Swaybar delete- front or rear?

Which sway bar is best to remove ?

  • remove Front sway bar

    Votes: 27 81.8%
  • remove Rear sway bar

    Votes: 6 18.2%

  • Total voters
    33

SnowLizard

New member
ok, so I'm getting ready on replacing the 4 old shocks with some tundra bil's 5100's... with new 906 coils out back.

since I'm going new shocks and new rear coils out back, yes keeping stock 99's up front, I think I'm safe to remove ONE of the sway bars...

but which one? front or rear? usually rear is empty, dogs go back there, but I wouldn't mind more travel from the front...

I hear longer sway links can help, maybe in the rear from a 2nd gen, increase travel.
 
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This has been vastly discussed.

I say leave them on and get longer links to match your lift.

No everyone agreess, which is also fine.
 
What is your focus? Driving/handling/safety on-road? Leave both sway bars on! Focused entirely on off-road? Both sway bars disconnected. Good on-road safety and some off-road treks? Leave the front connected and rear can be disconnected. Great on-road manners and great off-road flex? Get disconnect endlinks and disconnect sway bars when off-road. End of story.
 
I ripped off my rear sway bar on the trail a few months ago. I haven't bothered to put it back on. Driving with it off isn't bad, but I want to put it on whenever I get a chance.

I usually just disconnect one of my front sway bar links whenever I go offroad and it only takes 5 minutes to unscrew the top nut.
 
If I were going to take something off it'd be the front. Keep the rears in place to help reduce your body roll. About 75% of your body roll is going to come from the rear as it is. The front has more weight, and coilovers are going to add some more stiffness as well.

I didn't run fronts for about 2 years, and just recently put them back on. With having to drive 2 land country roads to and from work it made a night and day difference.
 
I agree with MStudt. Keeping rear connected also keeps your truck more level when wheeling. This helps clear rocks and trees on the trail. With rear disconnected I have damn near taken my rear side window out because my body rolled into a tree when flexing. Also helps keep that drive shaft from slamming into gas tank on rough trails.
 
Ugh, previous owner of my T4R took both Sway Bars off. He gave me the sway bars (with broken end links and no mounting brackets), but I have yet to put them back on. It's on my to-do list, but first I need End Links, mounting brackets and new bushings.

My old lady hates it when I take a turn at any sort of moderately fast speed, she thinks the truck will flip over, lol.

I think if you do anywhere near 85% on-road use, you should definitely leave both on.

Even in the 15% of situations that you would be off-roading, how much of that requires maximum flex?

To me, that's the question you should ask yourself.

I've never taken mine off-roading, but obviously, the previous owner has.
 
Ugh, previous owner of my T4R took both Sway Bars off. He gave me the sway bars (with broken end links and no mounting brackets), but I have yet to put them back on. It's on my to-do list, but first I need End Links, mounting brackets and new bushings.

My old lady hates it when I take a turn at any sort of moderately fast speed, she thinks the truck will flip over, lol.

I think if you do anywhere near 85% on-road use, you should definitely leave both on.

Even in the 15% of situations that you would be off-roading, how much of that requires maximum flex?

To me, that's the question you should ask yourself.

I've never taken mine off-roading, but obviously, the previous owner has.

Mine are both broken and missing also. Wife wont even drive it anymore.
 
I don't have any sway bars and don't even notice anything.

If I was gonna keep one, I would remove the front since it makes the IFS a lot more smooth, and get quick disconnects for the rear.
 
I don't have any sway bars and don't even notice anything.

I know there are many thread on sway bar debates, but I am still confused as there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to whether or not the difference with or without (or any combination of that) is even noticeable. I guess it's subjective?

I dunno... on a car, the difference is pretty damn evident, but on a lifted 4x4 that already has the suspension all out of whack (meaning it's no longer at OEM spec), does removing or keeping sway bars really make a difference?

I have no idea what to expect if I reinstalled mine. Right now, with my current setup, I find the truck to be bouncy and unpredictable on the road (hitting a pothole or slamming on the brakes often has unwanted and sometimes scary effects) which could be attributed to a wide array of factors (worn out suspension parts vs. replaced ones). I'm skeptical that sway bars would even help reduce this behavior.
 

There's lots of variables. The truck definitely has less body roll with sway bars, and it's easier to drive faster around corners, but I haven't had any sway bars for over 2 years and am used to it. Not to mention my 4Runner sits a lot lower and wider than most rigs on here, so is inherently more stable. Different strokes for different folks, I am used to no sway bars so don't think it limits my driving at all, and having none enhances the performance offroad which is higher priority than taking turns at 60mph up a canyon.

