Remove front sway bar? (1 Viewer)

[whitec13]

Good evening Mud,
I am looking for people who have removed their front sway bar entirely and opinions on the other hand of why one shouldn’t. I have read a few things here and there, but nothing concrete on decisions made. My reason for asking is, for about 4 years my frame mount has been broken off on the passenger side. I noticed it a couple years ago while doing some maintenance, but remembered back when it happened once found. While I’ve noticed no handling issues on or offroad, even at highway speeds, I also don’t know if I’ll be able to weld it back in.

Here is my use case. I daily drive my Cruiser about 20-25 miles round trip 5 days a week. Roughly 3-5 times a year it makes trips to our cabin in Northern Michigan, which sees about 1-2 hours of highway handling on the 4 hour trip one way. Once there we wheel on forest service roads and some off-camber two track trails - nothing super heavy, but up to 120 miles of trail per trip. Each trip is around 400-500 miles.

As for aftermarket add ons I have a steel front bumper, FOX shocks front and rear, welded in tube rockers, small fly fishing load out with attic rack in rear, a custom rear tire swing out, 305/55/20 KO2 with Tundra 20’s, and some roof mounted recovery tools.

I am doing a 300k front end rebuild including new UCA’s, new lower ball joints, new LCA bushings, new outer tie rod ends, and new wheel bearings with all the hub fixings. While doing this, I am installing a set of 30mm Nolathane rear spacers and cranking my torsion bars a bit to accommodate.

While doing all of this I am looking to nix the sway bar while I’m at it. My thought is the sway bar seems somewhat redundant in an IFS with this much front end weight. If I get in there and figure out I can weld it back in easily, I might do it and put new links on. However, I’m just planning on it being removed.

Am I crazy?

 

[GTV]

Sway bars are important in evasive maneuvers. More so with additional weight.

 

[whitec13]

Sway bars are important in evasive maneuvers. More so with additional weight.

Right, I understand why they are there. But thinking in the way they work, would be more of a must have for a solid axle than an IFS. Again, I may be crazy and I’m not set on removal.

 

[GTV]

Right, I understand why they are there. But thinking in the way they work, would be more of a must have for a solid axle than an IFS. Again, I may be crazy and I’m not set on removal.

Sure, IFS handles better than a solid axle. Sway bars make them both better, that's why they've been around for so long. Unless you're more concerned about flexing.

 

[FamilyCamper]

I've had mine off for a year at least now. As long as you have upgraded shocks the sway is not that bad. I did start getting the traction control beeping at me on long turns (tight entrance or exit ramps) but otherwise I don't notice it anymore. I've swerved hard and been ok still. I also have front steel bumper. More comfortable off road and I also do daily on road driving. Remove it and keep for now. You will have to remove anyways if you want to weld the mount back in. Maybe try and weld it back on once you have it all apart while removing?? I havnt missed it once

 

[OzarkAngler]

When I bought mine it also had a nearly completely broken mount on the passenger side. I thought the handling was great, but then I fabbed a new one and welded it on. That made me realize how incredibly sloppy the handling actually was, especially with the understeer on left-hand turns.

If you have the skills and time, or know someone who does it's well worth it.

 

[GerLC100]

I’m running with disconnecting sway bar since looking for clunks 4-5 weeks ago, including a week in Mojave/ Joshua Tree.
A bit sloppy… yep. A bit lean… yep. Totally ok for now… yep.

I’d perhaps just leave it in and disconnect offroad. That’s likely the way I’m going.

 

[2001LC]

Good looking rig. You doing a lot to improve front end. Why wouldn't you just have new PS stabilizer bar bracket welded on.

Perhaps you've never driven a well set up Land Cruiser. You'll see improved handle in HWY turns, which is a safer and more comfortable driving experience. By reducing body roll and the need to correct steering in turns. This also reduce stress on ball joint, R&P, TRE and LCA bushings.

Unstable vehicle, could cause ABS to activate, from false input. This can be dangers, especially in turns.

 

[take123]

If you want the front sway bar lasting, check the air conditioner drip exhaust tube, which is in the rear of the engine bay right in front of the passenger's glove box.

That exhaust tube drips water directly onto that sway bar joint to the chassis and that's one of the first things to rust out and break. I would consider redirecting that drip exhaust by using some extender tubing and setting it to drip somewhere else.

If yours is rusting out I'd find a way to find someone to reweld it back on the frame or make a new mount.

 

[7toy9]

Does anyone have experience or thoughts on removing the front sway bar and compensating with adjustable front shocks? I'd imagine with Dobinsons MRA we could tighten up the low-speed compression to help mitigate body roll?