Sway bar removal

[up2nogood]

Guys,
I've seen a number of road registered vehicles in both magazines and on the road where the sway bars have been removed.

I would very much like to do the same thing to my Discovery as the front one limits axle travel something fierce.

What is stopping me is whether or not it is actually legal to remove them?
Are these cars I have seen getting around unroadworthy?

Obviously the bars are there not to stuff people up when considering axle travel but to prevent body sway when cornering. Does it make much difference when they are removed?

[stool]

I asked the guy doing my blue slip after getting the car engineered
about the same thing

And he said don`t worry about it. It will be fine just don`t drive it like a sport`s car

But I don`t trust him .Although ive had the gay bars off for about 3years
no problems just heaps of body roll

[-Scott-]

I've read plenty of comments on public forums and in magazines that removing sway bars is illegal. I've never read an official document which says anything remotely like it, and my Paj passed its body lift inspection with the rear swaybar sitting in the shed.

My Paj isn't a sports car - I drive it appropriately.

Scott

[Nev62]

My raider has never had a rear one. No problems in 6 years

[Bitsamissin]

Removing a swaybar isn't illegal per say.........................
The problem is if your involved in an accident (especially if someone is injured) and it is noticed then you could be in big trouble, either the insurance company not honoring your claim or legal proceedings brought against you if it can be proved that not having the swaybar(s) contributed to the accident.
I haven't heard of a test case yet where an insurance co didn't pay out or someone had charges laid against them.
You have to use common sense and understand the implications of removing swaybars. Lots of guys use disconnects or try to compensate with adjustable shocks or remove the bars before an offroad trip.
Fourbies aren't sports cars so just drive slower and more carefully, everyone else is in the same boat to a certain extent.

[hotrod4x4]

i think u will find there IS an issue with swaybars

engineers r now asking for them to b on there for a report

where as they never worried before

its not exactly specified
but from memory its somethin to do with removing parts etc , therefore changing the original suspensions design and so on etc etc
and yes , even tho we r changing it by lifting our trucks 6inches or whatever

or even setting up 5links etc can still get engineered
yet they r still wanting swaybars

talk to an engineer

they know the rules better , so could clarify it

[coke]

My understanding is that the ADRs passed complied the vehicle with swaybars on it, so therefore they must either remain on the vehicle or it must be re-engineered appropriately. Re-engineering it is basically re-complying the vehicle.

This is the same with a number of modifications. You need to recomply the vehicle with the mods fitted, to ensure it's roadworthyness. Front mount intercoolers, larger rims etc

Andrew

[bruiser]

Coke
do you have that suspensionn lift engineered?

Oh yeah
take off the say bars.
I have had roadworthys done on cars with them removed and no one has ever said anything.
Steve

[coke]

Not yet Bruiser.

I will be seeing an engineer later this week when I get the car back. see my other post in general 4x4 section about urgent engineer help needed.

Andrew

[De-lux]

stupid noob question: does my lux have a swaybar and how do i remove it? (LN106 with a 2.8Diesel solid axle 1993 model)

[coke]

Hello Stoopid Noob...

JK mate. The swaybar is a small metal rod (solid) that will run parallel to and almost the entire length of the diff housing (or close to it on an independent front end vehicle). It will be about 20-28mm thick on a 4WD, less on a passenger vehicle, maybe 16-20mm. It will either bold directly to some mounts on the diff housing (about 2-300mm in from the brakes) or it will bolt to the two arms that hold the diff forward, joining the diff to the chassis of the vehicle under the drivers seat area.

At the other ends of the swaybar it will bend 90 degrees and travel towards the rear of the vehicle where it will bolt to a metal rod that links it to the chassis of the vehicle.

I will attach a pic of one off my Patrol in the morning.

Andrew

[-Scott-]

My understanding is that the ADRs passed complied the vehicle with swaybars on it, so therefore they must either remain on the vehicle or it must be re-engineered appropriately. Re-engineering it is basically re-complying the vehicle.

The same can be said about springs and shock absorbers too, but they don't need to be engineered if you're not radically altering ride height.

All a sway bar really does is effectively increase what could be termed differential spring rate (as opposed to common mode spring rate.) By this, I mean that when each wheel is trying to travel different amounts (or in different directions) the sway bar can be considered to stiffen the spring which is compressing. When both wheels are moving in a common direction (i.e. up as you drive over a speed bump, or as the nose dives under braking) the sway bar isn't really doing anything.

So, how is the removal of a sway bar any different to putting on soft, long travel springs which provide the same ride height?

Scott

[bruiser]

The difference is that they cant check what rate of every vehicles shocks.

They can easiliy check if your sway bars are disconnected.

[coke]

Scott,

The difference between soft shocks and no swaybars is quite big actually, especially when a vehicle has such as high centre of gravity, like all 4WDs. On a small road car it is less noticable.

Bottom line is this. If it came on the vehicle, you cannot remove it without effecting most ADRs. Following are 3 examples.

YOU CANNOT CHANGE AT ALL: You cannot tint headlights or windscreens.

YOU CAN ENGINEER: If your car came with orange blinker lenses, you cannot change to clear ones unless the car is re-engineered. Tell that to all the riced up Lancers out there.

YOU CAN MODIFY WITHOUT ENGINEERING: There are exemptions though. You can legally change spring rates and ride heights within a certain limit. Same with tyres with and rim sizes.

Hope this explains it.

Andrew

[-Scott-]

I was talking about spring rates - not shock absorbers.

[coke]

The same can be said about springs and shock absorbers too, but they don't need to be engineered if you're not radically altering ride height.

Scott,

this is why I refered to the shocks and springs in my post. I was just wanting to clarify things.

regards,

Andrew

[jabtronic]

If your car came with orange blinker lenses, you cannot change to clear ones unless the car is re-engineered. Tell that to all the riced up Lancers out there.

Some model lancers came standard with those crappy lights I think, which makes it a legal swap.

[coke]

Like I said, if your car came with them (like a LEXUS IS200 does for example) then it is legal. That's how it was complied. That's how the importer/manufacturer got it into Australia.

BUT if you were to say fit clear taillight lenses or, to get back onto topic, remove the swaybars from your GQ or 80, without engineering them, it's ILLEGAL. That's the law. If engineers can get you around it, that's great.

Andrew