Front sway bar

[Grey owl]

Front sway bars are getting quite pricey. I am interested in the performance achieved vs cost. How many members are using these and what are the comments with respect to enhanced safety and ride experience.

Thanks.

 

[Galt72]

I run the James Duff Sway Bar with the quick disconnects. I have 4.5" springs, Bilstein's and 35's. It was pretty tipsy in the corners at speed and I wasn't a fan. The SB made a big
difference in how it handles. I ran 32's with a 3 inch lift for years and never felt the need for one. Hope that helps.

 

[Shimmy]

are you running OTK steering? if so, are the JD coil buckets truly needed to clear the tie rod?

 

[SteveL]

Do they clear the duffy double shock hoops?

 

[Grey owl]

Thanks i am running 32's skyjacker 2.5 lift progresives with Bilstiens, i think i will just leave it for now.

 

[bigmuddy]

I am eyeballing one for the front this next spring.
But I have 35"s 2.5" suspension lift with a 2" body lift but also Cage long arms.
Without the long arms I am good with the long arms I am OK but I need to pay attention to speed into corners more.

 

[Bruners4]

I built mine with the Kincer front and rear sway bar kits. 3 1/2" suspension lift and 1 " body lift. I've not driven an early Bronco without them so I can't tell you the difference. But I can tell you that this one has not scared me in any corner or other situation. Both are adjustable in the amount of control and front are quick disconnect.

 

[DirtDonk]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard any complaints about performance. Other than limiting articulation (it’s their job in fact) for off-roading, I don’t think there are any performance downsides.
Installation and fitment issues? Sure, sometimes.
But lack of handling improvements? Nope.

I’ve never run them on mine, but with some minimal experience with factory ‘76 and ‘77 EB’s, I’d say that my experience with them has been positive.

Arguments abound regarding front-only, rear-only, or both. But no hard evidence I’ve seen for either.
A mutual friend of 904Bronco and mine (Tony) has run with just a rear, and then both. Said just one was a massive improvement on his (‘67 I think?) and that adding the front was an additional an incremental improvement. Not as big as the first one, but still noticeably better.
Doug ended up with the Bronco, so might have something to add.

And yes, most people do the front first. Which is why Tony started with the rear.
That’s Tony’s way in a nutshell.

 

[SteveL]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard any complaints about performance. Other than limiting articulation (it’s their job in fact) for off-roading, I don’t think there are any performance downsides.
Installation and fitment issues? Sure, sometimes.
But lack of handling improvements? Nope.


I know if not most come with quick disconnects for off road.

 

[Brush Hog]

I started with front after watching a video about it. HUGE handling improvement. Liked it so much I was bored one day and needed something to wrench on so I installed a rear sway bar. Definitely an improvement. Now drives/handles the way I want.

 

[ntsqd]

If the sway bar is installed correctly it will only have an effect in cornering. If it is influencing the ride while going straight on a smooth road then something else is wrong and the sway bar(s) are masking that problem.

The rule in tuning a chassis is to run as little sway bar as gets the job done. The axle with the stiffest sway bar has the least cornering traction. If you don't believe me then you need to read some of Carroll Smith's books as he does a far better job of explaining this than I can.

 

[Apogee]

X2 on what ntsqd said...you want the least bar you can get away with for the application. With IFS cars, you would typically set the front roll stiffness and then match the rear to it for the desired handling characteristics. In many cases, a rear bar is not required nor desired, as an increase in rear roll stiffness can also result in an earlier loss of traction during cornering. In general, stiffening the rear bar or softening the front bar will reduce understeer (push) and increase oversteer (loose or fishtail), while the opposite adjustments will have the reverse effect, which reminds me of something an old racer once asked me, "Do you want to hit the wall nose or butt first?".

 

[jamesroney]

The rule in tuning a chassis is to run as little sway bar as gets the job done.

1. Why?

(it's a Bronco. Not looking for traction, or performance, or lower ET, or faster track time, or less unsprung weight, or cost. The sole figure of merit is the elimination of wander, darty-ness, and something about bump steer.)

But it's really about driver confidence, and feedback. A "poor handling" Bronco provides neither. They wallow, flop, roll, and squat.

How does one tune for "more confidence?"

 

[Oldtimer]

How does one tune for "more confidence?"

In my case, I let my wife drive, she had much better reaction times.

 

[ntsqd]

1. Why?

(it's a Bronco. Not looking for traction, or performance, or lower ET, or faster track time, or less unsprung weight, or cost. The sole figure of merit is the elimination of wander, darty-ness, and something about bump steer.)

But it's really about driver confidence, and feedback. A "poor handling" Bronco provides neither. They wallow, flop, roll, and squat.

How does one tune for "more confidence?"

1. Because anything stiffer is just throwing away cornering traction. It's not a race car, agreed we're not tuning for absolute best cornering grip, but why throw away what we don't have to when just being conservative gets us more than otherwise?

Tune the bump-steer down to the point of diminishing returns first. Only the OP can define what that point is, and they are also the only one who can define what acceptable ride quality is. The key is going to be making it understood that the ride quality goals may force that diminishing returns point lower than the OP might otherwise set it.

...... which reminds me of something an old racer once asked me, "Do you want to hit the wall nose or butt first?".

Easier to re-skin the side of the car.

I appreciate a fine handling vehicle as much as the next person, but I learned to drive in a Saab 96. Those heel over like a sail boat in a corner, so my tolerance for body roll may just be greater than most. It did lead me to understanding that a flat cornering car is not a requirement for cornering traction. However, a change in the vehicle's direction at every small bump is very unacceptable.

 

[Brush Hog]

1. Why?

(it's a Bronco. Not looking for traction, or performance, or lower ET, or faster track time, or less unsprung weight, or cost. The sole figure of merit is the elimination of wander, darty-ness, and something about bump steer.)

But it's really about driver confidence, and feedback. A "poor handling" Bronco provides neither. They wallow, flop, roll, and squat.

How does one tune for "more confidence?"

Exactly what i got from
The install. I am confident anyone could drive mine now. Maybe it masked a problem. Maybe it fixed a problem. Maybe it’s a placebo effect. Which ever it is it’s better. I don’t race it or drive it hard so I’m happy with how it performs.

 

[Broncobowsher]

1. Why?

(it's a Bronco. Not looking for traction, or performance, or lower ET, or faster track time, or less unsprung weight, or cost. The sole figure of merit is the elimination of wander, darty-ness, and something about bump steer.)

But it's really about driver confidence, and feedback. A "poor handling" Bronco provides neither. They wallow, flop, roll, and squat.

How does one tune for "more confidence?"

Think if you had a magic sway bar with no flex. It would be almost like solid suspension. Hit a bump on one side and as the wheel rises it will lift the other tire as everything rises at once. The other option is the body rocks exactly as much as the tire lifts. Reality is a mix of both. Excessive head toss, it will feel like a old pre-CAD steel roller coaster. It will just beat you up. Race cars on billard smooth race tracks don't have to deal with that issue. Also the high seating position of a Bronco amplifies the side to side toss compared to a low seated car.

Yes, as little as gets the job done will get you a better ride. And probably better handling as well.