Snapped my Rear Sway bar... Replace or Remove??

A

ArcherFox

New member
Over the weekend we hit the trails in Moab and I broke the rear sway bar by the bushing... Bummer! We still hit the trails the next day and I noticed it handled much better in the "tough sections". So what do I do??? It's mainly a daily driver for my wife and kids but honestly on the cruise home it handled fine at higher speeds and took the corners good too, what's your thoughts!?? Thanks for the help!

I will post up some pics from the trip, we had a blast!!
 
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road handling is going to suffer, [MENTION=55855]zopperman[/MENTION] ran without a rear sway bar for a short amount of time, he can probably speak more to what its like
 
No they are just the stock ones... I'm not sure exactly how it happened but when we hit the halfway point on fins n things my buddy notice the broken piece was hanging from the end link. My guess is from too much articulation in the creek bed just before the sands flat road.
 
ArcherFox said:
Over the weekend we hit the trails in Moab and I broke the rear sway bar by the bushing... Bummer! We still hit the trails the next day and I noticed it handled much better in the "tough sections". So what do I do??? It's mainly a daily driver for my wife and kids but honestly on the cruise home it handled fine at higher speeds and took the corners good too, what's your thoughts!?? Thanks for the help!

I will post up some pics from the trip, we had a blast!!
Click to expand...

This is why I would replace it. Sorry ladies but I have to be honest and say that women do not fare well in driving conditions that place them under pressure. If wifey takes a turn a little to fast and all of a sudden feels the truck "leaning" more than normal she might freak out and crank the wheel in the opposite direction or slam on the brakes.
 
Hey I was in Moab this weekend as well. Did Fins and Things Saturday afternoon. Nice trail! That steep decline obstacle sure was a pucker moment!

Sorry to hear about the swaybar. Mine made it out in one piece.
 
Perhaps you should invest in some extended links? I noticed I had some rear sway bar binding/limiting from the factory ones long ago when I threw the lift on. Been running fine with extended links, the only thing I have noticed is that there is one or two small dents in my trailing arms (I imagine from when I landed off a jump or two hard in the past.)
 
Ok so here is the deal... I bought the truck a little over 2 years ago and I'm not sure what lift is even on it. I did measure the front and rear and I'm 2.5"(front) and 1.5"(rear) over the stock measurements (measured center of wheel cap to fender). Is it tall enough for the extend links? Also. I'm running the AirLift air bags and decided to run them at 9psi, it helped a little with the tip! So maybe I'll try running that for now till I can save up for the addco anti sway and extend links! It was completely my fault for breaking the bar, just tried to get too creative and technical.... But trust me I don't think I learned my lesson! :whoo:
 
With 2.5" lift and 33's I had both sway bars off and it was fine. It leaned more, but I drove it like a race car without an issue. another 2.5" of lift and 35's...No, put that thing back on! lol I also tow trailers occasionally and you WILL want it for that.
Now, if you replace the rear sway bar and add some extended links, yes you need them for your lift amount, then toss the front sway bar you will have much better offroad movement, and still be stable on the road for your wife and kids. ;)
One other thing, don't know what you have for a lift but coilovers tend to control that lean much better than spacers and such. At least that's what I've garnered from my research on here.
 
Rear Sway Bar - Madness to Install!!

Hey Guys - Long time lurker here, finally set up my account. My wife's 05' 4Runner rear sway bar snapped (I guess this is somewhat normal)? I picked up a replacement from a salvage yard, took the old one / end links off and got the new bar ready to install... impossible!

I tried for two hours to thread it over the differential - not even close!! I only had the truck on jackstands, but I'm not sure extra space would help. It was like one of those brain teaser puzzles.

Any advice on how to get that rear sway bar back in place? I hate to get defeated by what seems to be an easy repair, but I can't for the life of me figure it out. I tried entering from driver side (really tough with the gas tank), passenger side, and dropping the spare and kind of wiggling it in.

Thanks!!
 
Where are the jack stands, under the axle?
If you need extra space you will need the suspension extended and will need the place the jack stands on the frame.
 
JamesDZ said:
Hey Guys - Long time lurker here, finally set up my account. My wife's 05' 4Runner rear sway bar snapped (I guess this is somewhat normal)? I picked up a replacement from a salvage yard, took the old one / end links off and got the new bar ready to install... impossible!

I tried for two hours to thread it over the differential - not even close!! I only had the truck on jackstands, but I'm not sure extra space would help. It was like one of those brain teaser puzzles.

Any advice on how to get that rear sway bar back in place? I hate to get defeated by what seems to be an easy repair, but I can't for the life of me figure it out. I tried entering from driver side (really tough with the gas tank), passenger side, and dropping the spare and kind of wiggling it in.

Thanks!!
Click to expand...
Common? Hadn't heard of anyone snapping one until this tread resurfaced.

Springs and/or shocks connected? Might be easier with the shock and potentially the spring(s) removed. When I removed my rear sway, found it easier to snake it out towards the passenger side.
 
Thanks

Thanks for the replies!

Yes, the truck was on jack stands under the frame. The springs and shocks didn't seem to be in the way that much, it was more twisting it around the gas tank on the driver's side. I tried "threading" it both ways, and neither seemed to work.

I may give it one more go - I'd much rather not have to remove springs / shocks if I can help it, but I'm baffled as to how to get it in place.
 
JamesDZ said:
Thanks for the replies!

Yes, the truck was on jack stands under the frame. The springs and shocks didn't seem to be in the way that much, it was more twisting it around the gas tank on the driver's side. I tried "threading" it both ways, and neither seemed to work.

I may give it one more go - I'd much rather not have to remove springs / shocks if I can help it, but I'm baffled as to how to get it in place.
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Second pair of hands to help pull it? Watch that you don't pull snag and pull on the brake lines

When I removed, wasn't terrible. I am lifted and do have a little more wheel travel/space than stock height though
 
I had a buddy helping - and I don't think we ever got close enough that the brake lines were in play but of course, good advice.

I wish the '05 was lifted. I have a '98 4Runner that is lifted and it would be a cinch to install a sway bar on that truck.
 
JamesDZ said:
Thanks for the replies!

Yes, the truck was on jack stands under the frame. The springs and shocks didn't seem to be in the way that much, it was more twisting it around the gas tank on the driver's side. I tried "threading" it both ways, and neither seemed to work.

I may give it one more go - I'd much rather not have to remove springs / shocks if I can help it, but I'm baffled as to how to get it in place.
Click to expand...

You might try removing the lower shock bolt on each side. That'll take less than 5 minutes and allow the axle to drop down further (support the rear diff on a floor jack while you do this and let it down easy, watch the brake lines and ABS wiring). That might give you the extra room you need.
 
RonJR - that sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a go this weekend and take some photos. If your plan works, I'm sure somebody else will eventually have the same problem and could benefit from seeing how a scrub mechanic like myself was able to install the sway bar.
 
JamesDZ said:
RonJR - that sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a go this weekend and take some photos. If your plan works, I'm sure somebody else will eventually have the same problem and could benefit from seeing how a scrub mechanic like myself was able to install the sway bar.
Click to expand...

This is a long shot, but did you take any photos of putting the new one in? I find myself in your shoes...
 
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