Sway Bar - Heavy Duty Front, Delete Rear

[Ronny Grady]

Has anyone tried running a heavy duty front sway bar and removed the rear sway bar?

My rear sway bar gets beat pretty badly when rock crawling; it hangs lower than my metal tech rear lower control arms, and is in the line of fire. So far it's survived with only scratches. I’m planning to remove the rear sway bar before running the Rubicon this summer. I tried removing the rear sway bar for a few weeks, but had a bit too much body roll around town.

I have a front sway bar disconnect, it works great on the trail. My front sway bar bushings are really worn out though and make more noise than anything else on the truck I am considering to upgrade to a TJM bar instead of just getting bushings for the stock sway bar:
TJM Heavy Duty Front Sway Bar 80 & 100 Series Live Axle 32mm

My buddy is a Rover head. He mentioned early 2000's Range Rovers run a large front sway bar with no rear. That way they can remote disconnect the front and run no sway bars on the trail.

Has anyone tried this setup? Words of wisdom? These other threads didn't mention running front only:
Whats everyone using for upgraded sway bars now?
HD front sway bar to reduce body roll?

Here are some photos for fun - worn out front:

Rear hangs low:

 

[-Spike-]

The front radius arm suspension is tighter than the rear 4-link. I ran without either one after breaking the rear, but eventually ended up replacing the rear. I don't miss the front. As it is your front suspension dictates where the body goes, it only gets worse with a front sway bar, and even more so without the rear. YMMV though, easy enough to test it. FWIW it looks like your rear sway bar is tired, may be bent and ready to break.

 

[nukegoat]

The front radius arm suspension is tighter than the rear 4-link. I ran without either one after breaking the rear, but eventually ended up replacing the rear. I don't miss the front. As it is your front suspension dictates where the body goes, it only gets worse with a front sway bar, and even more so without the rear. YMMV though, easy enough to test it. FWIW it looks like your rear sway bar is tired, may be bent and ready to break.

This is the correct answer

 

[GW Nugget]

do it...
report back...
the worst can happen is killing a bus load of nuns...
oh wait...
that's a Lexus Pink Panty thing right?

 

[Cruzerman]

I'm guessing that it depends on the rig and your application. I have an overlanding rig. Recently put on 35s along with a Dobinsons 3" lift. Also has some weight to it like front / rear bumpers, winch, dual batteries, sliders, bash plate, etc. And it has weight up high with a RTT and awning. Anyhow, the rig came with Whiteline front and rear bars. However, the rear bar is off due to broken bolts. I've driven it around some and while not scary, it does have more body roll than I like. I'm going to make an effort to put the rear back on.

That being said, I bet if it didn't weigh so much and had a lower center of gravity, it would be better.

For what it's worth, my 60 didn't come from the factory with a rear bar.

 

[Tools R Us]

Has anyone tried running a heavy duty front sway bar and removed the rear sway bar?
...

Great way to maximize understeer, if that is the goal?

 

[mudgudgeon]

The front radius arm suspension is tighter than the rear 4-link. I ran without either one after breaking the rear, but eventually ended up replacing the rear. I don't miss the front. As it is your front suspension dictates where the body goes, it only gets worse with a front sway bar, and even more so without the rear. YMMV though, easy enough to test it. FWIW it looks like your rear sway bar is tired, may be bent and ready to break.

This is the correct answer

Agreed.

You'll get a better result all round if you can figure out how to run a Currie anti rock type sway bar in the rear, and disconnect on the front

 

[nukegoat]

Agreed.

You'll get a better result all round if you can figure out how to run a Currie anti rock type sway bar in the rear, and disconnect on the front

Its not hard to figure that out. I did a thread on it, in fact

 

[spartan]

I've done this on multiple make 4X4's. Tighten up rear end. Remove front sway bar. Run dual heavy gas shocks in front. No problems. Try removing front and leaving rear. Works better.

 

[jcardona1]

Yeah there's several guys running 3-piece splined swaybars out back. I have a RuffStuff. @nukegoat and @Apounder have Currie setups. @maxamillion2345 has a TK1. It's not hard to do.