Custom rear sway bar links

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Hey guys so I broke one of my djm sway bar links and I've been thinking of a different setup.i put the links under enormous stress because of a steep angle where I pull into my parking spot..think of high banking racetracks lots of side angle.so it maid me think of oval track guys so I came up with this idea with high angle heim joints.turned out great so far just finished tonight.

These do need some extra work.the upper link mounts and the sway bar need to be drilled to 5/8 holes.the frame is easy.the sway bar was tough took a few hours even with a brand new bit.i took it right off the truck still took that long.a drill press mite have made it faster.i got all the joints and the sleeve from speedway motors.was around 90.00 with shipping.then I purchased the 5/8 nuts bolts and lock washers in grade 8 from my local tractor supply.they actually had a nice nut an bolt selection in grade 8 fasteners.the joints I purchased are rated for 21000 lbs by the site info.thats each heim joint!!!

 

[SRQYukon]

Keep us posted on how this works out. Maybe you on to something. That's really what I was thinking of doing, but so many of the parts I looked at offered no real specifications. I ended up buying Tonyrodz Hellwig 8-11" adjustable end links, which I will try out in a couple of weeks. I'm hopeful that it gives me what I need. I really wish someone would make a direct replacement adjustable end-link with the eye loop at one end and the knuckle at the other. It seems crazy that nobody does that, considering it is a relatively simple piece to fabricate and there are so many lowered trucks (actually same is true for lifted trucks). All that would be needed is to make a standard "short" end with a bushing eye loop or hein joint and standard male threaded stud, and a few different styles and lengths of rods with female threaded ends. Then the customer just chooses the two end types and lengths that they need and they have custom adjustable end links. I'm no fabricator, so maybe I'm oversimplifying what it takes to do this. But come on, Hellwig, Spohn, Belltech, and others.......why don't you give us the missing link (pun intended)?

 

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I've got them in.theybwork great but I'm questioning if I need them alittle shorter they are definitely longer then the djm kit ones.im not sure if that affects the geometry of the bar at all.i did find some others already made with studs on each end and they are shorter then mine.but they were 125.00 just not sure if I wanna spring for them on a guess at the moment.i just got new tires for my 24s just waiting for them to get back from paint then I'll get a fresh alignment an push the truck alittle see how things feel

 

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I've got them in.they work great but I'm questioning if I need them alittle shorter they are definitely longer then the djm kit ones.im not sure if that affects the geometry of the bar at all.i did find some others already made with studs on each end and they are shorter then mine.but they were 125.00 just not sure if I wanna spring for them on a guess at the moment.i just got new tires for my 24s just waiting for them to get back from paint then I'll get a fresh alignment an push the truck alittle see

 

[SRQYukon]

I've got them in.they work great but I'm questioning if I need them alittle shorter they are definitely longer then the djm kit ones.im not sure if that affects the geometry of the bar at all.i did find some others already made with studs on each end and they are shorter then mine.but they were 125.00 just not sure if I wanna spring for them on a guess at the moment.i just got new tires for my 24s just waiting for them to get back from paint then I'll get a fresh alignment an push the truck alittle see

It will be interesting to see how it feels. In regards to the angle, I don't really think that is too critical, as long as the end link is not at a severely skewed angle in relation to the sway bar end. Ideally, that angle would be close to 90°. That said, the purpose of the sway bar is to transfer the torsional energy from one side to the opposing side, as it relates to body roll. That will likely probably still be effective even when the angle is somewhat off. However, when the rear is dropped 2-3", the angle is closer to 75-80° (at rest with no load). Now once you add load or a trailer the angle may be 70-75°. The inertia is still being transferred from side to side, but the sway bar is being pulled away from the axle by the pressure on the end-link. My main reason for wanting to shorten the end links is to keep the angle from being so far off when towing or loaded. With my trailers attached, I can see the end of the sway bar tilted towards the pavement and it looks weird and is probably putting extra stress on the sway bar brackets.