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onroad driveability is overated....noone who really hits the tracks in most patrols are road legal anyway so what is the point of having a sway bar?? when its all said and done is just a pain in the ass to take off...i do understand that touring vehicles may benefit from having sway bars in but thats just because they spend too much time on the black top
Mudski, understand onroad drivability old mate, but reality is the vast majority who "play" seriously realise the off road benefits in disconnecting the sway bars. Warranted, you can get quick disconnects however they also are impractical due to the bar itself getting caught up on under truck debris if not tied up, and hitting components if tied up (been there, done that).
I'm not recommending anyone remove their sway bars, however those that make an educated decision to do so should also compensate their on road driving to accommodate the change in driving characteristics ... I've not heard, read or been informed of anyone getting insurance cancelled post incident due to sway bar disconnection. That said, not saying it couldn't happen, so again, not recommending anyone do it per say. But somewhat dramatic ...
Personally, I think the benefits are calculated as a risk versus reward scenario and should be weighed up by each individual based on what you want to do ...
Me??? I have none, drive accordingly on the black stuff, know I run the gauntlet, but see massive benefit off road where I probably spend far more time than most others - so my risk versus reward is well balanced ...
X2 on above. Its the age old thing "drive to conditions" I have none in my GQ as its main use is offroad and I drive accordingly on the road which is easy enough to do. My GU still retains both sway bars but its manily driven on the black top and tows a substantially sized trailer.
I have sway bars front & rear on both purely because of my kids, I drive to my vehicles limitations but many dont, I suppose I am more aware as I ride bikes to, the Sunday tintops have always been an issue for me, I had been caught out once with no sway bars & nearly ran off the road, I know I would have had better control of my vehicle but I was lucky, somehow I didnt lose it, I was loaded & had 4 kids in the car & I had no real control for those few seconds but felt like an hour in slow motion, this was from luck not skill, since then I have removed them at the camp ground & refitted them before leaving on the occassons I could be bothered to do it, if I know I am doing some rough tracks I dont take the kids away anyway, I am scared if I misjudged a climb & I end up on my side or worse my roof & the kids are in the car, a bad accident is every parents nightmare if the kids are in the car, I didnt know that they have to be on, does it apply to front & rear? if this is the case I will 100% keep them on always except on the track, maybe investing in disconnects afterall might be the go!
interesting thread by the way, just love this forum, learning more & more each time I am here
I understand that you just drive to the changed conditions of having no sway bars, as I also know of the benefit of not having them too in the bush. But, me personally don't want to take the risk just incase I do have an accident. I'd rather have disconnects or longer rods. As for assessors, it they are not there they will surely know. My last stack I had, they went over the car with a fine toothed comb, picking on anything they could.
But its up to the individual.
Heres mine,
http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forum.../2014/04/2.jpg
I must remember to grease the pinons.
Sorry for keeping the hijack going.
So were only worried about our own children and own personal risk.
Not the risk we pose to anyone else or their children.
Not a paid job.
Just for the sake of easier traction on a dirt track, for a favourite past time.
just seems a bit over the top to presume others on the black top will accept the same level of risk.
sorry fellers,
in my job when it all goes pear shaped.
trust me, looking at a child all smashed up aint a good thing.
Here's mine get drunk SWAY and lean on the BAR Attachment 42701