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For those on the fence about removing sway bar...

badmix

badmix

1/2 ton status
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DO IT!!! LoL..

I have owned my K5 for 10years or so. I had the ORD sway bar disco kit a while but I didnt care for it. It was a nice kit, but the sway bar was so tight to move , I had loosen the center brackets for the bushings to get it to move, like I said, not worth the effort.

So, I sold those and just kept the factory sway bar intact. Well, I decided to remove it a month or so ago and this weekend was the first time really driving it.

Like others have stated on here, once you remove it, you wont even notice it missing but the ride improves alot IMO. I dont take high speed turns anyways and nobody should in these things, so I am a lill more cautious about taking slow turns, there is some increased body roll, but not enuff for me to care. lol.

So just thought id share. :D
 
Imo the sway bar stiffins the ride. say if you hit a bump on one side it wont give like a spring and shock would.The sway bar is usually the first thing that gets scraped on my rigs.
 
I'd still say it depends on lift and use of the rig. I daily drive a 6" lifted truck with the swaybar still intact. I've had the back full of firewood up to the top of the canopy and was damn glad i had the swaybar as it had a decent amount body sway with all that weight up high.

also, on my box stock k5, when i got it, one of the sway bar brakets was broken. it drove like a frickin boat. tons of body roll with the slightest change of direction. I recently replaced the straps and bushings and it drives very nice now.

so, i'd say it depends. Trail rig or maybe dd with stiffer lift sprins, sure. othewise, i still think it has a good purpose.

I will be getting discos for the work rig...
 
I've sent a pile of them to the recycler. I have no use for them on a leakspring rig. It does improve the on-road ride and REALLY helps articulation. I even tossed the bars from my Cherokee, and the extra body sway doesn't bother me at all. In the end, it's all what you're confortable with. Some would white-knuckle the wheel in my rigs, but I kinda like lifting a tire now and then around corners.:D
 
You think a K5 has body roll with no sway bar, try driving a Jeep wagoneer with stock soft springs shackle flip rear spring over axle front and a 3" body lift, I could jerk the steering wheel left and right maybe an inch each way and the body could roll 6" sideways.
But I love it and it rides smooth.
I was thinking of putting some rear sway bars on it though:whistle:
 
I can't stand the ride on my Burb without it, when i don't hook up the discos after a trail run, it tends to lean alot more on curves and such. I guess for those that don't do alot of higher speed driving and freeway running and whatnot, it's probably not much of an issue, But here in Phoenix, just about anywhere you go, it's freeway driving and a big possibility of evasive driving due to some weird driving habits of alot of these people around here :doah:

It does seem to soften up the ride somewhat over bumps and such, but i'd rather have the control of the vehicle.
 
I dropped mine off at the dump last weekend. Mine sways a lot on the road and leans a lot on turns. Sometimes I wish I had it on sometimes. Has anybody done a swaybar with crossover? Like a custom swaybar behind the axle. Prob not.
 
munepit said:
I dropped mine off at the dump last weekend. Mine sways a lot on the road and leans a lot on turns. Sometimes I wish I had it on sometimes. Has anybody done a swaybar with crossover? Like a custom swaybar behind the axle. Prob not.
Click to expand...

If you want to have a sway bar with cross over I know I can figure out a setup for you.
 
That would be sweet!!!! Something like Currie Enterprises Sway bar kit? What price range are we talking? Would it be able to dis connect? If so, I am intrested.!!!
 
munepit said:
That would be sweet!!!! Something like Currie Enterprises Sway bar kit? What price range are we talking? Would it be able to dis connect? If so, I am intrested.!!!
Click to expand...

I don't know, we will figure something out from junkyard parts, might even be able to make the stock parts work, I just need to see the cross over and see where it interferes.
If you get me enough pics as if I was there, I will give you an answer.:thumb:
 
I will work on the pics. Damm, I just tossed my swaybar. Thanks!!! I will get you some detailed pics soon! Thanks!
 
I had a squirly situation in the snow this weekend at about 45, and i would have 100% rolled my truck w/o my sway bars.

No change for me.
 
munepit said:
I will work on the pics. Damm, I just tossed my swaybar. Thanks!!! I will get you some detailed pics soon! Thanks!
Click to expand...

No biggie I have a few here you can get it for $10 if it will serve you. $25 with all the brackets.
 
I took mine off and couldn't believe the difference. I have 4" e-z rides, it relieved my bump steer issue, and rides tons better. When I unbolted the bolts on the leaf plates the front jumped like it was held under tension, and all my bushings are in good condition. I wouldn't go back.
 
Cornfield creations said:
When I unbolted the bolts on the leaf plates the front jumped like it was held under tension, and all my bushings are in good condition.
Click to expand...

That's because they probably were if you aren't running a re-location kit to drop the front mounts from the frame with that 4" lift!!

I'm running a Rough Country re-location kit on my Burb with the 4" Rough Country lift and it runs perfect.....
 
I guess it depends on the lift and tire size, etc. Im running 33s with 2" lift so im not top heavy. There was increased body roll but it wasnt too bad that I wanted to put it back. I kept mine just incase I didnt like the ride, but its softer for sure.

I drive mainly on the freeway and city and some off roading and havent had any issues.
 
I tend to take em off as soon as I get em.

You do notice a bit more body roll but I have had the unfortunate happenstance to avoid accidents with the same truck both with and without the swaybar. Didn't seem to make much difference.

One time I was avoiding a trailer that came off a guys truck. On the interstate at 75 MPH he was passing me trailer came off I had to jam on the brakes hard and steer to avoid it.

Second was a couch coming out of the back of a pickup, same deal they were passing me.

I did not notice much of a difference on both maneuvers, both were drastic, both sent me into the median, and I recovered from both with no damage to my truck and no damage to any one else around me
 
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