Lesson learned installing SwayLOC

[toximus]

While tightening the arms onto the SwayLoc, the provided tool stripped the threaded end of the inner swaybar (this makes more sense if you're actually installing one).

Taking everything apart, I realized that due to overly tight manufacturing tolerances, a burr had formed on the back side of the arm and caused it to bottom out about 3/16" too soon. Having not realized this at the time of install, I kept tightening it down until it stripped out. Ugh!

Hopefully ORO will send me out a replacement part tomorrow or else I'm going to have to clean up the burr and drill and tap the thread to a larger size.

Anyway, if you're installing one I'd suggest starting it and then back it off again to make sure a burr isn't forming. The trouble is that it's difficult the entire way so you don't know if it's still sliding or bottomed out. If a burr is forming, don't grind away any more than the burr or else you may end up with too little contact between the parts... Maybe ORO will take note and double check their manufacturing tolerances.

 

[Chris]

Getting ready to install my SwayLOC and found this. Should be a helpful thing to keep in mind.

 

[mrblaine]

Getting ready to install my SwayLOC and found this. Should be a helpful thing to keep in mind.

Do not drive the big bar all the way through a bushing and then do the bushing on the other side. Drive the bushing onto the bar a short way and then drive that into the frame. If you are a sissy with a hammer and block of aluminum or hardwood, this will be the time where you wish you weren't. When you get the bushing about half way in and the other side started going in, you may notice that as you drive one in, the other side is going out. I have a couple of pieces of 1/2-13 all-thread that I stick through the big bar. Then I have pieces of tube with washers that I use to pull both bushings in at the same time. A large washer that fits the whole face of the bushing is a plus.

 

[Chris]

Do not drive the big bar all the way through a bushing and then do the bushing on the other side. Drive the bushing onto the bar a short way and then drive that into the frame. If you are a sissy with a hammer and block of aluminum or hardwood, this will be the time where you wish you weren't. When you get the bushing about half way in and the other side started going in, you may notice that as you drive one in, the other side is going out. I have a couple of pieces of 1/2-13 all-thread that I stick through the big bar. Then I have pieces of tube with washers that I use to pull both bushings in at the same time. A large washer that fits the whole face of the bushing is a plus.

This is exactly how I installed my Antirock. I’ve installed four of them now and each time I realized I could have done it better. I kept hammering the bushings into the frame first, then using a piece of wood and a BFH to hit the torsion bar through the bushings. This had mixed results as you can imagine. The last time I did it I put one bushing onto the bar first and then used the BFH to hit it into the frame. Getting the bushing in on the other side wasn’t bad after that. Trimming a little material off the edges also helped quite a bit.

 

[never monday]

This is exactly how I installed my Antirock. I’ve installed four of them now and each time I realized I could have done it better. I kept hammering the bushings into the frame first, then using a piece of wood and a BFH to hit the torsion bar through the bushings. This had mixed results as you can imagine. The last time I did it I put one bushing onto the bar first and then used the BFH to hit it into the frame. Getting the bushing in on the other side wasn’t bad after that. Trimming a little material off the edges also helped quite a bit.

driving a chisel or straight blade screw driver in the arm gaps helps get them on.

 

[Chris]

driving a chisel or straight blade screw driver in the arm gaps helps get them on.

That makes sense

 

[rasband]

I didn’t follow the instructions since the larger torsion bar was a bit big to fit into the arms. So instead I did this:

1. put the driver side arm on a block of wood
2. Hammered in the larger tortion bar to the arm (more blocks of wood)
3. Greased and pushed the smaller bar through and into the same arm, bolted that down
4. Slid the bushing onto the bar and then pushed that whole assembly through the crossmember.
5. Slid on the other bushing through the larger bar on the passenger side
6. Smacked on the inner arm on the passenger side (drilled out a piece of wood to go around the smaller bar), which seated the bushing
7. Smacked on the outer arm.

then snugged everything up.

 

[danredtj]

I'm trying to get mine installed right now and having a heckuva time getting the driver side (the fixed one) arm onto the inner bar. I carefully hammered a lot and got it sunk about halfway into the arm, but it wouldn't go any further. I tried using the allthread to pull it through and just bent my thick washer. It took me two C-clamps, a socket, and a piece of 1/4" bar across it to pop it out. Then I tried to pull the inner bar out and put it into the arm on the ground on a block of wood. I made it about as far as before, but it wouldn't go. I tested the passenger side and was able to get it fully seated on the bar, but then it took me a looot of work to get it off again when I realized I had to pull the bar out because the driver side was stuck. Why do the tolerances have to be so crazy tight?

I didn't strip my bar's threads, and I haven't caused a burr (yet), but I'm about out of ideas. I'm going to call ORO tomorrow, but they haven't answered the phone the last several times I've called for other reasons, so I'm concerned.

I did feebly try to spread the clamp jaws a little with a prydriver to make the bar hole looser, but I didn't seem to be able to make them budge at all. Is that really a reasonable plan? How hard should I reef on those?

@toximus What was the outcome? Did ORO come through for you?

@mrblaine I know you know a lot about these — any advice for me?

Thanks for any help...

 

[mrblaine]

I'm trying to get mine installed right now and having a heckuva time getting the driver side (the fixed one) arm onto the inner bar. I carefully hammered a lot and got it sunk about halfway into the arm, but it wouldn't go any further. I tried using the allthread to pull it through and just bent my thick washer. It took me two C-clamps, a socket, and a piece of 1/4" bar across it to pop it out. Then I tried to pull the inner bar out and put it into the arm on the ground on a block of wood. I made it about as far as before, but it wouldn't go. I tested the passenger side and was able to get it fully seated on the bar, but then it took me a looot of work to get it off again when I realized I had to pull the bar out because the driver side was stuck. Why do the tolerances have to be so crazy tight?

