To Sway or not to Sway/Hitch Pin ??'s

[LUV24BY]

I was just curious, of those out there who Weekend Wheel their DD 80, do you unbolt or completely remove your FRT/REAR Sway bars WHILE OFF PAVEMENT?

I have a 1993 FZJ80 Locked and wondered if it's common practice to remove these before the trip or before getting onto the trail. I'd like to get a little more flex and performance out of my OME 2.5" and Doetsch Tech Shocks and wanted to learn if this was an acceptable practice? If you do remove them/unbolt them, how difficult is it to put them back on? What do you do to secure them while wheeling if just unbolting?

ALSO: Is the Hitch Pin mod ok to do on my rig or is this something that should only be done with a 4" or higher lift.

TIA!

John

 

[AmaTX80]

When I installed the OME J's all around on my 80 with L shocks, I just took off the front and rear swaybars completely. I'm sure it leans just a little bit in hard corners but as long as you know they're not there, you just make sure to not do a high speed sharp corner. It is very nice not worrying about them when off road and I am not worried at all DDriving and exiting off the highway at 50+mph. Hope that helps ya out.

Topher

 

[LUV24BY]

When I installed the OME J's all around on my 80 with L shocks, I just took off the front and rear swaybars completely. I'm sure it leans just a little bit in hard corners but as long as you know they're not there, you just make sure to not do a high speed sharp corner. It is very nice not worrying about them when off road and I am not worried at all DDriving and exiting off the highway at 50+mph. Hope that helps ya out.

Topher

Thanks for the input Topher. I relocated from Phoenix to Cleveland recently and there's a ton of cloverleaf exit ramps here (compared tot he straight inclined ones in Phoenix) - add to this the roads to/from my house are very hilly and do have some decent corners. Is this a concern? I wasn't sure if there was a safety factor regarding any of that without either of the sway bars - as I also haul my family and dogs frequently.

Also forgot to add that I'm running 315/75 16 BFG AT KO's.

Would the general concensus be to remove both the sway bars over the Hitch Pin mod? As someone once stated before (yes, I did my search already) that "I am not looking for a RAMP CHAMP, just better performance off-road without sacrificing on road mannerisms"

I should send over a few pics of these Doetsch Techs though, they are BEASTS! I love them though, would HIGHLY recommend as a set of 4 only ran me about $280 from DT themselves.

John

 

[nakman]

Like every mod, there's a trade-off. I ran 2/3 of Rubicon with no sway bars, after day 1 when 2 80's in our group broke mounts. I almost rolled the next morning. I hated the truck w/o them, was like a warm marsh mellow, all over the place. Slee 4" lift and 35's. Drove home 1000 miles with them still on the roof rack, didn't like that either, even on the highway.

They're back on and staying on, I guess I don't get into that gnarly of situations often enough where I think they're much benefit, prefer slightly less flex and better road manners, or maybe I just don't want to futz around on the ground at the trail head. Same goes for a hitch pin on the control arm..

"I am not looking for a RAMP CHAMP, just better performance off-road without sacrificing on road mannerisms"

Then don't mess with the sway bars & control arms, you'd get more of a performance increase by losing the all terrains and going with a more aggressive tread.

 

[yoopercharged]

I did the mod and I do not have the front sway bar. I replaced the front left control arm to axle bolt and replaced it with the hitch pin. You will get more flex with the hitch pin mod than removing the sways. The sway bar on the front is a pretty good design, in the sense that it doesn't take away much flex. I removed mine after I did a lift and didn't feel like doing sway bar drop brackets. I don't remove the pin very often when I'm off roading anymore. I don't think there's too many times where the pin removal would get you any further down a trail or up a rock. Especially if you have lockers.

 

[LUV24BY]

Here's a few pics of my shocks. Are these comparable to the L shocks?


I have heard that having good shocks makes all the difference if disconnecting sway bars (Temp or Perm).

