Swaybar Quick Disconnects

taza

taza

Forum Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2010
Messages
3,820
Location
Perth, Western Australia
Want better articulation offroad but don't want to loose your onroad handling then quick disconnects are an option for you!
They replace the bolts that connect your swaybars to your end links. In a Subaru articulation is very limited but when you disconnect or remove your swaybars you can get any one wheel amlost out of the complete wheel arch. This is almost double compared to when they are attached.

I found the idea over at Subaruforester.org and thought I should give it a shot and see how much it actually helps. Well its well worth it.
I didnt want to completely remove my swaybars due to it being illegal in Australia, scares the hell out of you driving onroad, there is alot higher chance of your vehicle rolling when you have to swerve all of a sudden and if you have comprehensive insurance they may not pay you out if your vehicle is in a accident with no swaybars.

It cost me about $30 to put this little kit together. I have been using the rear quick disconnects for about 2months now and not an issue. Only installed the front ones yesterday. I have found that a pair of pliers are handy to pull the R clips out sometimes.

The kit consists of
: x4 3/8" by 2" long Clevis Pins (I had to get these from a bolt specialist)
: a pack of 4mm R Clips
: a pack of 3/8" washers

Here is the front.
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The rear

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Regards
Taza
 
Great write up taza :raz:
I must have a go at this :) I've been meaning to do it for a while, but never seem to get around to doing it :rolleyes:

Regards
Mr Turbo
 
Thanks Damian, I appreciate it.
Yeah I know what you mean :lol: I need to get around to doing my rear diff breather but I can't seem to find the spare time.

Its worth doing it, makes a huge difference!
I just realised from the pics too how dirty the underside of Lisa was. Just got back inside from washing her and her belly :cool:

Taza
 
Nice work Taza. Thanks for posting that. Pics are very helpful.

The diff breather job is not too hard: I managed it with some encouragement from folks on here. One tip though: drop the exhaust off its hangers: it will allow you to drop the diff further.
 
Question:

Does this mod affect wheel alignment?

I am keen on the mod, but having just spent a stack on wheel alignment and new front rubber, I am not keen on stuffing it up.
 
No it has no effect on your wheel alignment. But if you hit a rock or stump fast and put it out then that will of happened whether you had them connected or not.
Its worth it, helps dramatically offroad and only takes about 1min to disconnect. I just keep a pair of plyers with me to pull the R-clips out sometimes :ebiggrin:

Regards
Taza
 
That is actually quite brilliantly simple. And you only need one on each end of the car I suppose.

How hard are they to get back in, like to align it all up?
 
^ very easy to get back in. It probably takes me about 1-1.30mins to get each one back in. just make sure your on level ground otherwise you wont get them back in. if you only have one side connected and one side disconnected the sway bar will bash things so I disconnect all 4 if im going to do it.

Taza
 
No because you just push it up out of the way and push the end links down. You sometimes hear a them hit something when you reach full articutlation but not bad enough to get close to damaging anything.
I don't like the feel of driving onroad with them off plus here in Australia its illegal.
 
Any squeaking or clunking as a result. A few people over at SF.org have done theirs, but said they squeak and clunk all the time. But they were using stock end links that have the ball-joint on them, whereas you have the solid links.

With that said, I definitely recommend taking off the rear-sway bar as an absolute minimum for anyone when off road (specifically in the SG 03-08 models). A year or so ago, I bent one of my end link tabs because I was off road with an STi rear sway bar, and the forces to hold up the entire wheel assembly off the ground was too much for that little tab. Couple months ago, it snapped off while I was doing the "Diagonal Spin Test" video. Welded back on now, but that sucked, so I always make sure to off road without sway bars attached (and you don't realize how much it sucks to off road with sway bars until you disconnect the end links and go "OMG"!)
 
No clunking on road because I have the washers on.. But when im offroad there is sometimes a clunk but you can live with it.
Mine are the stock endlinks. I do have an upgraded rear swaybar to put on the back but just haven't gotten around to it. Its been sitting in the shed for 4 or 5 months.
Considering its a $20 mod to do I think its worth while :biggrin:
 
I have had people say they have been finding it hard to get the clevis pins for doing quick disconnects. Would anyone want me to put some kits together and sell them on ebay?
 
Two questions..

First, why not have the pins in the bottom joint so the end links stay connected to the anti-sway bar?
Second, do you have any idea what kind of grade those clevis pins are, like you know how bolts are grade 7, 8, 8.8 etc?

I was thinking of maybe making some withe just longer bolts with the thread cut off, a hole drilled in for the r-clip and a ring welded on the head to make them super easy to pull out. Or if I can find an eye bolt that is strong enough use that...
 
That would work.

1. Yes you could do that but then the end link will swing around and clunk on parts, might get in the way of the steering arm??? I don't know. Where as with the top one you can just push it out of the way and push the sway bar upwards.
2. No I don't know what grade they are but I do keep 2 spares in my car just incase one brakes or I loose it. But so far they have small indentations in them from pressure when connected. It been months and not an issue though, they are stainless steel too.
With an upgraded swaybar from stock though I don't know if that extra pressure would brake them? Someone could test that.
 
My rear one is permanently cabletied up out of the way, guess you could do that or use a bit of wire (coathanger) to hold out the way while disconnected.
 
taza said:
I have had people say they have been finding it hard to get the clevis pins for doing quick disconnects. Would anyone want me to put some kits together and sell them on ebay?
Click to expand...

yes.please.com.au

that would be excellent
 
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