Sway Bar or No Sway Bar

[Spudman49]

Fellas, how many of you have taken off your sway bar. I just bought a used Pro and the fellas that had it, took out the sway bar and told me that if you really like to bookdock its a must not having it. He also told me that with it on it handles better down the trail. For me I love to bookdock and I am leaving it off. I need some feedback. Thanks The Spudman

 

[turboless terry]

Pro doesn't need it off. Leave it on and you'll have the best of both worlds.

 

[Murph]

Took it off.... Put it back on.

Don't ride trails, just play in the trees. Better for sidehilling-- it seems counter intuitive-- because the shock that is loaded isn't collapsed and can absorb bumps without throwing you offline. Also, sled is less likely to wash out on downhill uturns.

 

[ryan_625]

Leave it on IMO. I have tried it off with stock shocks and Raptors now, and I say leave it on regardless.

 

[Matte Murder]

I just made a post about this. My quick disconnect must have self disconnected and I didn't notice it until I was down the trail. I spent all day trying to get my sweet handling Pro back with spring preload and clicker adjustments(I have clicker shocks on my Pro) and I couldn't get it any where near where I had it with the sway bar hooked up. The snow was pretty set up too, it should have been a good time to run it without the bar if the internet knowledge was correct. Grooming is done in our area and the trail was really rough. It did work a lot better on the whooped out trail but it is not worth the downside of poor off trail performance. All the good riding around here is down a 10-20 mile trail ride too. I might re rig the QD set up and pull the pin for the trail ride, had planned to just put the bolt back in for the rest of the year. Trails are going to suck... Simple enough to try it both ways and make up your own mind though.

 

[m8sandman]

if your a technical aggresive rider you'll want it out, nothing like not having to fight two shocks when your constantly rolling from side to side. why would you take a independent front end and couple it together? seems to defeat the purpose, but everyone has thier own opinion on this. if you ride sitting down you'll most defiantly want to leave it in

 

[Oregonsledder]

I am presently in the evaluation process myself. I left the sway bar on for the first 750 miles so I would really be used to how it handled. I removed it 2 rides ago, approximately 50 miles now without it. I’m a boondocker, like to climb in the trees and sidehill and really don’t care about trail handling.
I am going to go for one more technical ride before deciding. At this time I’m thinking I’m going to end up with the sway bar back on. I find that the without the sway bar, downhill turning in deep snow are less predictable and in general you have to stay on top of turns more than I’m used to. I was also surprised that I didn't find more of a change with sidehilling. It feels pretty much the same to me with or without the sway bar. I want one more ride so I can be sure I have really adjusted to the new characteristics of not having the say bar. I may try tightening up my front shocks a bit to see if the downhill turning issue is lessened.

 

[gman086]

Took it off.... Put it back on.

Don't ride trails, just play in the trees. Better for sidehilling-- it seems counter intuitive-- because the shock that is loaded isn't collapsed and can absorb bumps without throwing you offline. Also, sled is less likely to wash out on downhill uturns.

THIS X2.

Spent half of first season without and thought I'd thro it back on just to convince myself it was better without and ended up leaving it on - sled simply works better in the STEEP AND DEEP with it in - more control sidehilling is a MUST if you're a technical rider! Do a search, this has been covered many times and I think it's about 5:1 for leaving it in.

Have FUN!

G MAN

 

[Matte Murder]

I couldn't get my sled to handle adding preload with the sway bar un hooked. The deeper and heavier the snow the more compression damping I had to add(clicks) to get the sled to actually carve and turn on it's side going down hill and not just laying over and going straight. I love how this sled responds to chassis tuning. It is not dead. I have been able to get it to handle better with clicks in compression damping and preload adjustment on both ends and I can tune it to the conditions. The snow is so different from Washington to Wyoming.

 

[TurboMatt]

For me, the sled works better with the sway bar removed. I rode half the year with it IN, I took it out and like it much better. I have the front shocks upgraded to Holtz valving with the reseviors so this may help some too. Also, it rides good enough down the trails without the bar to get me where I need to go safely.

 

[Hurricane Tim]

I have always removed the sway bar on my previous Doo's, but not on my Pro. This sled handles so sweet, I don't want to mess it up.