Offroad Trailblazers and Envoys

Removing Front Swaybar

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by bartonmd » Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:23 pm

jhmeg2 wrote:Hmm. I'm getting mixed info here I think. Ok, so last weekend I did the front and rear struts and shocks, with Mark's 3" spacers. Today, I was able to get the Massive \upper and lower control arms in and the panhard bar. In doing the rears, the end links hit the upper control arms, so I removed the rear swaY bar. I am wondering. Hardtrails, you keep saying you "had" them both off... What does that mean? That you now have them back on? Is it safe to have them off? I drive it almost only on the road, but now that I'm playing with it, I might get it off road. Can I get a straight answer? Is it safe to have the front, rear, or both sway bars off. Its not a race car and I know that. I plan on learning the way it feels for a while, before getting on the highway. Also, is there any one else using the Massive products?

Image


To me, both disconnected is positively scary on the road.

Rear connected and front disconnected makes me a little un-easy when driving it. The vehicle dynamic isn't "normal" and there's a lot of body roll, still.

Front connected and rear completely removed feels almost exactly like fully connected, until you start cornering faster than you should really corner a lifted SUV.

Mike
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by jhmeg2 » Sun Sep 02, 2012 9:26 pm

bartonmd wrote:
jhmeg2 wrote:Hmm. I'm getting mixed info here I think. Ok, so last weekend I did the front and rear struts and shocks, with Mark's 3" spacers. Today, I was able to get the Massive \upper and lower control arms in and the panhard bar. In doing the rears, the end links hit the upper control arms, so I removed the rear swaY bar. I am wondering. Hardtrails, you keep saying you "had" them both off... What does that mean? That you now have them back on? Is it safe to have them off? I drive it almost only on the road, but now that I'm playing with it, I might get it off road. Can I get a straight answer? Is it safe to have the front, rear, or both sway bars off. Its not a race car and I know that. I plan on learning the way it feels for a while, before getting on the highway. Also, is there any one else using the Massive products?

Image


To me, both disconnected is positively scary on the road.

Rear connected and front disconnected makes me a little un-easy when driving it. The vehicle dynamic isn't "normal" and there's a lot of body roll, still.

Front connected and rear completely removed feels almost exactly like fully connected, until you start cornering faster than you should really corner a lifted SUV.

Mike


ok, thats good info. thanks Mike. Any body else
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by hobbstisdaman » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:44 pm

Sway bars are meant to keep the vehicle stable (obviously). So taking them off will feel strange on the road, especially if you like to speed racer it around turns. IMO Disconnects are the best way to go. You feel comfortable on the road and take them off when going on a trail. Ultimately it is what feels best and more safe for the driver
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by HARDTRAILZ » Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:02 pm

Toss the rear and keep the front w disco's
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by bartonmd » Sun Sep 02, 2012 11:05 pm

HARDTRAILZ wrote:Toss the rear and keep the front w disco's


Yep, that's what I did...

I've also got a "how-to" to make disconnects, yourself.

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1695&start=100#p60694

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by jhmeg2 » Mon Sep 03, 2012 6:38 pm

bartonmd wrote:
HARDTRAILZ wrote:Toss the rear and keep the front w disco's


Yep, that's what I did...

I've also got a "how-to" to make disconnects, yourself.

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1695&start=100#p60694

Mike


how much to throw one in the order?... lol, but really
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by bartonmd » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:52 pm

The post I linked to at the end of the thread was how to make it, yourself, without a welder or anything. Just a drill press.

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by hobbstisdaman » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:55 pm

But dad I don't have a drill press
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by Moots1288 » Mon Sep 03, 2012 9:58 pm

If no drill press use a vise, good drill bits and some oil
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by hobbstisdaman » Mon Sep 03, 2012 10:03 pm

Any one want to make them for me? I don't think I'm aloud to use the drill press on base...
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by jhmeg2 » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:59 am

bartonmd wrote:The post I linked to at the end of the thread was how to make it, yourself, without a welder or anything. Just a drill press.

Mike


I've got the welder, I've got the drill press. I'm just lazy I guess. Plus I think you have fun doing it, I'd rather play golf. :poke:
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by HARDTRAILZ » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:16 am

Shit. Maybe i will make some.
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by bartonmd » Tue Sep 04, 2012 10:28 am

jhmeg2 wrote:
bartonmd wrote:The post I linked to at the end of the thread was how to make it, yourself, without a welder or anything. Just a drill press.

Mike


I've got the welder, I've got the drill press. I'm just lazy I guess. Plus I think you have fun doing it, I'd rather play golf. :poke:


I have fun fabricating, but these things take a ton of time for what I feel right charging for them, and they can be a bit of a PITA. That's why I posted a how-to on making them.

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by navigator » Tue Sep 04, 2012 11:35 am

bartonmd wrote:...deer season is coming up.....

Mike


there Mike, I fixed it for you :-)
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by Trail X » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:47 pm

My opinion relates to how the truck is loaded. If you don't carry much in the back, I can see removing the rear swaybar, but with a large roof load or large interior rear load, I don't think I'd want to.

For me, removing the front and keeping the back just feels right. I'll admit though, I haven't tried the opposite configuration. I still plan to remove the rear someday... just not today.

As I understand it, there are a good number of people running fully disconnected without issue. I think Mike's use of the words "positively scary" is a bit of a hyperbole.
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by bartonmd » Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:50 pm

JamesDowning wrote:My opinion relates to how the truck is loaded. If you don't carry much in the back, I can see removing the rear swaybar, but with a large roof load or large interior rear load, I don't think I'd want to.

For me, removing the front and keeping the back just feels right. I'll admit though, I haven't tried the opposite configuration. I still plan to remove the rear someday... just not today.

As I understand it, there are a good number of people running fully disconnected without issue. I think Mike's use of the words "positively scary" is a bit of a hyperbole.


Most of the time I've run rear connected and front disconnected, I've been loaded with camping gear with the spare on the roof, and it feels worse than empty.

Yeah, fully disconnected is only positively scary compared to fully connected, and only when you drive it like it's connected. If you creep around corners and such, you may not notice it. There's a reason you (James) got 55,000 miles out of the first HALF the tread on your last set of tires.

The front connected and rear removed really does feel almost exactly like fully connected, even when fully loaded up (mine and Kyle's), and when towing a trailer.

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by HARDTRAILZ » Tue Sep 04, 2012 9:33 pm

Mine tows better w only front than only rear.

When neils disco/bolt-on bs links failed at tecore i ran part fully disco'ed.

I have literally ran 1000s of miles with each setup...fully connected... fully disco'ed...front only....rear only. Not sure anyone else tried each setup for a significant time.

I like my current setup best after all of that. Front quick connected and rear eliminated.

I thought front disco was great until i actually swapped and ran it for awhile.
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by navigator » Wed Sep 05, 2012 2:55 pm

for those disco-ed in the rear does stiffer Z71 springs seem to help?
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by bartonmd » Wed Sep 05, 2012 4:50 pm

I have stock springs and airlift 1000 bags, and even with 5psi in them, it's fine.

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by dvanbramer88 » Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:47 pm

Josh runs with the rear fully disco'd and the front connected. It's perfect IMO. We experimented with the front half disco'd but it is very different. I know Jeff runs with the rear disco'd and the front half disco'd. (driver side off, pass, side on). I think Mario might run fully disco'd.
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