Sway bar position evaluation
I have been using the Explorer Express rear sway bar (
http://www.explorerexpress.com/catalog/pages/swaybars.html ) on my ’99 for over 4 years (
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45630&highlight=sway+bar+lowered ). It is definitely one of the best mods that I have performed on my Explorer. Nevertheless, a friend recently asked me if a sway bar could be installed “wrong”, ie, upside down and what difference in handling that would make.
My hypothesis for this experiment is that the mounting position of the bar will make no difference in handling. Lets review the actual purpose of a sway bar ( in point of fact should referred to as a anti-sway bar ). Simply put, a sway bar couples the suspension on one side to the other side. I don’t see how its position will matter.
I decided to remove the existing rear sway bar and reinstall it upside down and road test to determine its effect on handling.
To remove the EE bar, I first jacked up the truck and placed jack stands on the frame. Next, I removed the spare tire to provide additional working space. This was followed by removing the lower end link bolts ( 18 mm ) and the lower shock bolts ( 15 mm bolt 18 mm nut ). Next, the sway bar to axel brackets/bushings were removed ( 2 x 13 mm bolts on each ). The sway bar was then lowered straight to the garage floor.
I did not replace the existing poly bushings since they were in excellent condition.
The sway bar was reinstalled ( upside down ) by reversing the removal procedure. The spare tire was reinstalled.
The truck was jacked up, the jack stands removed, and finally lowered to the ground.
The whole process took about one hour. Air tools made the task a snap.
A road test on a twisty road that I frequently drive was performed. Initial impressions: I could tell no significant difference. I had a friend drive the truck and he said he felt no difference ( I did not tell him what was done ).
I shall continue to drive with the inverted bar for a 1000 or so miles and then reinstall the sway bar in the correct position. Long term impressions will then be reported.
