Questioning sway bar removal

[Veganpotter]

This video (and others) has definitely made me question removing my sway bars( I'm only planning on removing the rear). I haven't actually done it yet and I'm not going offroading with my Foz for at least 2 months(I'm largely a seasonal worker and this is my busy time). For this type of test, and where I really wanted to benefit the most, I just assumed sway bars are a hindrance. And this is with a full-on rock crawling rig. Of course, this is a live axle test. But I have seen videos with independent front suspension where they keep their bars on too. I can't find the video I was planning on sharing

 

[Kevin]

I have both bars disconnected when off-road. There have been incidences where lifted Foresters have snapped the front bar when left connected.

 

[Veganpotter]

@Kevin I have a front link relocator(not installed yet) that'll help give me more travel and take some stress off the bar, even though I only have a 1" lift. I'm sure I could still break the bar. I'm just surprised by this video and others I've seen. Of course, it doesn't take broken bars into account.

 

[scalman]

you will gain some more flex but not that much . its not 4x4 car with hard axles anyway and our shocks are just with very small travel anyway. but you can gain maybe some 5cm or smt. on my 2001 i drove without both sway barss, now on 2005 just rear is off , front still manage with all my huge lift there . its more stable on high speeds and corners. you can conpensate that with harder springs too.

 

[Ben Up North]

I haven't touched my swaybars yet (2.5"fr 3"R) with no problems.
I don't attempt rock crawling though, main reason for the lift was to be able to get through slightly deeper water than I could otherwise.
Mind you, the front swaybar links are pretty shot, so I don't know if that gives me more slightly more leeway. Must get some adjustable links.

 

[Veganpotter]

@scalman I have rallitek springs on the rear, stock fronts and all new struts with my 1" lift. I heard somewhere that you gain closer to 2" of articulation by removing them but that's just what someone from another forum says

 

[Veganpotter]

@Ben Up North I definitely won't do any "rock crawling" but I will crawl over rocks. Anything that looks super tough(if it's something in the way of my destination) will be assisted with traction boards. But I've definitely gotten stuck with a wheel off the ground a few times with my Escape on heavily rutted trails. That car has a little more articulation than my Fox but not much. I'm getting rid of that car at the end of the month. But I wish I had time to hit the trails with it with the rear bars removed just to see what it's like so I could use that to assist in my decision for my Foz

 

[scalman]

@scalman I have rallitek springs on the rear, stock fronts and all new struts with my 1" lift. I heard somewhere that you gain closer to 2" of articulation by removing them but that's just what someone from another forum says

yes i measured some time mine , though different links and such from foresters might be even better , i was gaining about 5cm , so yh 2'' then about. front gained more i think then rear. if you have heavier harder springs those will compensate sway bars work some as car will be stiffer more harder.
then again every cm counts maybe in some situation you will need those 5cm on wheel drop to get more grip. i did euro trip 5500km around europe mostly on highways without sway bars on normal springs with old oem shocks and i was feeling fine on roads or turns. i mean you get used to your car if it changes you get used to that too and adapting to changed control maybe.

 

[Veganpotter]

@scalman I'm maybe gonna wait on the lockers...hoping the sway bars will let me get away with not having them and just using traction boards most of the time. I wish we could have a control button to lock one brake like the near cars do on their own

 

[scalman]

just remove them and try to drive and see for yourself. remove rear first and check if you want , then remove front and see what happens then.. i duno i kinda liked more leaning in corners. lockers and wheels in air is not great mix as it can give more wear to that locker and diff in general. so more wheel drops down still its good thing. but then again best way to know what you like is to test drive.

 

[Veganpotter]

I think I'm definitely keeping the fronts on no matter what going off of how a drive in our canyons. I don't see it ever happening, but I hope Subaru eventually makes a car with a button actuated disconnect.
*It's all still illegal for onroad driving in my state, but I don't see ever getting a ticket for it. But it could be an issue with an accident and insurance...even if totally unrelated to the sway bars

 

[scalman]

Here all is illegal on mot rules sure. But then tell that to jeep guys that removes lift put normal tires then after mot puts all back. If your sway bars let your wheell drop almosy fully then its fine like this outback newer has so good front suspension style that even with my 7cm lift sway bar was working fully and it still let whell drop down to its limits. So maybe yours work good with sway bars as well. I removed rear one and didnt eve noticed rly as rear sway bars not that thick there. And my sls in rear keeps all more stable i think too.
I mean insurance never saw my car in life, its just know its model engine thats it.

 

[Veganpotter]

@scalman I don't see having any issues here in Utah. Of I were back in Maryland, I wouldn't be surprised to get fined for having no bars in an accident. But I find also get in an accident in another state.

 

[scalman]

Well rules are rules. I never understand how steel bumpers can be legal on roads like in europe where you dont need them as no animal danger on roads. But then we not make rules anyway. Now i hit some stell structure with my front bumper its just bended and come back to its place just cracked , kinda that impact was softened with it, if that would be stell i would feel it much more inside car i think.

 

[JonB]

How are people locating their front sway bar when disconnecting it? (On a SH)
The rear one looks easy to get out of the way and secure, the front not so easy.

 

[scalman]

Dont think front is possible to leave . Only way is disconnect just one side. I thought of other thing just myself like if you connect sway bar by some like strong rubber link so it would be in place but would not work as sway bar. But yh find that elastic and that strong rubber. I tried once with simple rubber it tear it appart fast

 

[Veganpotter]

@scalman yup, it's definitely a risk but so is even going 2kph over the limit. Kinda weird which ones we choose to follow. I'd love an off-road bumper but I'm probably only modifying what I have because I want to stay in compliance with air bags and I really want to have them anyway

 

[Veganpotter]

@JonB I know some people have rivnutted in a d ring and tie their front rods out of the way. I personally would never want to do that every time I got the trails. Without a pushbutton disconnect, they're staying connected or I'm removing them

 

[scalman]

@scalman yup, it's definitely a risk but so is even going 2kph over the limit. Kinda weird which ones we choose to follow. I'd love an off-road bumper but I'm probably only modifying what I have because I want to stay in compliance with air bags and I really want to have them anyway

I mean i like to modify my car for what i need from it i dont need things just because all use them or because they popular i never do that. I drive car to places i like and when something is not enough or something gets in the way i modify car by that ,no thing else. Im thinking of just cuting half front bumper again as i did with previous red one. That will add a lot more safer exploring around, as we have longer nose then foresters that become like first problem is front bumper hooks onto stuff.
So yh do mods that are needed for you only.

 

[ateday]

I have broken the front sway bar which I then removed completely, about 10 years ago, and never replaced.
No problems since.