Swaybar disconnects for 100 series?
- Thread starter ElmoTheDestroyr
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Thanks again for all the info guys! Appreciate the input...
LXColorado
LX -> LC
Yes, but I would highly suggest against it. Risk of rollover is very high. You can test it out yourself on a less-traveled road going slow. Just slalom a bit and you'll find there is a lot of uncontrolled weight being tossed around. Now imagine trying to avoid something on road at 70 MPH – no bueno.
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Phil nailed it here. The IFS extended links put the sway bar back to the factory parameters that Toyota designed them to after a lift has been installed. Handling is improved on and off-road. The front extended links do very little for articulation on the IFS fronts. This is a handling modification only IMO.
I could feel the difference immediately after swapping the front links, in reference to tighter handling and less roll.
Jason
I'll chime in again...
Phil and Jason are right in terms of the restoration of handling characteristics. The 100 shocks control ultimate down travel in conjunction with the control arms.
The sway bars add resistance to the goal of articulation by design. The longer links will have the effect of softening that resistance only. Essentially creating much less resistance at absolute zero than a lifted truck with standard length links. The resistance curve is also changed as the wheels move through the arc of travel as the longer links distribute those forces over longer movement before absolute sway bar deflection.
Disconnects are great but the value in the 100 is very limited.
As the guy who pioneered the longer front links I can say for sure it's been a great experiment that proved valuable on and off road.
Phil and Jason are right in terms of the restoration of handling characteristics. The 100 shocks control ultimate down travel in conjunction with the control arms.
The sway bars add resistance to the goal of articulation by design. The longer links will have the effect of softening that resistance only. Essentially creating much less resistance at absolute zero than a lifted truck with standard length links. The resistance curve is also changed as the wheels move through the arc of travel as the longer links distribute those forces over longer movement before absolute sway bar deflection.
Disconnects are great but the value in the 100 is very limited.
As the guy who pioneered the longer front links I can say for sure it's been a great experiment that proved valuable on and off road.
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guardcompany
Shea
Funny how small this community is... After reading Rob's great article on it here: TLC FAQ • View topic - Extended Sway Bar Links on Lifted 100 [PICS] I purchased extended links from Jason (got the last pair). Gonna put them on this weekend just waiting on my new bushings to get here.
So the more I read the less I'm clear what extended links would accomplish. I have a what I think is a typical Slee lift (~2.5" at the most with icon level 1 shocks). I also have the "boaty" feel. There's a small range around center where it feels like the sway bars aren't yet activated. Kinda just "floppy" in the twisties on road. Beyond a bit of lean though it's firm. Next stop is replacing all bushings as I've read here that's the first step. Since this is the links thread though, will extended links specifically improve or aggravate my situation? Thanks!
Edit: maybe this is my answer, TBD...
PSA - For Lifted 100s - Front extended sway bar links
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The links (front or rear) correct the sway bar geometry after a lift is installed. Only time ride quality changes is in rolling and windy terrains. The lift changes the angle of the bar and if not corrected the vehicle will encounter more body roll before the sway bar reacts to the movement and functions as designed. Most that drive in a normal city environment of straight driving from stop light to stop light or driving down a highway will NOT really notice the correction. Unless changing lanes as fast and hard as possible is your driving style.
Now take someone that lives/drives in a windy road area or hit trails regularly and they will feel the difference as it has put the bar back into a better geometry and functions like Toyota designed it to. Restricting roll sooner since it is corrected. RTT, loaded rack owners notice it quickly as well.
Several sway bar mfg companies have confirmed. When the link and bar are at as close to 90 degrees the reaction/response is optimal. So when you raise the rig the bar angle is changed and needs to be pushed back to the OEM geometry for it to react quickly to body roll on windy roads or top heavy rigs as originally deigned without a lift.... This has been done on rear AND fronts for decades whether for a lift on offroad rigs or the links are shortened for sports cars when dropped lower for speed and cornering enhancement.
I'm the latter person with windy highways. Ordered your extended links for front and rear. I'll give it a shot. Thanks!
Apologies for the continued thread jack. The @trailtaylor rear links are installed. My write-up would just repeat the (positive) effect observed in the tlc link above. The more I drove the more I was sure I wasn't just imagining a more progressive roll-in vice the flop before. Thanks!
I've started disconnecting my front swaybar when out wheeling, I just remove the front end links, doesn't take me more than 5min per side, doing it on even ground is the key. Though I do like that pin idea, so might give that try one day.
I already have extended front links but this does nothing for articulation. Disconnecting the front swaybar gives the front an additional 20mm more up travel when the opposed wheels are flexed. But I'm still not up on my bumpstops? Interestingly, I just installed a HD rear swaybar and this to my surprise increased my front flex by a further 12mm up travel, finally I'm on the bumpstops and using all the available travel. So now I gain a total of 32mm of up travel when disconnecting the front swaybar.
What ever you do, DON'T disconnect the rear swaybar! You'll actually lose more articulation in the front than you gain in the rear, this makes for a very unstable vehicle in the ruts. This guy explains it well...
So yeah, it's very worthwhile disconnecting the front swaybar offroad, especially when using a HD rear swaybar. The vehicle becomes noticeably more stable and flatter in off camber ruts and is just more comfortable when you have a more balanced suspension.
I'm also running Icon cdc slinky long travel suspension front and rear.
I already have extended front links but this does nothing for articulation. Disconnecting the front swaybar gives the front an additional 20mm more up travel when the opposed wheels are flexed. But I'm still not up on my bumpstops? Interestingly, I just installed a HD rear swaybar and this to my surprise increased my front flex by a further 12mm up travel, finally I'm on the bumpstops and using all the available travel. So now I gain a total of 32mm of up travel when disconnecting the front swaybar.
What ever you do, DON'T disconnect the rear swaybar! You'll actually lose more articulation in the front than you gain in the rear, this makes for a very unstable vehicle in the ruts. This guy explains it well...
So yeah, it's very worthwhile disconnecting the front swaybar offroad, especially when using a HD rear swaybar. The vehicle becomes noticeably more stable and flatter in off camber ruts and is just more comfortable when you have a more balanced suspension.
I'm also running Icon cdc slinky long travel suspension front and rear.
I had just watched that video and came across this post. What HD rear sway bar are you running?
Just re-running this old thread....so is there a kit in the market for a 100-series disconnect for the front sway bars?
