Safety concerning Removal of sway bars

[tenikiwon]

I've read a couple places about people removing there sway bars for added flex.

Is this a safe practice? :exp: I'll never try to compete in the grand prix, but my X is my one and only daily driver.

Also, if anyone knows the link of the post where someone has a easy removal ability of there sway bars could you send it this way.


Thanks

 

[Bshmastr]

Having my rear bar removed on the highway was almost unnoticeable. Driving without the front bar, however, was kinda scary. I wouldn't want to have to swerve around something without the front bar attached.

I do detach the front when offroading though.

 

[Alec]

ditto for me. I took off the rear with the addition of stiffer shocks and an addaleaf. I keep the front on except when wheeling. The front takes about 3 minutes to disconnect, and it is kinda scary without it on the road. Offroad though, disco'ing it helps out a lot.

 

[PekingMan]

I agree completely with both Bshmastr and Alec. You will hardly notice the rear one off. The front is a completley different story. I personal don't feel safe driving without it, although, I do drive 40-55 mph on dirt roads to the trails after I take it off to go wheelin, and that isn't much of a problem; just don't take a hard turn while driving fast.

 

[tbomb]

yeah, i went wheeling with JDraper (jeff) last spring, and he had the quick disconnects on his rear bar, so we popped it off, and on the highway, it wasnt noticeable. dont ask me about the front though, im just a street guy a lil common sense and some knowledge of how the sway bars work would lead me to believe that removing the front one wouludnt be the best idea.

 

[tenikiwon]

Just to clairify.

The sway bars stabilize you vehicle from roll??

 

[PekingMan]

Correct, they essentially restrict you suspension from flexing (bad for off-road), but in the process, allow your vehicle not to roll so much during turns.

 

[tenikiwon]

then off-road does it allow more equal weight distribution to each wheel for more traction??

 

[Alec]

Dunno about weight distribution, but disconnecting the swaybars offroad allows more wheel travel. When they're connected, the bars actually prevent articulation because they link opposite sides of the truck. This reduces articulation and thus body roll onroad.

 

[Maniak]

Sway Bars?? I don't need no stinkin sway bars...

Serously.. We don't run any sway bars on our '92 X (modified 2.5" duff lift)..

It does have more body roll (ok.. a lot more) than it did stock.. but I know how it rides and I am used to it.. I have had to swerve on twisty 2 lane roads a few times (Dang skunks.. I don't mind hitting most of the small animals around the house.. but not that one)...

Removing the Rear isn't that noticable.. Removing the front is very noticable. We run rs9000 shocks and I do have the shocks stiffened up more when I don't have sway bars (if I go on a long trip I put the front one on.. otherwise I can make people seasick if there is a strong cross wind on a long freeway trip)...

The swaybars job is to try to keep the tires on oposite sides from moving in oposite directions. The stiffer the bar/system the less opposite movement you can get.. Soo.. to the question

then off-road does it allow more equal weight distribution to each wheel for more traction??

I think the answer is no. If you have the suspension twisted up as far as it will go with the sway bar connected you will have very little weight on 1 tire.. or even no weight (if it is in the air).. If the sway bar is disconnected AND you have the suspension travel you will still have traction on both tires..

On the 2nd Generation X there isn't that much front suspension travel (IFS).. and if you did a TT for a lift you will have even less droop travle (if any)..

edit:
I found an example of when you would have no traction if you had sway bar connected...

If I had the sway bars connected in the back that tire would never have drooped that far.. In that case either the right rear tire would be in the air or the front left would.. and if you don't have a locker have 1 tire in the air will make 2 tires worthless

~Mark

 

[SplashMan]

Yup, take the rear one off and toss it... I've had mine off for 2 years and don't even know its gone... don't forget to take off that stupid "mini-shock" on the rear diffy too...

 

[arturogof]

What is that mini shock for though?

 

[Xplodor]

LOL!!!

Driving my CJ7 w/out the sway bar was scarry. I've had my front sway bar on my X completely removed and the rear disconnected since Aug. It takes alittle getting use to, but for the speeds we travel daily, I don't think having them off would contribute to a roll or not unless you really took a sharp corner at a stupidly high speed. I've adjusted my driving, and the truck SWAYS big time it you move the steering wheel aggressively, but I guess I'm use to it. Thank God nothing has gone wrong yet. I woud like to put them on, but even with quick connects up front, the bar gets in the way, so you end up having to completely remove it anyway. PITA is all I have to say. Noone makes connect in the back to accomidate my 5.5" lift. When I do my SAS I'll address the issue again, for now, I'm just going to slow it a tad bit for the wet weather.

Good luck in your decision, but being safer is always better.

Take the mini shock off, it's a dampener and helps prevent axle wrap, but we don't really have to much trouble with that.

 

[SplashMan]

From what I have been told/read, it was intended to reduce vibrations in the rear diffy and help with axle wrap... When I took mine of I noticed zero difference.

 

[hydroxy]

I think you people are slightly cooky =)... Yes, you can take the turns slower, drive slower, be more attentive while turning. people hardly flip over when they are paying attention, taking things slow, and are not out of control.

What happens if your going 60 on a freeway and there is an accident right infront of you and you have to swerve to get out of the way?

I bought stiffer antisway bars from explorerexpress.com and I couldn't be happier. I dont do any offroading, but if I did, I'd invest in a pair of quick disconnects. I know some people have posted $5 quick disconnects they have made themselves. I certainly wouldn't do regular street use with either the back or front disconnected.

just my $.02

 

[Xplodor]

Yeah, but IF you are offroad, what all do you do with the front sway bar? It drops when the connects aren't on, and when you tuck then the bar will ih your suspension components. I want to buy the stiffer rear bar, but am waiting on my SAS before I make a set of QuickConnects.

 

[Robert]

My front bushings are tight enough that my front swaybar doesn't move when off-roading. It is always in the same place I left it when I removed the end links. If I had a concern with it, I would just loop a zip-tie from the swaybar end to something above and below so it didn't move. That way if my suspension compressed enough that it had to move the bar out of the way, it could stil bust the zip-ties as it forced the bar out of the way.

 

[Alec]

Same here, I just remove the bolts that connect the front bar to the A-arms and leave the bar there. Like I said, takes 3 minutes.

I really like my Saleen bar when onroad. When offroad however, it makes a huge difference to disco it.

 

[Maniak]

You need to remember the golden rule.. As you go up.. go out.. Our explorer is roughly 4" higher than stock.. and we are more than 2" wider than stock each way...

I have had to swerve around animals duing 60-70mph on a 2 lane road.. and had no problem swerving into the other lane. .and then back..

From the tests I have seen video of.. It is the J turn that the explorer (and BII) have the problems with. I have taken a 90 degree at 25mph before.. and the truck does lean very very far.. but I was doing that just to see how bad it would be....

Also.. Keep in mind.. Off-Road tires don't stick like passenger car tires.. When you swerve using off-road tires they do slide/scrub much more than passenger car tires.. I can just image what would happen if I tried some of these maneuvers with sticky tires.. I'm sure I would have flipped by now..

Out explorer is amazingly stable.. even without sway bars.. (A lot more than I ever expected)...

~Mark

 

[Alec]

Hmmm, does it also make a difference that I went 2.25" up and 2.5-3" out on either side?