Remove Front Sway Bar?
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Elder User
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma, WA
Remove Front Sway Bar?
Here is a question, not saying I am going to do it, just thinking what if...
In the past on my offroad rigs, I took off the sway bars and never though twice about them, with a huge lift it wasnt going to save much in the first place plus it killed articulation. And I never had a single issue, but then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell in a lifted rig haha!
I am now debating a 4-link lift kit for my truck, and I am sure the front sway would kill articulation once again.. I have never owned anything as large as this F250.. Hows a truck like this handle without a front swaybar?? I do not tow either.. There is also no rear swaybar on my truck, not sure it they came with one or not though..
In the past on my offroad rigs, I took off the sway bars and never though twice about them, with a huge lift it wasnt going to save much in the first place plus it killed articulation. And I never had a single issue, but then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell in a lifted rig haha!
I am now debating a 4-link lift kit for my truck, and I am sure the front sway would kill articulation once again.. I have never owned anything as large as this F250.. Hows a truck like this handle without a front swaybar?? I do not tow either.. There is also no rear swaybar on my truck, not sure it they came with one or not though..
9 ECHO 1
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 12,467
Likes: 58
From: Missouri
I took mine off to redo the bushings, and never put it back on.. I do have a good amount of body roll in turns, but as long as youre careful, youre not going to roll it. Its not really a problem, just more of a nuance to slow way down for some turns.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 26
From: Mesa AZ
Here is a question, not saying I am going to do it, just thinking what if...
In the past on my offroad rigs, I took off the sway bars and never though twice about them, with a huge lift it wasnt going to save much in the first place plus it killed articulation. And I never had a single issue, but then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell in a lifted rig haha!
I am now debating a 4-link lift kit for my truck, and I am sure the front sway would kill articulation once again.. I have never owned anything as large as this F250.. Hows a truck like this handle without a front swaybar?? I do not tow either.. There is also no rear swaybar on my truck, not sure it they came with one or not though..
In the past on my offroad rigs, I took off the sway bars and never though twice about them, with a huge lift it wasnt going to save much in the first place plus it killed articulation. And I never had a single issue, but then again I dont drive like a bat out of hell in a lifted rig haha!
I am now debating a 4-link lift kit for my truck, and I am sure the front sway would kill articulation once again.. I have never owned anything as large as this F250.. Hows a truck like this handle without a front swaybar?? I do not tow either.. There is also no rear swaybar on my truck, not sure it they came with one or not though..
I think there are kits on the market for quick disconnecting the sway bar for off road use. You might consider looking into those and see if anything fits.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 26
From: Mesa AZ
here...sorry to the OP.Trey, I didn't realize that you hadn't yet re-installed the bar yet. I saw your other thread about the end link upper bolts. On my truck there wasn't anything in that frame bracket, the bolt just went through from the inside-out. There was some clearance around the bolt but not excessive.
If you have the Energy Suspension kit, then you will need to install the bushings with the thicker edges at the top of the end links and the bushings with the stepped edges on the bottom. Then you will press in the hardened steel sleeves to bind them together until you re-install the end links. When you attempt to re-install the bolt through the upper end links, the shoulder on the bolt won't fit inside the steel sleeves. The fix is to install the bolt from the outside-in so the nut is on the end link side and the head of the bolt is outside the frame. Everything else is reverse order as removed.
Hope this helps.
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9 ECHO 1
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 12,467
Likes: 58
From: Missouri
Total here...sorry to the OP.
Trey, I didn't realize that you hadn't yet re-installed the bar yet. I saw your other thread about the end link upper bolts. On my truck there wasn't anything in that frame bracket, the bolt just went through from the inside-out. There was some clearance around the bolt but not excessive.
If you have the Energy Suspension kit, then you will need to install the bushings with the thicker edges at the top of the end links and the bushings with the stepped edges on the bottom. Then you will press in the hardened steel sleeves to bind them together until you re-install the end links. When you attempt to re-install the bolt through the upper end links, the shoulder on the bolt won't fit inside the steel sleeves. The fix is to install the bolt from the outside-in so the nut is on the end link side and the head of the bolt is outside the frame. Everything else is reverse order as removed.
