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Anti-Sway Bars, Safety and Performance Discussion!
Mike Romain wrote: > Folks, > > I think that there are far too many new people with coil sprung Jeeps > reading all the posts about disconnecting the anti-sway bar! (people use > the term 'sway' bar incorrectly) > > These folks are likely to just go and do it without realizing the > implications and potential consequences. > > I will start off by saying that leaf sprung vehicles 'usually' only have > a rear 'sway' bar as an add on to a trailer pulling or high performance > package. They have a front one for safety on the roads to slow down > body lean in quick corners. The front is heavy and dives on corners. > > Coil sprung vehicles on the other hand have 'sway bars front and rear as > a safety feature to avoid too much body roll in corners as coil springs > are Way softer and more responsive than leafs. > > Take the Cherokee, front coils, front 'sway bar, rear leafs, no 'sway > bar. > > If you disconnect the 'sway bar on a coil sprung vehicle, your > articulation off road will improve dramatically, BUT, on most coil > sprung vehicles there is now nothing there to hold the springs in > place. This is especially true on the rear of a TJ. Unhook the sway > bar, get it twisted up good and out falls the coil spring.... > > Take an off camber corner with the 'right' dip or bump and no sway bars > and you have the potential of the body rolling enough to tip you over > because the springs are just plain loose, especially if you are lifted. > You know, wheels stay on ground and body keep on goin'. > > Track bars on a coil sprung vehicle should never be taken off! They > hold the axle straight. Leaf springs hold the axle in place by design, > not so with coils. > > Then you get into legalities... > > Here in Canada, if you get into a serious accident where there are > injuries or any doubt as to who was at fault, the police Will impound > your vehicle for a complete inspection. > > If they find a stock 'sway bar missing or disconnected, you will be > charged for 'driving an unsafe vehicle'. You also will be found the 'at > fault' driver because your 'unsafe' vehicle could have affected your > vehicles reactions to stopping or avoiding the accident. (in other > words, you are screwed, this goes for mis-matched tires on a 4x4 as > well.) > > To take that thought a bit farther... Say someone runs a stop and you > T-bone him and kill him. > > Having a major 'safety feature' like the anti-sway bar disconnected can > turn your day from 'oh ****, some poor guy ran a light and I broadsided > him and killed the poor sucker' to 'Damn, I am going to jail for > vehicular homicide because I 'knowingly' disabled a major safety feature > on my vehicle and the cops say with the sway bar still hooked up or with > properly matched tires, I 'could possibly' have avoided him'. > > That scenario is not far fetched and was explained to me point blank by > both the Ontario police and my insurance company a couple years ago.... > I didn't quite kill the guy, he was extremely lucky and survived, but if > my Jeep had of failed the inspection by the police and my insurance > company, well, let's just say a lot of folks from here would still be > driving with messed up carbs and emissions today.... He was found 'at > fault'. > > I read about far too many folks here that have taken off their 'sway > bars and have stated, 'oh, I just left it off, there isn't That much > difference on the road'. > > Or when coming off a trail in the rain. 'Ah, I am just going to leave > it unhooked until I get home in my garage where it is dry to hook it > back up.' > > Got news for ya, there IS 'that much difference' in the eyes of the law. > > My $0.02, > > Mike > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Updated Jan. 18, 02. > 5 Day Canadian Bush 2002 New Year's Jeep Run > http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292141347 > http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292076845 |
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#2
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Mike Romain wrote: > Folks, > > I think that there are far too many new people with coil sprung Jeeps > reading all the posts about disconnecting the anti-sway bar! (people use > the term 'sway' bar incorrectly) > > These folks are likely to just go and do it without realizing the > implications and potential consequences. > > I will start off by saying that leaf sprung vehicles 'usually' only have > a rear 'sway' bar as an add on to a trailer pulling or high performance > package. They have a front one for safety on the roads to slow down > body lean in quick corners. The front is heavy and dives on corners. > > Coil sprung vehicles on the other hand have 'sway bars front and rear as > a safety feature to avoid too much body roll in corners as coil springs > are Way softer and more responsive than leafs. > > Take the Cherokee, front coils, front 'sway bar, rear leafs, no 'sway > bar. > > If you disconnect the 'sway bar on a coil sprung vehicle, your > articulation off road will improve dramatically, BUT, on most coil > sprung vehicles there is now nothing there to hold the springs in > place. This is especially true on the rear of a TJ. Unhook the sway > bar, get it twisted up good and out falls the coil spring.... > > Take an off camber corner with the 'right' dip or bump and no sway bars > and you have the potential of the body rolling enough to tip you over > because the springs are just plain loose, especially if you are lifted. > You know, wheels stay on ground and body keep on goin'. > > Track bars on a coil sprung vehicle should never be taken off! They > hold the axle straight. Leaf springs hold the axle in place by design, > not so with coils. > > Then you get into legalities... > > Here in Canada, if you get into a serious accident where there are > injuries or any doubt as to who was at fault, the police Will impound > your vehicle for a complete inspection. > > If they find a stock 'sway bar missing or disconnected, you will be > charged for 'driving an unsafe vehicle'. You also will be found the 'at > fault' driver because your 'unsafe' vehicle could have affected your > vehicles reactions to stopping or avoiding the accident. (in other > words, you are screwed, this goes for mis-matched tires on a 4x4 as > well.) > > To take that thought a bit farther... Say someone runs a stop and you > T-bone him and kill him. > > Having a major 'safety feature' like the anti-sway bar disconnected can > turn your day from 'oh ****, some poor guy ran a light and I broadsided > him and killed the poor sucker' to 'Damn, I am going to jail for > vehicular homicide because I 'knowingly' disabled a major safety feature > on my vehicle and the cops say with the sway bar still hooked up or with > properly matched tires, I 'could possibly' have avoided him'. > > That scenario is not far fetched and was explained to me point blank by > both the Ontario police and my insurance company a couple years ago.... > I didn't quite kill the guy, he was extremely lucky and survived, but if > my Jeep had of failed the inspection by the police and my insurance > company, well, let's just say a lot of folks from here would still be > driving with messed up carbs and emissions today.... He was found 'at > fault'. > > I read about far too many folks here that have taken off their 'sway > bars and have stated, 'oh, I just left it off, there isn't That much > difference on the road'. > > Or when coming off a trail in the rain. 'Ah, I am just going to leave > it unhooked until I get home in my garage where it is dry to hook it > back up.' > > Got news for ya, there IS 'that much difference' in the eyes of the law. > > My $0.02, > > Mike > 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail > 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's > Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Updated Jan. 18, 02. > 5 Day Canadian Bush 2002 New Year's Jeep Run > http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292141347 > http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4292076845 |
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