Adding a factory replacement sway bar disconnect to a wildtrak

[fairlane_68]

Pff...reliable and a pain in the ass! lol
Personally I'd go with Antirock sway bars when available.

As opposed to spending thousands on parts and trying to find a dealer that can be convinced to reprogram the modules to enable the disconnect to work as designed, and then have to worry about whether or not I just voided my warranty? They may be a PITA for now but they work. If something else comes out thats better I'll be open to that.

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[fairlane_68]

Would you need one for the rear bar as well?

We'll find out

 

[Hemisfear]

As opposed to spending thousands on parts and trying to find a dealer that can be convinced to reprogram the modules to enable the disconnect to work as designed, and then have to worry about whether or not I just voided my warranty? They may be a PITA for now but they work. If something else comes out thats better I'll be open to that.

You’re just making that up! lol

 

[josh1121]

So, I am thinking about doing this. It appears that the dash harness on the '23 badlands and the '23 wildtrak are the same. I wonder if that means that I can swap out the switch assembly and add the hard parts and be done. The worrisome part for me is that there is some hidden programming of which I am not aware. I see @Hemisfear that "some local guy" did it, any other information on him? I see that he used an aux switch, but was there any programming?

My reluctance to just do manual stems from recent reports of issues with the manual ones less that a year after purchase. I'm sure there is a way to resolve the issues, and I'm not trying to knock the ACFab guys as I hear Oscar is great, but I like the convenience of the electronic one.

 

[NORCALGXP]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1553009020...rentrq:8481bfa51860a49f3cef81e7ffff2bd6|iid:1

 

[josh1121]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/155300902064?_trkparms=amclksrc=ITM&aid=777008&algo=PERSONAL.TOPIC&ao=1&asc=20220705100511&meid=594bec005bd445a6bd861c149013b97e&pid=101524&rk=1&rkt=1&itm=155300902064&pmt=0&noa=1&pg=2380057&algv=RecentlyViewedItemsV2&brand=Ford&_trksid=p2380057.c101524.m146925&_trkparms=pageci:1fd8acd2-b46a-11ed-b65c-3eba0bf77a8b|parentrq:8481bfa51860a49f3cef81e7ffff2bd6|iid:1

Thanks for the link. It sure looks like it is a self contained unit. So if the plug is there, it then becomes making the computer see it.

 

[Figmo]

ya know….I’m actually considering doing this. Yeah….$1600 is a lot of money….but not prohibitive. And the convenience factor is high. Not to mention the “coolness factor” even higher.

What I would like to do is wire it to an aux switch. Like what ”some local guy” did in a previous post. I want it this way for 2 reasons:

1. It sounds like it would simplify a lot of the bullshit in the install. No wiring problems. No programming problems. No switches to swap out.

2. While I’d really like a stab bar disconnect, I absolutely hate the nanny programming that Ford built into the Bronco. If I want to disconnect the stab bar and leave it disconnected in 2WD above 20mph….I’m the boss in my rig. Not some lawyer at Ford.

Aux switch sounds like the way to go. Simpler install. More control over your vehicle. I don’t care so much about the factory look of a hero button. And I definitely don’t want the hero behavior.

I wonder if it would be so simple as “12v to the plug to disengage, 0v to re-engage”. If it’s really this simple then I’m ready to order the assembly up and give it a stab.

Can anybody confirm that wiring one of these to an aux switch wouldn’t be any more difficult than wiring up an LED light? If so - I’ll be the forum’s guinea pig

 

[Figmo]

Dude is dreaming. Why would anybody pay $1550 for a used one when they can get a brand new one from Ford for less than $100 more? He has the listing set to “NO RETURNS”, meaning on the off chance this thing is defective - you’re on your own.

I’m not adverse to rolling the dice on a used part but I’d demand more of a discount than that for taking that risk.

 

[josh1121]

I think that your logic is sound. Seems like it's worth the go.

I'm considering just doing it too. Maybe even getting the $140 factory switch and seeing if I can make it work. I've dumped that much on stupid ideas before. LOL. I've used the Forscan software recently and it seems to work well (I even enabled rock crawl to see how it goes). Maybe I can figure out how to make it work too.

As I was writing this it dawned on me that Ford had those sway bar disconnect demo tables setup, so it seems to me that it must be as simple as voltage on/ voltage off. It was probably just a car battery and a switch. If there is anyone that knows for sure, I'd love to hear it.

 

[josh1121]

Dude is dreaming. Why would anybody pay $1550 for a used one when they can get a brand new one from Ford for less than $100 more? He has the listing set to “NO RETURNS”, meaning on the off chance this thing is defective - you’re on your own.

I’m not adverse to rolling the dice on a used part but I’d demand more of a discount than that for taking that risk.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[Chritaka]

Following as I’ve also been contemplating this!

 

[ngwildtrak]

So, I am thinking about doing this. It appears that the dash harness on the '23 badlands and the '23 wildtrak are the same. I wonder if that means that I can swap out the switch assembly and add the hard parts and be done. The worrisome part for me is that there is some hidden programming of which I am not aware. I see @Hemisfear that "some local guy" did it, any other information on him? I see that he used an aux switch, but was there any programming?

My reluctance to just do manual stems from recent reports of issues with the manual ones less that a year after purchase. I'm sure there is a way to resolve the issues, and I'm not trying to knock the ACFab guys as I hear Oscar is great, but I like the convenience of the electronic one.

I have been tinkering with this for weeks off and on. The HERO switches on the dash are easy and swap right in. Programming is another story, the disconnect needs a harness to connect to it for operation, the Badlands, Raptor and First Edition are the only ones with the connectors to make it work. I have traced it through two sections of wiring harness back that would also have to be replaced. There is a chassis control module the Badlands, Raptor and FE also have that we are missing located on the rear drivers side by the tail light. The bcm, pcm, hero switch and awd module all communicate with the sta bar through the hi speed can bus system of the vehicle.

 

[josh1121]

OK, so you are farther along on this journey. That is exactly what I was worried about. It appears that the engine harness is the same, but that other module may be a sticking point, especially considering I wouldn't have a starting point for programming the sensor reactions. Well, unless someone has a badlands CHCM as built that I could start from.

That aux switch is looking more promising now. I wonder if I could use the hero switch like a simple switch also. I guess I have to take apart my current setup and do some more digging.

 

[Chritaka]

OK, so you are farther along on this journey. That is exactly what I was worried about. It appears that the engine harness is the same, but that other module may be a sticking point, especially considering I wouldn't have a starting point for programming the sensor reactions. Well, unless someone has a badlands CHCM as built that I could start from.

That aux switch is looking more promising now. I wonder if I could use the hero switch like a simple switch also. I guess I have to take apart my current setup and do some more digging.

I would just want it wired to an upfitter so I can have full control Vs the factory setup where it’s only engaged in rockcrawl etc..

 

[ngwildtrak]

OK, so you are farther along on this journey. That is exactly what I was worried about. It appears that the engine harness is the same, but that other module may be a sticking point, especially considering I wouldn't have a starting point for programming the sensor reactions. Well, unless someone has a badlands CHCM as built that I could start from.

That aux switch is looking more promising now. I wonder if I could use the hero switch like a simple switch also. I guess I have to take apart my current setup and do some more digging.

From what digging I have done the HERO switch operates on the CAN network and would not be usable. I am currently in development of a standalone harness that would be plug and play with our units. We would add the chassis control module either under hood or in cab and add the relay and fuse locations to the fuse block and install the sta bar. Communication with the network will come from a connection to a factory CAN test port. Some forscan modification to the as built should take care of the rest.

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