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Sway bar or crossover steering?

3

3MAX

1/2 ton status
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I've read several threads on removing the front swaybar, and there seems to be varying opinions as to how much it effects handling on the street.

I'd like to get thoughts from those that have done some towing with the swaybar removed. I'm in the middle of my build, and this Blazer will have 4" lift, 35" BFG's, 10 bolt front, 14 bolt semi-float rear, e-lockers, and 4.56 gears. It will be a daily driver, see quite a bit of towing with 4-5000 lbs, hunting, camping, and moderate trails.

I'm already replacing the steering box & ball joints, so if I'm going to do the crossover steering, now is the time.

Any thoughts, opinions are appreciated.
 
If you're only going to be doing moderate trails, me personally i'd keep the sway bar. Alot of guys on here don't run them, and think there is no difference in handling, maybe there is a difference between the Burbs and Blazers because of the size, but there is a very noticable difference in sway/lean in cornering/turns without the bar. I have disconnects, love them for the use I do, have been on some pretty interesting trails and there is a HUGE difference offroad withough the swaybar. MUCH more articulation. There have only been a few times on the moderate to slightly more difficult trails where i thought i could have used crossover, but more than not, it wasn't needed.

As a daily driver, i'd say keep the bar, if a dedicated or constant off road driver, then maybe then a crossover setup.

just my opinion though.. :D
 
Plus the vehicle make a difference too. I have a K10 shortbed with the same set up as you are planning. It rolls like crazy with the sway bar disconnected. But offroad it works very well and rides nice disconnected. I have thought about crossover an d may do it in the future but with the front ten bolt and detroit locker and alloy shafts it is working fine for my mild off road use.
 
I have run with and without the sway bar and on one rig noticed no difference and on another roll was crazy. I currently don't run one but I think running a disconnect is the best of both worlds.
 
1BEATK5 said:
just do crossover and be done. i wouldnt have a lifted square body without it for dd use. its not just good for wheelin.
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I really want to do the crossover - and now will be the cheapest time to get it done. It's just that this truck will see more time on the road and towing than on trails.

I don't want to end up with major body roll and compromised handling, but on the other hand I've heard several others say that steering is much improved even on the street vs. the stock set up.

I don't want to have any regrets about this build when I'm done - I really wish I had removed the swaybar and towed with it a couple of times before I tore it down to see how it handled - too late for that now :doah:
 
well I cant speak for a blazer, but I know with K20 and the stock pushpull steering, after the lift & tires, forget about making a u-turn on anything with less than 3 lanes going the other direction and a wide median! Now with x-over I can just about make a uturn on a regular 2 lane road. When I ditched the bar I didnt even notice it was gone. You could always put stiffer shocks on it to compensate for any increase in body roll.

Oh and btw K20 is pretty much a mall-crawler......ok completely mall crawler lol.
 
Maybe its tire size but with mine : 1986 K10 Scottsdale with stock steering BFG 35' AT's on stock rallies with a 4' lift it turns like a bicycle. Infact i tease my wife and say when we need to go through a drivethrough we have to take "lil blue" because my CC super duty turns like a cruise ship. lol
 
I think its a width issue, i had 33x12.5's and it was pretty bad, then 35x14.5s and it was worse then 38x15.5's and it was horrible.
 
After having crossover on for a while and then driving another without it, I wouldn't own (for any length of time) a square body without it. My opinion is that it is night and day even on a stock height rig. As to the sway bar, I haven't had one on any of my last three trucks, and haven't found a compelling reason not to remove it from any truck I have in the future.
 
Stock height square with crossover would a very close fit. Even the ones i have seen with a 4' lift it is still close to the crossmember.
 
I wasn't saying I'd try to put it on a stock height, I can't foresee owning a stock height truck. I was comparing driving my truck to driving a stock height stock steering truck.
 
Ditch the swaybar for the crossover steering. Enjoy your steering and realize your not driving a formula1 through the twisty roads of the ALPS:dunno:.
It's a big dumb loveable animal that will tackle [almost] anything else at a slower rate of speed.
 
buefchris said:
Ditch the swaybar for the crossover steering. Enjoy your steering and realize your not driving a formula1 through the twisty roads of the ALPS:dunno:.
It's a big dumb loveable animal that will tackle [almost] anything else at a slower rate of speed.
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True but i think the OP's question was related more towards towing and IMO i think if your going to use it to tow then the sway bar is probably a good thing to have. Now if your not going to tow and just off road it. then chuck it.
 
It seems that this is one of the areas that there's no right or wrong answer - just personal preference. It would be a no brainer if I could run the bar with crossover steering and disconnects, but that's not the case.

Honestly, towing will be more important than off-road capability, but my towing will also mainly consist of highway use - not too many back-roads full of curves so the sway bar may not make that much difference.

I'm leaning toward doing the crossover, but still waffling...
I need to hurry up & make up my mind - I need to get a set of knuckles back on my front axle so it's ready to bolt back in when I get the frame painted.
 
Go crossover and install a rear swaybar! I towed a small camper with my K5 with 4" lift and no swap bar. Didnt notice a difference.

I am going to remove it on my V3500 as well when i do crossover.
 
I took mine off long ago and when I still had the 46" springs up front,there was no difference in handling. It was a extra piece of metal that did nothing.
It's only when I switched to 52" Deavers is when it began to sway
 
Thanks for all the replies - I've decided to go ahead with the crossover. I never see anyone say they wish they hadn't done it, even if there is a bit more body roll.

I'm only going to be running stock length springs with 4" lift, so I don't think I will have too much of an issue.
 
3MAX said:
It will be a daily driver, see quite a bit of towing with 4-5000 lbs.
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Keep the sway bar for towing purposes, especially if it's a light offroader/ heavy DD. For towing, you want all the stability you can get. A rear sway bar would be an acceptable replacement for the front, or even heavier springs. I get no body roll with my blazer and 3/4 springs, but it rides like a dumptruck.
 
The stiffer springs is deffinately a differance. My 86 k5 with a 6" lift and ?? springs didnt have much body roll that was noticed. It rode like a brick but didnt sway much. My 88 burb with 3" alcans and no sway bar has crazy body roll. Very noticeable. But it rides great. I'd say if you did Tuff Country hd's or something youd be fine with the crossover.
 
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