Sway Bar Disconnecting and Reconnecting

[daveb]

Originally Posted by cellularSTEVE

When we were in Death Valley, not this year but last, one of Calclimbers buddies suggested that you only have to remove one side, i.e. the driver side. He said it gives you the same articulation and you only need to reconnect one side when going back on pavement.

I had never done it that way before. Does this make any sense?

steve

For those of you with Deaver springs, I found that if the driver side disconnect is attached and the passenger isn't, you'll bang the sway bar against the track bar. If the driver tire falls into a hole, it will take the sway bar down and if the passenger side axle is riding up, the sway bar hits the track bar. The older SMB spring setup had more room. I don't know about the 08 and newer SMB vehicles.
I found this out when I sheared the sway bar pin and left the driver side disconnect in place.


Dave

[EMrider]

I'll always disconnect both sides and use bungee cords to keep the sway bar stationary when driving.

Last time I came out of Saline Valley I tried an experiment and did not re-connect the sway bar when I hit highway 190. To my surprise, the van drove normally with the sway bar dis-connected. I could not notice any difference in handling and left it off for about 40 miles.

Now I'm sure that if I had to avoid a road hazard or if it were windy I'd have noticed the difference. But I no longer feel that I have to re-connect for relatively short highway stretches.
R

[daveb]

I agree Rob...I do the same. I'll admit though that the Deaver springs allow a bit more sway and now I can notice when the disconnects are off. I didn't feel the single side letting loose but when running the van with both off it does make a difference. Twice before I never felt the disconnect stud breaking when I had my stock SMB springs. Only once did it make a big pop when it broke. I don't think the sway bar pin breaking has anything to do with the Deaver's.