John

 

[kidglove13]

Tried the hitch pin mod and did not like it, the gain is not worth it, plus if you do it in a regular basis I would reinforce the area of the axle where the control arm bolts to it.
I removed my front sway bar
I usually keep my rear sway bar on, the handling difference on the road with and without it is night and day.
I remove the rear sway at my house before I go on an off road trip if it is going to be hard wheeln it is only 8 bolts and is easy
The problem that I ran into is that from takling the rear sway off and on so much that I recently snapped on of the bolts and now I need to remove it
If you are going to be removing it on a regular basis to go off road I would buy all new bolts to avoid this problem
And for a DD I would at least keep the rear sway on and remove if you think it is needed for the type of wheeln that you will do.

 

[LUV24BY]

Thanks for all of the Pro's / Con's to my OP! I really appreciate all of the real world experiences you guys have provided.

Keep them coming!!

J.

P.S. - My original intentions were not to begin a debate nor arguement, some flaming is ok though! LOL

 

[inkpot]

Thanks for all of the Pro's / Con's to my OP! I really appreciate all of the real world experiences you guys have provided.

Keep them coming!!

J.

P.S. - My original intentions were not to begin a debate nor arguement, some flaming is ok though! LOL

Howdy! I ran Cruise Moab this year with my (new to me) 80. It's on L's, J's, and 864 extra heavies in the rear. I made every obstacle on the first try, including the entire Golden Spike Trail. Both of my OEM sway bars are still mounted, but I do have the spacers for the lift. It would be nice to have a little more flex, but it is not a real high priority for me, but I am still thinking about a hitch pin setup. Anybody got pix of the flex with and without? John

 

[azTony]

 

[LUV24BY]

Then don't mess with the sway bars & control arms, you'd get more of a performance increase by losing the all terrains and going with a more aggressive tread.

Oh, I picked up the BFG AT's primarily b/c I wanted a good all weather tire for the trip & for the increased rolling diameter & lower RPM's (still running stock gearing) over the stocker rubber. Why? Well, I drove my 80 from Phoenix, AZ to Cleveland, OH pulling a loaded 6x12 trailer. I was going to opt for the more aggressive tread as it was Feb '11 and snow storms were plentiful, but the additional rolling resistence the muds caused, as well as the additional cost associated, was the deal breaker for me. (I had my heart set on Duratrac's but there was nary a set to be found West of the Mississippi)

I have already been trying to devise a way to get some 37" Goodyear Guard Dogs under there on some 16.5" wheels.

My only, and unfortunate limitation, is the parking structures here in Downtown Cleveland. I already had to remove the factory roof rack just to be able to park in the supplied parking garage.

As a new job is withn 3 weeks and doesn't have these limitations, I am actively persuing a possible 4" Slee and those 37's.

One other factor, being in Phoenix over the past 28 years, the summers and hot pavement are BRUTAL on a set of muds, though I still loved to hear that MT Hummmmmm driving down the road!

J.

 

[julstirn]

My lift is 850J front 863 rear

I had on 315s and removed front sway bar. No difference felt.

Got rid of 315s went back to stock tires while saving for 37s and I felt like it handled worse than with the 35s(maybe due to wider grippier tires)

With stock tires still I took off rear swaybar. I noticed a difference right away. More tippy, how it will feel with 37s I dont know.

I wont put it back on just have to be more aware of it around corners. Shocks would make difference as I am sure air pressure and tires will.

I think this is dependent on your height, weight layout of rig. I dont mind it, just something to adjust your driving too. I dont take the 80 high speed cornering no matter what.

 

[LUV24BY]

My lift is 850J front 863 rear

I had on 315s and removed front sway bar. No difference felt.

Got rid of 315s went back to stock tires while saving for 37s and I felt like it handled worse than with the 35s(maybe due to wider grippier tires)

With stock tires still I took off rear swaybar. I noticed a difference right away. More tippy, how it will feel with 37s I dont know.

I wont put it back on just have to be more aware of it around corners. Shocks would make difference as I am sure air pressure and tires will.

I think this is dependent on your height, weight layout of rig. I dont mind it, just something to adjust your driving too. I dont take the 80 high speed cornering no matter what.

