Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 05-07-2013, 05:29 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
Re: Sway bar disconnects

Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
I know some who have broke off the pin and they stick in a bolt but I was afraid of wallowing out the hole and in most cases anyway, you would have to drill out the sway bar because (at least on mine) it shears off inside the sway bar... there's no open hole.
So there's pin IN the end of that bar? I just assumed it was a hole with the hitch pin going all the way through both it and the eye of the link. If the pin is fixed inside the sway bar end that might explain why it breaks; it would be a torque as the pin twists, but gets bound up. Easier to torque a bolt hard enough to break it off vs shearing it. Usually they are through a bushing that allows it to turn freely.

__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
rob_gendreau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2013, 07:14 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Angel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Posts: 482
Re: Sway bar disconnects

Craig Jackson of Whitefeather (formally from Salem Kroger) designed and made my disconnect. It disconnects from one side. It has 2 pins holding it in place that have to be pulled to disconnect the drivers side. Works well and I can connect it by my self-with the aid of a crow bar.

Angel
__________________
2008 SMB E350 EB V10 White with Cruiser Top; EB-17 modified floor plan; Salem Kroger 4X4;
285/75/17E tires; Named: "The Lighthouse"
2000 Isuzu Rodeo V6 4WD
2006 Chalet LTW 15ft. Folding Travel Trailer 14 in. tires
Angel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2013, 07:37 PM   #13
Site Team
 
daveb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
Garage
Re: Sway bar disconnects

There is no twist, only pressure up and down. At each end of the disconnect bar there is a rubber bushing with a SS sleeve that is inside the bushing. The 1/2 pins are welded on the axles lower mount and into the sway bar. There are washers on each side of the rubber bushing both top and bottom. To pull the disconnects, all you have to do is get the axle level, pull the lock pins and pull the bar straight off the sway bar pins. With either side off, the opposite side pulls off easily. Putting them back on is more difficult than pulling them and two people makes the job quicker. Sometimes it takes a bit of moving the axle up or down by driving on to a rock or in a hole to get the pins to line up. After doing it a few times, it's not too time consuming.



I'm sure you can figure a better way for you setup. I did see some conversions on the web that are configured for your sway bar.

Good luck
Attached Thumbnails
Disconnect.png  
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures
daveb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-08-2013, 11:38 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
Re: Sway bar disconnects

No twist? Usually the sway bar must pivot in its bushing as either side of the van's suspension gets compressed. That changes the angle of the bar's arms relative to the horizontal; not much, but some depending on your suspension travel. I suppose it could all be done with just the torsion of the bar, but I would think on our vehicles there's gotta be some pivot at the end of the top link. There is on mine; that's why I have to make the van completely level to hook up again. And lots of end links use heim joints for that reason, I suspect, so that the angle can change. Mine uses bushings, and pivots a bit at both ends.

Here's a heim setup; I'd use something similar (it's also like what ujoint uses) if I had to replace mine, but again I'm still thinking of a quick disconnect. But if I have to go non-quick I figure the heims might make it easier to unbolt and bolt back on. Dunno.



If the right angle formed by the pin from the bar and the end link were to change in or out (with say some side flex) then the two pins would bind, and be subject to being twisted right off.

But hey, I'm just speculating based on how mine work. I got the van up on a rock to see how it flexed and it was more than I expected. Thanks tons for your suggestions.
__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
rob_gendreau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2013, 07:01 PM   #15
Site Team
 
daveb's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Turlock Ca
Posts: 10,407
Garage
Re: Sway bar disconnects



Well I'd call it rotate or spin. If you took your connecting rod and put a 90* bend in it and also rotate the end of the sway bar you'd basically have the same thing. When the sway bar flexes, the pins rotates a bit. The SMB link is free floating and not fixed. They don't really move side to side if the sway bar slightly flexes as far as I know.
__________________
2006 Ford 6.0PSD EB-50/E-PH SMB 4X4 Rock Crawler Trailer

Sportsmobile 4X4 Adventures..........On and off road adventures
daveb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2013, 07:13 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: East Bay CA
Posts: 1,078
Re: Sway bar disconnects

Ah, that's the part I wanted to know. If it's free floating then it can stay vertical as the bar changes angle. Makes sense.

But I know I get a bit of slop; that's why I've got urethane bushings since it moves a bit in different directions. Others have suggested a heim joint and stud; it too can move in several directions but is more rigid of course. Now I'm wondering if the bushings make the rebound a bit bouncier. Probably my shocks are more responsible for that.

I'm talking with Roadmaster about getting some end links I can modify to make a bit more removable; I haven't come up with anything I can buy and install that would work.

Rob
__________________
2001 Ford E250 Sportsmobile with Salem-Kroger 4x4 conversion
rob_gendreau is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-31-2023, 08:05 AM   #17
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 2
sway bar disconnect bushings

I have a 2006 6.0 E350 with the same sway bar disconnects configuration as daveb showed in his sketch. My rubber bushings are shot and need replaced. Does anyone have a part #/source for these bushings?
syncrojim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2023, 10:18 AM   #18
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 26
Field Van stocks them, although I assume that just buying bushings would be cheaper.

https://shop.fieldvan.com/4x4-front-...isconnect-kit/

Oh, and they have a nice photo:

tadg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2023, 10:35 AM   #19
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Flagstaff, AZ
Posts: 1,995
Quote:
Originally Posted by tadg View Post
Field Van stocks them, although I assume that just buying bushings would be cheaper.

https://shop.fieldvan.com/4x4-front-...isconnect-kit/

Oh, and they have a nice photo:

I looked into replacement bushings and by the time I got the old links off they were a rusted mess and none of the mounting hardware was reusable.
__________________
2005 E350 RB 6.0 PSD for extended fun
1989 Landcruiser FJ62 for local fun
2011 VW TDI Golf for hwy fun
JoeH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2023, 07:57 AM   #20
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2023
Posts: 2
Thanks for the info. I have a set of the new links coming from Fields Van. My quick disconnects are rusted in and broke off on the drivers side when trying to remove. I had to drill them out. Haven't done that on the passengers side yet.
syncrojim is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sportsmobile SIP or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:27 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.