"Griggs Rig" -- really cheapo swaybar disconnects
#1
"Griggs Rig" -- really cheapo swaybar disconnects
No kidding.
I saw a REALLY nicely engineered homemade swaybar disconnect made by Bob (rwenzing) which nicely demonstrates his mechanical engineering vision! I don't think he's ready to "share" them until he's finished testing them -- but I'm sure he will (maybe he has and I missed it)...
Anyway, I've been threatening to do something and I finally did. Will these "hold up"? Who knows? But I had to do something because I'm just tired of taking off the nuts with wrenches. Bob's suggested to me that the strength required for a retainer was not as much as I thought, so I did this.
If you look you can see it looks as if I've just drilled the bolt and nut and pinned them. Yes, but I also drilled out the threads on the nut so it just slips over the bolt shaft.
I don't know what to call that pin exactly. It is a straight pin with a ring on one end that is mounted to a small block with offset holes. This makes it want to "spring" flat. You can flip it back out of the way to pull the pin, then flip it back over the pin to keep it from accidently pulliing loose.
Flip the ring back, pull the pin, the nut slides off and the bolt slides out and you can remove the center section (you bounce the bumper a bit to loosen it). Reverse that to reinstall it.
Note: I just installed this and I have no idea how it will hold up. I am not recommending or suggesting this, just sharing what I'm up to.
Here's a pic (sorry it's raining and dark here so it's not a great pic):
I saw a REALLY nicely engineered homemade swaybar disconnect made by Bob (rwenzing) which nicely demonstrates his mechanical engineering vision! I don't think he's ready to "share" them until he's finished testing them -- but I'm sure he will (maybe he has and I missed it)...
Anyway, I've been threatening to do something and I finally did. Will these "hold up"? Who knows? But I had to do something because I'm just tired of taking off the nuts with wrenches. Bob's suggested to me that the strength required for a retainer was not as much as I thought, so I did this.
If you look you can see it looks as if I've just drilled the bolt and nut and pinned them. Yes, but I also drilled out the threads on the nut so it just slips over the bolt shaft.
I don't know what to call that pin exactly. It is a straight pin with a ring on one end that is mounted to a small block with offset holes. This makes it want to "spring" flat. You can flip it back out of the way to pull the pin, then flip it back over the pin to keep it from accidently pulliing loose.
Flip the ring back, pull the pin, the nut slides off and the bolt slides out and you can remove the center section (you bounce the bumper a bit to loosen it). Reverse that to reinstall it.
Note: I just installed this and I have no idea how it will hold up. I am not recommending or suggesting this, just sharing what I'm up to.
Here's a pic (sorry it's raining and dark here so it's not a great pic):
Last edited by n3elz; 10-25-2005 at 03:39 PM.
#5
#7
that looks like i great idea you got there john. im sure you are already doing this but i would keep a couple extra pins with you at all times. my lawn mowers use them all over the place and i found that the rings dont take much to pop out of the holes and when that happens its safe to replace than to try and repair them
#8
Originally Posted by n3elz
I don't know what to call that pin exactly. It is a straight pin with a ring on one end that is mounted to a small block with offset holes. This makes it want to "spring" flat. You can flip it back out of the way to pull the pin, then flip it back over the pin to keep it from accidently pulliing loose.
#11
Independent articulation of the front suspension which gives a smoother offroad ride, and helps keep you from "3-wheeling" it as much. I've not noticed so much difference overall when I've done it EXCEPT it is much smoother, and the truck stays more level when going over irregular ground.
It's not so great on the street, though. Mostly you don't notice it -- but do sudden high speed maneuvers and you're all over the place! Not my idea of a good time.
And, Bob, thanks! I saw what they were called when I bought them, but promptly forgot -- I'm good at that...
Ryan, I have two spares onboard in fact. I don't figure they are impervious, lol. I like them better on top than on the bottom, though, for obvious reasons. Normally, the swaybar links have the nut underneath the lower a-arm.
It's not so great on the street, though. Mostly you don't notice it -- but do sudden high speed maneuvers and you're all over the place! Not my idea of a good time.
And, Bob, thanks! I saw what they were called when I bought them, but promptly forgot -- I'm good at that...
Ryan, I have two spares onboard in fact. I don't figure they are impervious, lol. I like them better on top than on the bottom, though, for obvious reasons. Normally, the swaybar links have the nut underneath the lower a-arm.
#12
#15
Originally Posted by Trevelyn1015
ok. excuse me.
#17
No, you don't have to. When you take off that nut, there's a long bolt that goes all the way to the bottom. You can just pull it completely out. Then that center spacer pops out if you bounce the bumper and pull. Then it's disconnected. It's not like two bolts that come in from each end -- it's just the one bolt going all the way through.
#18
#19
That sounds like a good idea too. I'd almost do something like your idea, but then drill the wingnut and bolt to put a smaller lynchpin in to keep the wingnut from backing off. That might be stronger and I may try that next if this doesn't work out.
So far so good -- but only 35 miles or so of driving. I took the pin out and inspected it and it's not bent or dented so far. Guess it is a pretty hard steel. I did grind the tip down to a point to make it easier to insert.
So far so good -- but only 35 miles or so of driving. I took the pin out and inspected it and it's not bent or dented so far. Guess it is a pretty hard steel. I did grind the tip down to a point to make it easier to insert.
#22