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Sway bar disconnect yes/no sport

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HellaJL2817

HellaJL2817

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I installed JKS quick discos on my sport with rubi suspension. It is a world of a difference driving with the sway bar disconnected. Safer, better traction, and way more comfortable. I was under the impression the rock crawler ones are too long for rubi height, just compare the length with the ones you have installed now. I went with JKS because they can be adjusted to the same length of oem links. People do run longer links and say it is ok though. Take full advantage of the straight axle!
So I should look at the jks 0-2.5” pair instead of the rock
Krawler ones that are designed for 2.5-4”?
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jeepoch

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Sam,

You are correct in that some quick disco kits are indeed specifically designed for lifted suspensions. Since I have the 2.5" (really 3") Mopar Lift, I selected a (Teraflex) kit with the extended length sway bar links explicitly.

It does look like the Rock Krawler kit is adjustable. It also sounds like the JKS kits are as well. I'm sure there are others.

On a side note, does anyone know how much articulation is possible from the stock springs? Is a quick disconnect kit really even feasible on a stock suspension?

I suspect yes, any added articulation off-road is a clear benefit. Prior to installing my disconnect kit, there were a few times that I had a wheel in the air (while lifted with 35s) due to very little articulation. The sway bar is certainly not your friend while off-roading.

Regardless, I would not advocate simply replacing the bolts with pins unless you use a beefy stud permanently attached to the link and instead pin the sway bar to the stud. Losing a sway bar link connection on-road at highway speeds is a sure recipe for an accident. Be careful if you go any route other than a kit specifically designed to handle the expected suspension forces.

Jay
 

WhitneyWillys

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Sam,

You are correct in that some quick disco kits are indeed specifically designed for lifted suspensions. Since I have the 2.5" (really 3") Mopar Lift, I selected a (Teraflex) kit with the extended length sway bar links explicitly.

It does look like the Rock Krawler kit is adjustable. It also sounds like the JKS kits are as well. I'm sure there are others.

On a side note, does anyone know how much articulation is possible from the stock springs? Is a quick disconnect kit really even feasible on a stock suspension?

I suspect yes, any added articulation off-road is a clear benefit. Prior to installing my disconnect kit, there were a few times that I had a wheel in the air (while lifted with 35s) due to very little articulation. The sway bar is certainly not your friend while off-roading.

Regardless, I would not advocate simply replacing the bolts with pins unless you use a beefy stud permanently attached to the link and instead pin the sway bar to the stud. Losing a sway bar link connection on-road at highway speeds is a sure recipe for an accident. Be careful if you go any route other than a kit specifically designed to handle the expected suspension forces.

Jay
Thanks Jay. I too am very hesitant about fashioning my own solution here.

And yes, your question about "how much articulation on stock springs" is something I wonder about as well. I don't want to go through all the hassle and not see any benefit at all. I find many forum member report better ride quality even on not-so-demanding terrain. So I am hoping minimal articulation will also help where ever it can, and when the terrain demands more, I will continue to have lifted wheel(s). LSD will take care of that ... fingers crossed :)
 

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Thanks Jay. I too am very hesitant about fashioning my own solution here.

And yes, your question about "how much articulation on stock springs" is something I wonder about as well. I don't want to go through all the hassle and not see any benefit at all. I find many forum member report better ride quality even on not-so-demanding terrain. So I am hoping minimal articulation will also help where ever it can, and when the terrain demands more, I will continue to have lifted wheel(s). LSD will take care of that ... fingers crossed :)
You will see a benefit for sure. You don’t need quick disconnects to try it out. Just take off the lower bolts and zip tie the links and the sway bar up. I use an impact driver and i can disconnect quicker than i can air down.
 

blnewt

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You will see a benefit for sure. You don’t need quick disconnects to try it out. Just take off the lower bolts and zip tie the links and the sway bar up. I use a ratcheting box end wrench and i can disconnect quicker than i can air down.
Same for me except in bold ^^^ and only costs $13 and you can use it on almost all your other suspension bolts if needed :)
 
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jeepoch

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Same for me except in bold ^^^ and only costs $13 and you can use it on almost all your other supsension bolts if needed :)
Brad,

When I went to remove my stock sway bar link bolts when installing the Teraflex quick disco kit I ran into a problem. I could not for the life of me get those bolts to break free, not even with a 3 ft breaker bar. I was at the point of fearing that I was going to strip the bolts or shear them completely off.

I ended up taking my Jeep to a local shop to have a competent mechanic free the bolts using a pretty heavy duty impact driver.

How in the world did a $13 hex wrench work for you?

Jay
 

blnewt

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Brad,

When I went to remove my stock sway bar link bolts when installing the Teraflex quick disco kit I ran into a problem. I could not for the life of me get those bolts to break free, not even with a 3 ft breaker bar. I was at the point of fearing that I was going to strip the bolts or shear them completely off.

I ended up taking my Jeep to a local shop to have a competent mechanic free the bolts using a pretty heavy duty impact driver.

How in the world did a $13 hex wrench work for you?

Jay
Hi Jay,
They should have been torqued to only 59 ft lbs, they must have been over-torqued at the factory or a service along the way.

FWIW @ the proper torque they're easy to remove w/ that wrench, and to tighten up.
Happy New Year BTW!
 
