Second Gen Montero Sway bar quick disconnects

[billygoats]

Does anyone make them? Has anyone adapted some from another car?

I am looking for rear swaybar quick disconnects. Dont really want to permanently remove mine. I was looking at the front, and it doesnt seem like they would do too much good with the IFS, but still curious if someone makes front too.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[off-roader]

Does anyone make them? Has anyone adapted some from another car?

I am looking for rear swaybar quick disconnects. Dont really want to permanently remove mine. I was looking at the front, and it doesnt seem like they would do too much good with the IFS, but still curious if someone makes front too.

Thanks,

Brian

Been there. done that. don't bother. The bars will twist as your suspension articulates then hit your rear tires and crumple in giving you 2 fresh flats...

Like I said, I've been there and done that.:costumed-smiley-007

Instead many owners remove them entirely. Not sure you'd feel comfortable with that? Try driving without the ends disconnected. Assuming your shocks are in good shape you can simply temporarily disconnect them and drive around on the street (where there's minimal traffic and its' safe). You may find the amount of extra sway is fine.

If you don't like the feeling, simply re-attach them. If you're ok with the feeling remove them completely.

A couple of critical caveats...
1) With more weight, the rig will sway more especially if you have to do an emergency maneuver at speed. Be sure you try driving with your off road weight when you try it out.
2) for gen 1 Montero's you must reinforce the trailing arms by fish plating them with at least 1/4" plate in their weakest section or they will break. (Yup, I have a tshirt and tattoo from that experience) LOl...

 

[Toasty]

I know how to get some, multiple types, adjustable spring rate or hydraulic but nobody want's to pay more than $5 for anything. I say keep them or throw them away completely, I don't run any and i haven't rolled over during evaisive maneuvers. I will be getting some to put on my truck but for different reasons :sombrero:

 

[off-roader]

I will be getting some to put on my truck but for different reasons :sombrero:

As antlers? :sombrero:

 

[SoCalMonty]

I know how to get some, multiple types, adjustable spring rate or hydraulic but nobody want's to pay more than $5 for anything. I say keep them or throw them away completely, I don't run any and i haven't rolled over during evaisive maneuvers. I will be getting some to put on my truck but for different reasons :sombrero:

Ditto.

No sway bars, no problem.

 

[Toasty]

As antlers? :sombrero:

SAS, a sway bar helps the suspension return to level.

 

[shov3lbum]

No sway bars for about 2 years now. No problems either. The one issue with removing the front sway bar on IFS trucks is that if you are cornering sharply, say an on/off ramp loop on a highway your steering geometry changes the sharper you turn. IIRC the wheels will be at different angles as say the right side is stuffed and the left side flexes down, so during evasive maneuvers over reaction to the how truck acts would be bad, but in my experience I've never reached these so called "extremes"

I still take corners on the highway that tell you "slow 40 mph" at roughly 55-60 mph still, flying past others :bike_rider:

 

[off-roader]

In mine I only removed the rear one. My front one is still there.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Does anyone make them? Has anyone adapted some from another car?

I am looking for rear swaybar quick disconnects. Dont really want to permanently remove mine. I was looking at the front, and it doesnt seem like they would do too much good with the IFS, but still curious if someone makes front too.

Thanks,

Brian

What do you plan to accomplish by removing the sway bars?

 

[Toasty]

What do you plan to accomplish by removing the sway bars?

Keep from tipping out on the trail, have traction and ride nice

 

[SoCalMonty]

What do you plan to accomplish by removing the sway bars?

With the sway bars attached, if you were to drive one of the front tires up an appx 20" obstacle, the entire side of the truck would lift (the rear tire on the same side as the obstacle would come off the ground). When you remove the sway bars, it allows more articulation, increasing the time that rear tire will stay in contact with the ground and provide traction.

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

I understand the theory, but, I'm asking the OP what he planned to accomplish by removing them. Sacrifice on road stability for occasional offroad articulation?

 

[billygoats]

What do you plan to accomplish by removing the sway bars?

Thanks everyone for your input. I want to be able to disconnect them for the occasional off road use. I have the car primarily to screw around offroad as I have another car as my daily driver. I would rather have a disconnect, but if nobody makes them, I guess I can just remove the damn thing. With that said, can anyone point me in the right direction if they exist? Or even adapt from another vehicle?

Thanks

 

[LaOutbackTrail]

Check for 4runner disconnects. Not sure if they'd work, but the rear ones look similar to a 3rd gen's sway bars.

Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to remove them on an offroad vehicle, but not a daily driver. I was looking at it last week. Like Ray said, I think wider tires may be damaged when articulating, check your clearance with your 10.50s, it may work to just unbolt the sways when going offroad, but just go slow and check the clearances until you are sure you wont damage your tires or sways.

Good luck.

 

[SoCalMonty]

There won't be any issues with clearance...my 12.5's are fine at full stuff and full lock.

Someone made d-cons for the Gen2 back in the day, but they haven't been seen in a long time. There was a fairly recent discussion on the 'Wire about this topic.

This is the 3rd SUV that I've owned where I've removed the swaybars and felt completely confident with on-road handling. You'd really have to be driving like a dolt to get yourself in such a unique situation where a swaybar would have prevented an accident. Drive slowly, carefully and attentively, and increase your following distance - if this isn't possible, then yes, you should probably keep them on. I set the cruise control at 60 on the freeway and stay to the right, scanning the road ahead and all around me like my life depended on it...it's just become habit now. I've had to make a couple somewhat abrupt maneuvers, and while the listing was more pronounced, it has never felt "dangerous" to drive.

In short while the gains are minimal, I think the drawbacks are minimal as well...and exaggerated by those who haven't yet tried it.