80 series sway bar material type (1 Viewer)

[Tank5]

Spend the money for custom valved shocks.
I do want to see your welded sway bar in action though.

Shocks are bought already. I think they should work well with it.

 

[Tank5]

I really appreciate all the comnents and ideas. They have lead me to a simple sleeved no weld design. Tough to explain so I drew it out to help with my description and to get your thoughts on it.

The idea is to cut the ends at a 45 plus angle or so. Slide both ends togother inside a sleeve that fits tightly over the sway bar. The diagonal ends would rest on each other and apply the rotational twisting across the diaginal cuts. The sleeve would do all the work to keep the ends together. To make sure the sleeve stays in place there would be a decent sized flush bolt on each end that would screw through the sleeve into a small recess in the sway bar. These bolts shouldn't take any or very little of the rotational twisting force from the sway bar. No welding, so if the cut and recesses can be done cool enought it should retain it's temper.

Thoughts?

 

[Rifleman]

Tank5, Instead of just using 2 set screws to secure this in place, I'd do it differently. I'd use two, 2 piece clamp shaft collars welded onto the sleeve instead of set screws. One set collar at the top, and another at the bottom of the sleeve.​

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To prevent rotation of the sleeve I'd mill a key way into the sway bar before i cut it apart to maintain orientation between to two parts. Next I'd broach an internal key way inside of the sleeve.​

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I've been a machinist, and mechanic for almost 40 years. So if you want you can Pm me, and I'll send you a drawing of a sleeve setup that i think will work well for you. Below you'll find a photo of a 2 piece set collar.​

 

[mudgudgeon]

I don't see pinning it out clamping it being terribly successful. But no idea really.

I've seen DIY torsion bar / anti-rock / sway bar setup done on a 75 series built on modified 80 series suspension using a torsion bar from a 100 series.
You could use a torsion bar from lighter vehicles for lighter spring rate. Maybe 4runner??
Custom designed arms can give them a fair bit of flexibility in terms of packaging into a build.

My buddies truck used laser cut arms and I believe laser cut splines to match the torsion bar

 

[Tank5]

@Rifleman I sent you a PM. I appreciate your offer.

 

[Tank5]

I visited with a machine shop today and discussed options for cutting and sleeving the oem sway bar. We discussed a couple options that might work which included cutting the ends diagonally and the use of a key or two to keep the sleeve in place. I did not ask about splining the axle ends as I expected it would be cost prohibitive compared to other options. He thought the best option would be to send a piece of the OEM sway bar out for testing to determine the steel type then key cut it and weld it together with the correct material and send it out to have it tempered.

Cost to test, cut, weld, and temper
Analyze the steel sample 200.00
Proper cut and weld by shop 60.00
Ship to temper 50.00
Temper Cost 200.00
Return shipping 50.00
Total cost estimate 560.00

I also talked to a company about having a custom sway bar made just like the stock version but to my needed dimensions. This sounds very promising he gave me an informal quote, so I am just waiting for the official quote after they review my pictures and specs.

Cost for Custom sway bar
Ship my version 1 to them for pattern use 50.00
Informal build quote 700.00
Shipping back 50.00
Total cost estimate 800.00

My curiosity says test the oem sway bar but my wallet says na. I am going to wait for the formal quote for a new custom sway bar. For the small difference the new bar would be the way to go.

 

[YMT]

@Tank5, what is your axle width, after trimming?

Thinking it would be far cheaper to find another vehicle (pick-n-pull) to pull a sway bar from, rather than a custom order.
Thinking an S-10 blazer, Bronco II, or Scout or something might be close.

Or is there a reason you don't want a part from another vehicle?

 

[Grandlooser]

Exactly what I was thinking earlier. The chances that there isnt an already available bar that can be adapted to fit is almost 0%. The only investment is in time measuring at a junkyard.

 

[Tank5]

My axle is 4 inches narrower than the stock 80, so it is about 59.3 inches wms.

It is not that I am opposed to aftermarket or parts off another rig. The problem is fitting it. The stock style sway bar fits easily on my build. Other options like antirock, ruffstuff, or even 45 stock swaybar are a tight fit or don't work.

 

[YMT]

'71-'80 Scouts are 59.5 inch wms. Early Bronco's are 60" (if I recall correctly) and Wagoneers are 59-60".
I think Cherokees or Grand Cherokee (zj or wj) are in the same neighborhood.

Just food for thought

 

[cruisermatt]

Shear modulus is pretty much the same or very close for most steels. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the 80 sway bar is just regular mild steel. I know a few guys that have made sway bars successfully out of regular steel. No heat treating, nothing. Don't waste your money testing that thing in a lab, just bolt it on the truck and try it out.

 

[cody c]

If your gonna put a sleeve over, then weld the two together, grind the weld down, and slide the sleeve back over top. Sure you will wreck the temper, but only for a couple inches either way. Drill and pin a couple inches back either side, and leave a hole in the sleeve at center to put some weld in.


If your going to go custom, consider a torsion bar with hex ends as a donor

 

[mudgudgeon]

Shear modulus is pretty much the same or very close for most steels. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the 80 sway bar is just regular mild steel. I know a few guys that have made sway bars successfully out of regular steel. No heat treating, nothing. Don't waste your money testing that thing in a lab, just bolt it on the truck and try it out.

As a teen, a cousin and I forged a hook for snigging logs out of the bush with a tractor. We used a piece of an old sway bar. We quenched it in warm oil to try and temper it.
Used it for days, and dozens of logs, then suddenly it just shattered into four random chunks.
Definitely was not mild steel

 

[cruisermatt]

As a teen, a cousin and I forged a hook for snigging logs out of the bush with a tractor. We used a piece of an old sway bar. We quenched it in warm oil to try and temper it.
Used it for days, and dozens of logs, then suddenly it just shattered into four random chunks.
Definitely was not mild steel

Sounds like you didn’t temper it correctly

 

[mudgudgeon]

Sounds like you didn’t temper it correctly

Definitely didn't, but mild steel would bend, not shatter

 

[Tank5]

I talked with SWAY-A-WAY today which is the company that said they could make the custom sway bar. After looking at pictures and measurements they confirmed they could do it no problem. When I am a little further along with my build, I will order a custom sway bar from them.

 

[Rifleman]

So did they quote you a price for a custom made bar?

 

[Tank5]

So did they quote you a price for a custom made bar?

Yes, the quote is 700 to make it plus shipping. I also have to ship them my welded one to use as a template, so shipping times two.