Some anti-roll bar questions...

ShooterMcGavin

ShooterMcGavin

New member
Who has taken theirs off or disconnects them when going offroad? If you are going to disconnect only one, which is most beneficial, F or R?

I bought a 1997 4R. I inspected it at night, while wearing an expensive coat, so I didn't get under it as much as I should have. On my first real inspection, the front anti-roll bar was missing the driver's side end-link and the passenger side D-bracket was completely broken. I took it all off and I have been driving it like that just fine. I'm sure it would handle on-road better if I had one, but I have other cars for on-road fun.

Should I leave the rear connected? I would think the rear matters least between the two, but maybe it is keeping my ride reasonable? I'm thinking about just taking it off.
 
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For offroading a lot of people disconnect, me included (depending on if I want that much flex). I'm not running the front because it's a smoother ride with the front acting truly independent. I would leave at least one on, it's not a bad ride with the rear disconnected, I ran no sway bars for about a month and got used to it really quickly and didn't think anything of the additional sway. But once you reconnect the sway bar after having it off it feels like you can corner really fast, so it's definitely beneficial in my opinion.

I didn't notice any difference in swaying of the body with the front on or off (while the rear was connected), so I would leave that off then keep the rear on and just have quick disconnects. Keep in mind that with the rear disconnected you can break your upper links because the 5 link isn't designed to articulate that far.
 
When driving around town the sway bars are something you don't really miss UNTIL you need them to avoid a crash. At which point you may crash or flip & crash without them. In 11 years of 4Runner driving the sway bars have saved me at least 2 times.
 
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snivilous said:
For offroading a lot of people disconnect, me included (depending on if I want that much flex). I'm not running the front because it's a smoother ride with the front acting truly independent. I would leave at least one on, it's not a bad ride with the rear disconnected, I ran no sway bars for about a month and got used to it really quickly and didn't think anything of the additional sway. But once you reconnect the sway bar after having it off it feels like you can corner really fast, so it's definitely beneficial in my opinion.

I didn't notice any difference in swaying of the body with the front on or off (while the rear was connected), so I would leave that off then keep the rear on and just have quick disconnects. Keep in mind that with the rear disconnected you can break your upper links because the 5 link isn't designed to articulate that far.
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I'm new at all this... I'm guessing the 5 link is the rear suspension setup on this truck?
I definitely know what you mean when you add a sway bar to a car that was without one, or had a smaller one. I am trying to do all my mods on a tight budget, so I'd like to avoid buying disconnects for the rear. I originally thought I'd take the rear anti-roll bar off and use discos up front.

BrianSD_42 said:
When driving around town the sway bars are something you don't really miss UNTIL you need them to avoid a crash. At which point you may crash or flip & crash without them. In 11 years of 4Runner driving the sway bars have saved me at least 2 times.
Click to expand...

I do see what you are saying, and you have a point. I suppose I will leave it as is for now.

Another question...
Is offroad driving always (or almost always) better done without anti-roll bars? Or, is there a situation where they are beneficial? Off-camber, maybe?
 
ShooterMcGavin said:
I'm new at all this... I'm guessing the 5 link is the rear suspension setup on this truck?
I definitely know what you mean when you add a sway bar to a car that was without one, or had a smaller one. I am trying to do all my mods on a tight budget, so I'd like to avoid buying disconnects for the rear. I originally thought I'd take the rear anti-roll bar off and use discos up front.
Click to expand...

Yea, the rear axle has 2 lower links and 2 upper links and then a track bar (panhard bar). You can probably find disconnects on a crashed jeep at a junk yard or something, a buddy gave me mine for free from a parts jeep he had over the summer.

If you had to leave one on, the front makes the ride smoother if it's off but you want the solid axle to be able to flex since the front doesn't really "flex" so removing it won't do much to help with traction offroad. You could probably remove the rear one, it'd still feel fine on road and then the back axle would be able to move around to give you better traction.
 
I'd say if you are lifted then get some extended links for the front and leave the sway bar on. Leave the rear on. Then go off-roading and SEE if you are limited by the front sway bar for yourself. I've found no issues with leaving it on now that I have extended links.
 
I had both off, hated it. Put rear back on, pretty good compromise for driving at speed on twisty roads, forest service roads, and articulating.
 
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