Dang rear swaybar!

[VBVA]

Originally posted by Alec
Ditch the entire rear swaybar setup I know you have the Saleen bar, etc; but the front does most of the work and you won't notice the rear being gone that much. I ditched mine cause it was binding too much and it actually reconnected itself while offroad once.

I beg to differ Alec...I have had my rear sway bar disconnected since my last GWNF run a couple of weeks ago and my Ex has become a death trap. I wanted to see any long term affects and differences by leaving it off, and the highway driving is nerve rattling, especially under hard braking. I am re-connecting it this weekend cause I have a 300 mile road trip coming up.


Digger - mine was stuck real good the first time I disconnected it. I took some WD-40 and sprayed all the connections the day before I was planning to take it off. It took some muscle the next day and a really big wrench, but it loosened up. I loosen the lower bolts, pull away the sway bar and hold on to the nuts in the Ex, then I loosen the upper bolts on the frame and push the connects to the front of the Ex and then re-tighten them. This holds the connects still. I then get a bungee cord and loop it through the holes on the sway bar and over the rear tire holder under the Ex, this holds the sway bar pretty still. Reconnecting goes just the opposite.

 

[Alec]

Brian,
You also have a 93 and he has a 95. The front swaybar and suspension setup on a 95 handles much better than the 93 TTB and thus the rear does much less work in terms of helping handling.

I don't mean to be rude, but I do drive my truck very hard on pavement and off. If leaving the rear swaybar off drastically affected my handling then I would for sure leave it on. Anyone who's driven with me knows I like to see what the Explorer can do

 

[Maniak]

It is really personal preference...

Our '92 has Progressive rate front springs and is lifted close to 4 inches....

with only the fton sway bar the truck still felt flat and rode normally....

I removed the front sway bar, and you can really tell a difference.

I don't have a problem driving with no sway bars (and I have had to do swerves without them).. but for some people, it just doesn't work...

When we had the front but not the rear, people that drove our X didn't notice it was missing..

~Mark

 

[section525]

I haven't had any sway bars for a while now.... and I took off the front long before the rear. Alec is right, the rear is hardly noticable. Especially if you have add-a-leafs. I'm hoping I can put my front one back on one of these days, just because I'm tired of having to slow way down to take corners... but I'm leaving the rear off for good.

If you don't have a sport truck explorer.. and don't drive like you have one.. no rear sway bar is perfectly safe.

***But don't do it without your parent's permission!***
(Covering my @$$)

 

[Hartman]

I had some trouble getting out the bolt that connects the sway bar to the end link as well. Here's what I did: One of the ends is just flat (the end facing the tire). Take some vise grips and clamp them on that side. Then take a crescent wrench and put it on the side with the bolt. It helps to put a 1/2 inch steel pipe over the wrench for leverage. Hold the vise grips with one hand and put all your force into the wrench. I was able to loosen it using that method.

 

[Digger196]

Hartman - so that'll get the bolt off the car and outa the brushing that it is in now?

 

[Hartman]

It should.

 

[Digger196]

i'll try that! if i can get the bolt off the car i can add quick disconnects.

 

[VBVA]

Originally posted by Alec
I don't mean to be rude, but I do drive my truck very hard on pavement and off. If leaving the rear swaybar off drastically affected my handling then I would for sure leave it on. Anyone who's driven with me knows I like to see what the Explorer can do

HAHAHA, yeah, I've read some of the stories!!!

 

[SplashMan]

Take it off and stick it in the garage... I did 2 years ago and you really can't tell a differance.

 

[Digger196]

going to give it a wack this Sat. and if i can't get it off, it's coming completely off and i'll see how i like it. ifi don't i could always put it back on.

 

[aldive]

Originally posted by SplashMan
Take it off and stick it in the garage... I did 2 years ago and you really can't tell a differance.

I am curious.... when I chamged to the big rear bar from Explorer Express, there was a world of difference as compared to the stock one.... but you guys say no difference with no bar on at all??????????

Please explain this to me.... Thanks

 

[Alec]

Aldive, I did feel a difference when I went to my Saleen rear bar after having the stocker. However, after I swapped leaf springs and shocks, the rear swaybar did almost nothing except limit flex. This conversation pertains to lifted Explorers. On a lowered truck, the swaybars make much more difference.

 

[SplashMan]

Originally posted by aldive
I am curious.... when I chamged to the big rear bar from Explorer Express, there was a world of difference as compared to the stock one.... but you guys say no difference with no bar on at all??????????

Please explain this to me.... Thanks

When I first removed mine, I only had the shackles in the rear (stock shocks and no add-a-leaf). You could tell there was more "roll" when going around corners, but after a week or two I didn't even notice it. My wife said the same thing. When I got the Ranchos it got tighter and the add-a-leafs make it feel like it did with the bar on.

 

[DocVijay]

Quick Disconnects.

Here are the sway bar disconnects I got.

Dead Link Removed

Here is how they unhook. It's very simple yet sturdy enoug where it won't pop off while driving.

Dead Link Removed


I'm just having trouble presssing these sleeves into the rubber bushings on top, and the bolts from the lower part on the bottom:

Dead Link Removed

Could I use a big vice and just slowly squeeze them in there? Any tips would help.

 

[Crankcase]

Re: Quick Disconnects.

Originally posted by DocVijay

Could I use a big vice and just slowly squeeze them in there? Any tips would help.

A vice should work fine.....

 

[Digger196]

Hey Doc, tell me if ya get them on there and where ya got them. how much where they?

 

[DocVijay]

I thik they were like $50 or something like that. I ordered them through my local 4 wheel shop. They are made for the Explorer specifically (note the similar bend), and they have longer ones for lifted vehicles. I don't remember what brand they are, but I do kow they primarily make Jeep stuff.

 

[SplashMan]

Warrior!

 

[DocVijay]

Yes, Warrior. For some reason I was thinking it wasn't Warrior. Anyhow, they have them for:

91-94 WAR85202
95-01 Front WAR85203
95-01 Rear WAR85212

They have different lengths that they come in too.

I might get the front ones also later on. I'll have to try these out and see how they hold up.