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ThirtyOne

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Brad,

When I went to remove my stock sway bar link bolts when installing the Teraflex quick disco kit I ran into a problem. I could not for the life of me get those bolts to break free, not even with a 3 ft breaker bar. I was at the point of fearing that I was going to strip the bolts or shear them completely off.

I ended up taking my Jeep to a local shop to have a competent mechanic free the bolts using a pretty heavy duty impact driver.

How in the world did a $13 hex wrench work for you?

Jay
Are you talking about the top bolts or the bottom? To get the top bolts out you need to use an allen wrench.
 

blnewt

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jeepoch

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Are you talking about the top bolts or the bottom? To get the top bolts out you need to use an allen wrench.
@ThirtyOne,

Just the bottom bolts. Once the mechanic got both sides free, the Teraflex kit went on perfectly with zero issues.

We talked about the difficulty he even had struggling with them. He had to use penetrating lubricant and an impact driver in order to get them both off. He told me that he suspects that they must have used Loctite at the factory. It surely didn't look like either of them had rusted. Just very tight.

Of course he may of just been feeding me a line to keep me from feeling like a dork. Either way, I had put as much force on the breaker bar that my 200 lb frame could muster. Tried multiple times and thinking the entire assembly was going to break before I threw in the towel and sought professional assistance.

Glad to hear that there are more manly men than I with simple hex wrenches that can jump tall buildings in a single bound.

Regardless, I'm very satisfied with this Teraflex Quick Disconnect kit. Would highly recommend them. Five star rating.

I really do like that I never have to now worry about damaging a pretty difficult bolt reinsertion, cross-thread and torque down. The Tereflex links just have a simple stud into the sway bar with a washer and cotter pin. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. No wrenching required.

However in all honesty, my only issue with this kit is that I sometimes need a pry-bar to get them reconnected when coming off the trail. But I'm still experimenting with finding the appropriate side-to-side grade. Perfectly level ground is counter-intuitively not the correct answer. Regardless, it only takes about 15-30 seconds even with the pry-bar to get the driver's side reconnected. The passenger side goes on first and is always easy. Typically my total reconnect time is just a couple of minutes. Still it would be nice not to have to crawl under and pry on anything.

No matter, still always fun to do however I need to do it.

Jay
 

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@ThirtyOne,

Just the bottom bolts. Once the mechanic got both sides free, the Teraflex kit went on perfectly with zero issues.

We talked about the difficulty he even had struggling with them. He had to use penetrating lubricant and an impact driver in order to get them both off. He told me that he suspects that they must have used Loctite at the factory. It surely didn't look like either of them had rusted. Just very tight.

Of course he may of just been feeding me a line to keep me from feeling like a dork. Either way, I had put as much force on the breaker bar that my 200 lb frame could muster. Tried multiple times and thinking the entire assembly was going to break before I threw in the towel and sought professional assistance.

Glad to hear that there are more manly men than I with simple hex wrenches that can jump tall buildings in a single bound.

Regardless, I'm very satisfied with this Teraflex Quick Disconnect kit. Would highly recommend them. Five star rating.

I really do like that I never have to now worry about damaging a pretty difficult bolt reinsertion, cross-thread and torque down. The Tereflex links just have a simple stud into the sway bar with a washer and cotter pin. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy. No wrenching required.

However in all honesty, my only issue with this kit is that I sometimes need a pry-bar to get them reconnected when coming off the trail. But I'm still experimenting with finding the appropriate side-to-side grade. Perfectly level ground is counter-intuitively not the correct answer. Regardless, it only takes about 15-30 seconds even with the pry-bar to get the driver's side reconnected. The passenger side goes on first and is always easy. Typically my total reconnect time is just a couple of minutes. Still it would be nice not to have to crawl under and pry on anything.

No matter, still always fun to do however I need to do it.

Jay
Ok. Glad you got it worked out.

Dude this has nothing to do with being manly. If you just use a wrench on the top bolts they will spin. You have to insert an allen wrench into the end of the bolt to loosen it. Ask me how I know. I was really just trying to help.
Jeep Wrangler JL Sway bar disconnect yes/no sport 545DD1FD-E679-4513-8BE5-1CE02BA5D466
 

blnewt

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Yeah, used to be more manly but age has taken it's toll :) Something must have happened w/ those bolts Jay prior to your attempt to remove them. Mine were torqued at the proper range and when that's the case they are easy to remove w/ the wrench I posted. Also those link bolts are tapered so cross threading is much less likely. It's one of the areas where Jeep really got it right :)
 

jeepoch

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Ok. Glad you got it worked out.

Dude this has nothing to do with being manly. If you just use a wrench on the top bolts they will spin. You have to insert an allen wrench into the end of the bolt to loosen it. Ask me how I know. I was really just trying to help.
Jeep Wrangler JL Sway bar disconnect yes/no sport 545DD1FD-E679-4513-8BE5-1CE02BA5D466
@ThirtyOne,

Wow, mine looked nothing like that. I had no Allen Head on my swar-bar link bolts. Maybe I'm not driving a 2019 JL but some early Bronco mule or Wrangler renegade.

I wish I had thought to take a pic of these bolts before they came off. If I recall correctly, mine we're 18mm standard.

Maybe their supply chain ran out of parts. The local Toledo Assembly Engineer found some type of quick fix compromise in order to keep the plant running. Then torqued these bolts down with an impact gun by a Gorilla???

Jay
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