Replace Sway Bars with????

[SnowLizard]

I don't know, so I'm asking...

IF I want to get rid of the front sway bar, but avoid bad high speed manners, and enjoy full travel offroad...


I've seen some use a 2nd shock... what does this do?
I've seen some remove the sway bar... Wife hates high Body Roll, but we can't go slow on a 1500 mile trip
sway bar disconnects, I'm going this route, so I can select as needed, manually. but I'm really curious on the 2nd shocks, mounting where the sway bar connects.

 

[turbo8]

You would add a second shock for more damping.

Usually you would need the second shock for high speed desert driving which might over heat a single shock.

It will help with body roll but it's not an alternative to a sway bar.

 

[SnowLizard]

IS there an alternative to a sway bar?

 

[A.Wilson013]

IS there an alternative to a sway bar?

I would say no.

I run my front swaybar with extended links and have never been in a situation where I thought, "man, if my front swaybar weren't there this would be so much better."

Additionally, I ran without a front sway bar for well over a year. I thought I couldn't tell a difference in handling until I put the sway bar back on.

 

[turbo8]

Stiffer springs will help. I don't have a front sway bar on my 4runner.

 

[JayRolla]

I don't know, so I'm asking...

IF I want to get rid of the front sway bar, but avoid bad high speed manners, and enjoy full travel offroad...


I've seen some use a 2nd shock... what does this do?
I've seen some remove the sway bar... Wife hates high Body Roll, but we can't go slow on a 1500 mile trip
sway bar disconnects, I'm going this route, so I can select as needed, manually. but I'm really curious on the 2nd shocks, mounting where the sway bar connects.

Disconnects. Fixed.

 

[Co4Fun]

Had this discussion the other day. Coming from Jeeps it SEEMS running without for off-roading at least would give you great travel with IFS.

And, it would...but the downsides are many I think after talking through it. For one, yep the body roll which is not an issue offroad typically but on the road it certainly is. Also, with the existing LBJ issues, lack of a swaybar and more range of motion would just stress them more we concluded. Finally, disconnected you gain travel but then lose some traction and get more body roll on off-camber situations. I had disco's on my Jeep and experimented with this. It was hard to say which was better because it was so dependent on the scenario.

At any rate with the Runner I've resolved just to keep it connected all the time and especially for what I do.

Interesting hearing about these other options though...besides full disconnect.

 

[JayRolla]

I would say no.

I run my front swaybar with extended links and have never been in a situation where I thought, "man, if my front swaybar weren't there this would be so much better."

Additionally, I ran without a front sway bar for well over a year. I thought I couldn't tell a difference in handling until I put the sway bar back on.

Really? Ive ran into this many times. Mine are extended and if I dont disconnect I can find a front tire coming of a lot easier. Disconnecting I take the same line and have zero issue pushing through. But if I had a locker, this would not be that noticeable.

 

[A.Wilson013]

Really? Ive ran into this many times. Mine are extended and if I dont disconnect I can find a front tire coming of a lot easier. Disconnecting I take the same line and have zero issue pushing through. But if I had a locker, this would not be that noticeable.

It's very possible that you wheel on harder terrain than I do.

Also, for the OP, I ran without when I had 700lb springs, and then for about a month when I got new coilovers with 650lb springs. The stiffer springs made a noticeable difference, but nothing compared to putting the bar back on.

 

[SnowLizard]

so a stiffer spring will lower body roll, does that stop wheel travel due to spring load?

I'm try'n to keep up lol... bare with me...

 

[Tyler James Inc]

so a stiffer spring will lower body roll, does that stop wheel travel due to spring load?



I'm try'n to keep up lol... bare with me...

Higher spring rate will just keep the rig more stable.
It won't "stop" wheel travel, but it will reduce travel- on the same exact ground/obstacle- given no other changes to suspension.
It sounds funny to say your wife hates body roll, you can't go slow on a 1500 mile trip, and you're worried about the FSB limiting your off-road capabilities. The 3rd gen can do a great job of being a well-balanced, "do it all" rig- within reason. That being said, my opinion is that if it's your go-on-trips-with-the-family rig- DO NOT run with no FSB.
I think disconnects would be your best option here [emoji1360]

 

[SnowLizard]

It sounds funny to say your wife hates body roll.....
I think disconnects would be your best option here [emoji1360]

yeah you're right it does sound funny... lol
I guess I meant she gets car sick very easily, and the 'roll' of the car has alot to do with it, which now if I get stiffer springs will decrease that roll effect more... at a price.

yes, I am going that route (it in the 1st post), I posted this thread cause I didn't 'know' what else was out there. I 'thought' there was a type of shock that can replace the body roll at a very expensive price, vs the cheaper q-disco's, but I learned that was not the case. ONLY the q-disco's are the answer to solve my problem, and I thoughts so from the beginning. just thought I was missing something...

thanks guys for increasing my understanding, learned something new today.

