Sway bar

[K O]

I'm tired of listening to my sway bar clanging, and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about positioning it any better after installing a full Icon setup. I also added 700lb Eibach springs to the coilovers - has anyone removed their front sway bar completely? On the FJ forums this seems to be more prevalent, with the recommendation that you only remove the front, and only if you have 700lb or higher spring rate coilovers.

On the driver's side, the sway bar is about half an inch from the support bracket below it, and every pothole is metal on metal banging. I added the washers during the install as recommended by Icon which is what gave me even half an inch of clearance, and my sway bar is centered correctly. I'm not sure what else to do to stop the sway bar from clanging, and I'm not opposed to removing it anyway for the increased articulation and having a true IFS setup.

Any advice or experience shared is appreciated.

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

Weird that you are still hitting. My clearance is close but enough. I have debated about removing sway bars but I think I drive my truck on the road to much.

There are a bunch that have taken them off. You just need to be more careful when driving on the road.

 

[harper7]

I'm tired of listening to my sway bar clanging, and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about positioning it any better after installing a full Icon setup. I also added 700lb Eibach springs to the coilovers - has anyone removed their front sway bar completely? On the FJ forums this seems to be more prevalent, with the recommendation that you only remove the front, and only if you have 700lb or higher spring rate coilovers.

On the driver's side, the sway bar is about half an inch from the support bracket below it, and every pothole is metal on metal banging. I added the washers during the install as recommended by Icon which is what gave me even half an inch of clearance, and my sway bar is centered correctly. I'm not sure what else to do to stop the sway bar from clanging, and I'm not opposed to removing it anyway for the increased articulation and having a true IFS setup.

Any advice or experience shared is appreciated.

Find out what it's clanging on.There should be tell tell signs of hitting or rubbing somewhere.Who did the install? Mine and nobody else's clang on anything as long as you have the two sway bar relocate spacers where it connects on the frame and the 4 support spacers installed under the two supports.
Where is the top nut on the LR UCA's ?It should be all the way out for 700lb springs or it will hit on the springs.

I had mine off for over a year one time and I didn't notice that much difference with or without.The Icon CO's with 650lb springs are plenty stiff enough not to let it roll in corners. However , I don't fly into curves or run slalom races .I had the first Icon setup before they had the support spacers out and I was hitting them.Those supports are were new to 5th Gens.That's why I had mine off. I have it back on now because it gives me piece of mind that if I did have to make a emergency maneuver that there would be a better outcome with the swaybar.Plus there's nothing to gain with not having it on.

increased articulation and having a true IFS setup.

No idea what a true IFS setup is and you gain no articulation by taking the sway bar off. It's not a straight axle like a Jeep.The ball joint on the UCA and the lower bump stop are your limits for up and down travel if your shock has enough travel like Icon's extended travel shock. Your sway bar has links with articulating rod ends and bushings on the frame that let it rotate and travel up and down without binding or limiting travel. I got the same amount of travel with and without the bar on.
Now my tires do rub the bar a little when fully extended and the wheels the whole way cut as I can see some minor rub marks. But I have some pretty wide tires.

 

[limamike]

I'm tired of listening to my sway bar clanging, and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about positioning it any better after installing a full Icon setup. I also added 700lb Eibach springs to the coilovers - has anyone removed their front sway bar completely? On the FJ forums this seems to be more prevalent, with the recommendation that you only remove the front, and only if you have 700lb or higher spring rate coilovers.

On the driver's side, the sway bar is about half an inch from the support bracket below it, and every pothole is metal on metal banging. I added the washers during the install as recommended by Icon which is what gave me even half an inch of clearance, and my sway bar is centered correctly. I'm not sure what else to do to stop the sway bar from clanging, and I'm not opposed to removing it anyway for the increased articulation and having a true IFS setup.

Any advice or experience shared is appreciated.

Read through this thread: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/111733-icon-stage-1-installed-but.html

It might help you diagnose the clanging a bit more. I had the same issue with my sway bar running the standard coilover springs. I suspect my clanging was a combination of the ****ty install, but most of it I think I can attribute to the fact that the coilover spacer on the lower control arm mount was installed backwards thereby pushing the shock mount closer to the sway bar.

Either way, Harper7's already on the case, and he was a huge help in getting my stuff straightened-out and the sway bar clanging is definitely not something you want to have happen because it is most certainly damaging your coilovers.

 

[characterzero]

I hope you get it figured out, KO - nothing like having a nice rig with metal on metal contact @ every pothole (hated the spacer lift I had on the Frontier for this very reason).

 

[K O]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will have to climb under this weekend to verify everything, but I know the sway bar drop brackets are installed correctly, as I had followed the above mentioned thread on the failed Icon install. Also the reservoir bracket for the Icon remote reservoir will not mount correctly unless the sway bar relocates are installed properly. Looking at it, it looks like everything clears, nothing is rubbing or touching, but when the suspension flexes, you can hear the metal on metal, and the only 2 things near one another are the sway bar and the driver's side frame bracket below it. I checked after a week but didn't have any contact marks. I'll check again this weekend since it will have been nearly 2 months and see if there's signs of wear.

 

[Qjake]

As Harper said no one else is having this issue. It sounds like either the sway bar relocates are in wrong or no spacers on the brace assembly. Or as Limamike said the lower shock mount spacers could be backwards. Post pic's of your install so we can see it! Include sway bar relocates, brace assembly spacers, UCA's/upper ball joints and lower shock mount.

 

[limamike]

Thanks for all the feedback. I will have to climb under this weekend to verify everything, but I know the sway bar drop brackets are installed correctly, as I had followed the above mentioned thread on the failed Icon install. Also the reservoir bracket for the Icon remote reservoir will not mount correctly unless the sway bar relocates are installed properly. Looking at it, it looks like everything clears, nothing is rubbing or touching, but when the suspension flexes, you can hear the metal on metal, and the only 2 things near one another are the sway bar and the driver's side frame bracket below it. I checked after a week but didn't have any contact marks. I'll check again this weekend since it will have been nearly 2 months and see if there's signs of wear.

The sound you *might* be hearing is the seals on the coilovers. They make a distinctive popping sound that might be confused for a metal-on-metal sound if you didn't know what it was. If your swaybar is hitting anything when the suspension cycles it's going to leave a mark.

 

[ArcticEd]

I had issues with the swaybar relocation brackets (tried 2 different sets) when I put in the OW 2.5 lift - never could get things to line up right. My swaybar has been sitting at the foot of my bed next to a barbell since the install. I haven't had any problems, but like Harper said - I don't do 60 in tight curves or run slalom courses. I keep telling myself I'll get someone to manufacture some good relocator brackets, but nothing in the normal driving routine has provided enough motivation yet.

 

[K O]

Thanks for all the feedback.

After taking things apart and looking over it, there was no contact whatsoever between any parts of the suspension, and all the parts are installed correctly facing the right direction, etc. I did, however, notice that my Shrockworks bumper inserts (the parts above the bumper made to blend in with the vehicle) were loose. After taking those off, the metal on metal bang is gone. This is about the 6th time I've adjusted them because of their poor fit. I'm considering designing a solid one piece bar to hold them both in place, because dangling them underneath the headlamps is not working out.

One of them has always jutted forward like a bad underbite - the only way it would ever fit right is if I cut off the tabs under the headlights completely. Is anyone else's this way, and has anyone found a better way to mount them? I might even consider cutting up my stock bumper to use the plastic as inserts.

 

[mikey's2010SR5]

If you design a piece and the fit is better let me know. I too am still not happy with the alignment but have since given up on adjusting them.