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95.5-2004 Tacomas & 96-2002 4Runners 4th gen pickups and 3rd gen 4Runners
View Poll Results: You are currently using...
Stock sway bars
72
60.00%
Aftermarket sway bars
29
24.17%
No sway bars
19
15.83%
Voters: 120. You may not vote on this poll

Sway Bar Poll

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Old 02-13-2003, 11:15 AM
  #21  
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Well, ideally you will want to purchase (or fabricate) some kind of quick-disconnect...and get the best of both worlds. Actually, some people just undo the necessary bolts right before they hit the trails...that way it only costs you time.

I think going w/out on a 4Runner may be a bad idea. If I'm not mistaken they are a bit more top-heavy than my Tacoma. (of course you can make up for that with careful driving)

Jim
Old 02-13-2003, 11:36 AM
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Originally posted by jruz
Well, ideally you will want to purchase (or fabricate) some kind of quick-disconnect...and get the best of both worlds. Actually, some people just undo the necessary bolts right before they hit the trails...that way it only costs you time.

I think going w/out on a 4Runner may be a bad idea. If I'm not mistaken they are a bit more top-heavy than my Tacoma. (of course you can make up for that with careful driving)

Jim
I thought about that, but have read recently that both Nuke & Kong's have "discontinued the disconnects" heh.

I don't want to simply remove them because I agree with Robinhood150's comments on it; the one time I need them, while swerving on a highway in an emergency maneuver, will be a bad time to realize I needed them..

Last edited by HBoss; 02-13-2003 at 11:38 AM.
Old 02-13-2003, 11:41 AM
  #23  
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Actually Nuke will be back eventually. He's working out the details with a manufacturer...so he doesn't have to do all the work. Unfortunately he has not hinted at when they'll be ready to ship.

Jim
Old 02-13-2003, 03:36 PM
  #24  
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I don't run with any sway bars, BUT, if I did ANY highway/freeway driving I would put them back on with disconnects. Max articulation and high speed don't go together in my opinion I did get disconnects and ran with them for a while but the damn things don't behave very well off road when disconnected, they bang around under there too much when left to their own devices :drum: Tying them up didn't seem to be a satisfactory solution either from what I can remember. I do remember thinking that someone needs to make a heavy duty elastic insert to replace the link while in off-road mode, it would still allow flex when streached but would keep the bar in a sort-of regular position the rest of the time. (P.S. If someone starts manufacturing elastic insert discos because of this post, you can send me a free set )
Old 02-13-2003, 04:06 PM
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Originally posted by jruz
He's working out the details with a manufacturer
That deal fell through as reported last week. Lars Dennert, from 4x4 Wire, is the only one making them for 3rd genners at this time, although it doesn't sound like he is going to do it for very long at all.
Old 02-14-2003, 06:11 AM
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That's odd. He posts regularly on the TTORA forum on Delphi. I could've sworn that he just mentioned it sometime this week that he's still working on it...

I think all it will take is time. He has a good design (supposedly, since I have never seen them in person). I don't think he'll give up on finding a manufacturer...

NJ, I agree with you about them getting in the way w/ discos. When I was taking the bar off, I didn't really see any room to just "zip-tie" it out of the way (if you disconnect the bolts).

Jim
Old 06-09-2003, 07:16 PM
  #27  
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I run stock bars for now. I bought ES bushings about a year ago and have never gotten around to getting the Addco bar. (Mostly because the cheapest at the time was shox.com, and you had to call to buy it. I am horribly lazy when it comes to important phone calls and will put them off indefinately until the problem/situation gets worse or I forget about it.) In this case I just kinda forgot about it, but will one day pick up the stupid phone and call.

When I do finally do it I want to put on a set of disco's for those times I do go offroad. It isn't much but the porspect of snapping a bar I paid so much money for after finally making that damn phone call doesn't sound too appealing! How much is Lars charging for his sets? Sounds like I should get them soon if I plan on doing it.
Old 06-10-2003, 04:47 AM
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I've got two sway bars up front-- they're called torsion bars. They stiffen the front end enough. My stock sway bar went to the trash.
Old 06-10-2003, 05:04 AM
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Originally posted by Darren
That deal fell through as reported last week. Lars Dennert, from 4x4 Wire, is the only one making them for 3rd genners at this time, although it doesn't sound like he is going to do it for very long at all.
No deal with NUKE, I tried.
Old 06-10-2003, 07:46 AM
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Originally posted by Brown
I've got two sway bars up front-- they're called torsion bars. They stiffen the front end enough. My stock sway bar went to the trash.
The t-bars are the equivalent of coil springs. They don't function as well...but they accomplish the same goal.