I didn't strip my bar's threads, and I haven't caused a burr (yet), but I'm about out of ideas. I'm going to call ORO tomorrow, but they haven't answered the phone the last several times I've called for other reasons, so I'm concerned.

I did feebly try to spread the clamp jaws a little with a prydriver to make the bar hole looser, but I didn't seem to be able to make them budge at all. Is that really a reasonable plan? How hard should I reef on those?

@toximus What was the outcome? Did ORO come through for you?

@mrblaine I know you know a lot about these — any advice for me?

Thanks for any help...

Pry it open, the bolt will close it back up. And yes, ORO has been radio silent for a few weeks now.

 

[toximus]

@toximus What was the outcome? Did ORO come through for you?

I cleaned the burr, ran a tap down the threads, and replaced the bolt and it worked after.

 

[danredtj]

Pry it open, the bolt will close it back up. And yes, ORO has been radio silent for a few weeks now.

Okay, I'll give that a shot tomorrow. I take it from your immediate and definitive answer that this is par for the course with these? I watched a youtube video (famous last words) where the guy said "it should just slip right in, don't force it," which had me concerned.

The slot is pretty small and that bar stock is super thick, so...wish me luck

Thanks for the reply!

 

[danredtj]

I cleaned the burr, ran a tap down the threads, and replaced the bolt and it worked after.

Okay, thanks.

 

[MichaelGH]

I just finished my SwayLoc install earlier today actually. I used a large flat screwdriver and tapped it into the slot to open up the clamping end a bit. Leave it in place or it will just spring back closed. Then using the stud/washer/nut combination draw the arm onto the bar/bars…

 

[danredtj]

I just finished my SwayLoc install earlier today actually. I used a large flat screwdriver and tapped it into the slot to open up the clamping end a bit. Leave it in place or it will just spring back closed. Then using the stud/washer/nut combination draw the arm onto the bar/bars…

Dude, thanks so much for that. I was pretty frustrated when I quit for the night, so I'm glad to have some feedback and things to try tomorrow!

 

[MichaelGH]

I take it from your immediate and definitive answer that this is par for the course with these?

Yes, absolutely. Anyone that says they just slipped right on got the one in a thousand where the tolerances just happened to align loosely enough and it went swimmingly smooth or they are doing a review where they got it for free to do the review possibly…

Being the nature of the forces applied on all the pieces I will take tight fitting parts over loose. Again, tight fitting…not nearly impossible due to manufacturing issues…

 

[rasband]

I just finished my SwayLoc install earlier today actually. I used a large flat screwdriver and tapped it into the slot to open up the clamping end a bit. Leave it in place or it will just spring back closed. Then using the stud/washer/nut combination draw the arm onto the bar/bars…

It took me a while before I got to a similar approach (what I had on hand was a wedge). I even tried using the bolt to pull it in. I ended up with a small wedge in the end and a deadblow on a 2x4 on the harder end.

 

[danredtj]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the advice. Only had to tap the prydriver into the crack a teeny bit and the sumbitch damn near slid on by hand. I did the same for the other three seatings and everything went easy. Wish I had been brave enough to do that yesterday and I'd be farther along and less sore than I am.

Funny story, that silicone lube that comes with the kit... Little dab here, little dab there, followed by all the hammer-smacking, 2x4-using, prying, swearing, etc and that crap is all over everything. You can see it on the face of the arm here. It's all over all my hammers, prydrivers, sockets, wrenches, etc. My wife came out to check on me yesterday at my lowest point, and after me saying "this thing is f**cking me in the a**" she was like "is that why all your tools are so sticky?"

 

[Apparition]

I stopped into ORO and met Steve a couple weeks ago. Odd that he’s gone silent.

 

[NOTNSUV]

Hey guys, thanks so much for the advice. Only had to tap the prydriver into the crack a teeny bit and the sumbitch damn near slid on by hand. I did the same for the other three seatings and everything went easy. Wish I had been brave enough to do that yesterday and I'd be farther along and less sore than I am.

Funny story, that silicone lube that comes with the kit... Little dab here, little dab there, followed by all the hammer-smacking, 2x4-using, prying, swearing, etc and that crap is all over everything. You can see it on the face of the arm here. It's all over all my hammers, prydrivers, sockets, wrenches, etc. My wife came out to check on me yesterday at my lowest point, and after me saying "this thing is f**cking me in the a**" she was like "is that why all your tools are so sticky?"

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Wanted to stick my nose in this topic to track the how-to.

How much of a mess is transitioning from AR to SL? AR is on the LJ but not installed by me so new stuff. I've briefly read the SL instructions so might do the same for AR.
Front end basically apart right now for cycling, shock and bump measurements, new TB, yada-blah.. it might be the right time for this move. Haven't even had the pile off the pavement yet.
Hard to know month to month if ORO is still in the game?

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Wanted to stick my nose in this topic to track the how-to.

How much of a mess is transitioning from AR to SL? AR is on the LJ but not installed by me so new stuff. I've briefly read the SL instructions so might do the same for AR.
Front end basically apart right now for cycling, shock and bump measurements, new TB, yada-blah.. it might be the right time for this move. Haven't even had the pile off the pavement yet.
Hard to know month to month if ORO is still in the game?

I just bought my swayloc about a month ago, from PolyPerformance as they had the best price. So they're still available.

I didnt have an AR before so my transition was from stock.

I hadn't seen this thread so I just followed the instructions. Getting the bushings installed was kindof a bear but otherwise it all went together smoothly, including the arms.