OK, so we're heading off For Camp NL this weekend and a few days filled with trail runs & camping.

My gf's Jeep has the sway bar detached at the moment, and she didn't get the right part she needed to fix it for the weekend in time, so she's just gonna remove it altogether for the trail runs. Good idea or bad idea? From what I understand, better articulation without it.

 

well i may not know offroading but i do know street racers!

I think the concepts the same somehow (O.o) i dont think it would be a good idea to remove it. thats a pretty big saftey upgrade

idk just me I wouldnt remove it.



The swaybar will give you Less Understeer and helps give you better control of the vehicle. It might also help to prevent Chassis flex.

 

Well, the problem is that it isn't connected at all right now. I know that you can buy disconnects anyway, that's why I would think it would help you in not getting hung up.

 

hmmmmmmmm

thats a toughy. I mean if u think the vehicle can handle the offroading without it then rip it.

But if it seems sketchy try and ghetto rig it somehow lol

 

Well, she's assured me this is the best route, but I'd rather not end uyp having to get towed home, ya know? I wish Tim were around..he'd probably know. Maybe I'll PM him.

 

The function of the swaybar is to keep the vehicle level while cornering by pulling down on the suspension to the inside of the turn. The torsional resistance of the swaybar is what resists the body roll.

Many offroaders will disconnect the swaybar for offroading because the suspension must be allowed to flex to keep the maximum traction on all of the wheels. If one corner of the vehicle is compressed to the bump stops, a sway bar would put the other side pretty darn close to that, which may lift the wheel completely off the ground.

One thing you guys will want to be VERY careful of is driving to and from the wheeling event. A vehicle without a swaybar can be VERY dangerous, especially if it is lifted and/or has oversized tires on it. The vehicle will want to lean even through very slight turns.

 

Ya, I figured that it would benefit with the tires not coming up. We had to actually physically PUSH our frined Billy's front end down one time because it came up. I knew there had to be a reason why. Thanks Kyle.

 

Anybody that goes wheeling regularly should get a swaybar disconnect. Simply because you'll get more flex and more traction without the swaybar connected. If left connected, you'll be stressing the swaybar WAY beyond what it was designed to handle and probably break it.

For street racing, the swaybar is necessary because it helps keep weight on all 4 corners of the vehicle while turning. By reducing body roll, more weight will be on the inside tires helping to steer and keep the power down.

 

LOOK! He hates street racing and puts it down on here but he knows so much about this stuff!

I think he's racing the bonneville!

 

I have had both my Bonneville and my old Intrepid on the track at Watkins Glen for hot laps and have also drag raced with both of them at NYIRP as well as a local 1/10th mile track... I am very much into all around vehicle performance, hence why I know about this stuff.

I do not race on public roads and we'll leave it at that. If you don't know the whole back story, I'll fill you in somewhere else. To me, street racing would be a road course or auto-cross. Racing should never include public roads.