Anonymous
Unregistered
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Hi Guys,
Thinking about removing the front and rear swaybars on by 89 Pajero LWB.
I would like to hear from anyone else who has done this, as to how badly it affects the on-road driveability ?
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PHIL
Mitsubishi Section Editor and Moderator
Reged: 01/09/00
Posts: 7145
Loc: Airdrie, Alberta
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Hi Mat...
I took em off on my 89 Shortie V6, and wasn't keen on the handling. Way too unpredictable, especially with larger than stock tires and cranked torsion bars/taller coils. If I would've needed to make an evasive maneuver on the highway, I don't think it would've been pretty. Drove it that way for a couple of trips, and then got the LWB. Since then I've used a disconnect on the front, and left the rear intact, in case of trailing arm "issues" (there's been some cracks found on others rides, around the bushings).
HTH
PHIL
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93 Pajero 2800 turbo diesel: "Ol'Betsy #5"
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Tag
Roll Me Over
Reged: 01/30/01
Posts: 3863
Loc: Oakwood, IL
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I have both mine off of my SWB and I do not recomend it for street driving. I drove for a while just on my rear one that was bad enough. I have never driven on just the front one but I hear it is much better then having just rear.
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89 2dr 3.0 AT, manual hubs. 33x12.5 MT
gen 2 coils,Cranked front tbars
Dons rocker protection, Front/Rear Bumpers. ARB rear locker, 2" BL, Beefed up skid plates/trailing arms. Gen II uca, 2 Bouncy seats www.youtube.com/TagGeorge
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DougB
Roll Me Over
Reged: 11/08/02
Posts: 4123
Loc: Terre Haute, IN
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If you only remove the rear one it won't provide any noticable difference in handling.
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52degrees
Forum Moderator
Reged: 10/19/04
Posts: 6330
Loc: In the beer cooler
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I have the front off and the rear on. I like it.
Clay
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1990 Montero RS (In pieces... for now)
KG6VNX
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Thanks for the input, both the for and the against.
I think I need to "bite the bullet" and try removing them and see how it goes.
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Yellowhammer
Rock Warrior
Reged: 05/19/03
Posts: 607
Loc: North Central Alabama
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FWIW - I practically didn't have end link bushings on the front when I got my truck. The left end link bolt eventually broke but I didn't realize it at first (  ) and drove it for a while that way. The handling was not good at all, way unpredictable. I then installed new bushings and bolts all around, front and rear. The on-highway handling was much better. Then I broke a left front end link and the handling was bad again, especially after I removed the front bar until I could get replacement parts. Later after reinstalling the bar, I got a replacement bar out of a junkyard because I thought my old unit was warped (from being driven without good bushings and then with no end link so long). The handling is now great.
I did drive with just a front bar for a while and the handling wasn't bad. I put the rear bar back on because Birmingham driver's are crazy and panic lane changes at 65+ MPH not uncommon.
Off-road, I'm sure no bars would be better. I think disconnects are the answer if the truck is your daily driver on paved roads.
Jonathan
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1991 Montero LS 3.0 5-Spd LWB 31" Bridgestone Dueller ATs on stock rims, tan/tan interior/exterior
1986 Isuzu Trooper 2.3 5-spd - partially disassembled, tan interior/dark blue exterior
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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I agree. I had the rear unhooked for quite some time, and it didn't bother the ride much- but NY inspection made me put it back on 
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Anonymous
Unregistered
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Update - swaybar removed
Had a bit of sparetime this weekend, removed the front sway bar (as well as the running boards, front bumper and trimmed the limit stops on the front)
Did 150k's(about 90 miles) on sunday, highway driving. No problems, the truck is a bit "soft" in the corners and with a side wind, but definately not dangerous or unsafe. The wife drove the return trip and also had no problem.
I do wounder if the effects on handling would be worse on a gen2 as opposed to my gen1 as the gen2 suspension is a bit more refined.
Off road doing some crawling around rocks, boulders etc the difference in articulation was noticable, at one stage I had the left front wheel tucked up under the guard, and the right front on the lower limit stop, would not have been able to do that with the sway bar installed.
At this stage and on this particular truck, removing the front sway bar has not caused and bad issues.
The rear bar will have to stay on untill I get a chance to strengthen the rear control arms.
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JohnnyBfromPeoria
Trail Leader
Reged: 06/10/02
Posts: 5077
Loc: Phoenix, AZ
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This issue had been discussed a few years back and ended up with quite a few responses and some rather heated exchanges.
The main danger issue came down to not how much the truck leans, or how it handled in corners and crosswinds, and not necessarily how it behaved in a quick lane change. Rather, it seemed the conscensus (sp?) of the group that after a quick lane change/maneuver when the truck would be leaned over, say, to the right then quickly changed direction back in the opposite direction, that a rather unpleasant handling characteristic (read: possible roll over) would be more likely to occur. This isn't something you're likely to encounter in everyday driving, and some may never have to make the move, ever. Hope that none of us ever does - especially without parts of the vehicle that were there from the factory that we intentionally removed (lawsuit potential was also a part of the thread I mention here).
That being said, I have my front (and only, on an '87) bar in place on my white truck, and I even went so far as to add poly end link bushings to stiffen it up a touch after the stock rubber ones disintegrated.
Conversely, I have removed the bar on my black truck, and it certainly does flex better off road, all things being relative, of course.
Both trucks have KYB gas-a-just shocks, and that does make a world of cornering difference, but I'm thinking that in the real world, I'm just going to have to plow into something in the middle of my lane on a crowded two lane highway someday and take my chances rather than try an evasive maneuver with a SWB on 33's, body and suspension lifted with no sway bar, should that situation arise.
John B.
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'87 Raider 2.6 Turbo Auto, Under Construction
'95 Montero SR, 35x12.5/15 BFG M/T KM-2's, Rock sliders, Qtr panel chop, gas tank lift, 2" BL, Aisins
'86 SWB Auto, 2" BL, 33" BFG KM-2's
2012 Chevy Camaro LS V6/M6 IPF S/C
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