sway bar

[arcticmutt]

I heard a wierd clunk under the truck today come to find out I totally destroyed my sway bar links on sunday so I know a lot of guys pull them off and a lot run the disconnects I am looking for the pros and cons The big thing is I may end up having to tow my trailer to new mexico if my employer ever figures out what they want to do.

Any input would be great

[sevenslats]

You can read all you want online about what OTHER people are doing. In the end, you need to try running without one for yourself, and decide if you can live with the body roll.

http://www.arcticoffroad.com/forum/showt...t=sway+bar

[akram]

My opinion is run it without it. You are talking about the front one right? If you are talking about the rear one I'd put one on before you went to tow anything out of here.

[ChevyKev]

The Blazer isn't bad without the front - except that the lack of it contributes to death wobble.
You shouldn't have that problem (at least not as bad) because you don't have kingpin axles
nor the impossible to balance 38.5 TSL's.

[Angler]

the impossible to balance 38.5 TSL's.

I hear that!

[sevenslats]

...contributes to death wobble.
You shouldn't have that problem (at least not as bad) because you don't have kingpin axles
...

Care to explain this a little deeper? I never heard kingpins associated with DW before.

[arcticmutt]

Bye Bye sway bar Hello flex

[ChevyKev]

Care to explain this a little deeper? I never heard kingpins associated with DW before.

Kingpins are a metal cone that is then surrounded with a polyurethane bushing type of thing to fit over that cone - on top of the bushing is a spring that presses between the cap and the bushing - which allows a small amount of play. If the spring wears out a tad, then you have more play. If the poly-bushing wears out a little - you have play. When one side bounces or moves a little, the other side does, too (equal and opposite reaction type of thing) If there is a sway bar in place, it can help limit the action/reaction by absorbing some of the shock and movement between one side and the other. Without the sway bar, this absorbing doesn't happen and all the more death wobble (DW) :expert:

The same DW can be created from worn out ball joints, or steering joints, anti-sway linkage, etc...

The fact that my tires don't balance create some wobble, the wobble causes the kingpin springs to move (which over time will wear them out faster - creating even more wobble), which isn't dampened by the sway bar (because it won't fit with the crossover steering.) When I had the boggers on there I had virtually no DW, because they balanced much better.

Another way to reduce the DW with Kingpin axles is to add a washer to the top of the spring to "pre-load" the spring tension and allow less room for movement. But there is a maximum you can put in there without completely compressing the spring. Stompr John's truck had this and we added the washers and the DW went away. Unfortunately I can't find the measurements for what thickness of washer we put in, but I'm sure a quick search on Pirate or somewhere similar would get you the info on that.

[sevenslats]

...
The same DW can be created from worn out ball joints, or steering joints, anti-sway linkage, etc...

Ah. But kingpins wear out quicker? Why the quest for a KP axle, then? easier to maintain?

[99TJ]

I would think that a kingpin would be stronger than a ball joint, but hey, I'm wrong all the time.

[ChevyKev]

Honestly, I do not know what style - ball joint vs. Kingpin - would wear out quicker. hrug:

I just know how the spings and wear in the KP can attribute to DW with unbalanced tires and no sway bar accelerating the problem. :nerd:

[sevenslats]

:expert:








:topic:

[ChevyKev]

:expert:








:topic:

....................................................................................................................................... Yet who asked in the first place????

:troutslap:

[sevenslats]

lap:

[78calico]

King pins are suposed to be a bit stronger. Also they are easier to make a crossover setup with.
There is a Kingpin elimination kit available that replaces the cone, bushing, and spring with a tapered bearing that will eliminate death wobble.

I know :topic: