some people might hate disco'ing their bar so much that they want something like that, but I'll just keep doing it the old fashioned way.

I am in no way knocking your idea, just offering my opinion. I just think that if someone thinks it requires that much effort just to disco their swaybar, maybe they're in the wrong sport :D
Everything is too automatic these days...

I do wish you luck with your project :beer:

Originally posted by Jakesteramalamajama


OMG! Check out this quote from the ADDCO link:



POSEURAMA!!! :rainbow:

They even give out free stickers..... must increase sales by 80%:smokin:

Here's some ideas for something that I would consider purchasing:

Start with Currie's idea ... mount the torsion bar sway bar in the front tubular x-member on nylon bearing "plugs". Mounting it so far forward allows you to use longer arms and thereby add adjustability to the unit.

Use a 2 piece torsion bar with a bearing supported collar to keep the two pieces aligned axially as well as to keep them from walking apart.

Build in a coarse method of keying those 2 pieces together. Use a key or coarse splines. Obviously, make sure that the key or splies are sized correctly to take the loading.

Mechanically actuate the key or locking spline collar via a small hand lever in the cab, a la' OX locker. Forget vacuum, electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic ... too many parts and failure points as well as cost. Heck, for purposes of a school project, you could also cite that you would farm out the levers from OX as a method of decentralizing production.

The hand lever also gives a simple method of indicating what mode the unit is in.

In terms of the problem of having to get the vehicle on level ground to reconnect, build in a spring loaded action between the actuator and the key or spline collar. That way, to reconnect, simply actuate the hand lever to the locked position, if the 2 pieces of the torsion bar are lined up, the key or collar will shift and lock the two together. If the pieces are not aligned, the spring force will put pressure on the key or collar until a time at which the 2 pieces of the torsion bar line up. Give the rig a bit of a shake or make a couple turns and it will line up and lock.

The operator will be able to tell when the key or collar shifts to the locked position because the spring acting on the hand lever will no longer offer resistance to your hand. You can even build that spring into both motions: unlock and lock. That way, the operator gets a firm indication of what position the actual key or collar is in. If the lever moves smoothly and easily and stays in the position you actuated it to, you know the key or collar has indeed moved. If the lever fights your hand and won't stay where you want it, then you know that the key or collar has not yet shifted. Simply hold the lever where you want it until the 2 pieces of the torsion bar align, the key or collar moves, and the lever stays where you want it.

... doesn't get much simpler than that ...

cm "that was gonna' be my senior project until I saw that someone else had already done something similar" k

I wouldn't use one in the rear. My rear swaybar is my droop limiter and I want it that way.

I don't think I'd use one in the front either.

With the JKS quicker disco's it takes me almost no time to disco the front and pin the bar up and out of the way. Also,I sure wouldn't want to complicate a simple design with a complex or spendy design.

Your price point better be less than or equal to the cost of the JKS quicker disco's which are about $125.

Prolly won't matter anyway cuz I think I'm gonna go with a currie antirock. now if the AR was quickly adjustable to set loose for trail and tight for street that would be cool.

- Dan

cmk, so what you're saying is take an OX locker lever for my interior and have that be the lever which acts as the remote. If thats what you mean i follow but i've never seen an OX locker remote or setup. Im guessing it works like a snowplow in a truck. You have your up/down/left/right and its electrical, but it shows you exactly the position the plow is where you want it to be.

I dont wanna make it tougher than it has to be...on the pricing Dan-H you make a good point...I mean if this was something proven to work and would be a good alternative to auto discos I would want to price it somewhat reasonable to the existing product.

Where I stand now is a quick disco with 2 splined ends. A manual feedback lever such that to an OX locker which controls the sway. At the up position it would be disco'ed. and when lowered it would be reconnected. The setup would be such as cmk described as of now but needs some fine tuning...You can find them at your local auto zone for $175 :eek:

question slightly related? Couldn't u take a sway bar from a larger rig, say a full size truck, lob off the ends and spline them. Then make ur own arms an whalaaa u have a curie copy ? (home grown Anti Rock)

Originally posted by SBgreenYJ
cmk, so what you're saying is take an OX locker lever for my interior and have that be the lever which acts as the remote. If thats what you mean i follow but i've never seen an OX locker remote or setup. Im guessing it works like a snowplow in a truck. You have your up/down/left/right and its electrical, but it shows you exactly the position the plow is where you want it to be. ........

