Ditching the front sway bar.

I just read the archives and think I will order bilstein 5150 with 255/70 valving. My rig is 4 1/2 inch lift, ruby 44 front and 8.8 rear on 35 13.50 tires plus all the extra weight from skid plates, winch, sliders, bumpers tools ect. It sits wide. Do these shocks controll the body roll enough for limited street use and no front sway bar? Would I be better with Rancho 9000's that I can adjust firm in case I need to run a bunch of road miles with no sway bar? I really want to ditch the bar and disconects and would like to get shocks that would be best for this. Any body running without the bar all the time?

I'm running 255/70 bilstien 7100's on the front, and havent had my swaybar connected in about 6 months (I need to weld new bracketry on).

For a while, I thought it was fine for running around town. Several weeks ago I had to lock up my 35's at highway speed to avoid hitting a guy pushing a shopping cart up the highway, and i ended up mostly sideways on the road.

I have been driving 55 mph in the slow lane, and will continue to do so, until my swaybar is connected again. Do yourself a favor and buy good shocks, but do everyone else a favor and keep your swaybar too.

With no sway bar you will be held responsable for any wrecks. Plus if you tow anything you will have problems turning. I towed a small trailer and went around a corner and one of my front tires left the ground.

My '95 will never have a swaybar again. Proper spring rates and shocks front and rear make the difference. You can't just pull the swaybar and call it good. You need to increase the front spring rate have the correct shocks and rear spring rates and shocks. A properly dialed in suspension makes a huge difference.

Do I recommend it---No. Can it be done safely---IMO---Yes.

TNT said:

My '95 will never have a swaybar again. Proper spring rates and shocks front and rear make the difference. You can't just pull the swaybar and call it good. You need to increase the front spring rate have the correct shocks and rear spring rates and shocks. A properly dialed in suspension makes a huge difference.

Do I recommend it---No. Can it be done safely---IMO---Yes.

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I used to agree with this statement.

LOL I've never had any problems running no front or rear sway bars on both my cherokees. One with 5.5 inch lift. I've been running the rusty's 8 inch long arm lift kit for about two years with out any sway bars and this is my daily driver. I still have the JKS quicker disconnects brand new that came with the lift kit never installed.

Narfxj said:

LOL I've never had any problems running no front or rear sway bars on both my cherokees. One with 5.5 inch lift. I've been running the rusty's 8 inch long arm lift kit for about two years with out any sway bars and this is my daily driver. I still have the JKS quicker disconnects brand new that came with the lift kit never installed.

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what size tires are you sittin at.

Well for me, no sway-bar front or rear @ about 5" running RE springs F & R & 5150's with 5 speed w/detroits F&R ...No problems for me in about 5 years of running without them

YMMV

Rob $.02

I've got the 5150's w/255-70 valving on a 4.5" RE short arm kit and I've run with my sway bar disconnected on road (and obviously off road...) quite a bit. Handles pretty well on road, although you can definately tell a difference. If you're bent on removing the bar completely, then you'll get used to it, but just keep in mind what the risks are. If it's mostly just for off-road use and not a DD, then I'd take it off.

I currently am sitting at 10.5" of lift with no sway bar connected. I would not recommend running without a sway bar, no matter what size lift you are running. Regardless of your spring rate, your body roll is going to be extreme in certain road situations, and you might not realize that until it it too late. I am working right now on getting my sway bar hooked up again but have to do a little fabricating. Also, in Utah, I wasn't able to pass safety inspection with my sway bar disconnected.

HOLY CHIT BATMAN, nose bleed time

supsa said:

With no sway bar you will be held responsable for any wrecks.

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SPOBI

As far as the original question.....Check the FAQ's

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101163

Rev

Its very funny how different the definitions of a DD can be.


Lock up the wheels at highway speed? Driving 55 in the slow lane?

Where I live 55 IS highway speed, I don't think I've had my XJ above 60 in about 2 years. Maybe more. I also haven't locked the doors since '03 (trip to chicago).


I've had to lock the brakes up and I've had to swerve to avoid things and w/out the swaybar, YES there's more body roll but to me it is completely manageable.

YMMV...

650# springs help a lot too.

Went without for about six months,got used to driving without it.Two scares (avoiding a deer,and trailer towing) and I bought disco's. I run without it when offroad only

i have none front or rear and its my DD, 6.5 lift on 31's and it drives fine and it cruises fine at 75

Im running 33x12.5r15

Rev Den said:

SPOBI
Rev

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How would that be bad info? If you were involved in a wreck, epecifically a roll over that injured or killed someone, and the other guy had a good lawyer, you don't think that would be held against you? I'd be willingto bet a good lawyer woul dbe able to site some DOT statute requiring all factory safety equipment being necessary.

There is a reason the sway bars are there. They help control body roll. Springs will help and so would shocks, but a stiff enough spring rate will ride rough and only control so much.

I am not a fan of no front sway bars. First and foremost let me explain this:
I really don't care about day to day jaunts or your ability to handle you rig. It's not those situations that give me cause for concern. It's the 1 in a million occurance where you have to make a severe correction to avoid a wreck, deer, door, kid, ect......... senario that makes me keep my stance on front sway bars.

I have a wife and kids. I don't want someone loosing control for a single second and injuring them. I don't wnat my car damaged because someone "thought" they had complete control sinse they "never" had an issue before.

I enjoy being part of the 4wd community, but rest assured of the fact that If I was ever hit by a lifted vehicle (any kind or make) that I would be asking about DOT safety equipment to the police, ins, and a lawyer. If the equip wasn''t there, I'd sue them for every red cent I could bleed out of them.

Mike, I am convinced that my front swaybar saved my life. Doing a 180 off the highway at 50+ should have flipped my rig. And remember, it wasn't an evasive action, or myself driving a hunk of junk down the road. It just happened in an otherwise mechanically sound rig. Shit happens, and I'm realy glad I had my swaybar on there.

balloo93 said:

How would that be bad info?

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Because after they get done with the lift, tires, bumper, etc...

the swaybar is the LAST thing they are gonna check.

The idea of you getting in additional trouble because of the lack of a front swaybar is nothing more then speculation, unless someone can show me a lawsuit or ticket for no front swaybar.

Rev