Sway bar disconnects

[MilehighLR3]

During my recent intimate time spent with my LR's suspension, was wondering if anyone has attempted to sway disconnects. I could see where it would open up some additional travel.

Anyone ever try it on the LR3?

 

[Trynian]

I don't think you want to do that on the LR3. The swaybar helps keep the travel from going to far. If you travel any further then the current max the upper control arm will get really close to the shock if not start to contact it.

 

[Mack73]

While I agree that excessive droop can be tied to the air bag damage, I still think there is a benefit to a disconnect. You would probably have to do some kind of limit straps, and maybe not even that, the sway bars are not the articulation limiter, it is built into the shock - but the benefit of the disconnect is to prevent articulation of one side affecting the other. That way you can achieve increased articulation from side to side.

 

[Trynian]

While I agree that excessive droop can be tied to the air bag damage, I still think there is a benefit to a disconnect. You would probably have to do some kind of limit straps, and maybe not even that, the sway bars are not the articulation limiter, it is built into the shock - but the benefit of the disconnect is to prevent articulation of one side affecting the other. That way you can achieve increased articulation from side to side.

I agree if you did have a limiting strap that would help. I know the swaybars are not the limiter but they do help decrease the amount of hard downward pressure on the shock limiter which some of us have damaged when the swaybar link has been broken or damaged.

 

[Houm_WA]

I just don't see it as necessary. We get a good amount of droop...and with the indi suspension we have about 12.5" of clearance down the middle.

The more you mess with things, the more you ask for trouble, IMO.

 

[Mack73]

I just don't see it as necessary. We get a good amount of droop...and with the indi suspension we have about 12.5" of clearance down the middle.

The more you mess with things, the more you ask for trouble, IMO.

The only thing I disagree with is what the sway bar is doing, Remember me up on that rock, the side to side articulation was bad bad. With a disconnect, I bet it would have been much more level. But who knows.

Who is going to be the first to remove the sway bar ends and see what happens

 

[blackforestham]

Have at it. I sure won't. With an IFS, the swaybar has a minimal effect on articulation. IF we were talking a solid axle - different story. Let's not kid ourselves...any form of rod-mod or computer manipulation of the height sensor FORCES more pressure into the canister resulting in MORE clearance and LESS articulation. I have the mod and crawl in NORMAL 90% of the time. It's equivalent to OEM OFFROAD MODE. This allows me to retain the OEM articulation performance as best as can be. I hit OFFROAD MODE when I need to clear obstacles, then throttle back to NORMAL for most trail work. Disconnecting the SB will have little effect on an IFS running 750psi in the can.

 

[Houm_WA]

Yeah Jason but you didn't see us on the big rock on the last trip. Driver side was stuffed (on the rock) and the droop on the passenger side was pretty good.

All relative though I suppose...I just don't think there's much bang for the buck in there.

 

[Mack73]

Yeah Jason but you didn't see us on the big rock on the last trip. Driver side was stuffed (on the rock) and the droop on the passenger side was pretty good.

All relative though I suppose...I just don't think there's much bang for the buck in there.

Stuffed...um no. See the pic below. My passenger side wheel should be stuffed atleast 2 more inches.

The goal of the disconnect is not droop on IFS. Lets walk through an example. OK we are going over a rock on the passenger side front. As you start to go up the rock, the wheel compresses. As it compresses the sway bar starts twisting. As it twists it starts lifting the other side. So instead of allowing the passenger side to compress fully to bump stops before "lifting" the truck, the sway bar starts the lifting much much earlier.

clif notes: sway bar causes the vehicle to lift before the wheel is compressed fully.

And here is the best example photos I can find, look at the increased ability to stuff the front wheel, maybe 2 more inches on the blaser.

 

[Houm_WA]

So you are saying that the unsprung weight of the other-side wheel and tire would keep the compressed-side from getting further stuffed? I'm not sure I can mentally accept that.

Also...I meant the rock that Ryan, myself and Nasir climbed up last month in order to demonstrate the control-arm hitting the air shock...not your Tahuya example.