In the future I'll probably get an anti-rock bar, but for now I can drive the truck to it's full capability without sway bars and benefit from the added comfort and performance offroad.
 
I know there are many thread on sway bar debates, but I am still confused as there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer to whether or not the difference with or without (or any combination of that) is even noticeable. I guess it's subjective?

I dunno... on a car, the difference is pretty damn evident, but on a lifted 4x4 that already has the suspension all out of whack (meaning it's no longer at OEM spec), does removing or keeping sway bars really make a difference?

I have no idea what to expect if I reinstalled mine. Right now, with my current setup, I find the truck to be bouncy and unpredictable on the road (hitting a pothole or slamming on the brakes often has unwanted and sometimes scary effects) which could be attributed to a wide array of factors (worn out suspension parts vs. replaced ones). I'm skeptical that sway bars would even help reduce this behavior.

When a deer runs out in front of you while you're doing 60mph you'll wish your sway bars were connected. God forbid you kill your passengers because you couldn't keep the truck under control. Get longer links for the front & back with the fronts as disco's for wheelin'.
 
Remember that removing an anti-roll bar will affect not only the body roll, but also understeer or oversteer. Some of this can be mitigated through compression or rebound damping changes.

Once I add the TC arms and gussets and such, I'm going to play with the damping on the Kings and see if I can get away with removing the anti-roll bars.

understeer-diagnosis-guide.png
 
I removed the front to let the IFS do it's thing off road. The rear still controls most of the body roll.
 
When a deer runs out in front of you while you're doing 60mph you'll wish your sway bars were connected. God forbid you kill your passengers because you couldn't keep the truck under control. Get longer links for the front & back with the fronts as disco's for wheelin'.

You mean to tell me that a 4Runner can actually do 60mph? lol.

I very rarely do that kind of speed. I don't like taking the highway/freeway with my T4R because of the bad vibrations. I stick to parkways and side roads where limits are rarely about 50mph.

I love driving this truck at approx. 50mph. 1500rpm on the tach (fuel economy!), no tire vibrations/wobbles, cool breeze with all the windows rolled down. So nice.

Seriously, I drive my T4R like a grandpa because it feels too unsafe at high speeds (compared to my little Matrix XRS), which I doubt having sway bars in place would even rectify as there are too many old and worn out components to even begin to pinpoint.

All control arms (bushings) for example. I'm sure I'd see a night/day difference by replacing all of those before seeing much improvement by just having sway bars. A serious brake servicing would help too.

I don't know... I'm trying not sink money into this since I only put about 3000 miles/year on it and rust is a bit of an issue.

Ideally though, I'd have it all fixed. Brand new oem (minus springs, shocks & diff drop) suspension & brake parts all around would be a dream. She'd be toight like a toiger
 
You mean to tell me that a 4Runner can actually do 60mph? lol.

I very rarely do that kind of speed. I don't like taking the highway/freeway with my T4R because of the bad vibrations. I stick to parkways and side roads where limits are rarely about 50mph.

I love driving this truck at approx. 50mph. 1500rpm on the tach (fuel economy!), no tire vibrations/wobbles, cool breeze with all the windows rolled down. So nice.

Seriously, I drive my T4R like a grandpa because it feels too unsafe at high speeds (compared to my little Matrix XRS), which I doubt having sway bars in place would even rectify as there are too many old and worn out components to even begin to pinpoint.

All control arms (bushings) for example. I'm sure I'd see a night/day difference by replacing all of those before seeing much improvement by just having sway bars. A serious brake servicing would help too.

I don't know... I'm trying not sink money into this since I only put about 3000 miles/year on it and rust is a bit of an issue.

Ideally though, I'd have it all fixed. Brand new oem (minus springs, shocks & diff drop) suspension & brake parts all around would be a dream. She'd be toight like a toiger

Come on! My 4 banger does 80 on the highway with 33's! (it just takes 30min to get to that speed) :becky:
I hear you though, I would take care of the rust issues before you put any money into it. If your frame is rotting from the inside it could crack out on the trail. If the frame is solid rust proof it then work on the vibrations/steering. Over the last 2 years I've replaced the rear drive shaft, ball joints, tie rod ends, UCA's, steering rack bushings & now she drives & brakes straight again with zero vibrations.
 
