Sway Bar End Link Options (1 Viewer)

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Oh, cool. Kudos to @fastlane1000

And I just ordered from Amazon. I'll install this weekend and hopefully get to test them.
 
Another option that just popped up recently: LEXUS | TXTR CUSTOMS | United States

I know nothing about that company or product, just found it on Google.

Has anybody used the ProForge front Sway Bar End Links?

They are on RockAuto for $33 each, but I am hesitant to go for them because I've seen a lot of negative things about the MOOG ones and how the grease covers fail - These ProForge ones seems to be the exact same design.

Scratch that - I was thinking of the Tie Rod End links as having problems with the grease covers. Same question stands though.

Better to just go with OEM for the front?
 
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Those proforged endlinks look like the way to go.

Just to update the thread. I ended up making my own (linked earlier in the thread) using a number of McMaster-Carr parts.

This with all new sway bar bushings, ball joints and control arm bushings made the car drive like new.
 
So today I was out with our local Land Cruiser club and lifted tires more than I would have liked. I'm running about 2-2.5 OME setup. The topic of running w/o front sway bar came up and while I am tempted to try it I was researching some discos. The draw backs for disco or no sway bar use for off road are possibly exceeding CV angle and poor off camber performance. More reading suggested that some found no need for a disco if they used extended links that will allow for more movement. Anyone agree/disagree/other thoughts on front sway bars?
 
My thoughts (experience/opinion/ramblings whatever):

I run without a front sway bar, heavy front springs and a rear sway bar with extended links. I can't discern a difference without the front bar but after all the mods the truck doesn't handle like stock anyway so I'm not expecting much.

However, after taking the front bar off my shocks are definitely the component limiting down travel. I don't jump but I think about this when I lift a tire, and this winter I plan to add some limiting straps for peace of mind. There's definitely a thud when the front tire drops in a hole (but no lean!)

CVs. When I wheel I get some clicking. This could also be because I use cheap NAPA CVs but I'll know for sure after I finish rebooting some old OEMs.

Endlinks: as you probably know longer in the rear helps you get you sway bar back to the same angle as stock after a lift. To achieve this in the front you'd actually shorten the end links because the knuckle where they attached is now lower relative to the frame. Not sure if anyone does that or not though, or if it would help with articulation.

Sway bars help reduce roll, but so do stiffer springs. I wanted stiffer springs for other reasons, but sice it helped reduce roll I removed the sway bar to let the front articulate more independently. In my opinion, if you can tolerate stiff enough springs in front to run without a sway bar, do so and then add limit straps to alleviate CV angle or shock bottom-out. Seems like best of both worlds.

Not the best example, but obligatory pic:
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@James C thanks for the detailed reply. After looking under I see what you mean and there is not much room to lengthen the front anyway. The vehicle the guy had was not a GX so perhaps the geometry was different. The springs I am running are on the stiff side.

What about the off camber situations w/o the sway bar?
 
What about the off camber situations w/o the sway bar?
Great question - but since I usually try an avoid those situations here's a theoretical approach:

When you drop a wheel in a hole, the spring to extends and causes a resistive force to act in the opposite direction. Sway bars introduce an additional resistive force in the same direction as the spring, resulting in a smaller spring deflection compared to when no sway bar was present. Less spring deflection means that the vehicle body will want to follow the wheel into the hole more than when the sway bar was not present, aka more lean.

So theoretically no sway bars means less lean in off-camber situations, which to me means less pee-my-pants rollover worry. If you think about it, the sway bar's job on road is to try and keep the body more parallel to the ground, but that's the opposite of what you want when you're off-camber.

EDIT: Realizing that this applies more to front-only off camber, not complete side hilling of something. I guess in that situation a sway bar would help if your springs aren't stiff enough to prevent body roll to the downhill side.
 
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This video caught my eye with regards to disconnecting front sway bar end links. The comments say these custom disconnect sway bar end links are no longer made, but was wondering if they would work on the GX470s?

