ok, so remind me of why we can't run disconnects on the front, on the H3?

[Scarsman]

Well, I think the effect from the rear is going to be different from the front. For one thing the suspension pivot points are very different than the front. In the rear your pivot point is pretty much in the middle of the truck, where in the front it's at the a-arm/frame connection. It would seem to me that this would have much more leverage on the sway bar than you would have on the front. Also, rear sway bars are usually much lighter than front sway bars. There are some vehicles that do not even have rear sway bars.

 

[backcountryislife]

Good point...

Oh I don't expect any huge changes from the front... I expect SOME, but that's all good, I'll take what I can get. It was snowy yesterday so I didn't feel like going under the trcuk to disconnect (had work clothes on still)

I'm just wondering what there is to gain by removing the swaybar in the rear if I can already hit full stop on both ends?

Thinking about it, the only thing I can think of is just less resistance... IE, allowing the rear to flex to stops a little easier, like on smaller stuff... but not sure there's much to gain if that little rock gets me to full stop. (being on somewhat flat ground, there wasn't a ton of weight forcing the rear down, so seems like it flexes pretty naturally to me)

 

[06 H3]

I would also look at your hitch next time your out...seeing its aftermarket (mine was reese) it was hitting the back of the hitch and limiting travel. The aftermarket ones hang much lower then the OEM ones...

 

[SedonaBound]

Good point...

Oh I don't expect any huge changes from the front... I expect SOME, but that's all good, I'll take what I can get. It was snowy yesterday so I didn't feel like going under the trcuk to disconnect (had work clothes on still)

I'm just wondering what there is to gain by removing the swaybar in the rear if I can already hit full stop on both ends?

Thinking about it, the only thing I can think of is just less resistance... IE, allowing the rear to flex to stops a little easier, like on smaller stuff... but not sure there's much to gain if that little rock gets me to full stop. (being on somewhat flat ground, there wasn't a ton of weight forcing the rear down, so seems like it flexes pretty naturally to me)

I'll be interested in the answer from the guys with some expertise. I believe the issue is that when the sway bar connected, the wheel is being restrained in both up & down travel by its mate on the other side. Removing that linkage allows better xfer of traction to loaded wheel. Sway bars are there to reduce body roll on pavement; the opposite of what you want want when wheeling. Whether the suspension geometry can benefit from the potential extra travel disconnecting may allow is a separate question.

 

[06 H3]

Question for you guys....would a shock with added down travel help? Seeing the one side is on the bumpstop the other side can keep downtraveling correct? Or is that side not going any further seeing each side is dependent of each other?

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[backcountryislife]

I would also look at your hitch next time your out...seeing its aftermarket (mine was reese) it was hitting the back of the hitch and limiting travel. The aftermarket ones hang much lower then the OEM ones...

Whatcho talkin bout??? Trying to think of how my hitch would interfere with my suspension?


Went with it disconnected today... main difference is that when the rear tire follows over a big rock, the suspension pivots without as much rotational force on the back of the truck, so essentially, you just don't feel the rock as much.


As to the shocks, the 5125's I have & the different way of adapting should be helping that some. The BPE drops the shock about 1.5", but it still hits the bumpstop, so pretty happy with that. I think to get more actual travel I'd have to change the mounting location.

 

[06 H3]

The shackles could be hitting the rear hitch and limiting travel...I had that issue when I lifted it, not sure if the aftermarket shackles cause that issue...

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[backcountryislife]

AAAAhhh... Got ya now!


No, on mine it hits the bumpstops at full stuff (you can stand on the bumper & bounce it a little on the rubber, so I feel good about where it's stopping, there's also about 1/8" before it would hit the rear side fender well), and at full extension the shackles are moving forward, away from coming into contact with anything else. My hitch mount is narrower I guess, it sits between the shackles.

 

[06 H3]

Gotcha...and at full flex one shackle moves forward the other back so it would be the other side to check but either way it sounds like the bumpstops come into play first

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[backcountryislife]

btw, today...

Rear disconnected, front fully connected.

Contrast that to the shot that Chris posted earlier in thread,

Now disconnect front, and allow the driver's front to compress some (right now mine still has the 1/2shaft still on a downward angle, even though it's on a 3' rock) and allow the pass front to drop a tad more, and the truck will level out significantly, allowing the rear to be even more effective.


Next dry day I'll take the front back off & go compare that. I think the difference, even though we're only talking 4" or so, will be pretty significant. 4" up with one, and 3" or so down with the other... that's a decent amount.

Right now, I go over a rock up front... the truck follows the rock roughly, then go over the same rock in the back & the truck stays in line with the front, rather than trying to lift a front wheel to follow the plane of the rock.

Btw, the swaybar really did make a difference, maybe didn't change the max travel... but it felt like it allowed it to hit max travel without as much of a fight.

