Should I remove my sway bars for a long family trip?

[shadow247]

Don't do it. Just don't. Sway bars were put on vehicles long ago to prevent rollovers in emergency maneuvers. Go back and watch Consumer Reports Rollover Tests to see what I'm talking about.

You will not gain anything by disconnecting or removing the sway bars on a road vehicle. I would venture to say even off-road the effect is dubious at best. I run hard trails with a sway bar without issue. The sway bar does a good job of limiting downtravel so you don't blow CV's on the trail.

 

[phattyduck]

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.

I don't think anyone here is suggesting that swaybars don't limit articulation. That's actually specifically their job. They are arguing that a highway trip with the family should be done with swaybars, especially if you aren't used to driving without them.

I disconnect my front for off road trips and connect it for daily driving (using quick disconnects). The rear is always connected, and should be for almost everyone.

-Charlie

 

[Back4More]

.....

At the point where you put family in that question then I'd say keep them on. I've got two little ones and would rather soak up the bumps and jitters than have that hanging on my conscious. I rode around for years without my front and rears but I was only putting myself at risk and never my family.

 

[3bears]

I have no idea why a person doing a "road trip " ( not serious off road) would remove the front sway bar. I can tell you ....im from the olden days when cars did not have sway bars...and a good mod was to add them.
so your thinking of a road trip with little ones in the car and you want to delete something that the guys who designed this....for good ride and safety...and you want to remove ? Are you gonna also take out the car seats and belts as someplace you read they dont do much.