Rough country trash?

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RecklessWOT

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I have the bolts out of the sway bar on the axle side it's ok to leave like that?
Sure, technically it's completely fine to drive it like that. Older vehicles did not come with them at all, even on newer (relatively, think mid-late 90s) economy cars they were left off or optional as a cost savings thing. The anti-sway bar prevents body roll to get rid of that boat feeling in hard corners (think of the scene in the original Terminator movie when the stolen Eldorado is barreling out of the parking garage, looks like the passenger side of the bumper is digging a hole in the earth and the driver's side is attempting to take flight).

A big lifted 4x4 truck is more likely to overturn on the street while making hard maneuvers, not having your sway bar hooked up makes it even easier. But if you don't drive like a maniac then you should be just fine without a swaybar. No damage will be done to your vehicle, ride might even feel smoother, and you will have more articulation/flex off road. That's why fancy lift kits for hardcore wheelers have quick disconnect end links, for the off-road advantages when you want to take them out, but not sacrificing the better road manners of when you have them attached. It's not like they make a MASSIVE difference, but in a higher speed panic situation you are more likely to roll over without them, and your cornering abilities in normal driving will be hampered somewhat (but not to a dangerous level, just slower corners than stock).

I drive pretty quick, I am a stereotypical impatient New-England driver, and I am considering adding an anti-sway bar to the rear of my suburban. It's a 2" lift and the most offroading I do in this thing is a washed out class VI road and maybe scrambling around at low speed on a logged-out hill behind my home to drag stuff around. Everyone's needs are different.

Long story short, you're probably fine, but probably wouldn't be an awful idea to hook them back up if you DD the thing or do a lot of highway driving.
 
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Buck69

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This thread kind of jumped from RC springs to sway bars. Does anyone with the 6" front RC suspension still utilize their sway bar? Curious as I am heading this direction soon.
 

77 K20

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It just depends on your preference, truck build, and what you use it for. Some people use a slide in camper- for them a sway bar would be almost required. If you have tires almost too big for your lift a sway bar limits articulation and might help save your fenders a bit. If you want the softest ride possible and maximum articulation for off road, get rid of the bar.
I kept the sway bar on when stock. With a 3" Tuff Country HD lift I found it much better without it. There wasn't much leaning at all in cornering and braking. I now have ORD's 4" custom springs with a 1" zero rate. A very soft suspension... if it was my daily driver I'd probably add a sway bar back with a disconnect kit. But the truck spends 90% of it's life out in the dirt so it isn't needed right now.
 

TJ1978

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I have the ORD sway bar disconnect. 4" lift on 35's...works well enough.
 

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MtBraun

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I have the ORD sway bar disconnect. 4" lift on 35's...works well enough.

Where did you get those bump stops?

And, did you have trouble with the ORD sway bar locking collars? There is no clearance on my frame to mount next to bushing. As a matter of fact, my frame doesn't look anything like what's shown in the ORD instructions.
 

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TJ1978

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Where did you get those bump stops?

And, did you have trouble with the ORD sway bar locking collars? There is no clearance on my frame to mount next to bushing. As a matter of fact, my frame doesn't look anything like what's shown in the ORD instructions.
The bump stops I got from ord. But they are standard energy suspension as far as I can tell. The install of the sway bar along with engaging and disengaging have produced no issues thusfar.
 

MtBraun

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The bump stops I got from ord. But they are standard energy suspension as far as I can tell. The install of the sway bar along with engaging and disengaging have produced no issues thusfar.

Thank you. Does that mean you didn't install the locking collars? I have 6" ORD springs and was thinking those bumpstops you have look pretty nice.
 

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