 

[06 H3]

Your rig looks much happier on that rock disconnected!

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[backcountryislife]

Btw, the stuffed side is literally right up against the wheelwell in this shot. I think the next step is a body lift to get the body out of the way, I think that will help the front a little as well once disconnected.

 

[backcountryislife]

Went out after work today to show some friends around spring creek, did a few harder obstacles... huge difference.

Unreal how much easier & smoother a few of the hard obstacles are, WAY less spinning, much more connected, much easier to stay in the throttle smoothly & roll through stuff.

So what would you guys suggest for getting the wheel to stop hitting the fender? I was dragging it quite a bit today. I would think that a longer BPE would take care of it, I know a body lift would, but don't have the time for that right now.

Could I pull the fender liner? How much of a mess would that make?

 

[Hunner]

Smaller tires, you know like come on Jeep Rubicons for delivering the mail :whaa:

 

[bebe]

Do you hear clicking when the rear stuffs and you are moving forward??

 

[backcountryislife]

Do you hear clicking when the rear stuffs and you are moving forward??

Hmmm...

No, just scrubbing. I can hear when it's dragging on the plastic.

Usually if I'm stuffed, one of the fronts are slipping & I'll hear the traction control noise, but that's about it.

 

[elripster]

Looks good. Nice to see the before and after shots of the sway bar in (in)action.

Frank

 

[06 H3]

Glad to see this worked out for you. I wanna try it out on mine now. Seeing rancho keeps everything close to OE I think the flex will be about the same...

 

[bebe]

Hmmm...

No, just scrubbing. I can hear when it's dragging on the plastic.

Usually if I'm stuffed, one of the fronts are slipping & I'll hear the traction control noise, but that's about it.

The reason I ask...

If you go out and look at the inner fenderwell, all the way down at the bottom - front side near the rock rail, you see this squared off hard plastic with steel inside. I don't know what they call it, but I had speedy cut mine off. It would click on the tire tread when the wheel was stuffed.

 

[06 H3]

The reason I ask...

If you go out and look at the inner fenderwell, all the way down at the bottom - front side near the rock rail, you see this squared off hard plastic with steel inside. I don't know what they call it, but I had speedy cut mine off. It would click on the tire tread when the wheel was stuffed.

I think your talking about the pinch seam.

 

[backcountryislife]

I'm hitting more on the upper part of the tire, thought this pic would show better... kinda hard to tell I suppose. I start hitting about 3" above the end of the black bottom trim.

 

[backcountryislife]

Update:


well, finally got the front disconnected. Pulled one side & went to check it out to make sure that was viable on my truck... works great.

Observation #1, Driving on road is HORRID!!!!!:huh: what a seeerpriiize

Offroad though... it was much smoother. hit a rock with one wheel, and you hardly feel it. Hit a spot where I usually just barely spin... no longer.

Got on a 4' rock (sorry, forgot camera) and found that I could go about 5" higher than before without spinning. The high wheel just barely hits level,(shaft alignment) and the low wheel drops to bottom bump.

I also hit a few mine tailings sidehills, and I was surprised to see that it didn't feel any worse on those than before. I expected the truck to sag toward the downhill, if it did, it was so minor that I didn't notice. One I do a lot, feels like I'm about to flop... it didn't seem any worse. I might bring an inclinometer along on the next trip & compare angle on a sidehill, angle on a rock (I'd say with front wheel on something, the truck is about 5-10 degrees flatter than before. I've got one of these:

that I can bring along for comparison.


Like Bebe said, it's a shadow of what the rear does, especially with the changes to the shocks, but I feel it keeps you in more control, makes the ride smoother, and does allow for more flex.


Glad I did it, I'll post some pics asap, hitting a hard run this weekend I think, so I'll get something by then & hopefully have some quantifiable comparisons for you guys.

 

[06 H3]

Glad to here. I may disconnect from now on...discoing front and rear feels best to you? Im glad to see you felt stable on side slopes too.

 

[backcountryislife]

Glad to here. I may disconnect from now on...discoing front and rear feels best to you? Im glad to see you felt stable on side slopes too.

Yeah, doing the 5125's & the $20 bar pin eliminator made a huge difference, but disconnecting made it so that the axle could really move without shoving the truck around. With enough force it will max out with the sway bar in... the difference is that now it really tries to stay on the ground rather than lift, which makes a huge diff. The front now is the same... wants to hold the ground rather than lifting one wheel.

It's pretty cool feeling the suspension working (or, NOT feeling it, but knowing it's working) without it rocking the truck around.

Last night I ran over a 1' rock, had to look back & see my tracks to believe I had actually hit it.... awesome!

 

[06 H3]

awesome! What are the benefits to the bar pin eliminator?