I found the source of a rear end clunk that I thought was the spare, turns out to be a broken sway bar bracket on the drivers side of the dif housing. The sway bar frankly looks kinda puny. I have seen threads at other sites about just taking it off completely.
Yes I could search the old threads, but I am looking for current conventional wisdom. She's a 2002, the handling isn't bad with the sway bar essentailly out of commision. BUt I drive the highway 60 miles one way to work every day, and am not planning to go off road a lot. Does the darn bar really work. And if I remove it and add good shocks (the Bils) will that make up for loosing the bar?
Please note that, for me, snow/ice traction is the critical element. I work in the Mojave desert but my home is in the mountains at 5,200 ft, and the road up to it is paved but 11% grade with switch backs. It's a blast on a bike in the sumer, but is treacherous in the snow. Will the sway bar help in winter traction control?


:machinegunner:

No, a sway bar wont help with traction, its designed to help stop your truck from rolling over... In slow moving situations where you need traction they can actually hurt. alot of the guys have taken theirs off and just forgot about it. I dont have mine and havent had it on since i bought the truck. I can tell no difference at all.

Im not going to tell you to take it off becaue if you get in some sort of rollover i dont want to be liable. But you really wont be able to tell the difference without it.

also search the posts and see the damage that they have caused....i took mine off a long time ago and since then i dont even remember where i put it... LOL

I remember feeling that the ride had improved when I removed the rear swaybar on my '00.

Well then I'm taken mine off in the morning.

i cant believe you still have it on.... look at your pass side shock let us know the damage...... LOL

Really, WHAT? what should i be looking for!?

If your rear axle gets decent articulation with the sway on, it will dent the housing of the passenger side rear shock. Serious design flaw if you ask me. I took mine off a while back and just left it off. I used to take it off when I went wheeling and then put it right back on but it's off for good now.

It basically limits some of the body roll when turning and honestly you don't need it unless you either drive like an idiot or pull a trailer regularly (not sure why it's recommended for that but it's what I've been told).

It basically limits some of the body roll when turning and honestly you don't need it unless you either drive like an idiot or pull a trailer regularly (not sure why it's recommended for that but it's what I've been told).

I've heard that too, and don't know where it comes from. The actual issue is a poor weight distribution on the trailer.

Here is a thread Soccerbrace is working on over on XF. He's collecting pics from guys who've had the sway bar damage we are talking about.

http://www.xterrafirma.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=5823&highlight=sway+bar+damage+pics

he is working on the same type of thread over here.....

Wow, damn all the bolts are rusted, I've striped one bolt. I have the day off tomorrow so I'll be going out and getting something to help take the bolts off.

i hear a sawzall works wonders. i actually got given a sway bar with discos already on it. so mine is still on.

As i say when I'm frustrated "ARGENFLARGEN!" I still can't get it off, guess I'll just leave it on...

dremel is your friend

i cant tell you how many bolts ive used that thing to cut, its saved my behind many times!

spray it with some penetrating fluid..... let it soak, spray it again repeate a couple of times then take a pair of channel lock or a pair of vice grips to it they should come off.... if not get a sawzall or even a 4 1/2" grinder with a cutting disc and cut them bad boys off you dont ned them anymore......

dremel is your friend

i cant tell you how many bolts ive used that thing to cut, its saved my behind many times!

i dont remember how many things we cut up that night..... or how many discs we went through... good times......

Use a BT, and possibly try some Kroil, or PB Blaster with Irwin bolt remover

Careful use of a propane or acetylene torch would probably help too.