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Sway Bar Disco Essentially Useless on IFS?

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Comadivine11

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Didn't realize the number of people who think it's useless has now doubled to *2* ;)!
I never stated definitively that it is useless. This thread was started as an attempt to garner a discussion about disco on a IFS system because I had read in some other forums and articles that some people don't think it is super beneficial. I wanted to see what people on this forum thought about that opinion because I am not personally well-versed on this topic.

I did state earlier on page 1 (though it seems nobody noticed) that:

"Having read some other forums since first posting it seems that some other, less intuitive, benefits from IFS disco are that because sway bars limit travel in both directions, disco will allow the compressed tire to compress even further and, secondly, having the front disco'd can actually help the rear tires stay planted by giving the vehicle better balance."

So, while I do still see some merit in the argument that the non-compressed tire will net little-to-no traction gains, the other benefits associated with the disco would certainly seem to make it worthwhile.
 

ski.powder

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I four wheel in the Rockies and for me a disconcerting sway bar is a must have. When I get of rocky trails disconnecting the sway bar makes for a much smoother ride and of course you get the articulation when going over big objects.
 

lightbulb

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Megawatt said it well a few pages back. Disconnecting allows for additional relative movement between the wheels, keeping the wheels on the ground, like the Ford video shows. It also makes the overall off-road ride much better any day of the week.

If we can agree that having IFS makes the overall off-road ride better, then we should be able to agree that removing the torsion spring (sway bar) that limits the independence of the IFS will make the ride better.

If we can not agree on IFS vs solid axles, well that is different discussion entirely.

My only concern will be if I can not disable the automatic re-connection at speed.
 

ski.powder

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It also comes down to what abuse are you willing to put your vehicle trough and how much you care about damaging your vehicle. The performance of the Bronco Badlands with Sasquatch will get me over the vast majority of trails in CO and Utah. The others aren't worth trashing my vehicle.

I have a 3.5 inch lift on the Rubicon with aftermarket side rails, but I will not take my baby on trails that I think will break something. Same goes for when I get my Bronco. That being said, the Rubicon has gotten me through some amazing terrain.
 

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Not sure why you feel compelled to die on this hill - the gif is a demo showing the disconnect can gain 4-5" of useful articulation. Even if it's not helpful in that particular instance it doesn't take much imagination to see how it will be helpful under less extreme circumstances.

Tire hung an inch or two off the ground? Disconnect and it's got firm contact again.

If you don't want it that's fine, but you started a thread asking if it was useless and you've received plenty of evidence that's not the case so why keep arguing the point?
I didn't start this thread! The disconnect isn't useless, but not something I see myself ever needing. I bet most who buy a Badland's will never use it either. For hard core, off-road weekend rock crawlers, it's good to have. Let's not delude ourselves though, hard core users are a tiny segment of buyers. What percent of Rubicon owners ever lock their differentials? You can have a blast without them. I'll be fine with rear lockers only. It's amusing how many people feel they need the Badlands or the Sasquatch package! I know most of those buyers will never use the potential of those kits. It's cool to know you have a machine that can do anything and I too am sucked in by the hype.

" Starbucks is a master of employing value based pricing to maximize profits, and they use research and customer analysis to formulate targeted price increases that capture the greatest amount consumers are willing to pay without driving them off."

Ford is implementing the Starbucks pricing model perfectly by convincing Bronco buyers to stretch and pay as much as possible for extra goodies (swaybar disco, Squatch, etc) they don't really need, but think they want. Genius!
 

rgwinn

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Who cares? It will just be cool to show it off over beers in the parking lot.
 

ski.powder

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I agree with you most people will never use both lockers or even one for that matter. You live in Florida, so I con't see why you would need lockers. If are going to be doing any rough trails I would still get the sway disconnect.
 

Megawatt

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I work at a power plant on the Nevada / California border in Primm. Every Sunday the IH-15 is a parking lot with Californians returning home. The 12 mile stretch from Jean to Primm is bumper to bumper on the interstate.

I travel the power lines or open desert for those 12 miles when I have to work night shift to avoid the traffic. I do not bother airing down my tires (because then I have to air up later) but to push a button to disco the sway bar. Hell yes, every time and then after 12 miles of dirt running push a button to lock the sway bar to normal. You would be crazy Not to, and physically beat up on the 12 mile stretch of nature if you don’t disco.

I should just let non users keep saying they will never use the feature if they have it. But if you understood the benefit of turning disconnecting “disco” you would understand how silly it is to say you would never use it. And I would hate a new owner to read that stuff and then never use the disco because they read it on the forum by peeps with a bizillion post and likes.
 

lightbulb

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I work at a power plant on the Nevada / California border in Primm. Every Sunday the IH-15 is a parking lot with Californians returning home. The 12 mile stretch from Jean to Primm is bumper to bumper on the interstate.

I travel the power lines or open desert for those 12 miles when I have to work night shift to avoid the traffic. I do not bother airing down my tires (because then I have to air up later) but to push a button to disco the sway bar. Hell yes, every time and then after 12 miles of dirt running push a button to lock the sway bar to normal. You would be crazy Not to, and physically beat up on the 12 mile stretch of nature if you don’t disco.

I should just let non users keep saying they will never use the feature if they have it. But if you understood the benefit of turning disconnecting “disco” you would understand how silly it is to say you would never use it. And I would hate a new owner to read that stuff and then never use the disco because they read it on the forum by peeps with a bizillion post and likes.
I am with you. Not sure how so many believe that you have to be 'hard core' to get advantage from a disconnected sway bar.
 

Undecided

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"The only tire that has any weight on it is the one compressed, so it does not matter if the other tire is in the air, almost on the ground or on the ground. It will spin because it has no weight on it."
This is just as true for solid axle as IFS. At the limits of articulation, one tire will bear less weight. The big difference is how much more articulation a disconnect will get you. The main point is that it is usually only a few inches with IFS, SFA is usually substantially more so it is less likely to be at the limits of articulation.

At any rate, even if it is just a few inches gained, it increases the chances of the dropping tire to bear some weight and get some traction.

It will also allow the vehicle to stabilize more with the rear suspension and be far less "tippy" as the front suspension articulates from side to side over uneven terrain.
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