When a deer runs out in front of you while you're doing 60mph you'll wish your sway bars were connected. God forbid you kill your passengers because you couldn't keep the truck under control. Get longer links for the front & back with the fronts as disco's for wheelin'.

The same could be said for lifting your truck. It's inherently less stable and more prone to roll if a deer jumps out in front of you. Should we not do that as well?
 
If I were going to take something off it'd be the front. Keep the rears in place to help reduce your body roll. About 75% of your body roll is going to come from the rear as it is. The front has more weight, and coilovers are going to add some more stiffness as well.

I didn't run fronts for about 2 years, and just recently put them back on. With having to drive 2 land country roads to and from work it made a night and day difference.

I respect your input and experience, and for your purposes, your suggestion may be completely valid. However, for the greatest level of on-road safety, I can only recommend leaving all the anti-roll bars in place. As an alternative to that, only remove the rear anti-roll bar. In an emergency maneuver, there can be serious negative consequences...

Remember that removing an anti-roll bar will affect not only the body roll, but also understeer or oversteer. Some of this can be mitigated through compression or rebound damping changes.

Once I add the TC arms and gussets and such, I'm going to play with the damping on the Kings and see if I can get away with removing the anti-roll bars.

understeer-diagnosis-guide.png

This is a very valid point, and one that cannot be emphasized enough! Removing anti-roll bars changes vehicle dynamics more than just "roll". Roll typically feels bad to the driver/passengers. Roll can change the center of gravity and increase the likelihood of a roll-over. But, as Roc Doc mentions, there are greater physics affected as well. When you change the anti-roll bar layout from what Toyota has designed, you are changing something called "roll couple". That is the tendency of a vehicle to shift its weight forward or rearward as the weight of the vehicle leans, whether into a turn or as caused by terrain. The change of a vehicle's roll couple can cause sudden and unwanted loss of traction. Sometimes that loss of traction on one end of the vehicle is a good thing, and is designed into the vehicle suspension. Sometimes, when we change the roll couple, we can create a loss of traction that can lead to very bad consequences. More specifically...

Removing an anti-roll bar from one end of a vehicle, with no other suspension changes, on modern vehicles as they are designed today (there may be exceptions, but I don't know of them), causes a greater level of traction on the tires of that "axle" (the "axle" could be the pair of tires joined by IFS too). Greater traction? Sounds great, right? When an emergency, evasive maneuver is required of the vehicle, there is a possibility of a loss of traction. Removing an anti-roll bar from the rear will tend to increase relative traction on that axle, which leads to an earlier slip from the front wheels - understeer. Removing an anti-roll bar from the front will do the opposite, creating a much greater likelihood for oversteer. So, how much oversteer did you just impart into your vehicle? Remember, this is a split-second emergency situation. You don't get to test it and try it out under the same surface conditions at the same speed. You may have just created a very unsafe situation by removing that front anti-roll bar!
 
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The same could be said for lifting your truck. It's inherently less stable and more prone to roll if a deer jumps out in front of you. Should we not do that as well?

I agree, my truck is not as stable as it was stock. Why make it worse by getting rid of the sway bars?
I live next to a state forest & drive a lot slower through that area. The main reason I got my Shrockworks bumper is to hit the deer instead of trying to avoid it. I know the first reaction it to turn the wheel but I think I'm mentally prepared the hit the brakes & keep the truck straight. They are on the side of the road every night driving home from work.

The other night I was driving home in my 09 Accord (4 wheel disk brakes) that stops on a dime. A deer came walking out on the parkway & I was able to stop & not panic. The T4R would have probably needed another 25 feet to stop & I would have hit it. The TBU is getting installed soon.
 
When a deer runs out in front of you while you're doing 60mph you'll wish your sway bars were connected. God forbid you kill your passengers because you couldn't keep the truck under control. Get longer links for the front & back with the fronts as disco's for wheelin'.

When a deer runs out in front of me while I'm doing 60mph I'll run through that thing at 60mph and pull into the next car wash I see to pressure wash my front bumper.


That said, I am planning on putting my front swaybar back on someday. I bought a new (used) one and some endlinks, I just need to find the motivation to take my skids off and get after it.

My wife doesn't LOVE driving my 4Runner on the freeway but she'll do it. I cruise at 70 with one hand on the wheel and feel completely safe. No front swaybar, extended links in the back.
 

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