stock truck and disconnects

[ti.user]

Stephen,
Will sway bar disconnects work on a stock suspension truck?? What can I stand to gain putting this on now vs. later when I lift the truck?? Like alot of other ck5'ers money is tight, don't know when I can get the lift. Right now I'm re-doing the steering, (box, joints, tie rods etc). I will be buying the frame repair kit and brace and do it at all one time, just waiting on my member number.

 

[Stephen]

Fourwheeler actually tested the disconnects on Jim Allen's 83 K5 with stock suspension and ended up with a good gain. I don't remember the numbers but seems like it picked up 100 points or so on a 20 degree ramp. The only thing that you have to watch is contact to the frame rail in the driver's side and that's the only if you drive it hard. Basically you'll see similar gains on a stock suspension and a lifted suspension.

Making the world better, one truck at a time.
SW-ORD
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.offroaddesign.com>www.offroaddesign.com</a>

 

[rich]

Two things here:

1) I have the disconnects on my stock '90 K5 daily driver and love them. On the trail sometimes I don't even disconnect the swaybar because it flexes so good now that I don't need to. And I am open/open. I have noticed a much better street ride too, because the swaybar is no longer binding. Stephen is right that you have to watch for frame contact on the driver side - looks like it will touch if you bottom out hard. Also, I can't use the "hanger" for when the bar is disconnected - the axle would hit the hanger before it hit my bump stop, so I did not install the hanger. I just zip tie the swabar to the frame when I disconnect.

2) Stephen - are the links supposed to pivot around the spring plate bolts? My bolts would tighten on the links before bottoming out in the spring plate, and would not allow the links to pivot. So I used some spacers in the bottom of the holes to get the bolts to bottom out with just a little clearance for the links to pivot. I think the links should pivot so that the swaybar doesn't bind, for better flex and ride quality (and bushing life). Other vehicles I have seen (like other 4x4's, my Camaro, my derby cars, etc.) have end links with bushings that allow the links to pivot. My stock swaybar bushings at the frame were WASTED when I replaced them - looked like in stock configuration the bar pulls rearward and forward on the frame bushings since the pivot point of the swaybar (frame bushings) is not the same as the pivot point of the springs (front spring eye) - different arcs of travel.

Sorry for the long post!

Richard

Richard
Raleigh, NC
'90 K-5 Blazer - stock, daily driver
'76 K-5 Blazer - 14-bolt FF, 4.10's, locked front and rear, 36's, SM465/NP205

 

[Stephen]

The sleeves should be long enough for the brackets to rotate a little, they may be stiff, but they should move. Tolerance stackup between all the parts plays around with it and changes the stiffness of it.

Making the world better, one truck at a time.
SW-ORD
<a target="_blank" href=http://www.offroaddesign.com>www.offroaddesign.com</a>