Rear Sway-Bar

[AlexJet]

I'm thinking of taking off a rear sway-bar as it may restric my rear articulation and suspension travel. I'm planning on making rear long-travel using custom links, coils and long shocks.

Did anyone tried to remove his rear sway-bar? How does it drives? I've heard some people opinion that can make highway driving very unstable in case of a side wind and sharp turns at any speed.

What is your opinion, no matter what vehicle you drive (Toyota, Land Rover, Jeep, Mitsubishi,...)?

 

[Mr. Leary]

Minimal gains. I have sway bar disconnects on mine in case I feel the need for more play, but I rarely take them off... I only get a couple inches more travel, and any increased rear travel usually comes at the expense of front travel, IMO. Leave the rear, ditch the front.... even then, I think its a sugar pill.

I think it is a bad idea to tow a trailer without a rear sway bar.

 

[TRDPARTS4U]

I agree with MR. Leary.


I have Basically the same vehicle he does 3rd gen 4rnr. I tried running no rear sway bar and did not like the feel. I even tried swapping the front sway bar links with the rear as the front are longer. This seemed to work ok until I was loaded down this summer in Colorado. On the trails it was great it was great, on the twisty, winding mountain roads it was down right scary.


Jacque

 

[ryani]

I just lifted my 98 4runner and was wondering the same thing. I've heard on that year many people take the front sway off completely and move the end links from the front to the rear sway bar and have good on road results. Is that correct?

I haven't had mine aligned yet and it feels real squirrely on bumps. You hit one and likes to swerve one way or the other. Not a very good feeling

 

[Mr. Leary]

I just lifted my 98 4runner and was wondering the same thing. I've heard on that year many people take the front sway off completely and move the end links from the front to the rear sway bar and have good on road results. Is that correct?

I haven't had mine aligned yet and it feels real squirrely on bumps. You hit one and likes to swerve one way or the other. Not a very good feeling

Actually Jacque and I were just talking about that the other day... and came to the conclusion that 3rd gen 4Runners just do that... I remember it doing that even on stock suspension. But you should get it aligned right away after lifting it... and it will be difficult to get the camber back... which is why I'm saving up for new upper control arms.

I've got the sway bar disconnects pretty well figured out... warrior products, with a twist.... I need to post it to my build thread.

I like having the front sway bar up there. It takes a few minutes to unhook and hook back up.... if you keep it greased.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... AlexJet, it really depends on how you drive. Removing the rear sway bar would be unadviseable, IMO, and your truck is heavier than all of ours. Removing the front depends on who will be driving it. I keep mine on because The_Mrs. drives it. If it was only me, I would not have put it back on, and I'm not even sure of that... but I have never considered removing the rear bar, for reasons already mentioned.

Hope this helps!

 

[Eventhough]

I have not tried removing the sway bars on my FJC but I do it on occasion on my FJ55. My 55 drives very nicely on the road with the rear sway bar connected. The last (and only) time I drove with it disconnected on the road was as a group was prepping for the trails. I won't do that again. I swore the body was going to roll off the frame as I went around each curve! :Wow1:

 

[MillerPKA]

I've ditched mine and put them back on but love the on road feeling more than the off road advantage, and the amount to purchase quick discos is not worth it in my opinion. I'll actually be going to Addco front and rear here sort of soon

 

[ryani]

MillerPKA

Are your front and rear sways all original. how does your ride? Mine feels lilke a ship in the water. Is it just because the lack of alignment? I hope that aleviates my prob

 

[Cambo]

I took the front one off my 3rd Gen. and it is a noticable difference on road. Not too much, but enough to notice. I haven't gone off road yet, but I know the big difference in the articulation is in the front and the rear without the swaybar is only minimal gain. So not worth it. I followed a 4runner without front or rear sways and it looks like the body is going to fall off in a turn. I can't imagine driving a rig like that. I plan on putting the front sway back on and utilizing a custom disconnect I found on Yotatech forums.

http://www.yotatech.com/f129/2nd-gen-sway-bar-quick-disconnects-75746/


That one is for 2nd gens, I can't find the one I was thinking of, but, the links are pretty similar and will likely work.

 

[CYi5]

I swapped my fronts to the rear. No sway bars at all on the road gets a little hairy with the springs in the back. You'll notice after lifting it that the stock rear endlinks are too short, pushing the swaybar back towards the differential. The longer links fix that issue.

 

[ryani]

Could I leave the front alone and buy an extra set of front endlinks and stick them on the rear? That should take care of the rear sway.

 

[Mr. Leary]

Could I leave the front alone and buy an extra set of front endlinks and stick them on the rear? That should take care of the rear sway.

You should be able to pick up a set used...

 

[ryani]

I found a new set on ebay I might pick up. I also am going to do the cut and sleeve panhard trick. I have the right measurement so that shouldn't be too difficult.

Then after all that i'm going to get it aligned. Hopefully it rides like a dream and no swerving anymore

 

[AlexJet]

Actually Jacque and I were just talking about that the other day... and came to the conclusion that 3rd gen 4Runners just do that... I remember it doing that even on stock suspension. But you should get it aligned right away after lifting it... and it will be difficult to get the camber back... which is why I'm saving up for new upper control arms.

I've got the sway bar disconnects pretty well figured out... warrior products, with a twist.... I need to post it to my build thread.

I like having the front sway bar up there. It takes a few minutes to unhook and hook back up.... if you keep it greased.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch... AlexJet, it really depends on how you drive. Removing the rear sway bar would be unadviseable, IMO, and your truck is heavier than all of ours. Removing the front depends on who will be driving it. I keep mine on because The_Mrs. drives it. If it was only me, I would not have put it back on, and I'm not even sure of that... but I have never considered removing the rear bar, for reasons already mentioned.

Hope this helps!

My front sway-bar is gone, I have TC Long-Travel.
The rear is about 400-500lbs heavier then stock and this still worries me.
The truck is mainly driven by myself, but its a Daily Driver as well as Weekend Warrior.

 

[ryani]

Well I sleeved out my panhard bar and put new front end links on the rear. Got it aligned yesterday and shazaam!, no more waggling rear-end. It handles great and runs straight and true down the road. I think I'm going to leave the front sway bar on for the time being just because the girl friend uses the rig once in awhile