Hope this helps.
here...sorry to the OP.Trey, I didn't realize that you hadn't yet re-installed the bar yet. I saw your other thread about the end link upper bolts. On my truck there wasn't anything in that frame bracket, the bolt just went through from the inside-out. There was some clearance around the bolt but not excessive.
If you have the Energy Suspension kit, then you will need to install the bushings with the thicker edges at the top of the end links and the bushings with the stepped edges on the bottom. Then you will press in the hardened steel sleeves to bind them together until you re-install the end links. When you attempt to re-install the bolt through the upper end links, the shoulder on the bolt won't fit inside the steel sleeves. The fix is to install the bolt from the outside-in so the nut is on the end link side and the head of the bolt is outside the frame. Everything else is reverse order as removed.
Hope this helps.
Random question. Are the end link bolts special? Or can I get them at a hardware store?
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Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,924
Likes: 6
From: Richmond BC
if the truck is lifted i wouldnt worry about the front sway bar.
the extra spring rate from the springs is usually more then enuf to help overcome what the stock swaybar helped with..
esp. if its a leaf sprung vehicle.
the extra spring rate from the springs is usually more then enuf to help overcome what the stock swaybar helped with..
esp. if its a leaf sprung vehicle.
Post Fiend
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 26
From: Mesa AZ
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,015
Likes: 4
From: Lakehills, TX
Please put the sway bar back on there. All it takes is one little unexpected swerve and you're just along for the ride. A guy I know is lucky to be alive after a minor swerve on the highway resulted in a flipped rig, lots of bruises, and a lesson learned. I crawl rocks in my TJ, so I finally switched over to a Currie Anti-Rock on it, and even with it on its loosest setting it's still so much better behaved both on-road and off than no swaybar at all and with no significant reduction in articulation. And if you're not crawling rocks with your Super Duty (!!) then you do NOT need more articulation than you're getting.
And whoever said that lifted springs make up for your swaybar: no. No, they don't, especially if they're quality springs. If anything you'd have to make up for it with wildly aggressive shock valving, and that would be murder to drive. Don't run without it. It's there for a reason.
And whoever said that lifted springs make up for your swaybar: no. No, they don't, especially if they're quality springs. If anything you'd have to make up for it with wildly aggressive shock valving, and that would be murder to drive. Don't run without it. It's there for a reason.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
If anything, a lifted truck needs a swaybar more than a stocker - higher center of gravity means more lean in the corners. And springs for lifted trucks are not stiffer, at least they shouldn't be, they just have a taller free height. So IMHO you need a front swaybar, but I'm sure some drive without, and the ones here that have admit that there is a big difference.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 360
Likes: 0
From: jackson nj
If looking for better offroad articulation leave the sway bar off and consider a castor kit. I know your thread is not intended to resolve steering wander issues but I think this is related to your desired outcome. Read post 21 
.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10642310
.https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10642310
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,564
Likes: 11
From: Wayyy NoCal, USA
As long as you can prevent all the other idiots on the road from doing something stupid in front of you, you don't need it.
But if you ever need to make an emergency evasive maneuver, you will sorely (literally, as Firekite mentioned above) miss it.
Personally, I haven't figured out how to make the idiots go away...
If you do enough off roading to warrant it, make, modify, or buy a quick release sway bar disconnect for off road use, but for your own sake, keep it connected on road!
But if you ever need to make an emergency evasive maneuver, you will sorely (literally, as Firekite mentioned above) miss it.
Personally, I haven't figured out how to make the idiots go away...
If you do enough off roading to warrant it, make, modify, or buy a quick release sway bar disconnect for off road use, but for your own sake, keep it connected on road!
Trailering
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 16
Likes: 1
I'm new to the 4WD large pickups, but I've been rockcrawling Jeeps since 1981. I've run with and without the front swaybar on the highway and the difference is incredible. It's much harder to control a rig without the sway bar. My '82 Scrambler has custom made disconnects and I refuse to drive on the pavement without connecting them. It's way to scary in the turns and, as mwsF250 so eloquently states, "you can't make the idiots go away"!
I agree with his statement that you need to have some disconnects and use them.
Dan
I agree with his statement that you need to have some disconnects and use them.
Dan