I apreciate your experience and wonder how those 37's are going to run with only the 2.5" lift. Please keep me posted on that! Are you going with the Military OZ Take Off's or Guard Dogs by chance? I was thinking of going 16.5" as the price was damn good for rims AND tires w/ beadlocks!

With having the FRT sway bar off, did you wheel it and was this where you didn't see any difference or just no difference on the DD portion?

J.

 

[kidglove13]

I put alot of DD miles on my rig, around 20,000 a year and have 5 inches of lift and 35's
And I wheel the crap out of it whenever I can
If you are going to do alot of DD then I would keep the rear sway on, without it the 80 handles way worse than it already does especialy with lift and big tires, it can get very tippy at speed
I drive my kids to and from school everyday in the 80 and eveywhere else
If you really want to take it off for off roadng than take it off before you go or what ever.
And if you keep it on and put on the sway drop brackets it will not hurt your off road capabilities that much if at all, it all depends on what type of wheeln you do.
For most people it will not affect the offroad performance

 

[julstirn]

No difference at all feeling wise for the front off while DDing. I have not made my mind up on the tires yet. I was thinking regular military with some home done grooving. Once I have made up my mind and done it I am going to add to my thread.

 

[KliersLC]

This has been discussed quite a bit before. The short answer is that the rear flexes fine already--taking the rear sway bar off gains nothing.

The front sway bar does not limit flex--it merely requires a bit more pressure. The biggest disadvantage is that a broken sway bar mount on the trail can mean a trashed brake line.

I pull the hitch pin regularly with the sway bar on and enjoy the front end being freed up a bit.

Best flex=sway bars off+hitch pin removed
Best Flex with decent road manner= only Front sway off+hitch pin pulled
Best Flex with great road manners= Leave the sways on with the hitch pin pulled.
Best compromise=Front sway bar quick disconnect and hitch pin pulled. (requires a little more work at the trailhead)

 

[Cruisin']

In my experience the rig feels more "balanced" off road with the front sway disconnected, and the rear hooked up. The rear flexes very well with the sway bar hooked up, so I haven't felt the need to disconnect it. I don't like the extra sway and unstable feeling of running on the road with the front disconnected, so I made a little bracket to hold it up and out of the way when disconnected. For the first time I tried it I just zap strapped it to the frame. Having the front off doesn't actually allow the front to flex any further (I measured it both ways using a forklift), but it does allow the front to flex much more freely, nicely matching how the rear acts. As a bonus you don't risk a broken front sway bar mount ripping off a brake line on the trail. The consequences of a rear mount breaking are negligible.

I have not tried the hitch pin, so I can't comment on that.

I suggest running the same trail with it hooked up and unhooked to get a direct comparison. Same for driving around on the road. Its very simple to just unhook the axle end and secure it out of the way, so it would be time well spent to get a feel for the differences yourself.

Good luck!

 

[VCCruzr]

It would be nice to have a little more flex, but it is not a real high priority for me, but I am still thinking about a hitch pin setup. Anybody got pix of the flex with and without? John

I have done the hitch pin mod and been running without the front sway bar for over a year now and I love it. I did recently remove the rear sway bar and tried it but it felt way too tippy for me. Reinstalled after one run. I also reinstalled the front sway bar, but with disconnects this time. I disconnect the front sway and pull the pin on every run so here is a picture "without":

 

[LUV24BY]

Thanks for *ALL* the input folks. I do understand that this may have been covered previously, however as the 80 following grows, and we who aren't as experienced with them find our own trials and tribulations - and this is the 'New Blood' I also like hearing from.

So, with all of you input, I am going to drop the front SB and drive it to work a week before a 4th of July wheeling trip we are doing with NE Ohio's 'Jeep Skool' (Don't hate on the Jeep aspect, it's a great crew!) and seeing as I have been out to the Factory before - I know how she handled on the trails with all connected. I will post up the findings when I get a SOP (Seat of Pants) perspective...

J.

 

[GW Nugget]

So how did it work with the 2.5" lift & the hitch pin pulled?
Did you rub the tie rod under hard turning?
How's the down hill braking?
I like bumping old threads...