Rear Sway Bar?

I have a '17 Tundra Crewmax with the TRD off-rd package. When I test drove trucks, I settled on the one with the TRD off-rd package because it felt more sturdy and a beefier suspension. However, I'm on the fence about adding the TRD Rear Sway Bar because I'm concerned it will only make the suspension more stiff and add bed bounce. What do I do? Does anyone here have experience adding the RSB that has the TRD off-rd package and did it make the ride stiffer, like feel more bumps?

 

You'll find a wide range of answers as ride quality is very subjective. There are many posts about this already. For what it's worth, i didn't find adding the RSB made for a stiff ride or caused bed bounce. I overall like the improved handling and cornering.

 

What Pudge said!

 

Double ditto ^^

 

adds 15 style points too!

 

I didn't notice much in terms of a stiffer ride, but I did notice a little bit of bed bounce. But the RSB was worth it when cornering. The body roll without was too much, enough to make me almost slide out of my seat! It is a good addition in my opinion, but I do not do any off roading, nor intend to.

 

There are a bunch of posts as said above, and results vary according to my reading. After probably hours of reading about this exact thing, I just ordered mine about a week ago (yet to install) but I have TRD OR. I'll try to remember to post back. Don't think you'd regret it unless you're a pretty aggressive Off-Roader from what I've read from the experienced members on here. I go off road a few times regularly, but nothing as crazy as some. Also I tow, so I'm excited to see how it improves...

 

Every truck rides different but you will enjoy it. I did front and rear.

 

If I was going to do some serious off roading, I would disconnect both sway bars for more articulation. But for on road performance both are the way to go

 

As others have said, everyone is going to have a different opinion about this. My experience on my non-TRD SR5 was that it stiffened the ride up in the rear where the ride was slightly worsened and you felt more bumps. I live in Florida where the roads are very smooth too. The cornering did improve but since I mostly did highway travel I took the bar back off and sold it after 3 months of use. Oddly, the swaying was less than I had remembered when I removed the bar and it didn't bother me anymore.

I was also hyper focused on the ride quality where I just could not stop thinking about it. What didn't help matters was my kids car seat rattled more with the bar and him not in it versus when I took it off so I was really paying attention to it then. Drove me crazy.

 

It shouldn't make the ride anywhere stiffer unless you go over speed bumps one wheel at a time or just one side of the truck. The sway bars job is to keep both tires equal distance from the truck ( less body roll) at all times. If you are prone to drive on ruff terrain, unequal bumps left to right, it will probably feel stiffer. Definitely makes a big difference on the rear vs not having one.

 

I politely disagree with this. When you add the bar you are linking both sides of the rear end together essentially. So if you hit a bump on the right it is now felt more in the left too whereas before just the right side would have absorbed the bump.

I have read many TRD sway bar threads and I am not the only one to report this nor am I the only one who has put on a sway bar and then removed it due to ride quality.

Again, this is just my opinion. It does do an excellent job in reducing sway and stiffening up the handling. I will say it's not a night/day difference but enough for me to say it was smoother without it.

 

It's a very simple mathematic expression:

BED BOUNCE = BOOB BOUNCE.

Please proceed accordingly.

 

Isn't what you're saying just backing me up? That's why I said it wouldn't feel stiffer unless you go over a bump with 1 side (right tire) at a time. Because the sway bar is trying the keep the wheels equal, the direction of least resistance is the right side of the truck going up. Meaning it would "rock" the truck. Where as if the sway bar wasn't there the right side tire would go up and not so much the truck rocking. If you were as aggressive driver as I am on on/off ramps there is a very noticeable difference for and aft. What I was trying to say before, is if you go over a speed bump squarely whether or not you have a sway bar, it will not feel different.

 

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your willingness to share and give me your thoughts. I think for now I'm going to hold off, but I may elect to try it later.

 

We are talking a 1/2 ton truck...they don’t ride rough.

I added RSB and Sumo springs and it doesn’t ride stiffer. Stays planted and stable when I tow and I like less body roll anyway.

You want bounce, hop in a 3/4 or 1 ton and you will feel bounce.

 

Put a Hellwig 7700 RSB on last year. Should have done it 17years ago.