11/12/02

Total cost to build your own set is about $40 in parts. This will save you my labor, tooling, profit, shipping and handling costs and you can still benefit from all my R&D for free. All I ask is that you give me credit for the design and a link if you publish a web page. I warn you though, with out proper tools, these disconnects are more difficult to build than they appear.

Parts you will need if you want to build your own:

• 2 - 8"x1/2" Carriage bolts with an unthreaded shouler area at the head. All threads should be #13.
• 2 - 3"x1/2" Grade 8 bolts with an unthreaded shoulder area
• 2 - 1/2" female end heims/rod ends with any thread size or direction
• 6 - 1/2" Nylock nuts
• 2 - 1/2" wing nuts
• 2- 3/16" hitch pins
• 4- bushings (Energy Suspension 9.8103R)
• 4- 1/2" washers

Tools you will need:

• Grinder or a file and some patience
• Cut off wheel because a hack or jig saw will take forever to go through Grade 8
• 1/2", 3/16" drill bits plus a drill. I recommend a drill press, Cobalt bits and cutting oil.
• Two 19mm or 3/4" wrenches
• Welder

1. Slide a heim on to a Grade 8 bolt and thread a nylock backwards on to the G8 and tighten it until the nylon reaches where the threads end on the bolt near the shoulder.
2. Mark for a 3/16" hole so that it is closely adjacent to the heim.
3. Remove the bolt and heim from the G8 and drill the hole. You may have to start small if you have cheap bits. Use a slow speed on the drill (press).
4. Reinstall the nylock and then cut the head off the G8 midway between the head and the hole you drilled.
5. Campher the end of the bolt and hole with a file or grinder so that the heim is easier to install.
6. When the hitch pin is inserted, the heim should be snug. If not tighten the nylock some more. Try not to damage the heim's seating surface on the stud.
7. Remove the heim and cut the head off a carriage bolt.
8. Insert the cut end into the heim to the bottom of the hole.
9. Weld the carriage bolt to the heim.
10. Repeat for the other link.

If you want to disconnect your rear bar, I recommend the following. Build a single endlink as described above which is 1" shorter and install it on the passenger side (ie not on the side with the gas tank). You can install a 1" ID urethane length of hose on the end of the bar to absorb contact shock with the control arm and frame. Disconnecting the Driver's side will cause the bar to wedge between the frame and the tank as well as rattle around during normal driving. I am not selling a version of this disconnect. During testing I decided that the rear swaybar does absolutely nothing on my vehicle, even on the pavement, and I have since removed it completely from the vehicle.

I do not have the credentials to offer automotive advice. The modification experiences that follow, and any I might offer on this web site in the future, explain how I chose to approach a modification I wanted to make to my personal car. I am not suggesting that anyone else make this modification to his or her vehicle. In the event anyone chooses to accept the responsibility of initiating a similar vehicle modification, they should do so with the understanding it could result in undesired damage to their vehicle and could void the warrantee provided by the vehicle manufacturer. In addition, I wish to point out that undertaking any vehicle modification without proper knowledge, experience, tools, and safety equipment can result in personal injury.

http://www.larsdennert.com