Removing front sway bar benefits

Replace that deer with a small child - now what?

Driving conditions can change in the blink of an eye.

 

Or the slower you’ll need to go to maintain everything control. Physics

edit: which is sometimes not possible in an emergency, true.

 

I’ll trust my seatbelt and airbags during the rollover scene haha

 

I have made my point on the subject as best I can, stay safe out there - I'm out of this thread.

 

I’m not condoning removing anything oe designed for anyone else. Just me haha

My risk tolerance is off the charts so it’s minor to me to remove it.

The ‘proper’ thing to do, it’s leave trucks stock for sure haha.

 

Wait, a deer can morph into a small child? I need to stop shooting arrows at them.

 

Just aim at the deers neck under the ear... should whizz by the small child's ear or over the head if the deer shape shifts... Freakishly tall small kids may be dicey.

 

DERAIL in 3.2.1.....

 

I changed my mind after your story. lol

was thinking I get a smoother ride but maybe I should have avoided the TRD to begin with

 

After having mine off for a week or so, i'll probably put it back on for DD. I performed a very scientificological test by making very slight, but abrupt movements while driving straight to see how the truck would rock (bodyroll wise) at around 45-50 mph. Nothing happened really but it was pretty squirrely and it became apparent that if I had to recover from an extreme change in direction, say from dodging an errant ladder in the middle of the freeway, it would be pretty tough. I could definitely see how you could get into trouble in a hurry if you had any kind of extra weight in the bed or towing and had to make a sudden steering input.






















......You best believe that thing is coming off though when it's time to get dirty.

 

i just took mines off and so far so good im running front icon coilovers and it even feels smooth when i hit a curve if i change my mind i can always put it back on

 

so far so good?.. been driving mines about a week with out them and i do feel a difference but folks i know mostly old timers are telling me is very unsafe to drive with out them
i also have front ICON coilovers too

 

Took my front sway off about 2 years ago. Maybe a tiny more body roll if making quick maneuvers, but I can’t remember what it was like with the sway on. No negatives here and I’m lifted 2” up front. Had 275/65-20 and now have 295/70-18, feels good and don’t think I’ll ever put it back on.

 

I took mine off recently and its definitely a smoother ride. It does drive different but not a difference in control at all. I will say my in laws and wife tell me all the time that I drive like a "grandma" so maybe thats why but I already have made some drastic movements in my truck at freeway speeds without it and I didnt feel any less in control then I did with the sway bar. Just my opinion and experience...... As of now I will leave it off

 

Wonder if it will cause abnormal tire wear. Curious about removing mine but kind of scared to.

 

Theres no way removing it will cause uneven tire wear. Only thing that can do that is tire pressure and alignment. The reason why I removed mine was someone mentioned it eliminates cross tire translation. So when I hit a bump on the passenger side it was communicated it across the sway bar to the driver side. I wanted to test the theory and sure enough roads I would drive on way to work everyday were alot smoother. I realized that it was only one side or the other experiencing the bump but the whole front end would feel it when I had the sway bar installed. Now if I hit a bump or drive in a lane where the passenger side is uneven or bumpy it stays very much to the passenger side. Also I noticed that when I would roll up to a light and hit a significant bump or hole my steering wheel would turn just due to the truck following the groove or unevenness in the road. Now that has lessened quite a bit which is why I think people say its a must remove when offroading cause the trucks front suspension is able to act independently with no regard to what the opposite tire is enduring.

All in all I removed my sway bar and my tires were low and needed more PSI just those two changes alone makes my truck feel and drive a whole hell of a lot better.

 

No issues whatsoever. I even had to swerve hard last week to avoid a ladder flying out of a guys truck.

 

I drive aggressive most times. And i did like the way it smoothed the drive. How i tested it out without actually removing everything. I unbolted it from the control arms and zipped tied the links to the bar. Didnt notice any noise the bar stayed where they suppose to be. I will do this everytime ill be in the dirt. And just bolt it up when i hit the road.

 

Ziiiiiiing!

 

You could do a sway bar end link quick disconnect. That's what I did. I had to make mine though because they don't make one for the first gen Tundra. I like to have it connected on windy roads or if my wife drives my truck. Off road I like to disconnect it for a smoother ride and more flexibility.

 

Our linkage is way to small. Thats why theirs no known quick disconnect that am aware of for 07- present

 

It’s a rough ride for sure. I changed my whole suspension. It’s my only real gripe about the truck. I had 1500 lbs in the bed today and it rose so smooth! I wish it rode like that all the time!

 

Resurrecting an old thread. I removed mine after installing some new Coilovers with 700# springs. There might be slightly more comfort. I am guessing that if I notice a issue with swaying at higher speeds I could just get a RSB to get the best of both worlds?

 

I've been without the front sway bar for a couple years and have only noticed high speed side to side sway 1 time. I ordered the TRD rear sway bar and will report my findings once I have it installed and put some miles on it.

PS I bought a swing case off you a while back. What suspension setup are you running?

 

Let me know what you think of the RSB. Yes I remember the username. Ever use the swing case? I am running Ironman Foam Cell Coilovers set at 2” with a 3/4” shackle in the rear.

 

Also curious what the OP did. @Jwood562

 

Interesting, never even thought about pulling it. It’s easy enough to reinstall so I’m going to try it.

 

Ive ran with and without in the past, ultimately ended up putting it back on due to an incident where I swerved to avoid road debris and nearly spun out my Tacoma. Most of this has already been covered, but the sway bar is really there to assist in on road aggressive maneuvers.

From my old days on tracking my s2000, sway bars help to change the bias of the vehicles handling. Removing the front without adding the rear might be hardly noticable on the Tundra because you havent created a large delta in how the vehicle handles at each axle.

However, adding a RSB without the front will increase the trucks propensity for oversteer or fishtailing, so be careful out there.

In regard to the IFS being "truly independent" without the FSB, the shocks can still make full ROM with it installed, and FWIW you still have the tie rods attached to both wheels, so bump steer will still be present without it.

It will of course ride a bit more smoothly without it though, but again, you'd need to be conscious of the present change in driving it will create.


@dpast88 Are you running the constant load FCPs? Their performance load is rated at 580lb/in, so essentially near stock spring rate. A 700lb spring would help if you really wanted to remove the FSB.

 

At least in Pa, a by-the-book mechanic doing the annual safety inspection will fail it for any missing, factory equipped suspension components. Do what you want, it's your truck.

 

uh, the sun could melt too and then we're all in a bind.
Plenty of us have driven trucks for years with no sway bars and not a single pumpkin was smashed because of it.

OP- you do you and give it a shot to make up your own mind. Don't like it, put it back on.