Sway bar removal

Gonna add some super bumps to the front now and I should be set I think

 

I am considering this just for the driving comfort. The roads here are 3rd world ugly & I think either my tie rod ends or sway bar links are bad. Everything here is flat & I mainly stay off the interstate except for a weekly 140 mile trip for a client.

Is it possible to just remove the end link on 1 side to test it without damaging anything or do I have to remove the entire bar?

I am tired of the suspension clunking just from backing off a curb.

 

You can try it but the side of your swaybar without the link might contact something you don't want it to if you flex too much.

 

Not really. It will bash into the components if it's disconnected on one side. It only takes about 20 min to remove, just rip the band-aid off and test it out.

I wouldn't recommend it on stock suspension, but if you're upgraded it should be able to handle itself without it. I don't miss it at all with my ADS 2.5's.

 

I have the Bilstein 5100's set to 1.75 but still use the stock springs. Too much flex is not really an issue in NOLA. Although, some of the pot holes are 4+ feet deep.

 

Those might be capable if you don't push it too hard. Give it a whirl man. Should be able to remove it without removing the wheels. It's like 13 bolts total if you have skid plates.

 

Probably still gets 16mpg.

 

For diagnostic purposes, just pull the whole thing off and drive around.

I rocked no sway bar on my similar setup (5100's stock TRD OR progressive springs @ 1.75in setting) for like 2 years or so. The ride was smooth and the truck stayed flat when going straight over varying terrain / speedbumps etc. What I didn't like was excessive body roll at speed, lets face it the truck (and like 99% of the people on here) spend 95+% of their lives on pavement, so it went back on and is much more stable at typical driving speeds.

 

Waited too long to remove it personally..luckily the Midwest didn't give me too much trouble and I was able to remove it successfully.

You're able to see how much of a real overlander you are too...

 

That's because in a straight line when the left and right wheels are compressed in a (mostly) equal fashion, the sway bar isn't even loaded. There will be no difference between having one installed or not in that scenario.

Bingo. In turns when the outside wheel is loaded and the inside wheel is not is EXACTLY where the sway bar gets loaded up.
Like you, I prefer no sway bar offroad but on the road there's literally no comparison. The truck handles dramatically better with the sway bar on. Turn in is quick and immediate. There's no "weightless" feeling between when you turn the wheel and the outside suspension loads up. Anyone who says that's not true simply is oblivious to the handling of the truck in general.

PS: I say this having a full Fox 2.5 DSC setup with custom valving on my truck so it's not like my suspension isn't built. Even with that level of suspension I STILL think the sway bar is a huge benefit. My only problem with it is my Mobtown armor makes getting the sway bar off/on a bit more of a hassle.

 

Like stated going straight, with varying terrain, the wheels can move independently and the ride was smooth (and not troublesome from a safety standpoint).

 

2 bolts in the wheel well vs. 13 bolts while laying on the ground & possibly getting a 25lb bar to the forehead.

 

Well.. yes. But if you only unbolt it from the shocks you are still unable to move it out of the way, so it's just going to hang out in the wheel area and bang on suspension and steering components. Bar needs to be fully removed in order not to cause damage. It's a pretty quick process.

 

You're going to have to deal with a lot more than 2 bolts in the wheel well though when that sway bar tears up the CV boots.

 

That is what I am asking. I get that removing both end links will let the bar rotate down & contact other stuff. But leaving 1 side connected will hold it in mostly the same position. Does the wheel move up/down that much during on-road driving?

 

Oh I see what you're asking.. For a test on flat ground it should not damage things much if you keep one side still attached - just remove the endlink completely from the disconnected side. Won't be a completely accurate test as one side of the suspension will still have slight extra resistance keeping it connected on just one end, but you can try it.. it will perform similar to having a broken endlink.

I feel like you're making this out to be a bigger thing than it is. And it's probably harder due to leverage to remove just an endlink fully than the whole bar. Just yank the whole thing and test if you like it. Can leave the front skids and supports off for the test to save some time as well. Could've already been done by now lol.

 

There is a reason nobody has been successful in making a quick disconnect. It'd likely be okay with just pavement driving but in the chance that it's not, how do you feel about replacing cv boots?

 

Your example was a speed bump (which contacts both the same time if straight like you stated) so I assumed when you said varied you meant vertically.

 

You can easily be traveling straight and go over a speed bump at an angle. Just saying.