Easy Sway Bars pt 2

[Dragin]

OK boys and girls after much thought and tinkering I came up with the poor man's version of the Blue Groove Sway Bars. I only did the front end since I already did the rear in my previous sway bar post. For this installation I have exactly $0 invested!! Since I am sure that caught alot of eyes, lets get started.

What you will need: 2x servo horns and 1x Tiger's teeth (if you don't know an insulator, music wire from the hobby shop will do the trick. But that blows the $0 budget by atleast a buck :nono: )

Tools: a Dremel with a cut off wheel and sanding attachment, pliers and a sharpie for marking bend points, and a drill to ream out your servo horn.


http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/3638/servohornbeforeandafterrl4.gif

On the left is what I started with. On the right is what it ended up as. Cut 3 arms off, sanded to shape with dremel and remed the center hole to accept the Savage screw. I figured who doesn't have a few of those laying around. I may have to swap to aluminum horns in the future. A test bashing will tell the tale.


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1126/armhole3zl1.gif

Stock X arm. Where the sway bar will slide in is circled. No modification required.


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2150/servohornplacementdt1.jpg

Here is where the servo horn goes. I drilled out the second hole from the center to accept the tiger tooth. The hole will depend on the material used for the sway bar. Once the horn is in place you will see why the second hole was chosen. It lines up nicely with the dip in the TVP design.


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/5672/swaybarintoarmsideviewmj9.jpg

After a few test bends to get my angles right here is what you get. I would suggest needle nose pliers to aid in installing into the arms. I personally took it as far in as possible so there would be no worries of the sway bar exiting unexpectedly. No linkage collars hold it in and I don't believe I will need them either.


http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/8106/swaybarintoarmtopviewep8.jpg

And here is another view.


I would have gottena pic of the Tiger Tooth bent into shape before installation but it was 2 a.m. and I was so happy to get this installed with just a test fit I skipped that pic. Wasn't too hard to get the bend points so I am sure you can make do without. If not I will get a pic next time I tear the front end down.

I will say that the Blue Groove use a much heavier material and eventually when I have a disposable income I will probably get a set, but for now.........I kinda like the do it yourself route. And I definitly can't complain about the price!! Enjoy and feel free to leave some feedback or questions on either of the sway bar installments. I may just do a part 3 with a Blue Groove knock off for the rear. Undecided as of yet.

It sucks being :$broke: but I have as much fun making this stuff as using it

Enjoy!!

[Shaun]

great mod for sway bars!! reps given!!

p.s.. pics are pretty blurry though!!!

[Dragin]

At 2 a.m. thats how I was seeing aswell lol

I may try to get some better pics and maybe resize them too.

[Dragin]

Alrighty, the above images have been resized and touched up abit. I just gotta get a better camera I guess. I snapped a couple of new ones that might give a better visual.

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/6982/sidepi7.gif

Here you can see the sway bar going into the arm hole


http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7725/topcx8.gif

Here you can see the servo horn placement and how the sway bar goes through the TVP.


Hope these help "clear" things up some

[I-Hate-Traxxas]

Ok I know this is an old thread but I would like to see the more pictures cause I can no longer see half of them

[Dragin]

I will have to dig around but I will see what I can do. Too many files in too many places.

[Bankrupter]

I will have to dig around but I will see what I can do. Too many files in too many places.

Long time no see . sorry to off topic your thread but how ya been ?

[Dragin]

Not too bad, going through alittle withdraw though. Broke my savage and haven't fixed her yet. Tossed a dog bone on a bad back flip landing. Simple fix just haven't been able to run to the hobbyshop. I did score an MT2 that runs like a raped ape and is only getting better as I get it dialed in to this enviroment, it came from up north so alittle tweaking is going a long way.

Kinda surprised anybody noticed I was gone lol

[88gtanotchback]

if you need a dog bone for the center lmk you can have em for free just shipping. i got a few extra sets.

[I-Hate-Traxxas]

Thanks I hope ya can find those pictures!

[Dragin]

Ok, I found the update pictures.

http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab101/XxdraginxX/Side.gif



http://i854.photobucket.com/albums/ab101/XxdraginxX/Top.gif

Still not the clearest pics but you can get the idea of where I was going. While they are not "true" sway bars they do have an impact on the handling of the truck and are super cheap. Can't beat free right?

If ya need any of the other pics let me know, I will keep digging. They are bound to turn up sooner or later

[I-Hate-Traxxas]

I just have a question bout how you mounted them I don't get how they stay in one place...

[Dragin]

It stays in place b/c it doesn't have anywhere to go. Unless you really plow an arm to the point it should have broke, the sway bar stays in where it is supposed to. It can't go backwards since it goes through the servo horns that are mounted to the tvps, and it can't go forward b/c of the suspension arm. And sliding from side to side won't happen either since it is one solid piece from arm to arm.

[I-Hate-Traxxas]

how is it mounted up front?

[Dragin]

In the top picture the circle is supposed to show the hole in the suspension arm, slide it through there. Once it is all together they stay in place. The servo horns keep it locked into place.