Sway Bar Disconnects???

[Brian McVickers]

Re: My Land Rover 2001 DII

I've been noticing that I seem to have a lot of wheel lift on some obstacles and I'm thinking this is due to restricted travel and articulation. Although this wheel lift can be a fun and exciting addition to the ride and accentuate that roller coaster feeling it does little for preserving valuable traction! So I can think of two solutions:
1 – Become a better driver and pick better lines. Ok I’m working on it!
2 – Disconnect the Front Sway Bar

Has anyone had experience disconnecting the front sway bar on a Discovery, or any other vehicle ?
Will this help reduce wheel lift by increasing front axle travel?

Also, rather than just disconnecting the sway bar all together I think I would like to use sway bar quick disconnects so that I still have the intended stability on the highway.
Anyone have any recommendations on quick disconnects?

Feel free, any input is welcome

Thanks Brian

 

[+ d]

IMHO quick disconnects are nearly mandatory for a SFA rig.

On my Grand Cherokee Disconnecting the front sway bar makes such a huge difference that I have yet to lift a front wheel, (though I tend not to frequent the hardcore rock crawling trails). As you've already indicated you'll definitely want to go with the quick disconnects, fully loaded you'll need that sway bar on the road!

Keep in mind that you'll want to review your suspension through the full travel. Once your sway bar is out of the equation find out what it is that limits your axle droop now... Brake lines? Bad. Your shocks? Bad. For me my control arm contacts the spring perch, and I added limiting straps to prevent shock damage...however a few trips ago they stretched enough to let one of my springs fall out, whoops!

 

[cshontz]

I agree 100% with David, as I refuse to drive off-pavement without first disconnecting the front swaybar on my Jeep. However, I'm not familiar enough with the suspension of a Land Rover to know if doing so yields complications. Someone else should be able to help you with that.

 

[david despain]

from my observations and from what i have read on the web (and not you are hearing about it on the web so it must be true) the slickrock disconects are some of the best if not the only design out there for the series II. https://www.expeditionexchange.com/slickrockfab/

http://www.slickrockfabrication.com/products.asp?id=9

i have seen dave's posts on other boards before and they are always helpful and seem very intelligent.
i would love to have a set of sliders and rear bumper on my disco but the wife and kids demand the factory running boards
i have no interest in this company just passing along some links and info i have gathered
david

 

[Brian McVickers]

I have been looking at the slickrocks, just may be in my future!
From what I have gathered, I would benefit from disconnecting the swaybar for offroad and the quick disconnects will allow me to keep the highway performance.

 

[david despain]

mc vick do u have ace? i cant remember if it was still an option on the 01s i dont. i we test drove one with it and it definitly handles tighter but the truck we wanted didnt have it, so we didnt sweat it.

 

[PCRover]

The Slickrock disconnects are on my short list of things to get. They will significantly improve your articulation, especially if you have a kift of some sort. I removed my rear sway to get max articulation, no negative impact so far on the highway. I highly reccomend keeping teh front sway and use disconnects when offroad.

I have the Slickrock Sliders and they are a great product, I highly reccomend there products as a very satisfied customer.

 

[Brian McVickers]

David, Happy Birthday by the way!
No I don't have ACE (Active Cornering Enhancement) but I do have SLS (Self Leveling Suspension) so I have the airbag springs in the back. The airbags have 2 or 3 inch spacers under them so the entire vehicle has about a 2.5-3" lift, I need to measure it again.

I don't think I want to take the rear sway bar off due to the air springs, they act a little differently than steel coils. Someday I will convert the rear suspension to steel coils, it is on my list. For now the SLS system is pretty cool and does well offroad as long as the airbags don't explode! I had one pop on me and had to limp home. Now I carry spare air bags that can be swapped out on the trail if I am ever so unfortunate again. Like I said, the steel coil spring conversion is on my list!

I found a set of the SlickRock quick disconnects used for $100. They are one year old, used for 6 months and normally sell for $150. There is a little cosmetic damage but they are reportedly fully functional. I am seriously considerint them. I think it is a good deal that will offer a great value for the perfomance gained for $100.

Gary, by the way, I mounted my QT front guard and juts secured the front mounting fins with a little wire wrapped around the axle to keep them from vibrating too much. With some locktite on the mounting bolts I think it is secured well.

