[squizzytaylor]

OK, so there's been a bit of talk as to whether or not removing the sway bar from a Jimny will have much of an effect on its on road handling/ride, so here's what I did.
I removed mine about a year ago or so and I noticed no real difference in either handling or ride but the car was definitely nicer to drive off road, less pitching when entering or leaving ruts, less vibration transfer.

I put the bar back on last night and the following was observed.
On road, positively more noticeable road noise when hitting bumps, potholes etc, however the vehicle does sit fractionally flatter through corners when pushed and does feel marginally more stable.

Off road, No contest! bar stiffens the whole vehicle up considerably, definitely limits travel and vibration through the vehicle is increased exponentially, only area the car felt better was on groomed dirt roads.

As part of the experiment we did this.
Me, wife and 2 kids drove from here to Morisset, up Freemans drive out to the test track and back home along Palmers Road, firstly with no sway bar, then immediately after with the sway bar fitted, I was the only one who knew the change between trips. My wife and 13yo daughter straight away picked up on the noise increase and wifey straight away at the test track picked up on how rigid the vehicle felt on the moguls out there and how much they all felt thrown around.

Ill probably leave it on for a while now but given the lack of overall difference on road would not hesitate to take it off again, also given it takes less than 5 minutes to remove its no big deal anyway, but for those who have never tried their Jim without the bar, next time you wheel, give it a crack, you might be surprised.

Cheers
squizz

[DSKEW3]

i have always wondered that i will give it ago wen i get home plus my bar is a bit loose anyway. cheers mate for that.

[monley]

No sway bar

[atari4x4]

swaybay = optional accessory

[gjb977]

Mine is off now. Should have done it ages ago.

[christover1]

For some reason my sway bar fell off the day I got the Vitara

[christover1]

drewmouli wrote:

removal of sway bar = weight saving

I achieve that by just getting out

[monley]

drewmouli wrote:

removal of sway bar = weight saving

You can thank me for that weight saving

[PORL]

Squizzy, is your Jim raised?

[mitchellbegeng]

Hey Y'all,

I joined the forum just to weigh in on the sway bar discussion.

Anyone who ever takes their Jimny off the tarmac needs to at least try driving without the sway bar. Having just removed four bolts, two nuts and one screw i have made the 4x4 much more comfortable and capable rig. Pot holes that used to jar the front end are now hardly noticed and front end flex is definitely increased.

The first thing i noticed was slightly lighter steering and a little more body roll when taking tight corners faster than normal. Next i tried taking it through a particularly bad pot hole that I normally avoid. I thought I'd missed it! Hardly a dip and definitely worth a second pass to enjoy suspension that works as it should.

Do it... DO IT... !!

[Dan85]

How does this effect road worthiness in the eyes of the law and insurance companies?

[Jezza86]

probably voids everything, if they notice its gone. mine removed itself, with 5" from the body to the diffs the mount on the diff (damaged by prior owner) let go.

[jimny_timmy]

Jezza86 wrote:

probably voids everything, if they notice its gone. mine removed itself, with 5" from the body to the diffs the mount on the diff (damaged by prior owner) let go.

The mounts are weak to start with... 5" of lift would have been putting a crapload of stress on it lol

[Jezza86]

no stress anymore lol. don't know whether to put a new point on, or grind both off completely...

[jimny_timmy]

The passenger one seems to hold up ok, but it'd be better off upgrading both.... I'm sure once the drivers side is upgraded the passenger one would break eventually.

[Jezza86]

probably easier and cheaper to find a wrecked axle and diff.

[Abraxix]

legally, as an offroader you'd probably get rather a hefty beating up from the law if noticed, if you're a tourer rig and not so hard core you coudl alwasy just say you didn't know it was missing you bought the car and thought it was funny looking didn't know why??

hahahah i removed sway's off my old X-90 and i felt the steering improve drastically!!! (better) in my opinion...

have had Stella now (XL7) for almost a month? havn't been offroad yet waiting all my parts to arrive before i test her with / without the Swaybar on her!!!

[Skippy]

I took mine off to see the difference aswell and found.

Sway Bar off
When turning, the body would roll to the side and sit there until out of the corner
More Body roll in general when driving - Bumps, holes etc..
steering was a little more vague,
front wheels felt like they were cutting in alot more, similar too when my castor/camber was out before i got the JB radius arms

[shep]

jimny_timmy wrote:

Jezza86 wrote:

probably voids everything, if they notice its gone. mine removed itself, with 5" from the body to the diffs the mount on the diff (damaged by prior owner) let go.

The mounts are weak to start with... 5" of lift would have been putting a crapload of stress on it lol

To keep the sway bar working like stock for every inch of lift the sway bar links also need to be made longer by the same amount.
I decided to throw mine away, drives great without it.

[jimny_timmy]

Yeah the castor correction is the saving factor... When I had no caster and 60mm lift it was scary as hell, my other half refused to drive it. But now 40mm higher again, and it's just like off the factory floor

[ednorris]

I recon it would be better if you just removed one bolt and let the sway bars hang there. that way if the law found out, you could be like. shit officer, you are right! let me go through this little zip-lock bag of spare parts i keep in the glove compartment to see if i can find some bolts to replace them!

[Bugsta]

Depends a LOT on the spring rate. With my old King springs, and no sway bar, it was like a boat on the highway. A truck passing ws like being hit by a wave.

With my current springs (much firmer), I don't notice not having it.

[Jezza86]

yep, the sway bar exists because springs are set soft for a comfortable ride. stiffen up the spring rate with a good set of shocks and the body roll is still controlled.

[Dan85]

Abraxix wrote:

legally, as an offroader you'd probably get rather a hefty beating up from the law if noticed, if you're a tourer rig and not so hard core you coudl alwasy just say you didn't know it was missing you bought the car and thought it was funny looking didn't know why??

hahahah i removed sway's off my old X-90 and i felt the steering improve drastically!!! (better) in my opinion...

have had Stella now (XL7) for almost a month? havn't been offroad yet waiting all my parts to arrive before i test her with / without the Swaybar on her!!!

I guess why people go with the easy disconnects? Does removing them or disconnecting them actually add much capability off road on a stock jimny except tyres? I know people have already said its heaps better but are we talking better for areas where the suspension is working hard and articulating alot or generally off-road is better without the sway bar? I have been thinking about it from alot of the posts ive seen but im not sure.

[Jezza86]

articulating, much better. on dirt roads with stiffer suspension the car is more predictable cornering on corrugations at 100kph

[zukenutter]

Except for beach work, if I'm airing down I drop my sway bar. I wouldn't consider going for a wheel with it connected, Jimny goes from okay to awesome.
On road I like to work the Jim and corner hard, for my driving style I hate having no sway bar. Towing the camper trailer on the highway at 110 is scary without it, I've done this twice and hated the drive.

I love my system for disconnect, takes less than 5 mins and I don't have to store the bar in the car.

[Jezza86]

Pics? Or do we have to sort through your massive build thread lol

[zukenutter]

It's nothing complicated, bunnings eye bolted into the existing encapsulated nut on the chassis cross member. A bit of Velcro to support the bar centrally. To have full articulation it's just a matter of dropping four bolts.

[George]

How do I undo the nut on the sway bar link without it turning on the other side?

[GraphicX]

you need to use an open ended spanner on the side you don't want to turn, i think it's a 10mm.