Sway bars off on stock suspension

yotantexas

yotantexas

Member
So I did some searching and seems like the only info I could find was removing the sway bars when a lift is installed.
I am looking to remove the sway bars for off road trips so it would not be full time. I am running the stock suspension and stock tire size and looking to find out if this has been done and any issues it may cause. I know the KDSS disconnects the bars so I am assuming I should be good with taking these off for trails on my non KDSS runner.
 
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The KDSS equipped 4Runners have an entirely different sway bar set up and size. It's your call but I wouldn't drive three feet on a stock non KDSS equipped suspension. No way.
 
yotantexas said:
So I did some searching and seems like the only info I could find was removing the sway bars when a lift is installed.
I am looking to remove the sway bars for off road trips so it would not be full time. I am running the stock suspension and stock tire size and looking to find out if this has been done and any issues it may cause. I know the KDSS disconnects the bars so I am assuming I should be good with taking these off for trails on my non KDSS runner.
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My guess is that you may benefit slightly offroad without sway bars. However, I wouldn't run on the road with stock suspension and no sway bars. The reason a few of us do with lifted trucks is really a function of installing stiffer spring rates to compensate partially for a lack of sway bar. The stock suspension is mushy and I'm guessing body roll would be extremely noticeable and more dangerous. I wouldn't personally without a different suspension simply because you aren't probably going to be running trails where you really need to have max articulation. Do it if you want though! Be the first!
 
Don't remove the swaybars on stock suspension. It is WAY too soft to do that. The first time you go to make a quick maneuver on the street you could end up rolling it. Even when I am lifted with stiffer suspension, I run my sway bars on the street.

If you feel like disconnecting them when you're on the trails and reconnecting when you get back to the street, go for it. On a stock suspension, there will be limited (not none) benefit to removing them at all.
 
Thanks for the replies. I would not run on the street with out the bars on stock suspension so no worries there. I will go look through bimrunner's build.
 
If it helps this is mine with sway bars attached about a month after I bought it. I've debated this myself, but have yet to disconnect them. No problems so far. The front bar is much stiffer than the rear one, so the front tends to follow the terrain somewhat. The front IFS also tends to have less flexibility than the rear live axle. But there is plenty of flex in the back and I don't feel like it is hurting my ability to go over moderate terrain/trails.


 
Yes!
Remove that front sway bar for offroad only, it will flex so much better!
Leave the rear on, it doesn't really limit the rear from flexing.

:p
 
I've never tried it on stock suspension... but taking the sway bars off is an easy job and I would highly recommend trying it for trail use. Also experiment with just taking the front off. Or maybe just the rear.

Driving it on the road like that is questionable, but I really think it is fine if you drive in a "special" way and adjust for it. Example, pulling a trailer is extremely dangerous compared to not pulling anything, but you don't drive like you would when you are not pulling a trailer. If you have the right mindset (no quick wheel jerks, no high speed corners...) You can safely get from point A to point B with no issues. Just like you can pull a trailer from point A to point B.

Lifted aftermarket suspensions really just give you a false sense of security without a sway bar... it feels pretty good in the corners... but if you really jerk it hard it leans over even more because off the lift and extended travel and there is plenty of opportunity for a rollover. But those who drive on the road with such a setup are usually always thinking about what they are driving and learn to handle it in a safe way when possible.

I would never recommend taking them off without understanding the risk, but I don't think i is any more dangerous than pulling a light trailer.
 
Disconnecting the Sway Bar

The T4R with KDSS does not disconnect the sway bar when operating on rough terrain. It is still connected. It allows the sway bar to extend below or above the neutral point by a system of hydraulics. On the road it is a stiffer anti-sway bar, operated by hydraulics to stiffen cornering and react to rough surfaces like washboard in dirt roads.

I have a friend who is trying to disconnect the anti-sway on his Lexus 4x4 but he can't get it to operate because it bangs the steering mechanism or something. When he figures it out he's going to disconnect it for off-road.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has an electronic front and rear sway bar disconnect system. It's only for slow speeds on rugged roads, not highway or street speeds. On a short test drive I drove one over a curb a few times and couldn't really tell if it was truly helping or just the ground clearance of the vehicle.

You can find videos on line about how to disconnect the sway bar for off-road use.
 
When i lifted my 3rd gen i removed them and ran them without. It is soething I would do only if you have ...insert stupid word here.. But anyways I was happy with it on my 3rd gen, but I would let NO ONE else but myself drive it as it changed the vehicles handling tremendously. I won't do it on my 5th gen till I win the lottery and SAS it because i have to much money....
 
I had the sway bar off on my 2010 Tacoma for 4 years and never looked back but I was also running an OME lift with 886 springs up front.
 
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