 

[david despain]

thanks! i too have the sls and no ace. i like the air bags for normal use. they ride well and compensate well. i have had 2 adults in the back, bags of mulch luggage etc and it rides no differently than when empty. i think for remote or extended off road travel coils would be best, but since that wont ever happen to this truck im going to stick with the bags.
i think for 100$ those disconects would be hard to pass up.

 

[+ d]

Brian,

I would caution you against buying the disco's used...Those Slick Rock units look very similar to the JKS disco's that are popular with the jeep guys...

Slick Rock...

JKS Quicker Disconnects...

I ran the JKS for about a year, and had bought them used (trying to squeeze that mod budget) and they were really noisy! apparently the ball joint starts to get a bit of slop in it and with time can cause clunking. JKS was saying that the grand cherokees are a bit more sensitive to it be cause everything is a bit "tighter" than the TJs YJs etc...I suspect your DII would be the same. JKS would have replaced them had i been the original owner. So i have been wrenching the factory endlinks off every time i go offroad (a major PIA!) and am still debating whether to bit the bullet and try a new pair of JKS or fab my own, (i have a half baked idea inspired by these super spendy units).

My thoughts...If you can afford the extra $50 for the new ones, it seems worth it to get unmolested product and potential support...if you are on a tight budget get the used ones and you'll probably be fine!

 

[Brian McVickers]

Wow those spendy Quick Silvers are fancy!

I know what you maen about buying used product. It is certainly not my favorite option and I tend to be very cautios about it. I also noticed the similarity between the JKS and the SlickRock.
I do know however that they are to separate companies and that the SlickRocks are designed specifically for the LR DII. Also the guy who is selling them has the same LR DII that I have so I know he did not modify them to fit another vehicle. He is selling them because he has removed his swaybar completely. I have read about guys using the JKS product, designed for Jeeps, on Land Rovers after making modifications to the product and the vehicle to make them fit. I'm not sure why.

I have 6 pictures of the used set and they look good, hopefully no issues!

 

[PCRover]

You might be OK with the used ones if you had a good look at them. It is certainly a judgment call only someone who has seen them can make.

I have read about guys using the JKS product, designed for Jeeps, on Land Rovers after making modifications to the product and the vehicle to make them fit. I'm not sure why.

I have looked at a set of the JKS on a DII and it did require some modifications to make them work. The Slickrocks are relatively new so originally guys had to do with what they could make fit. Not sure who is offering you the $100 deal, but I almost bought a set off Dweb for $100, but decided to hold off and get a new set. Suspension noises on the highway drive me crazy...

 

[Brian McVickers]

:jumping: :jumping: :jumping: :jumping: :jumping: :jumping: :jumping:

 

[Brian McVickers]

Sway bar Quick Disconnects — Am I making the right measurement?

Ok, so a while back I picked up a set of used Slickrock Fabrications Sway bar Quick Disconnects in practically new condition.
I have finally gotten around to installing them!
Before committing to the installation I took some measurements to monitor changes and I took care in checking that the ABS and brake lines would not be stressed.

Measurements were taken from the bottom of the fender to the outer edge of the center wheel cap, front left wheel:
Sway bar connected, all four wheels on the ground = 20”
Sway bar connected, tire off the ground = 23.5” - Note the vehicle was lifted from the frame until the wheel cleared the ground
Sway bar disconnected, tire off the ground = 24”

There is NO stress on the ABS or brake lines with the sway bar disconnected and the tire off the ground, it looks like they could move another inch or more before they even straightened out — so I moved forward with the install.
Sorry no pics.

MY QUESTION IS ---- by raising the vehicle by the frame until the wheel lifted from the ground was I testing the maximum amount of articulation possible?
Or, is it possible that a real world situation could create more flex causing that measurement of 24” to increase and therefore stretch out the ABS and Brake lines further?

From this test it appeared that the flex or drop of the axle was now limited by the coil spring and possibly the shock since the shock is mounted in the center of the coil spring.

I want to make sure that real world flex will not stress the ABS and brake lines

 

[Brian McVickers]

Ok, another question:

There is only a 1/2 inch difference in wheel drop with the sway bar disconnected, measurements went from 23.5” to 24”

I had originally thought that what I was hoping to gain from disconnecting the sway bar was more articulation but I am beginning to realize that there is probably a lot more involved!

So what other benefits are there with disconnecting the sway bar?
I have seen the 1/2 inch gain in wheel drop that I mentioned.
I have also notice that the front end is more squishy with the bar disconnected – note this was felt by rocking the vehicle by hand not by driving.

What else should I, will I, notice?? :ylsmoke: