No sway bars?

[derekj]

Just wondering what it is like to drive a B2 w/o the sway bars on the road?

Derek

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

fun!

unbolt them and try it. start out slow until you get the hang of it, and dont forget your not driving a sports car. in fact, your driving an SUV with no sway bars

TTB is one of the few independent front suspensions that can really get away without using a sway bar IMO. its inherently stable enough that you arent in serious risk of loosing it around corners.

that said, if your really concerned, all it takes is a couple bolts, pins, and a drill to make "quick disconnects" for the sway bars.

 

[2manyfords]

I've driven my BII with both front and rear sway bars removed and it was ok but i really wouldn't recommend it. A Ranger isn't as bad with no sway bars.

It was wishy washy but livable if you don't go crazy with it.

 

[Joe_Roofer]

Is there a real advantage to removing them?
I know the rear ones in a ranger sit kinda low but
do they restrict wheel travel or something?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

they restrict wheel travel, particularly the front. removing them can gain an inch or so of travel at the wheel.

 

[Joe_Roofer]

hmmmm, OK, makes sense.
Thanks!

 

[LittleBigFoot]

I just pulled the sway bars on my 00 and it sure is fun on the highway. I do have a stiffer suspension with the torsion bars cranked, but still, it leads to a new driving experience.

Go for it. It really helps on the trails

 

[Totalled]

Put explorer springs in it and you won't even notice they're gone.

 

[pimtool]

I had my truck on the lift and wanted to see how much more travel I would get without the sway bar attatched. So I unbolted it. It pulled my shock nearly in two. Blew the seal right out of it ,fluid all over the place. This is with a coil spacer and stock length shocks and a pretty heavy 32" tire. Good thing they are lifetime shocks. Probably wouldnt have happend if I had the truck on the ground to start with. I imagine the same would have happend at full flex on the trail.

 

[ford_2.8]

my bronco with no sway bar is fun. while cuttin a donut it will pull the inside front tire off the ground.but it aint so fun at hight speeds it wants to go every were.

 

[Tony Raine]

pulled the sway bars off my b2 (7" lift) a long time ago. handles the same for me, but i have stiff RC springs and i don't drive it over 55 mph. if you drive a lot of highway, i would make quick disconnects for the front and remove the rear altogether.

 

[PARKINGLOT]

I left the rear on my old BII (too lazy to pull it) but I pulled the front one after it passed safety inspection....just get the hang of it before you go nuts...I never missed mine..

 

[4x4junkie]

I had my truck on the lift and wanted to see how much more travel I would get without the sway bar attatched. So I unbolted it. It pulled my shock nearly in two. Blew the seal right out of it ,fluid all over the place. This is with a coil spacer and stock length shocks and a pretty heavy 32" tire. Good thing they are lifetime shocks. Probably wouldnt have happend if I had the truck on the ground to start with. I imagine the same would have happend at full flex on the trail.

Sounds like that shock was already on it's way out (or was defective).

Removing the swaybar won't change the load to the shocks.


I don't run swaybars on either of mine, except if towing something (or hauling a top-heavy load).

 

[derekj]

Thanks for all the replies guys! I am going to remove the back one this weekend when i install my new shocks and try and fab:icon_welder: a disconnect for the front.

Derek

 

[Bent Bolt]

I pulled both sway bars off my 87 Ranger when it was stock and it made a big improvement in ride quality, IMHO. I'm going to pull the front sway bar off my 08 and see what happens.

 

[97ranger4x4]

I was curious about this also. How hard is it to take on and off (front & back)? Also under a load such as towing, are they more important to have? Also how do you create a quick disconect for the front and/or rear suspension? Any pictures?

BTW I have an D35 TTB up front and 8.8 in the back
Thanks alot,
Keith

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

removing is easy: undo the nut and slide the bolt out (might have to tap it with a hammer while wiggling the sway bar).

DEFINITELY have sway bars hooked up for hauling/towing. it'd be possible to create a vary unstable and dangerous condition without them. you want as much ride control when towing as you can get.

the disconnects are also easy: after you remove the bolt from the sway bar links, drill a hole through the bolt at the very end. to hook up the sway bars, you just insert the bolt and put a spring clip through the hole to hold it in place.

 

[derekj]

Well i took off the rear sway bar and installed some new Superlift shocks. Can't say that i really even notice the rear sway bar being gone. Havn't had a chance to go flex it yet but will try to soon. Now i just need to make some disconnects for the front.

Derek

 

[canyoncritter]

sway bars are for jerks who think thier truck is a road racer, or you use your truck for alot of towing....I hate sway bars on TTB trucks. To me they feel unpredictable in long sweeper corners with any "humps" in the road.

if you drive like a sane person, and give yourself a few days behind the wheel getting use to the extra body roll, you'll wonder why you ever asked....

this is with experince with rangers and explorers, never had a BII

 

[hairyboxnoogle]

huh, my truck didnt even have one one the back, and the front one was broke.lol, yeah i wheel it!! I thought my truck handles wicked for a narrow little ranger. you could e-brake on pavement doin 50 * , didnt roll, scared the livin $h!t out of me, but didnt roll.

* Teaching GF to drive stick.... apparently she thought the clutch and e-brake look alike.