Trustyrusty

Also I couldn't tell you anything about the handling of the 4runner as their heavier, seems that everyone that posted has one, I DO have a sway bar on my tacoma cause I like to hot rod it around sometimes, but on a 4runner they are much top heavier clearly, so the importance might be raised.

Alex 400

in terms of the rear bar it will be fine. I know because mine is lifter 1.5" in that back with longer shocks as well. The front should just come off or you could make quick disconnects.

Matt16

Ok, I had to drive a bunch this morning through the city in *light* traffic, so thinking about this thread, I disconnected the front swaybar (pulled two hitch pins- 20 seconds) and payed really close attention to the handling. Here are the results:

• Body roll is increase slightly- not worryingly so like the rear disco'd, but not something I'd want in an emergency
• the steering is quite noticeably lighter and more "whimsicle" for lack of a better word. It felt like a really bad alignment if I cornered at the speed of the other traffic. It didn't feel properly weighted nor self-centering in corners. It was strange enough after paying attention to it for a couple minutes, I pulled over and checked to make sure the lug nuts were tight and the steering rods and joints were all in tact.
• Increased steering feedback over bumps as if I were driving without a steering stabilizer.
• slight increase in ride quality, but your passenger would never notice the different- they may notice that they're wearing the truck as a hat if you roll it cause you took it off though.

I hadn't ever payed much attention to it when I'd driven with no SB before, but it was enough that I stopped, put the pins back in my discos after about an hour.

Summary on a 1990 4wd 4Runner with rear OME coils
No rear SB
Tippy near the limit, uncomfortable with normal driving. No benefit to taking it off on or off-road, leave it on.



No front SB
Weird steering- uncomfortable on the street. Better flex off road without it. Make quick disconnects.

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

OK. Time to beat a dead horse.
I know most of you guys don't agree with me but this pic illustrates perfectly why swaybar removal has no real advantage. What is the tire in the air doing for that rig? ----Nothing. What would it be doing if the swaybar was attached and the tire was up another inch or two? ----Nothing. What's the difference? ----None. That wheel has no impact on that situation whether it's 4 inches in the air or 6 inches in the air. As for when the truck shifts it's center of gravity forward enough to tip back down, the suspension will compress to it's fullest if enough weight is shifted. That full compression will be the same point regardless if the suspension has travelled 6 inches or 4 inches. It does look cool though.

Matt16

But you get an extra inch or two before the tire lifts off. If you're open in the front this is quite important. As for the shifting COG, the suspension will start to slow the descent an inch or so sooner, then less momentum and less chance of rolling.

strykersd

Maybe in your case but you have to consider other people's setups. Although our rigs are similar there are very important differences. Looking at your setup you're only running a body lift on you pickup, imagine if had lift leaf springs. The added travel will add to body roll on the streets.


Ok, a little off topic but I remember this pic from the IFS flex thread. I've always wondered, is it a poser shot that was taken then they reversed, or did he take that line? It looks like if he keeps going he'll probably flip onto his passenger side. Plus as we all know most wheelin shots makes things look easier then they really are. Either way, sick pic

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Before the tire lifts it will have essentially no weight on it, nearly all the weight will be on the compressed tire, so the droop tire will be spinning.

On the descent point... maybe. I doubt it, but maybe. Likely something we could never prove one way or he other with our limited resources. My point is that gains, if any, are minimal and not worth the hassle or expense.

Matt16

I do agree that compression is more important than droop, but sway bars make the stuffed tire work against both torsion bars through the swaybar.

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Yes but if we look at that pic above again, that hanging tire would, if the swaybar were attached, add more downward force on the compressed tire. Of course in an open diff rig, that would be a moot point, as the compressed tire would not be moving anyway. If locked however, that weight could supply additional traction to the compressed side.

strykersd

In this case, wouldn't a swaybar have limited the compression of the front driver side tire? In turn raising the whole front end, making it more likely to flop on this obstacle?

I personally just keep my swaybar connected, but I figured I'd play devil's advocate.

mudhoney

"so is the oversteer and body roll not really an issue with the pickups? "

id just like to say real quick that i have been shoppin for a 2nd gen 4runner lately and going out to drive various rigs. On Sun i tested a 90 that had 33's, 16inch rims,and a rea roll bar outta commission....we were driving and i hit a line of those raised divider pucks in the middle of the road.these pucks were the big ones [like 6inches]and i swerved on a mild angle left into them- and on a mild angle right away from them....i was frightened to hell man..as soon as the rear went over them it skip skip and pops up and to the left in the rear.then it comes down instantly ,as im turning right away from the line then the body started to roll instantly. I could feel that we were inches away from "highsiding" or "rolling" ,butt first, straight over!!

we were at like 40mph and in my opinion this little near flip was WAY over the line or description that one should steer slowly with suvs.It was way past the point of just take it easy round corners,it was scary!

Also im glad' trustworthy 'did his follow up posts here cuz people need to know that sometimes a truck can even have a lower COG than alot of cars ,even without it being lowered.people gotta know that 4runners fall into the same category as vans and stuff when it comes to COG and caution really is the word on public roadways.4runners handle corners and lean much like my old 71 VW camper van and they really do need to be placed in that category as far as safety goes for turninng and roll and whatnot.To compare results of roll bar removal in a truck with a runner ,equally,is really bad news.
driving is a multi faceted skill set and there are alot of factors. A person has to really know their factors in this rig ,i think ,and i also think that compared to drivers and rigs made decades ago that the modern driver is sometimes fooled into a spoiled mindframe cause of all the advances in cars...i mean we must never forget how stinkin HEAVY,POWERFUL,AND POSSIBLY DEADLY these things are.

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Maybe, but I don't think so. Considering the weight of the truck is pushing the tire against an immovable object (the earth) I think the compressed tire will fully compress. And again, the the droop tire should be pushing the compressed tire even tighter against the earth via the swaybar. It's fun to argue with someone you agree with.

SR5

Good Posting Guys!!!! ill keep all this in mind the next time i am
i guess the best thing for me do and anyone having troubles with this is simple
make quick disco and do some trail and error while offroading and just make up your mind to which you like better

BLKNBLU

iTrader: (1)

Yep! We can argue this til we're blue in the face and probably not have any minds changed in the end. Try it and decide for yourself. The only thing I would suggest differently from your post is to just take the swaybar off and try it out on the trail to see what you think before you spend any dough on disconnects. That way all you're out is a little time and effort if you don't like it or don't think it's worth it. In fact you don't even have to take the swaybar off. Just remove one end link and the 2 sides will no longer communicate. The swaybar will go up and down with one side, but have no effect on the other.

ROCKGUARD 1

what about on rough pot-hole and wash-board roads? think it would be of benefit to dis-connect the front anti-roll bar. just to soak up the bumps a bit better and prevent the side-to-side rocking associated with having it on? im just curious..

Vato Loco

33x12.5 and 15x8 set up will make the truck handle real good with no rear sway bar, feels planted and stable!