Problem with Swaybar Disconnects

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

Hey Jeepers,

I ultimately had a great time hitting the trails at Hidden Falls Adventure Park in Marble Falls TX, with @b0xcar and @Bob in Texas last weekend--but not before we and 1 other Jeeper spent the better part of an hour, with multiple tools, prying and hammering, to disconnect my Driver-Side "quick disconnect."

Firstly, though this set of disconnects has (2) zerk-fittings for lubing, at both ends, the garage that installed them a few months back had not taken the few seconds required to render a complimentary, initial lube. I had honestly never noticed that they had zerk-fittings on them, nor that they required lubing.

Secondly, the Driver-Side disconnect had been sledge-hammered into place. There's no other explanation as to how the tech got the vertical rod onto the bottom, horizontal spindle/bolt--knowing full well that a person on the trail attempting to release the disconnect by hand (what it's designed to do), would find it impossible, which I certainly did.

Today, with a grinder, I ground the vertical spindle/bolt on the Driver-Side extensively, and also ground-out the rubber fitting in the base of vertical rod. I then greased-up all components (the zerk fitting on the base of the Driver-Side is inoperable). And still, I had to hammer the assembly back into place. The spindle/bolt is larger in diameter than the one on the Passenger-Side.

What seems to compound matters, is that it appears these disconnects may be installed improperly (?).

*Please see the attached photos.

On the Driver-Side, the vertical component of the disconnect is almost vertical. On the Passenger-Side however, the vertical component is at a strange angle, and forces the rubber fittings into contortion. On the Driver-Side, the nut on the horizontal spindle/bolt is toward the outside, and the carter-pin hole is toward the inside. On the Passenger-Side, the nut on the horizontal spindle/bolt is on the inside, and the carter-pin hole is on the outside.

Something seems very wrong here

I am deeply distraught, my countenance has fallen, and I'm experiencing an acute case of psychic-entropy as the result of this heinous discovery

Thank you in advance for your thoughts, and for your collective heart-felt consolation

Jeepers.....

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Was your Jeep parked on level ground during all disconnect/reconnect attempts? If the front tires are not on level ground it will be nearly impossible to disconnect or reconnect the antiswaybar links.

 

[Chris]

One of the attachment points is facing the wrong way (you installed it wrong). The point where the lower portion of the disconnects slides over should be facing in.

You have it correct on the driver's side, but wrong on the passenger side.

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

Was your Jeep parked on level ground during all disconnect/reconnect attempts? If the front tires are not on level ground it will be nearly impossible to disconnect or reconnect the antiswaybar links.

Hmmmm, I was somewhat level, positioned on a grassy island.

Should I have been on a perfectly-level surface, like concrete/pavement? Or, are you thinking marginally level, like a typical gravel road, etc?

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

One of the attachment points is facing the wrong way (you installed it wrong). The point where the lower portion of the disconnects slides over should be facing in.

You have it correct on the driver's side, but wrong on the passenger side.

Thank you. Actually, 4WheelParts installed these for me.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

Hmmmm, I was somewhat level, positioned on a grassy island.

Should I have been on a perfectly-level surface, like concrete/pavement? Or, are you thinking marginally level, like a typical gravel road, etc?

Somewhat level twists the antiswaybar making the links very tight on their mounting points. Dead-flat is what you need to make disconnecting/reconnecting easy.

 

[Rob5589]

Man, those are all kinds of messed up. They should connect inside the lower bracket, not outside like the passenger side. Not to mention they look pretty janky. If you want to stay with disconnects, pick up some JKS. The other option is to never disco again and run an Anti Rock.

 

[Chris]

Thank you. Actually, 4WheelParts installed these for me.

I can't say I'm surprised. 4 Wheel Parts in my experience is not very reputable in terms of installations and that sort of stuff.

 

[JMT]

X2 to all that has been said.
1) get a new bolt and nut the correct size
2) Level ground, and you may need to drive slowly while someone watches and when it is looser, stop and remove
3) it’s bound in the passenger side bc the bolt is going out toward the wheel rather than inward toward the center of the Jeep

Wish I had been there to wheel. Dec 1!

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

Somewhat level twists the antiswaybar making the links very tight on their mounting points. Dead-flat is what you need to make disconnecting/reconnecting easy.

OK, thanks.

Today, while attempting to fix the problem, I was on my concrete driveway--very flat. And, even after grinding the horizontal bolt/spindle, and lubing, I yet had to hammer the vertical component (also lubed) onto the spindle/bolt, on the Driver-Side--the side which appears to be correctly installed.

Sheesh...

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

Man, those are all kinds of messed up. They should connect inside the lower bracket, not outside like the passenger side. Not to mention they look pretty janky. If you want to stay with disconnects, pick up some JKS. The other option is to never disco again and run an Anti Rock.

Thanks. Indeed, they look pretty janky at this stage.

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

X2 to all that has been said.
1) get a new bolt and nut the correct size
2) Level ground, and you may need to drive slowly while someone watches and when it is looser, stop and remove
3) it’s bound in the passenger side bc the bolt is going out toward the wheel rather than inward toward the center of the Jeep

Wish I had been there to wheel. Dec 1!

Thanks for that.

Wish you had been there as well

 

[b0xcar]

I feel like we were on level enough ground to get them disconnected. I'm thinking the parts aren't lining up like they should. Like putting a square in a circle. Just wasn't happening. Have you tried level ground at the house? If so how did that work?

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

The original links, which came with the Teraflex 4.5" lift, were bolt-on.

This set has a quick (carter-pin) disconnect assembly. The Passenger-Side came off in 3 seconds, whereas the Driver-side took nearly an hour--with a hammer

 

[b0xcar]

OK, thanks.

Today, while attempting to fix the problem, I was on my concrete driveway--very flat. And, even after grinding the horizontal bolt/spindle, and lubing, I yet had to hammer the vertical component (also lubed) onto the spindle/bolt, on the Driver-Side--the side which appears to be correctly installed.

Sheesh...

Nevermind... you did this already. I would contact 4 wheel parts and see if they could exchange the drivers side or both.

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

I feel like we were on level enough ground to get them disconnected. I'm thinking the parts aren't lining up like they should. Like putting a square in a circle. Just wasn't happening. Have you tried level ground at the house? If so how did that work?

Ya, I was on level concrete at home today, when I monkeyed with them.

As with the experience at Hidden Falls, the Passenger-side came off within seconds, by hand. The Driver-side however, required a sledge hammer--even after extensive grinding and lubing.

 

[jjvw]

The passenger side is definitely installed incorrectly. Once that is fixed, connect one side. Then line up the other side by either pushing down on or lifting up the bumper on the opposite side.

I made my own disconnects out of the stock links and they came apart and went together just like your Teraflex ones. At least they ought to...

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

Nevermind... you did this already. I would contact 4 wheel parts and see if they could exchange the drivers side or both.

Ya, I thought of that. However the shop that did it is 2600 miles away. Then again, as they are a chain, maybe they have my data in their network.

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

The passenger side is definitely installed incorrectly. Once that is fixed, connect one side. Then line up the other side by either pushing down on or lifting up the bumper on the opposite side.

I made my own disconnects out of the stock links and they came apart and went together just like your Teraflex ones. At least they ought to...

Thanks for that. I'll give that approach a whirl.

 

[Jeepers-n-Creepers]

I can't say I'm surprised. 4 Wheel Parts in my experience is not very reputable in terms of installations and that sort of stuff.

Ya, I found that out the hard way.