sand dunes + sway bars??

[adarkang]

Well I am heading out to Silver Lake sand dunes this weekend and I am seeking some advice on my sway bars. I have stock sway bars and I am wondering if it would be a good idea to take my sway bars off for the weekend? Or would this be not so wise of a move? Anybody ever done this?

 

[410Fortune]

YES.

remove those suckers, you cam make quick disconnects cheap, or you can do like me and completely remove the rear for trips like this (only reason I still ahve rear is I tow a bit, otherwise = scrap metal)

 

[taxx]

Honestly there isn't much need to disconnect them at silver lakes as all it is is a bunch of mounds you go up and down. Its hard to find even anywhere to get poser flex on.

 

[410Fortune]

but they make landings smoother.
Plus we want hom to see the benefits of no sway bars off road for the first time so shhhh

 

[adarkang]

Sway bars = smoother landing?

 

[taxx]

I'd take the back one off and throw it away anyways.

 

[410Fortune]

smoother landing yes, unless you are landing with both tires on the ground at the eact same time.

the benefits of off roading with no sway bars is something you will see very quickly.
Now with that said there are times/trails/trucks that can really benefit from leaving the sway bar on, it can really aid with traction at times.

Dont jump your truck, I was joking.

With the sway bar on the front end acts like a solid axle, but it also restricts suspension travel. The key to off roading is keeping a tire on tera firma, the more suspension travel, the better your chances of continuing to move forward.

 

[taxx]

Now with that said there are times/trails/trucks that can really benefit from leaving the sway bar on, it can really aid with traction at times.

Thats why I say at Silver Lake its not worth the effort of disconnecting the sway bar. Its not going to benifit enough either way. And as fast as people fly around there I would want as much stability as possible. That front end is real squirly and damn near impossible to turn at higher speeds with the sway bar disconnected.

Why not just try it both ways. Your there all day and you only need to disconnect one side.

 

[adarkang]

Thanks for the help I think I may try that!

 

[BigDave!!!]

ive done both, it handles a hell of a lot better without the swaybar in the front but is scary at high speed turns because of the body roll, now i just keep my rear bar on because i cant afford to roll especially without a cage

 

[98Explorer4x4]

Yeah I was gonna ask you guys about cornering without the sway bars..........!

 

[410Fortune]

I drive around with my front sway bar off daily, for years. I have soft springs and big tires, my front end handles just fine in the corners, I prefer the softer feel and independant cycling I get without the bar disconnected.
I will drive allteh way to Moab without front or rear bars, its not that bad, unless your suspension is not dialed in right.

Bump steer is what makes the TTB squirrely.

 

[BigDave!!!]

like taxxman said, try both and see what you like more

 

[93liftedXLT]

Id leave them on, or at least the rear one, if u do triails with none front and rear, u have more flex, bit more likly to roll

 

[dman726749]

Id leave them on, or at least the rear one, if u do triails with none front and rear, u have more flex, bit more likly to roll

you have no idea what you are talking about

 

[410Fortune]

hahahahahahahahaha OWNED
in many situations off road the sway bar will actually make it easier to roll over, when you flex the suspension to the max and the sway bar is still hooked up it will start pushing the body over, without the sway bar you can get more flex without this happening.

Its allright though this is how we learn.

Alot of this stuff depends on your type of lift, amount of lift, type of sway bar, sway bar setup, etc. It varies from truck to truck and from trail to trail, but in no way does not having a sway bar on make it easier to roll, in fact the opposite is true.

 

[taxx]

Alot of this stuff depends on your type of lift, amount of lift, type of sway bar, sway bar setup, etc. It varies from truck to truck and from trail to trail

I don't run a front sway bar either with my soft springs, but I have a solid 44 up front, you have to remember he doesn't have TTB, he has the newer IFS. You don't gain much at all with the sway bars disconnected. It does help keep it more level in some off camber stuff but not much at all and you don't gain any traction from the drooped side since there is no weight on it and no leverage.

And even with stiff shocks and and some cranking on the torsion bars at any kind of speed over 15 mph its scary turning like that. It really dives to the outside corner and makes it more likely to roll.

A desert racing truck may not have sway bars but they are setup completely different than a stock explorer suspension.

I ran mine both ways many times and gained very little from having the front disconnected especially since most people with a TT are almost maxed out in travel anyways and the other one can only move up a few more inches.

For trails I agree take it off. For the dunes I say have more fun with it on.

 

[93liftedXLT]

you have no idea what you are talking about

Haha Owned comming from someone with 8.000 post, pretty Immature, and Actually i do know what i am talking about, i was on the Dunes last week Moron, i took them off and almost rolled my truck doing some hill climb trails,So i put them back on


Better yet here are some pic's

Were are your pictures?

 

[Racerx70]

No Sway bars on mine. And I hardly think that having no sway bars made your truck almost roll, It's the driver that does that.

this felt tippy, but probly would have been worse WITH sway bars

 

[jimbo74]

my truck isnt an explorer but a toyota, and has a suspension setup of torsion bars up front... i removed my swaybar when i lifted it... couldnt be happier, i think it rides much better now... but its really hard to judge since my truck gained 6" in tire size and 4" of lift spindle from before to after the swaybar was removed......