I'm wondering if any of you other 4x4 guys have removed the sway bar in an attempt to get more flex out of the front end. I want to try it, but I realize it will body roll like a monster truck.

Here's my theory on the torsion bars and sway bar... As anyone of you who has cranked the torsion bars knows, it takes the bar almost to the point of bowing before the bump stops hit the frame (as far up as you can go with them without removing the bump stops). I think if the sway bar is removed it will take some of the load off the torsion bars and therefore make for a more comfortable ride in the front while allowing for more flex. If thats the case, I will sacrafice body roll to gain both those things, I just want to hear from anyone who has tried it if my theory is correct before I go through the effort.

 

IMO, it's not worth it on an IFS rig, you will gain very little, I'm pretty sure my rig will hit the bump stops in the front when flexed.. On a TTB or solid axle rig it helps a lot though, they're gone on my B2. Doesn't hurt to try it I guess..

 

well i took mine off a couple weeks ago and i've got a 2nd gen which is generally bigger, i have hardly any body roll driving day to day,

 

Well the sway bar fights the independence of IFS, cause it transfers a good amount of the force to the other side to prevent body roll. It also fights the suspension from coming out to full flex. I realized this when I was helping a friend change the struts out on his camaro... the a arm wouldn't come down far enough (even with the upper ball joint removed) to get the spring/strut assembly out without removing the sway bar. Now I realize on my truck it will easily hit the bump stops on the tire flexxing out of the fender, cause it is already resting on that bump stop sitting normal cause of how tight I have the t bars turned, but its the tire trying to flex into the fender that I want to be more free, and I also think if the sway bar is removed, the t bars will have less force on them and therefore won't have to be turned as tight to stay at the same height and will therefore be a softer ride.

I also know most drag racers will remove the sway bar to allow the front end to come up further and faster.

I hope that made sense, cause I realize it got wordy. If nobody has tried this, I'll go ahead and see what happens and get back to ya'll.

 

Im lazy and havent taken mine off my dodge yet. I did pull it(actually broke it to be honest) off my suburban(tortion bars) and it did help quite a bit. I dont get enough body roll to make me even slightly nervous about it or want to put them back on.

I would do it. I should rephrase. Im gonna do it. Im just waiting to find a set of tires so I can throw on my body lift and Ill do it all at once.

 

Well if a suburban doesn't body roll, I may try it. The big reason I asked is because if my theory is right, I'm going to need to readjust the torsion bars which means tire alignment, which means money.

 

Well curiosity got the best of me, so bye bye sway bar.

I was right, the sway bar does put a counter-force on the torsion bars. Just by removing it, I gained 1/2 inch of lift without touching the torsion bars. So now, when I crank the torsion bars back down to the height it was sitting at, it should be a slightly softer ride.

I'll have to get back to ya'll on the body roll.

 

For anyone interested in doing this, here is a before and after of the truck flexxed out on the exact same mound...

Before:
DSCN0185.jpg?t=1248404842

After:
DSCN0288.jpg?t=1248404869

As you can see, the lack of a sway bar lets the wheel come further into the wheel well. Obviously the other side won't be flexxed out any further, cause its up against the bump stop.

As for the body roll, it's noticable, but not bad. IMO, the body roll is worth what was gained.

 

cool. Glad it worked out how you wanted.

 

Im somewhat of a dumb ***, can someone please inform me what exactly a body roll is