Which sway bar extensions?

[JME_GU]

OK, so I have just had a REALLY busy Sunday. I'v fitted new brake lines, 2 inch flex lift and new shocks, and then when I was done I fitted a new bull bar :)

I took the car for a drive and the ride is great but handling is just terrible without the sway bars. I know a lot of people are happy running no sway bars, but my daily driver is a Impreza STI, it is completely immune to roll. Getting out of it and into the Patrol is terrifying.

So the question I have is, which sway bar extensions should I use? Is it worth getting sway bar disconnects? Front, back or both?

I have done a search and read heaps of threads but I couldn't find any hard facts. Has anyone actually measured the flex difference front and rear with and without sway bars?

[BigRAWesty]

Try fitting just the rear first. The front is quite solid.

I'd go superior and get one removable. This give the ability to disengage it when off road for a nice ride and more flex, the engage it for black top.

[JME_GU]

Do I need to disengage both sides of the sway bar or will one side do? If I disconnect both sides? will the sway bar just flop about?

[Winnie]

Do I need to disengage both sides of the sway bar or will one side do? If I disconnect both sides? will the sway bar just flop about?

Just one side. And yes if you disconnect both it will flop around unless you tie it up

Most people just run rear sway bars, it still handles great on road and makes the front work harder off road.

[JME_GU]

If I get disconnecting sway bar links and then disconnect them before I go 4WDing, won't the two parts of the link hit each other and make a racket as I drive along?
Here are the sort of disconnecting links I'm talking about:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251696601031?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

[santoitaliano]

ARB sell OME 2" mounts which extend the factory mounting on the rear by 2"... $15 for the pair..

[JME_GU]

ARB sell OME 2" mounts which extend the factory mounting on the rear by 2"... $15 for the pair..

That's great, are they available online?

[JME_GU]

I'd go superior and get one removable. This give the ability to disengage it when off road for a nice ride and more flex, the engage it for black top.

I did a search and found that some people find them noisy, is this true?

[Throbbinhood]

Does removing the sway bar change your up/down travel? Or just allow the wheels on the same diff to move a bit more independently of each other?

[mudski]

Does removing the sway bar change your up/down travel? Or just allow the wheels on the same diff to move a bit more independently of each other?

Allows more flex on each wheel pretty much.
In my opinion, don't drive around without front or rear disconnected. Yes they still drive fine with the fronts off but you are running a risk of a defect notice and worse, if you have a prang and your car is taken for an inspection and they find the bar is missing, your insurance won't cover you and you will be in a world of poo. It's hard enough now to do mods and keep it legal. This is one thing that I would leave connected.
As for what brand etc etc. I just went with some adjustable ones from RoadRunner, I think it was, when I did my lift last year. It take a whole two minutes to crawl under with two spanners and remove the bolt from one side if you feel the need to remove it for more flex. The extra cost for disconnects is not worth it IMO. Only because its easy to remove a single bolt and your done.

Edit : Lol. Having said all that I got drop boxes so who am I to say otherwise. Lol. :o

[Throbbinhood]

Allows more flex on each wheel pretty much.
In my opinion, don't drive around without front or rear disconnected. Yes they still drive fine with the fronts off but you are running a risk of a defect notice and worse, if you have a prang and your car is taken for an inspection and they find the bar is missing, your insurance won't cover you and you will be in a world of poo. It's hard enough now to do mods and keep it legal. This is one thing that I would leave connected.
As for what brand etc etc. I just went with some adjustable ones from RoadRunner, I think it was, when I did my lift last year. It take a whole two minutes to crawl under with two spanners and remove the bolt from one side if you feel the need to remove it for more flex. The extra cost for disconnects is not worth it IMO. Only because its easy to remove a single bolt and your done.

Edit : Lol. Having said all that I got drop boxes so who am I to say otherwise. Lol. :o

My thinking was to use the disconnects when I'm off road, but have them connected the rest of the time. But much more travel will probably be pushing the limits of my brake lines, so might just leave them and winch instead hahaha

[mudski]

My thinking was to use the disconnects when I'm off road, but have them connected the rest of the time. But much more travel will probably be pushing the limits of my brake lines, so might just leave them and winch instead hahaha
Yes thats correct. But what I was trying to say is you can use aftermarket extension that are not disconnects and are cheaper, and simply undo the connecting bolt to one side of the sway bar. It doesn't take long to do, maybe two minutes. Also it would be advisable to get longer brake lines. Or some people just unbolt the brake line manifold thats mounted on the diff and your lines can flex a little more but this means the steel lines running across the diff have a chance of breaking.

[Throbbinhood]

Yes thats correct. But what I was trying to say is you can use aftermarket extension that are not disconnects and are cheaper, and simply undo the connecting bolt to one side of the sway bar. It doesn't take long to do, maybe two minutes. Also it would be advisable to get longer brake lines. Or some people just unbolt the brake line manifold thats mounted on the diff and your lines can flex a little more but this means the steel lines running across the diff have a chance of breaking.

