How do I remove the sway bar?

I want to disconnect my sway bar before I go offroad to see if I want to remove it completely. Can someone post a picture of the bolt I need to remove from each side? I am just starting to do my own work on my truck and dont wanna remove something I shouldnt.

 

You can do it with the tires on but it will be hard if you dont know what you are doing. Try one side with the tire off then see if u can do the other side with it on. Each side has an end link. One bolt you take off. It attaches to the spindle. Then follow the swaybar toward the front of the truck and you will see where it bolts to the frame. There are two bolts there. So all together you will take off 6 nuts/bolts. You will have to take the front skidplate off though. Do that first. Just get under there and you will see the bolts for that.

 

check out the fourth picture down. that is how to disconnect the sway bar for off roading correct guys?

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/40461-how-install-ucas.html

 

You have to take it off completely though or it will bounce around and jack stuff up. Thats half of it!

 

oh ok. good info!

 

why just for off-roading... why not leave it off ALL the time?

 

here, read the 9th post by jdmcq.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/45772-sway-bar-removal.html

 

Good read, thanks moto932.

Here's my take...
I like having traction from as many wheels as possible. So if the front swaybar lifts the unloaded side, that's bad imo under all circumstances, road or off-road. Manufacturers use front swaybars as an effective way to induce understeer, which is a "safe" balance for most drivers, but not me
The bar also adds spring rate when loaded without sacraficing ride quality when unloaded.

I've always attempted to remove understeer from my vehicles, but this is my first truck, and 4x4, so its a whole different animal. I'll be sure to increase my knowledge on the subject before I start pulling off suspension components though.

 

As you increase the spring rate of the front anti-sway bar (leaving all else the same), the vehicle does tend to understeer more in hard cornering situations.

The benefit is that you tend to maintain stability in the front suspension, so that neither side lays on the bump stops, and the suspension geometry stays closer to ideal.

If you want to remove understeer--something that autocross people like to do--then consider adding a rear anti-sway bar. A properly balanced front and rear anti sway bar set can give you neutral cornering (no understeer, no oversteer), which will make for a very stable vehicle in emergency maneuvers.

Simply removing the front sway bar will make rapid or emergency steering maneuvers much more difficult to control, and the vehicle will be more likely to roll.

People who autocross their cars know quite a bit about suspension setup (I have done a few autocross runs in my previous car, and I might even do a few in my Tacoma.) Here's one guide to suspension tuning:
http://www.wtrscca.org/tech.htm#problems

 

I have a modified Prelude that I auto-x and race, so I get it

The way my stock truck feels right now, I have very little confidence in any type of emergency maneuver. I plan to drive slow and safe with it, and avoid any quick steering input.

 

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but it's probably better than starting a whole new thread.

this long bar here is the sway bar right?


and here at the end of the bar is the sway bar connector right?

 

Yes sir.

 

Is it tough to renistall the sway bar by yourself?

Any idea as to how much it weighs? I need to take mine off soon.

 

It's doable by yourself. Maybe weighs 20 pounds. Don't remember though.

 

i just disconnected the sway bar ball joints and left the sway bar in the harness...

is it ok to leave it on/under the truck and just disconnected?

 

I think I read somewhere that it can get tangled up if you leave it hanging there...but I'm not positive on that cuz I haven't taken mine off yet.

 

With 2nd gen not good. But you have a first so not sure.

 

why not? it gives you a lot of articulation along w a better ride. just dont take sharp turns at high speeds

 

Sorry. My post was directed at tacomarotto.

 

ohhh yeah x2 for bad idea