No.... wrong picture in ur mind. It is cable activated. All manuel.

Originally posted by cmk
Mechanically actuate the key or locking spline collar via a small hand lever in the cab, a la' OX locker. Forget vacuum, electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic ... too many parts and failure points as well as cost. Heck, for purposes of a school project, you could also cite that you would farm out the levers from OX as a method of decentralizing production.


Good and bad idea. The lever-actuated part is good. But using the Ox levers probably wouldn't work because the throw is too short (less than 1/2 an inch). I've got 'em front and rear in my rig and they have to be adjusted perfectly to get them to throw the collars on the diff assemblies to the correct locations. This works for the Ox application because of tight manufacturing tolerances inherent in any diff assembly, but I'm thinking you'd need a bit longer throw for something like a shaft disco... or else I think you'd end up spending way too much on the disconnection mechanism itself and price your product out of the market.

(IMHO, FWIW and all that ;) )

Jake

... OX lever not enough throw?

Then lengthen the "throw" via a lever arm.

cm ":flipoff2:" k

Originally posted by SBgreenYJ
but i've never seen an OX locker remote or setup.

A'ight, let me "break this down for ya'."

Go to www.yahoo.com .

Type in "ox locker."

Hit enter.

Click on the first link that shows up.

cm "what does the last letter in K.I.S.S. stand for again?" k

Originally posted by cmk
Here's some ideas for something that I would consider purchasing:

Start with Currie's idea ... mount the torsion bar sway bar in the front tubular x-member on nylon bearing "plugs". Mounting it so far forward allows you to use longer arms and thereby add adjustability to the unit.

Use a 2 piece torsion bar with a bearing supported collar to keep the two pieces aligned axially as well as to keep them from walking apart.

Build in a coarse method of keying those 2 pieces together. Use a key or coarse splines. Obviously, make sure that the key or splies are sized correctly to take the loading.

Mechanically actuate the key or locking spline collar via a small hand lever in the cab, a la' OX locker. Forget vacuum, electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic ... too many parts and failure points as well as cost. Heck, for purposes of a school project, you could also cite that you would farm out the levers from OX as a method of decentralizing production.

The hand lever also gives a simple method of indicating what mode the unit is in.

In terms of the problem of having to get the vehicle on level ground to reconnect, build in a spring loaded action between the actuator and the key or spline collar. That way, to reconnect, simply actuate the hand lever to the locked position, if the 2 pieces of the torsion bar are lined up, the key or collar will shift and lock the two together. If the pieces are not aligned, the spring force will put pressure on the key or collar until a time at which the 2 pieces of the torsion bar line up. Give the rig a bit of a shake or make a couple turns and it will line up and lock.

The operator will be able to tell when the key or collar shifts to the locked position because the spring acting on the hand lever will no longer offer resistance to your hand. You can even build that spring into both motions: unlock and lock. That way, the operator gets a firm indication of what position the actual key or collar is in. If the lever moves smoothly and easily and stays in the position you actuated it to, you know the key or collar has indeed moved. If the lever fights your hand and won't stay where you want it, then you know that the key or collar has not yet shifted. Simply hold the lever where you want it until the 2 pieces of the torsion bar align, the key or collar moves, and the lever stays where you want it.

... doesn't get much simpler than that ...

cm "that was gonna' be my senior project until I saw that someone else had already done something similar" k



Has anyone done this yet??????


Thanks, Dan:confused: :confused:

on your topic...think about it...the idea is there...but this is a project...BS it man...make up prices..make it really cheap to do....chances are your teacher has never even heard of a sway bar...as well as most of the classmates....GO FOR IT...just know your facts in case someone in there questions you...if you need prices then say you were buying them off a website...if they need a website then use POR...they cant confirm anything...see my point?