Front Sway bar is gone and I love it!

[Tooltime19]

As stated above, I finally quit complaining and removed the front sway bar. Im very happy with the results on road, but especially off road. It has resulted in added wheel travel and true independent wheel articulation. With the 620lb spring rate and current 5100's on all four corners,(which will be replaced soon,) I dont miss the front bar at all. I tend to drive rather spirited on and off road and Im here to let everyone know, on road my vehicle is just as safe now as it was with the sway bar installed. I might not recommend this procedure with OEM shocks and springs. Yet with my driving style on and off, the front end of my rig really works much better now. All I have left to do on my front end is, save up for the new FOX's with the DSC adjusters, and new upper arms, and of course, matching FOX'S in the rear.

 

[morphious]

Welcome to the club.

 

[radlynx]

can you show us on picture how much flexing you are getting or how far can the front wheel travels?

As stated above, I finally quit complaining and removed the front sway bar. Im very happy with the results on road, but especially off road. It has resulted in added wheel travel and true independent wheel articulation. With the 620lb spring rate and current 5100's on all four corners,(which will be replaced soon,) I dont miss the front bar at all. I tend to drive rather spirited on and off road and Im here to let everyone know, on road my vehicle is just as safe now as it was with the sway bar installed. I might not recommend this procedure with OEM shocks and springs. Yet with my driving style on and off, the front end of my rig really works much better now. All I have left to do on my front end is, save up for the new FOX's with the DSC adjusters, and new upper arms, and of course, matching FOX'S in the rear.

 

[Lolrax]

I tried it but with my Winter Tires on beaten up highway roads it was tramlining everywhere. I hated it

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I had the sway bar disconnected when I was prototyping a disconnecting setup-up. The 4Runner rolled too much in turns for my liking on the road, I drive pretty hard normally and I could feel the difference. But if it works for you, good on you.

 

[CruzadoBlanco]

can you show us on picture how much flexing you are getting or how far can the front wheel travels?

heres mine, the straight on one is before i tweaked my front end setup. i now have another ~1.5" of down travel

 

[JayRolla]

I had the sway bar disconnected when I was prototyping a disconnecting setup-up. The 4Runner rolled too much in turns for my liking on the road, I drive pretty hard normally and I could feel the difference. But if it works for you, good on you.

Just convinced my brother to get there for his Icon lifted 4th gen. After showing him how free my 3rd gen flexes disconnected he was convinced.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/160563-sway-bar-links.html

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Just convinced my brother to get there for his Icon lifted 4th gen. After showing him how free my 3rd gen flexes disconnected he was convinced.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/sale-t4r-items/160563-sway-bar-links.html

He should be careful about trying to run disconnecting links. The J120/J50 platform sway bars when disconnected can bind up into the CV boot and/or spring under certain flexing (it's happened when people broke a link.) Hence why you can't just throw disconnects and call it a day on these 4Runners.

 

[Drunner97]

I had the sway bar disconnected when I was prototyping a disconnecting setup-up. The 4Runner rolled too much in turns for my liking on the road, I drive pretty hard normally and I could feel the difference. But if it works for you, good on you.

Took me awhile to get used the roll and if there was a disconnect solution I'd probably put it back on. Right now I'm going off road enough that I'll leave it off but once those weekends slow down I'll probably put it back on and only take it off for the legit off road weekends where I'll need the extra travel.

 

[Velonici]

I wonder how much of an issue running no sway bar in an emergency maneuver would be.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I wonder how much of an issue running no sway bar in an emergency maneuver would be.

Well, when I had my front sway bar disconnected on my 4Runner; the roll in a sharp turn was extremely pronounced (almost GM/Ford-esque in pitch change.) I'm running a SW front bumper, RCI full skids, 2.5" Diameter OLW lift kit, 33" LT Terra Grapplers. It was enough that I didn't feel comfortable with how it handled in high speed, sharp turns compared to with the sway bar on.

 

[NinjaOne]

I wonder how much of an issue running no sway bar in an emergency maneuver would be.

Something else to consider is if your vehicle is involved in an accident and an insurance adjuster notices you don't have mandated equipment (in most/all states) installed.

 

[Champ306]

I dont think any insurance Person would notice.

 

[Velonici]

Im more worried about someone having to do a quick maneuver and losing control of the truck and hitting someone else. Im all for do what ever you want but when it comes to my safety and the safety of my kid, I hate when people do dumb stuff for dumb reasons. Like the whole poke and stretch thing with tires. They are not designed to be driven like that.

 

[AKmoney]

I wonder how much of an issue running no sway bar in an emergency maneuver would be.

