Off-Roading Tips!!! Sway Bars

sambishop

sambishop

New member
I had my first off-roading adventure with my 4runner this weekend at Moonlight Racing Off-Road park in Sullivan, Missouri. It was narly and a total blast! I aired down but was wondering what you guys do with your sway bars. Do you disconnect them? Leave them alone? Just take off the front? Any tips are appreciated!
 
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I leave mine on. If you extend your rear links you aren't limiting your flex. Your front will limit your flex a little bit, but I leave them on to keep my CVs from getting out of their comfort zone.
 
Unner said:
I leave mine on. If you extend your rear links you aren't limiting your flex. Your front will limit your flex a little bit, but I leave them on to keep my CVs from getting out of their comfort zone.
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I have a 3" lift in the rear and haven't extended the rear sway bar links. I didn't know there were extended links out there
 
sambishop said:
I had my first off-roading adventure with my 4runner this weekend at Moonlight Racing Off-Road park in Sullivan, Missouri. It was narly and a total blast! I aired down but was wondering what you guys do with your sway bars. Do you disconnect them? Leave them alone? Just take off the front? Any tips are appreciated!
Click to expand...

Disconnect front sway bar. Leave rear connected. Drop air pressure to 12psi. Good to go.
 
You can make your own, get 2nd gen links, or buy some from [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION].

Do some searching. There's lots of info on end links.
 
sambishop said:
I have a 3" lift in the rear and haven't extended the rear sway bar links. I didn't know there were extended links out there
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2nd gen 4runner rear links are 1" longer. [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION] makes a good set of high quality disconnects that will not break.

Sonoron Steel makes rear sway bar relocation brackets that levels out the sway bar also.

I run the SS brackets with moog 2nd gen rear links.
 
JayRolla said:
2nd gen 4runner rear links are 1" longer. [MENTION=98153]MStudt[/MENTION] makes a good set of high quality disconnects that will not break.
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I only have standard links available right now since my supplier is out of a tube that I need for disco's. In addition I'm only making links till the end of May. With my departure getting closer I'm in serious crunch mode to finish up the Rover.
 
I made a set of front disconnects and extended the rear links by about an inch. I'm not worried about over extending Cvs because I also have front limit straps. Main reason I disconnect the front is it gives a smoother ride and let's the tires stuff better.
 
sambishop said:
I would reconnect them before getting back on the road but for off-roading I feel like i'm missing out on some flex
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If your rear links are the correct length they wont limit your rear flex. Your fronts however do limit your front flex a lot. Ive found I can get my font tire to stuff about 2 inches further by disconnecting the front.

If your looking to extend the rear links the way to determine the proper length is to park the truck on flat ground, undo to top bolt of both rear links, rotate the bar until the top flat section of the bar is parallel to the ground, measure the distance the link moved down by and that's the distance you need to extend them by.
 
JayRolla said:
Disconnect front sway bar. Leave rear connected. Drop air pressure to 12psi. Good to go.
Click to expand...



This is what I do, well I just take one end link off. It makes the ride so much smoother off road. It helps the front end move independently :-D


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Just for my own edification, how does the rear sway bar limit sway on the road without limiting flex off road? I always thought the two goals were mechanically at odds.
 
Lindenwood said:
Just for my own edification, how does the rear sway bar limit sway on the road without limiting flex off road? I always thought the two goals were mechanically at odds.
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The main problem with the rear bar is that the bar itself is that the bar itself is attached to the axle. So if you disconnect the rear the bar will end up swinging into the fender well or the mount because there is nothing to force it to rotate. The rear bar is also pretty flimsy only being a 19mm bar. So with the proper length endlinks it will give the axle the right leverage to easily flex the bar out of the way. The only time the rear bar limits travel is when the links are too short and the bar wont allow the axle to droop out anymore.

The front on the other hand benefits from removing the bar because of how it allows it to move independently on each side and stuff the tires more. Ive found that it makes the truck pitch less on obstacles because of the added stuff. The traction increases are probably marginal in the front between connected and not, but I feel disconnecting the front allows the rear end to stay planted better which is where the majority of your traction comes from.
 
rudogg760 said:
This is what I do, well I just take one end link off. It makes the ride so much smoother off road. It helps the front end move independently :-D


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Click to expand...

Also keeping one link connected still puts weight on a front wheel giving more traction. But I broke some links doing that so I disconnect both.
 
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