Growing up doesn't have to suck

[Caddylack]

As I ponder future sway bars, one of the things I'm struggling with is the extra weight of the solid bar.

Yes, you can argue that it's small potatoes on such a heavy vehicle, and that's true. I'm just still clinging to the idea of shedding weight rather than adding.

It's sort of a mystery how much PPVs weigh, since they are all equipped differently. I'm sure I save some by having no rear seats, but I also have metal door panels and barred windows. Oh, and a partition with a roll bar. I have access to a weigh station, so I will find out soon where I stand.

 

[iamdub]

As I ponder future sway bars, one of the things I'm struggling with is the extra weight of the solid bar.

Yes, you can argue that it's small potatoes on such a heavy vehicle, and that's true. I'm just still clinging to the idea of shedding weight rather than adding.

It's sort of a mystery how much PPVs weigh, since they are all equipped differently. I'm sure I save some by having no rear seats, but I also have metal door panels and barred windows. Oh, and a partition with a roll bar. I have access to a weigh station, so I will find out soon where I stand.

I admit I cringed at the extra weight. But, it was easy to make peace with it since it's added at such a low point and the pros of the bars far outweigh the cons. Which, I guess the only cons are the cost and extra weight. Eibach's are hollow. But, they don't perform as well yet cost the same. The whole point is maximizing handling and the extra weight doesn't detract enough to be a factor for me.

My third row is removed and, well, I guess that's the only weight reduction I've done. And that was really just because I don't use 'em and needed the cargo space.

Looking forward to your scale results. I still haven't gotten mine weighed. If you're at all interested, you can maximize your results and find out the weight bias. You'd need to mark a spot on the frame that you can easily align with the edges of the scale. Some duct tape on the frame with a marker line would work. Or, if you can eyeball a really straight line, you can put some painter's tape on the door sill with a line there. This way, you'd just open your door, look down and drive til it's aligned with the edge of the scale. Drive the front wheels on the scale up to the line, get your weight, drive off and stop at the line again but with the rear wheels still on the scale. I'd have to look up the formula, but it's a simple one to determine the F/R bias.

 

[iamdub]

Yup... More sway bar stuff. Did something about them stupidly long bolts and made yet another set of end links.

Frame mount before, with spacers everywhere to make up for the excessive bolt length:




Flipped the bolts around and made spacers to match the ones in the rear mounts. Also used Nyloc nuts this time:




End link before with extra washers everywhere due to the bolt length and limited threads on the shank:




Shorter, Grade 8 bolt with new bushings. Used the dished washers between the center bushings this time. The holes in the sway bar and control arm are huge so the bushings are almost too small of diameter. That's why they're sitting a little crooked. Oh well, they're not squashed and blown out sideways like the old ones. Not yet, anyway:

 

[89Suburban]

Yup... More sway bar stuff. Did something about them stupidly long bolts and made yet another set of end links.

Frame mount before, with spacers everywhere to make up for the excessive bolt length:

View attachment 390072


Flipped the bolts around and made spacers to match the ones in the rear mounts. Also used Nyloc nuts this time:

View attachment 390073


End link before with extra washers everywhere due to the bolt length and limited threads on the shank:

View attachment 390074


Shorter, Grade 8 bolt with new bushings. Used the dished washers between the center bushings this time. The holes in the sway bar and control arm are huge so the bushings are almost too small of diameter. That's why they're sitting a little crooked. Oh well, they're not squashed and blown out sideways like the old ones. Not yet, anyway:

View attachment 390075

Beauatiful!!! I am lost on the upper control arm ball joints. How are they secured to the knuckle?

 

[iamdub]

Beauatiful!!! I am lost on the upper control arm ball joints. How are they secured to the knuckle?

Mind yo bizness. That's an experimental hardware design I've been developing for a few years. It's to cater to those situations with minimal space allowance and lack of available hand tools. To rigorously test and prove the idea, I applied it to a very critical attachment point- my upper ball joints.






























All I'll divulge at this point is that the hardware uses the security of a Bluetooth 5 connection following the L2CAP protocol.

 

[89Suburban]

Mind yo bizness. That's an experimental hardware design I've been developing for a few years. It's to cater to those situations with minimal space allowance and lack of available hand tools. To rigorously test and prove the idea, I applied it to a very critical attachment point- my upper ball joints.






























All I'll divulge at this point is that the hardware uses the security of a Bluetooth 5 connection following the L2CAP protocol.

 

[pwtr02ss]

Beauatiful!!! I am lost on the upper control arm ball joints. How are they secured to the knuckle?

You missed your calling as a detective. You notice things in pictures that I’d never even see. That includes the pictures I post. I dabble in photography so the zoom is a natural instinct for critique, but you’re one detail oriented dude

 

[Fless]

Paw paw @89Suburban when viewing pics:

 

[iamdub]

I don't remember how I did it, but I broke the tip off the ball joint stud. It sheared at half the drilled part that the cotter pin goes through. It was a new upper control arm/ball joint/bushing assembly being installed while lowering. I wasn't gonna stop the whole project for that. I staked the stud and marked the nut so I'd be able to tell if it turned. It's been over three years and about 30K miles so far. It's fine.

 

[89Suburban]

I don't remember how I did it, but I broke the tip off the ball joint stud. It sheared at half the drilled part that the cotter pin goes through. It was a new upper control arm/ball joint/bushing assembly being installed while lowering. I wasn't gonna stop the whole project for that. I staked the stud and marked the nut so I'd be able to tell if it turned. It's been over three years and about 30K miles so far. It's fine.

Okay.