I got the opportunity to drive a 4th gen 4Runner w/ the sway bar removed and on the street, it was frightening.

 

[NinjaOne]

I got the opportunity to drive a 4th gen 4Runner w/ the sway bar removed and on the street, it was frightening.

I drove mine for about 10-15 miles under 35 MPH, it wasn't frightening but I could feel a significant increase in body roll and wouldn't want to do any quick maneuvers.

I decided to put it back on after finishing my lift ( <--- Like a lift is ever finished, want to start all over now with a full OME set )

 

[AKmoney]

I drove mine for about 10-15 miles under 35 MPH, it wasn't frightening but I could feel a significant increase in body roll and wouldn't want to do any quick maneuvers.

Maybe my sense of handling is skewed since my other car is a Porsche 997 that has basically no body roll at all but we need to consider the double-whammy: most people who yank the sway bar probably already have a 2-3" suspension lift, so the cornering/handling performance is already compromised thanks to the higher center of gravity. Doing both sway bar AND lift quite frankly makes the truck dangerous on pavement in anything other than cruising in a straight line. You never know when you might have to make a sudden course correction at highway speed to avoid things like deer, drunk drivers, texting/distracted drivers, whatever...

Just my $0.02

 

[xxaarraa]

Maybe my sense of handling is skewed since my other car is a Porsche 997 that has basically no body roll at all but we need to consider the double-whammy: most people who yank the sway bar probably already have a 2-3" suspension lift, so the cornering/handling performance is already compromised thanks to the higher center of gravity. Doing both sway bar AND lift quite frankly makes the truck dangerous on pavement in anything other than cruising in a straight line. You never know when you might have to make a sudden course correction at highway speed to avoid things like deer, drunk drivers, texting/distracted drivers, whatever...

Just my $0.02

Just watch out for the lift off oversteer and you'll be OK! (I know, it's an age-old joke about 911s but still funny. I had a 996 C4S..)

I ran without a front swaybar for ~30k miles, lifted 4". It drove like a pig and dived everywhere and rolled.

I put it back. It still drives like a pig. But not as bad as before.

What I particularly like about having a front swaybar on is how it nicely weights the steering wheel. Without it, the steering is very wobbly and artificially light.

Another side benefit of me having a front swaybar is that it serves as a droop limiter. Because I am lifted so high, on full droop, my CVs bind slightly. The swaybar helps that.

 

[CruzadoBlanco]

Maybe my sense of handling is skewed since my other car is a Porsche 997 that has basically no body roll at all but we need to consider the double-whammy: most people who yank the sway bar probably already have a 2-3" suspension lift, so the cornering/handling performance is already compromised thanks to the higher center of gravity. Doing both sway bar AND lift quite frankly makes the truck dangerous on pavement in anything other than cruising in a straight line. You never know when you might have to make a sudden course correction at highway speed to avoid things like deer, drunk drivers, texting/distracted drivers, whatever...

Just my $0.02

honestly the slightly higher center of gravity is negated by the stiffer springs and shock valving. ive been running no swaybars for about a year now and have had zero issues. i regularly drive on the highway and have had to make high speed maneuvers all without issue. however my first vehicle that i had before this was an 2005 jeep wrangler with a 4" lift and ~34's, so my sense of handling is a pile of crap with wheels. I would be more worried about no sway bar on stock suspension since its so soft.

 

[Tooltime19]

I can speak from the standpoint of being a professional driving coach/Instructor and vehicle fabricator for well over twenty years.
I strongly caution anyone NOT running a heavier front and rear spring coupled with an upgraded shock package from removing the front sway bar. I will also state, that if you are NOT one who knows how to keep 100% control of your vehicle at all times, on or off road, then again, I would NOT recommend taking the bar off. In fact, I would ONLY suggest removal IF you are an advanced skill level type of driver. In my years of driver training, adults along with kids, some people just should not be behind the wheel... . In my particular package, I have tested my rig on and off road, testing emergency lane change procedures along with emergency lane changing while panic braking. I can tell you at minimum, the springs and shocks Im running are safe and sufficient. I would not recommend removing the front bar with any spring or shock than the units coils im running as a minimum, or a nice FOX or KING high end coil over front package. A high end shock package with the proper valving will assist greatly with sway and roll.The 5100's just barely cut the mustard, but do work fine. Yes, I do have body roll. Its minimal, under normal driving, its not noticeable, it rides nice and is controllable. It handles much better than any OEM car or truck with high mileage factory shocks and springs I can tell you for sure.
Thanks for reading, if anyone has anymore questions, please feel free to respond or pm me.