 

[SnowLizard]

well updating this thread... cause now i want to know...

I have taken off the FSB, I love it, and wife is fine in the car without it. I did have q-disco's but I never took them off when off-road and mangled up the pins... so I ripped it all off.I won't be putting it back on soon.

the other option mentioned was adding a 2nd shock. I know this won't 'stop' body roll, but will help dampen. currently I'm running billies 5100 on the 3rd notch...

what options are out there that can 'bolt' on... anyone know of anything? and hopefully at a 'moderate to low' budget...

 

[NWFL4Runner]

Patio Burrito did it

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/169746-patios-2000-4runner-buildup-4.html#post1759687


Not bolt on, but as close as you'll get using stock LCA.

 

[SnowLizard]

Patio Burrito did it

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/169746-patios-2000-4runner-buildup-4.html#post1759687


Not bolt on, but as close as you'll get using stock LCA.

i was looking at that too... problem is I can't run a 'stock' shock setup... think budget, I'd like to just keep the billies and replace as needed, that shock setup has a flat plate where the top of the billies can't mount...

 

[Bumbo]

You would add a second shock for more damping.

Usually you would need the second shock for high speed desert driving which might over heat a single shock.

It will help with body roll but it's not an alternative to a sway bar.

While all that can be correct, the main reason people add a 2nd shock is because they want the capability of an external bypass shock.

External bypass shocks give you a ability to tune dampening/compression at various stages of the stroke.

Many people with a setup like this will say there is no need for a sway bar, nor do they miss having one when setup correctly.

If you are using a large portion of that stoke, you can also stiffen up the valving near full compression slowing down the shaft speed giving you what is essentially a bump-stop.

 

[SnowLizard]

thanks!!

this is starting to look like an 'all or nothing' sort of mod... gosh I got it bad... in my head I'm a millionaire... if only my wallet would realize.

reading about that bypass shock is very interesting. and yes, it can do what you described.

 

[NWFL4Runner]

i was looking at that too... problem is I can't run a 'stock' shock setup... think budget, I'd like to just keep the billies and replace as needed, that shock setup has a flat plate where the top of the billies can't mount...

1 - No "bolt on" secondary shock hoops
2 - No non-custom secondary shock hoops for shocks with top hats (Total Chaos/Solo Motorsports offer ones to weld on, and both are tabbed for bypass secondary shocks). Not sure you would have room for 2 coil towers and running both off the standard LCA anyway.

Honestly, I'm not sure that running a non-bypass stock shock (assuming you could find a mount) off the LCA sway-bar mount wouldn't do more harm to the ride than good.

Buy disconnects and disconnect them when you want to. Or, go long travel and then they won't fit/be needed anyway, which is what I did.

 

[Bumbo]

Honestly, I'm not sure that running a non-bypass stock shock (assuming you could find a mount) off the LCA sway-bar mount wouldn't do more harm to the ride than good.

Buy disconnects and disconnect them when you want to. Or, go long travel and then they won't fit/be needed anyway, which is what I did.

Last time I had a conversation with TC and King they mentioned adding a secondary of any type with effect the primary as well. You are going to need to either change or re-valve the primary if you add a secondary.

I don't think it would be a very successful setup without a proper LCA, so I agree with you there.

And yes, a proper LT setup there isn't a provision for a sway bar anyways... also the route I am leaning towards.

LT is very much an all or nothing conversation, not something you can piecemeal together overtime.

Disconnects are probably the OPs best option.

 

[Bumbo]

thanks!!

this is starting to look like an 'all or nothing' sort of mod... gosh I got it bad... in my head I'm a millionaire... if only my wallet would realize.

reading about that bypass shock is very interesting. and yes, it can do what you described.

Bypass shocks are awesome... being able to control each zone individually is a pretty big deal.

It’s generally not common place on a front coilover because you can’t fit a spring around the external bypasses, but ideal as a secondary shock.

Buying it is only half the battle … the real meat and potatoes of a bypass shocks is in the tuning, which to a degree can be an art form. If you want me to be perfectly honest I hate suspension tuning because it’s somewhat subjective, time consuming, and easier said than done.

I have friends with hardware like that and they are constantly fiddling with the tune, especially when its dual use. Often times your street setup isn’t what you want off-road either.