 
@HomersCanyonero, those are the MStdudt disconnects that I mentioned earlier in this thread. They will work. There were comments about them not working w/ a GX but not sure how that was substantiated. At least for non-KDSS.
www.overlandcustomdesign.com
And here is a link if you’d like to make your own.
 
@joabmc thanks for those very useful links. MStudt's web site doesn't sell any disconnect end links. If you made your own sliding disconnects for the front, did you just follow bazross PDF parts list in the thread? And that list is up to date with the improvements you made?
 
@joabmc thanks for those very useful links. MStudt's web site doesn't sell any disconnect end links. If you made your own sliding disconnects for the front, did you just follow bazross PDF parts list in the thread? And that list is up to date with the improvements you made?
Mine came directly from BAZ. I ended up using a jam nut in order to get more thread purchase for the lower connection, lock tight and the Heims w/ boots seem to last longer. Again, I’m in the NE where everything rots prematurity. Another thing that I’m not sure was mentioned in that thread is they were were designed to be used in conjunction with the sway bar relocate kit. I initially didn’t have that and had some clearance/ alignment issues when they were disconnected and fully cycling the suspension.
first couple of pics were when I first got them.
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The last few is a comparison of what BAZ sent and What I reduced the locking nut and jam nut to. It’s been awhile but I’m pretty confident we determined there was a difference in sway bar thickness between 07-09 FJs and 10-14. 07-09 being thicker. Probably the same between the 120 and 150 platform but can’t say for sure.
Mike actually helped me out with mine when I was working through my bugs. Heck of nice guy given he didn’t sell me his. He used to be very active on the 4Runner forum and sold direct from there if you messaged him.
I also spent some time here playing around with different options to improve the life of the joints in my region and have a few emails saved with a parts list. Mine currently need rebuilt but really haven’t had much time to mess with them.

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@joabmc thanks for the pictures and the information. I didn't realize the front needed a relocation kit. Nice link to the parts place. This is great information.

I live in SoCal, so rust is not an issue, but rather have quality zinc coated hardware. Also, if you ever put your own parts list together with the zinc coated hardware and the shorter nuts, it would make it easier to order all the upgraded parts specific for a GX470. Honestly, I wish you shared your shopping cart, so I could just hit the buy button! ROTFLMAO

Re: Mine came directly from BAZ.

I take this doesn't mean he sells a kit. This just means you got his parts list in the PDF, right?
 
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@HomersCanyonero, he never sold them. Just never got it off the ground from what I understood.
We had mutual friends and he just sent me a set to run as not that many in the FJC community were running them. Anyway, so many people started inquiring that he decided to put the list together and open it for anyone that wanted to build and maintain their own. You can see from his pics that he barely had any corrosion after several years of use in Australia. I ended having to take mine off during winter months due to the damage. I eventually got lazy and didn’t which led to their demise. No promises but I’ll dig around for my parts list.
I picked up the jam nuts and shorter lock nuts at Fastenal.
I never had an issue with them backing off after going that route.
 
Thanks for the history on these. I think this design with the sliding link is so cool and acts like a limit strap. The one thing that I'm wondering is I think these are great, but nobody wants to make them and sell them. Why is that? Hmmm.
 
You lose a CV when they fail. That is what lead me down the path of modifying the hardware. They do work very well, connecting and disconnecting is simple but they do need to be maintained or they get loud.
When a nut backs out, sway bar starts chew into CV
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damage. Luckily I caught it immediately
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New hardware with better thread purchase.
 
I have a bad rear clunk that has developed right rear. Only when hitting a pothole with the right rear tire. I am thinking it could be the rear sway bar links. How bad is the roll on stock suspension with the rear bar off completely? I am tempted...
 
Depends on how stiff your rear springs are. Stiffer springs reduce body roll and make up for lack of sway bar.

Caveat: I run the rear but no front
 

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