Ah ok, I'm honestly not sure if it has extensions already. I know the sway bars are there and connected, so with 3" lift I'm guessing they'd have to be extended otherwise they wouldn't reach? I don't mind getting under it to undo the bolt, so if that will work, I'll just do that. Any way to check if I've got extended links (how long are the standard ones)?

Also, with the brake lines - will the shock be the ultimate limit of travel? As in, if I was to put the car on a hoist with sway bars disconnected, and the brake lines still have some room, they'll be ok?

Sorry for the thread hijack op.

[Throbbinhood]

Nevermind, just spoke to the 4x4 shop that installed it, no extended links... So given I'm still running original sway bar links, does that mean I'm getting a heap less flex than what I should be?

[mudski]

Ah ok, I'm honestly not sure if it has extensions already. I know the sway bars are there and connected, so with 3" lift I'm guessing they'd have to be extended otherwise they wouldn't reach? I don't mind getting under it to undo the bolt, so if that will work, I'll just do that. Any way to check if I've got extended links (how long are the standard ones)?

Also, with the brake lines - will the shock be the ultimate limit of travel? As in, if I was to put the car on a hoist with sway bars disconnected, and the brake lines still have some room, they'll be ok?

Sorry for the thread hijack op.

Basically. Where the sway bar does a right angle turn and toward the eyelet. Where it bolts to the sway bar. That short section of the sway bar needs to be horizontal. So in your case, that we assume you don't have extended links, that short section would be facing at an upward direction. What happens in this case when you goes wheeling, is that the sway bar is already tight and will limit your travel. How much is questionable. But even with my car, it has a 3inch lift with flexy springs and extended bars I have only bothered to unbolt it once prior to going out. The difference it may have had if I did have it unbolted? Dunno. But it would depend on where your going I suppose. I you knew there was going to be some hills where you really need the flex, then yeah it would be worth spending the couple of minutes to crawl under and undo the bolt.
For the section question. I don't know what travel your shocks have but it could be either that will give the ultimate limit of travel. I would assume your shocks though.
For what its worth. If you have the coin, get some extended braided lines. You will NOT regret it. I bought a full kit from Marks Adaptors which was front and rear middle lines and also the lines from the diff to the calipers For $260 i think it was. Now I don't have to worry about ripping a brake line off and the extra brake force given from the braided lines is bloody good. My car now stops.

Lol I didn't even realise it wasn't your thread. Appolgies to the OP.

[JME_GU]

I bought two sway bar disconnects for $60 each and a set of rear extension brackets for $15. Once I fit the extension brackets the factory sway bar end links will fit. I think I will put one disconnect on the front and one on the rear, that way I get them both disconnected.

The disconnect I got are not really much more expensive than normal extended end links:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251696601031

[santoitaliano]

Sorry just saw this now... looks like you already got them.. $15 is a steal versus changing the whole linkage. I ordered in store.

[mudski]

I bought two sway bar disconnects for $60 each and a set of rear extension brackets for $15. Once I fit the extension brackets the factory sway bar end links will fit. I think I will put one disconnect on the front and one on the rear, that way I get them both disconnected.

The disconnect I got are not really much more expensive than normal extended end links:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251696601031 (http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-53470-19255-0/1?campid=5336709507&toolid=10001&mpre=http%3A%2F%2Frover.ebay.com%2Frover%2F1%2F705-53470-19255-0%2F1%3Fcampid%3D5336709507%26amp%3Btoolid%3D10001 %26amp%3Bmpre%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com% 252Frover%252F1%252F705-53470-19255-0%252F1%253Fcampid%253D5336709507%2526amp%253Btool id%253D10001%2526amp%253Bmpre%253Dhttp%25253A%2525 2F%25252Fwww.ebay.com.au%25252Fitm%25252F251696601 031)

The only issue I see with them is that there is a fair bit of strain on the bolt when flexing. Even driving around on the road. I'd be worried about that R clip breaking. It may not happen, just more of a concern really. But they look the same setup as mine but I don't have a hole drilled in the bolt.

Are you able to take a pic of the bolt section where the R clip is please. Just curious on actually whether it is a drill bolt or not. By the looks of the photo in the listing, when you tighten up the nut onto the sway bar. Is it putting pressure on the R clip against the swivel ball? Edit : Don't mind me I need to put my glasses on. I can just see the should section on the bolt on the inside of the swivel there. No pressure will be applied on the R clip when tightened up. Still a little concerned about have just the R clip holding that pin in though. Prolly nothing though....

[JME_GU]

I'm not really that worried about the R clip, they are used pretty extensively on race cars and race bikes, centre lock wheel are held on with them. Even if they do come off, all that happens is that you lose some anti-roll. If I have problems with them I might just cable tie the two ends of the R so they can't come off, I will just have to cut the cable tie each time I need to remove them.

It looks like I have a long weekend of work to do, I need to fit the manual locking hubs, sway bar brackets, sway bar end links, spotlights, UHF and aerial.