Hey guys, I'm planning on going to Texas from California in the next few weeks and making a few stops here and there including the Grand Canyon. Since I'm going with the family, would I get a more comfortable ride with my sway bars disconnected? Do I have to tie it to the body somehow once disconnected or do I have to completely remove the bar while it's disconnected?
Should I remove my sway bars for a long family trip?
- Thread starter crespoh69
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You will not get a more comfortable ride.
Devbot
New member
Car rides 100x better without a front sway bar. Take it off and be amazed how much better it takes bumps in the road, instead of a tiny one hitting the left tire and feeling it through the entire front end
I rode without a rear sway bar for a little while as well and found it oddly annoying to be without. I didn't really notice it so much on the corners as you would expect, but instead bumps+waves in the road
For a road trip I would just leave it on since it's familiar, and if you're interested then try driving without for a week or two when you get back
I rode without a rear sway bar for a little while as well and found it oddly annoying to be without. I didn't really notice it so much on the corners as you would expect, but instead bumps+waves in the road
For a road trip I would just leave it on since it's familiar, and if you're interested then try driving without for a week or two when you get back
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SLOrunner87
New member
I wouldn’t removed them. Do a test run around town. They are not the easiest to disconnect.
Yeah I remember them being a pain to install so was wondering if it was worth it by getting a more comfortable ride because of it
Jakeepoo3
New member
I'm comfortable with my sway bar I don't think it would make much of a difference except maybe some extra lean on cornering. On the other hand off road disconnecting the sway bar has benefits. It's easy after a couple times.
Does it just hang there though afterwards? Or do you have to remove it? If left on will it or the end links bang on anything?
brillo_76
Elite Member
I can tell the difference with and without the sway bars. It does handle differently without them. I personally can't stand it without the bars. As that is their purpose to prevent swaying on roads. I would imagine the mfg put them on the vehicle for a reason. Being mine are used for on road use only. I leave mine on.
However, this is just my personal opinion.
Others can do as they wish.
Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk
However, this is just my personal opinion.
Others can do as they wish. Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk
Endlessblockades
Senior Member
They keep the little truck upright when you dive into an off-camber corner at speed. I drive mine like a go cart (description borrowed from another user) in a hilly urban environment most of the time and need the road-holding the front sway bar provides. Off road it is a hindrance but I'm too lazy to disconnect it. On a big freeway road trip I don't see the benefit of disconnecting it. In fact I go up to around 47psi on my M/Ts but that's only when I'm traveling alone (which is most of the time these days). Bone-rattling. It's 6 bolts to remove completely - compare the ride quality early in the trip and see what works. I would feel weird just undoing the end links and letting it hang but I have no experience in the matter, sorry.
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gamefreakgc
Elite Member
It vastly increases the body roll. For the sake of the passengers in the back seat, leave them on. They will get motion sickness twice as fast if you d/c them.
Jakeepoo3
New member
Yeah it just hangs down. You have to secure it somehow so it doesn't vibrate and bang around while driving.
If yo do disconnect it you only have to disconnect one side to disable it.
But really, leave it on for a highway trip.
Pyral
Member
I would not remove them for road driving (especially the front ones). They're there to make the car more manageable to drive, and therefore increase safety.
I would only remove them for off road, I don't believe its too difficult but you have to get under the car and find a way to secure them.
I would only remove them for off road, I don't believe its too difficult but you have to get under the car and find a way to secure them.
Romeo1
Member
This is a terrible idea. You trying to roll the rig over? If you had the springs and valving setup for it then it’s a different story. All sway bars do is borrow rate from the other side. With that they control under steer and body roll.
It’s fine in a straight line, but any kind of hard cornering or evasive maneuver and your going to scare the shit out of yourself and your passengers. It makes the rig literally feel like it’s going to barrel roll.
If you have a ride quality issue, it lies in your tires, air pressure, springs or shocks.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of tires, load rating, and air pressure you running?
Edit to add, these rigs don’t ride rough. On the scale of roughness, they’re like a 3-4. Early 90’s ram 250 being a 10. I’d call a 97 powerstroke about a 9.
It’s fine in a straight line, but any kind of hard cornering or evasive maneuver and your going to scare the shit out of yourself and your passengers. It makes the rig literally feel like it’s going to barrel roll.
If you have a ride quality issue, it lies in your tires, air pressure, springs or shocks.
