I know that this has been done before but I have added a lot of detail and my findings. Pictures are set up for high resolution monitors. 1024x768 or lower is NOT recommended.

Why?
This will gain you clerance well above the bash bar and save your SBM (sway bar motor) from being destroyed costing you over a thousand bucks for just that part. After removing your plastic air dam you can see how vulnerable your SBM really is.



How?
Remove the 4 sway bar mounting bolts. Leave the links mounted it will help you control the bar. Remove the stock bolt, rotate the motor forward and drill the hole out on the new mount to 3/8ths". Install the new bolt and nut. Bolt the sway bar back to the Jeep. Adjust the rubber mount.

How, much?
89 cents. One bolt, one nut from lowes.

What?
5 1/2" Long 3/8" Diam. Stainless and nut. Lowes Part # 55820 (bolt) and # 63303 (nut).

Remove stock bolt.


3/8" Hole Drilled.



Install the new bolt, and then reinstall the bar.


This is the most difficult part. This black "S" bar needs to be bent to create clearance for the motor and the plastic guard for the radiator. I used a large steel bar to pound it back from the front of the Jeep. Then a small prybar to move it away from the sway bar to fine tune the motors location. This will keep it from the below contact points in the next picture.


Below are some points that may contact. You will need to adjust the metal mount that holds the rubber isolator.




Stock bolt installed compared to new bolt.



WIRE PLACEMENT

Remove the retainer clip that holds the wire. This will need to be cut because this will have a possibility of getting damaged on the trail if not moved.



Make sure the wire is above the motor to keep it off rocks and trail debris.



New sway bar location.


Well protected above bash bar. Look at the before picture at the top of this page and the last two pictures. Major clearance improvement!


This seems like a lot of work but it took me 15-20 minutes just to install it once I had the bolt in hand. Fun quick project!!!

 

Nice job JulietKilo! I actually spent the day with Woods yesterday and he has his done as well.... Great write-up

 

did this a long time ago... i highly recommend it to all, now if i could just get my sway bar motor working again.... stupid smart bar has crapped out more times that i can remember

 

have you had it replaced under warranty?

 

yup, its been repaired under warranty, replaced under warranty the new one has been repaired under warranty, now i'm waiting for them to replace this one under warranty... my warranty is up in 4500 miles, when it breaks after that, i'll have them flash the computer so its just no longer active and the dumb light wont blink all the time, after that, i'll convert to manual disconnects...

 

I love the idea. That is alot easier than trying to fab up a plate to protect it. Will try to do this weekend!

 

I rotated the e-disco motor this week! All I did was:
1. remove the bolt from the rubber isolator
2. find a nut in a parts bin that would thread onto it
3. rotate the motor up until I found one of the other bolt heads that lined up with well the rubber isolator
4. removed this bolt from the e-disco and weld the new nut onto the head of the bolt
5. put the modified bolt back on
6. use the original bolt from #1 to go through the rubber isolator and thread into the nut

It took like 10 min. tops, and if I need to, I can quickly put the e-disco back into factory position in 2 min.

 

Great detail!! Thanks for the info, I definitely need to get on this.

 

uh..only part I don't understand is the bending of the "S" bar..that can't be good.....how much to bend and where are my questions...would be a good weekend to do this if I get answers

 

When you get it in place you will see. Its not that neccessary really. Its more of a precaution to keep it off the plastic shrouds but it wont hurt anything if it does however.