Quick disconnect front sway bar bracket (1 Viewer)

[rhyary]

Exactly.
Theoretically the front can come up more being straight than flexing one side.
A 2" drop plus the bump stops gives you a gap of 4". You can not flex the front 4" but potentially and theoretically you can push the font down 4". I just don't know if it actually travel 4" down.

The L shocks on 4" lift can travel up to 7" down. to be safe you want to limit them at 5" down travel.

 

[Ebag333]

So you're saying that the 2" drop is enough to protect the shocks from bottoming out, but not enough to be the limiting factor during flex?

Depends on your setup.

 

[rhyary]

Lunch time testing:
Went for a bumpy drive on lunch time, plus articulation test.
I had my sway bar connected. I did not expect it but I could not get to the bump stops lifting my PS rear on a wall. The front DS bump stop did not reach the axle. It was about 3/4" to 1". This is good news for two reasons:

1. I know that if I disconnect I can get another 1/2" to 1" front articulation. So I will be on the bump stop as I wanted.
2. I know that my 315 MTR was rubbing the front on full articulation at Rausch Creek, and I don't want to rub the front. It is just the way I am, I don't like rubber rubbing.

So from articulation point of view, the 4" Slee lift and 4" Ultimate Bracket is a go.

I also drove thru some pot holes to test the straight up and down. I did not feel any difference. So as I was driving I said. damn, I can't even get to the bump stop at 2" gap. But when I checked the axle I saw a bump stop kiss on it. So if I did not feel it, it might have just touched but not beyond the rubber ability to compress. Exactly what I wanted.

Initial Conclusion: A 4" drop is a good base to a 4" lift. by extension a 3" drop is good for a 3" lift, and 2" drop should be good for a 2" lift.

Please let me know what I miss if I am missing something.

 

[rhyary]

3 to go

 

[rhyary]

Update:
For the CM2010 trip, I have made the following brackets:
Front:
4" drop for me and Jonathan
3" drop - for testing a 3" or available for someone with a 3" lift.
2" drop for Jeff

Rear:
3" drop to test no rubbing with 4" lift and 35".

Friday before I leave I will post pictures of the production brackets.

What is really funny is how in the first page of this thread someone was wishing me well with my business. Looking back at it, with the money I have into it, I could have made myself two custom brackets made out of stainless steel and maybe have some gold plated the corners.

But I am convinced that these brackets will allow fine tuning the bottom of the suspension. It may even be that the sway bar hanging point will turn out to be less important the the ability to put the bump stop exactly where you want it. Will see......

 

[ayrtime]

Anything sent yet?

 

[landtank]

Rhyary is in Moab right now.

 

[ayrtime]

Thanks, I guess I'm getting anxious.

 

[rhyary]

Hi All,
I just got back from Moab yesterday. Jonathan and I used the bracket on our cars for two weeks and it was really great. It has exceeded my expectation.
I will write a full technical report soon as get recuperated a bit.
I started home Thursday around 10 AM, 600 miles,
Friday 1150 miles,
and Saturday about 500 miles. Got home 1 PM
Slept most of the rest of Sat until this morning.

I will get my bearings and will contact all who ordered the brackets for choice of drop after you ready my report, you will know better how much drop to get. As far as the sway bar, it is great no matter what drop you want.

In the meantime, enjoy the pictures

CM2010 pictures by rhyary - Photobucket

 

[rhyary]

Ok, so I am back from 2 weeks testing the bracket from Moab "proving grounds".
As you recall the bracket has dual purpose. First it provides for a place to hang your disconnected sway bar while off roading. Second it provides a mounting point for the Toyota front bump stops that used to come with the 1993 land cruiser.

Disconnecting the sway bar:
Like written before, it allows the front axle to move more freely from under the truck, but does not provides significantly more flexing. The concept has demonstrated itself time and time again during the Moab trails. But specifically it showed itself beautifully during the two days ride on the White Rim. On this trail is it mostly a dirt road with occasional more challenging obstacles. Most of the trail was about 10 to 20 MPH. When encountering a water rut that was diagonal to the road, you can tell one wheel goes first into the rut, and then the other, but the car stays leveled and you don't get the up-and-down/side-to-side effect the sway bar creates when if resist the wheels individually movement. So this was expected and performed as such.

What was not expected was how well a new Toyota bumps stops performed.
In the first few days I mounted a 4" bracket to my truck. On a 4" lift it leaves 2" gap between the axle and the bump stop. During the Cruiser Moab overnight run, we did some fast drives (20 to 40 MPH) on country roads. During these runs, hitting bumps at a higher speed was unavoidable. Crawling under the truck I sway that the bumps stops left quite a big imprint on the axle. Meaning the rubber bump stop was hit and expended and there fore was doing its job. The beauty about is I felt now harshness in the cabin. As a matter of fact, I didn't know the bump stops were hit until i checked underneath. There was no harshness at all.