Just out of curiosity, what kind of tires, load rating, and air pressure you running?
Edit to add, these rigs don’t ride rough. On the scale of roughness, they’re like a 3-4. Early 90’s ram 250 being a 10. I’d call a 97 powerstroke about a 9.
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SJC4Runner
Member
I am in agreement with Romeo1. This is a terrible idea if your planning on driving a fully loaded 4runner for long distances at highway speeds. If you try to make an emergency steering input your going to have a higher chance to roll. The sports car owners that I am aware of, always go for bigger roll bars to improve performance. Adding weight would probably call for bigger ones, not removal. The only place I could see you wanting to remove them would be once you got to an off-road area where there might be an advantage at slow speeds in rough terrain.
ThySenteth
New member
Haven't had my front sway bar on my rig since I went to 35's about three years ago. Can't tell a difference.
Romeo1
Member
Find a gravel road, attempt to create an oversteer situation. Note how it feels. Then go connect sway bars and repeat an oversteer condition.
Unpossible for you not to feel the difference there, assuming your spring rates and valving are made for a sway bar setup. If the rate is way higher and made for no sway bars, then that’s a different story. My wife and kids who don’t know a thing about suspension theory nervously said “wwwwwooooooaaaAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!” When my driver front sway bar link was broken while we were rallying in the desert. In fact, my 10 year old at the time got car sick. Thats how much roll was added. If they could tell a difference, anyone should be able to. (Again, we’ll have to assume that a person’s inner ear works like it’s supposed to also.)
Part of why these 4Runners are so fun is due to how flat they drive and they just love oversteer and e brake turns.
Regarding safety: I'm of the mind that this truck will rollover regardless of one's configuration, and my driving reflects that.
As for comfort on the highway: I did not notice any improvement disconnected. I drove mine disconnected a while before lifting (disconnected front and back). Then lifted the truck and connected them, then finally disconnected again. Like many others stated, the real comfort is experienced when off road. When one tire drops down, the sway bars will yank the vehicle around side to side. First to the side you dropped down in, then abruptly to the other side.
Although this point gets heated debate: I've filmed myself going through the same obstacle with the same approach, both connected and disconnected, and know for a fact I am getting better articulation when fully disconnected. I don't know if you're asking about all this or just the highway driving aspect.
If you're lifted, and disconnect both front and rear on the road trip, you might have a kiddo vomit in the backseat. Hard to notice from the driver's seat, but the ride gets a little wishy washy back there. Especially on country roads.
As for comfort on the highway: I did not notice any improvement disconnected. I drove mine disconnected a while before lifting (disconnected front and back). Then lifted the truck and connected them, then finally disconnected again. Like many others stated, the real comfort is experienced when off road. When one tire drops down, the sway bars will yank the vehicle around side to side. First to the side you dropped down in, then abruptly to the other side.
Although this point gets heated debate: I've filmed myself going through the same obstacle with the same approach, both connected and disconnected, and know for a fact I am getting better articulation when fully disconnected. I don't know if you're asking about all this or just the highway driving aspect.
If you're lifted, and disconnect both front and rear on the road trip, you might have a kiddo vomit in the backseat. Hard to notice from the driver's seat, but the ride gets a little wishy washy back there. Especially on country roads.
thezentree
Senior Member
100% do not disconnect sway bars for a highway trip with your family.
You’re all “lol body roll haha lol” until you have to emergency brake in a turn on an off ramp and your shit almost rolls because the weight transfer is so much more extreme ...especially with people and gear in the back seat.
Off road is a different story, but if I didn’t have sway bars and was going on a long highway trip with the wife and kids I’d be looking for junkyard sway bars.
You’re all “lol body roll haha lol” until you have to emergency brake in a turn on an off ramp and your shit almost rolls because the weight transfer is so much more extreme ...especially with people and gear in the back seat.
Off road is a different story, but if I didn’t have sway bars and was going on a long highway trip with the wife and kids I’d be looking for junkyard sway bars.
bmason8159
New member
I ran cross country without sway bars and 3 in lift with 33s. Bad idea. I had one instance passing and man it was scary. In a bad situation you can easily roll if you’re lifter with weight. The guy who says he runs 35s without a sway bar and says he doesn’t notice a difference either has shocks and spings set up for it or he doesn’t know what he is talking about.