Sway bars are different...and it sounds like you're running w/out it.

Jim
Old 06-10-2003, 08:03 AM
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I think he was joking Jim...
Old 06-10-2003, 08:33 AM
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Originally posted by Eighty7ToyTruck
no sway bars, hell i only had one stock anyways, took it off, the beast rode better... lol
just pray you don't ever have to swerve to miss another car on the interstate going about 70.
Old 06-10-2003, 08:35 AM
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Originally posted by sschaefer3
No deal with NUKE, I tried.
why don't you guys just make your own? Lars has his plans on his site last time I checked.
Old 06-10-2003, 08:58 AM
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Originally posted by keisur
just pray you don't ever have to swerve to miss another car on the interstate going about 70.
I've had to do that way too many times to count (cars, chunks of tire, ladders, small furry creatures, etc...), still don't miss that stupid bar one bit.
Old 06-10-2003, 10:27 AM
  #35  
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Originally posted by jruz
The t-bars are the equivalent of coil springs. They don't function as well...but they accomplish the same goal.

Sway bars are different...and it sounds like you're running w/out it.

Jim
Yup, it was a joke. I guess I'm not that funny.

Oh well. A sway bars does act as a spring (a torsion spring), and I really don't miss having that extra spring up there. At all.
Old 06-10-2003, 05:35 PM
  #36  
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I hooked mine on a tree root last fall and bent the heck out of it, so off it came. I really don't notice a difference in handling, which just means the truck still handles like crap.

Last edited by MNBOY; 07-05-2003 at 03:54 PM.
Old 06-10-2003, 05:39 PM
  #37  
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Sorry...some times you just don't know what knowledge people have on these boards...

Jim
Old 06-10-2003, 10:54 PM
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I just got back from a little fun-run on FR143 (El Oro Road) here north east of Phoenix and I decided to disconnect the sway bar. (I have lars disco's.. They take 20 seconds to take off. Awesome job!)

I can say that while I enjoyed the articulation that gave me, I would never drive more than a few miles on the freeway without them. Maybe it is how I drive, but the swaybar makes all the difference to me when on the freeway.

I took a couple pics while off-road. I'm not going to call this wheeling because it was so easy, but I did manage to get two tires off the ground to check the droop. Check it out.

www.net-impress.com/4runner/misc1/

Dan
Old 06-12-2003, 06:13 PM
  #39  
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Question Diconnects

Hey all,

I currently have the stock sway bars in right now, but I too have had to swerve to avoid things while on the interstate. Probably the most freaky was a strong wind gust blew two snowboards off the roof rack of a sedan about 12 car lenghts ahead of me. I barely got out of the way. Now onto my question, If I were to install the Addco's, I would have much better handling on the street (duh). Now, if I put on disconnects as well, when I would disconnect them for off-roading, would it basically be like having no sway bars at all? I mean, the same ammount of articulation? Also, is disconnecting them a quick and easy task, or is it not worth the effort to disconnect when I get to the trail, and recconet when im leaving? Thanks for the help! Peace.

Old 06-12-2003, 07:02 PM
  #40  
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Well.. I think you all know I have disconnects front and rear.. (see below.. shameless plug insert)

Orangeman.. Yes you disconnect them when you go off road, on road they will work like the stock sway bar (or better with poly bushings) as for ease, I can disconnect and air down quicker than most guys screw around airing down only so I am all set.. I normaly reconnect where ever I air back up..

Here is a little real testing I did.. I don't remember the formula to get the RTI score, but on a 20 degree ramp stock suspension, 32" tires, and low profile bump stops I was able to pull 33" on the ramp before I lost traction (on dirt to boot) I re-tested with the swaybars disconnected and was then able to ramp 37" So I was able to pull 4" more with front and rear disconnected..

Anyone know how to get the RTI score out of that?? I think you need the wheel base too but I just can not remember how to do it..


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