Since Jonathan has the J springs with a spacer (about 4") and the 4" Ultimate Bracket we tested his truck for maximum flex. Jonathan, as well as I, have the 3" rear Ultimate Bracket as well. At Area BFE where the Cruiser Moab 2010 was held, we found a tail that hat huge and deep water ruts. We straddled Jonathan truck in such a way that the front was at maximum flex and the rear was maximum flex.

The axles were securely resting on the bump stops, yet looking at the tires (35") proximity to the wheel well, and other suspension components it became clear that by using the bump stops as the limiting factory as appose to springs, shocks, control arms, etc' is a great solution when giving very little in flexing (if anything).

After running the truck with the 4" Ultimate Bracket, I switched to the 3" bracket to test that.
During a bumpy run, I felt no difference between the 3" and the 4" drop. However, when looking underneath the truck, you can see that that foot print of the bump stop is much smaller. In Moab because it is dusty is it easy to see parts contact. That mean using a 3" gap between the bump stop and the axle (4" bracket = 2" gap, 3" bracket = 3" gap) the bump stop still reaches the axle. However during flex, the bracket provide less support and the truck rely more on the other suspension components to support the flex.

In conclusion:
For the 2.5" lift the 2" bracket needs to be used.
For the 3" lift, you have a choice of 2" or 3" bracket.
For the 4" lift (Slee or J spring) you can use either 4" or 3".
Above 4" lift, use the 4" bracket.

1/4" shims are available for in between or if you want to fine tune the bracket for exact measurement.
For example if you have 2" lift and 35" tires, you may need the 2" bracket and one or two shims to prevent rubbing.

 

[corsair23]

Rami,

When I move up to the J Springs & 35s it sounds like I'll need some shims. How much and how many?

Thanks again for carting my brackets all the way to Moab for me - The look great and it was great to meet you!

 

[rhyary]

Corsair23,
When you move from 2" to J, you will need 4" drop.
That would necessitate a 2" worth of shims (or 8 shims). Not what shims were intended to.
The drop only matters if you get the Toyota bump stops.

But being one of the first batch, I recommend not worrying about it.
I am sure we can find a way to make you happy.

 

[corsair23]

Corsair23,
When you move from 2" to J, you will need 4" drop.
That would necessitate a 2" worth of shims (or 8 shims). Not what shims were intended to.
The drop only matters if you get the Toyota bump stops.

But being one of the first batch, I recommend not worrying about it.
I am sure we can find a way to make you happy.

Let's see if I get the brackets on before the lift

 

[rhyary]

The ultimate brackets went into production.
I should receive them on Saturday Memorial Day weekend.
I will paint them and send them out first week of June.

Many thanks for your patience.

two or three U brackets are still available.

Rami

 

[rhyary]

Ultimate brackets being painted. it will take few days since I plan two coats of primer and two coats of paint. Letting dry one day per layer push shipping date to next week.

Thanks for you patience...

 

[Ebag333]

Ultimate brackets being painted. it will take few days since I plan two coats of primer and two coats of paint. Letting dry one day per layer push shipping date to next week.

Thanks for you patience...

Which one's mine?!?!

 

[rhyary]

They are ordered from 4" to 2".

Your 2" are at the bottom of the picture.

Ebag, you are the first man I ran into that can have a 4" long and selected 2" short. Wimp!

 

[donutfj80]

I think I see mine next to yours Ebag!

 

[Ebag333]

They are ordered from 4" to 2".

Your 2" are at the bottom of the picture.

Ebag, you are the first man I ran into that can have a 4" long and selected 2" short. Wimp!

I know, I'm being difficult. But it's all in my evil plan to save the world.

 

[rhyary]

Finished all the painting. It was a very labor and time consuming. I couldn't paint the whole bracket at once because the wet paint got stuck to the nylon sheet it was on. So I have to paint only half bracket at a time.
So two coats of primer and two coats of paint and only half bracket at a time took over a week to do.

The last coat of paint is pretty thick and it has been raining for two days. So I don't believe it will get really hard in my basement. I have to wait for a sunny day for it to get baked in the sun.

You may think this is crazy but I actually can't take a short cut here. If I wrap it for shipping with the paint is half wet, it will stick to the wrap paper. Anyway, if it is sonny tomorrow I will take some pictures so at least you can see it all ready for shipping.

Thanks again. I can tell you right now, if I make another batch, no way I am putting the time and effort into painting as I did for the first batch. It has been crazy time consuming activity.