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Sway Bar Project

61K views 259 replies 50 participants last post by  Dayton lock 
#1 · (Edited)
I removed my original L8ton 11/16's " bar today. One thing I'd like to share is the importance to re-lube the bushings. My bar is starting to wear, and I have greased it a few times since original install.

Anyways I dropped the bar off at my friends today. He is going to take it into work, make all the measurements, and come up with a jig to copy the design. I also dug my oem bar out for him to look at. I had it stored in the rafters of my garage, inside the box that Kyle shipped the L8ton bar in. Well inside the box had a different Phone # than listed on the website. Low and behold he answered the call, we talked for awhile. He is going to let me know how many 11/16's bushings he has, and hopefully cut a deal. I also asked him to let me know if he has any brackets left over. Also asked him if there was any way he would consider making more bars. He said he could but, not sure it is worth while. And that he only started this venture to help a few fellow riders out, and he guessed he sold around 500 bars. I thought that was a lot, but he wasn't to impressed. And wished Honda kept producing the quad, so he could sell thousands of bars! Also trying to find out what type of material he used on the bar. My friend and I don't believe it's spring steel. He has some sort of # code for the material, but he is still researching it.

 
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#3 ·
I'd buy one for sure! I'm a big guy (6'2" & 400). I kick myself each day because I didn't buy a L8ton sway bar. I'm thinking of buying a Durablue, but I'd rather buy one like the heavy duty L8ton that replaces the stock bar. Let me know if someone is selling something I can use. Thanks.
 
#5 ·
I just got my 08 700xx a month ago and I would definitely buy one, as long as not a crazy price obviously. Is there ANY other aftermarket sway bars out there? I spent a lot of time searching for anything but tough with only 2 year production. I also noticed a long time ago people switched from the 9/16 to 11/16 is that for people that wanted no sway or was it best to go to 11/16? I'm mostly trail rider not much MX at all.
 
#6 ·
I have the 9/16" and am quite happy with it for the type of riding I do (trail and XC) But am quite sure you'd find plenty of riders who want 11/16"

roadkill
 
#8 ·
Herd back from Kyle in email today. Sadly he says he only has 3 set's of the 11/16's" bushing left. I placed the order immediately, and replied to email asking about 9/16's bushing, and any brackets! I'm still waiting on that reply. kyle also told me the type of material used in making the bar, turns out my buddy knows his shit. And he is done with my bar already, he just let me know I can come pick it up. I figured he'd put it on his quad while he had it, and at least ride around the yard, lol.

If we can't figure out how to reproduce the bushings, there may be only 3 bars made :crying: Once a bar is completed I want to test it out. Unless it looks just like the L8ton and made with the same material, then I figure why bother. Hopefully Kyle has some 9/16's bushing's to, because my friend said he would just have to re-adjust his jig, and could make them different sizes.

The guy working on the bar's name is Keith. He said the hardest part of duplicating the bushings is, the outside edge. The little lip that holds it inside the bracket. Shit I mean no shit as we speak Keith sent me a picture of the jig! Exciting isn't it....let me bail and I will upload. :laugh:
 
#9 · (Edited)
Sway bar jig

(preview of jig timed out sorry)


Also I guess he is going to try and find bushing from automotive supplier, so maybe he can work it out once all material is found and make all that is wanted. The jig above don't look like much, in fact I had to look at it for awhile to figure out how the hell it was gonna work. He has almost 2 days or work measuring, researching and making the jig.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I'll trade you 2 of my bar's for the Scrambler! :smile:

Is there an estimated cost of these sway bars yet? I would love to purchase one once they become available.
Nothing set in stone yet, they will be listed on eBay when available. That way the builder thinks will be easiest to sell, instead of coming up with a web site. Keith is entertaining the thought of a grease fitting on the bracket's. To make it easier to grease than disassembling, so the bars wont wear like mine has. When he measured the hardness of my bar, it was very inconsistent. And he is hoping other people with bars will wear out and need a new harder bar that won't wear. Generally on auto's the bushings wear out not the bar!


link to price guess & poll.

http://www.club700xx.com/vb/12-wanted/20098-l8ton-swaybar.html
 
#20 ·
Might need your help if we can't find them locally. Most of the ones I've seen online for automotive with the brackets, are made the opposite we need. The round part is in the bracket and flat part to the frame, and the 700xx needs it the opposite. And it would really help if we could find the bracket and bushings pre made.
 
#23 ·
Funny, I have a 9/16" bar and I was thinking the same thing! haha

To be honest, as far as helping the 700XX turn, I felt the adjustable upper a-arms helped more than the sway bar. Ultimate setup was both, but I think I could get rid of the sway bar and be just as happy with arms only.

Doug
 
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#19 ·
Okay, either that or Keith and I will drop by your shop and deliver them. He is short of a motor head too, he has a older early 70's? Chevelle, and a newer blown turbo Chevy Cruise.
 
#25 · (Edited)
Teixeira Technologies

I never considered the sway bar helping the 700 turn. It does help slide the rear, reduces push in corners, and helps with inside tire lift. Slow speed turning the bar will not help..
 
#26 ·
As long as the bar makes the 700 feel more like my 400 I will he happy. If not I may have to part ways with it for a raptor or 450r and accept the fact that I will be doing a top end rebuild once a year.
 
#28 ·
Keith was able to forged a 5/8"s bar. Still trying to locate brackets and bushings. I guess the 11/16"s bar is hard to locate. I think the 5/8"s bar is perfect size any way. At least it is right in between the 2 sizes that L8ton racing made.
 
#32 ·
The logo is most likely gonna be on that prototype bar. I'm not sure what he will come up with for the marketable bars. I will mention red to him, but to be honest you really can't hardly see it once installed on quad.

And we test fit the bar on Keiths quad last night, just before dark. We used my brackets and the 11/16's bushings. The bar fit perfectly. The bolting area is thicker than the L8ton bars, but still plenty of room for the tie-rod bolt to be fastened properly. The test ride was done in a small back yard, but the quad was sliding with little to no body english.
 
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#34 ·
#35 ·
has anyone tried calling l8ton and see were he gets his bushings from
 
#37 ·
Material purchased to mill the brackets, and bushings located. Last couple weeks Keith has been extremely busy at work, so no free time to mill. I'm hoping this will change in the next couple weeks, so we/he can get a few of these out to the people wanting them.
 
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