Is it better to have a smaller sway bar in back?

[Lefty]

I think @Blmpkn is right. There is no one answer to what size bar works best. It depends on what you hauling on any given day. That's probably why Ford put 5/8" bars in both front and back on some models. It's a good average. So I am going to follow suit and pull a 1" Explorer rear bar to match the 1" bar I put in the front end.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Earlier trucks had 3/4" in the rear, I know first gens and I thinks second gens too.

I have the later 5/8" bar in mine. Because it is easier to find (93-11 are the same and common in JY's at the moment) and it will impede rear articulation less.

Front sway bars are easy to disconnect, rear sway bars not so much.

 

[sgtsandman]

In my experience, adding the Bronco II rear sway bar on the Ranger reduced body roll and improved handling in general. I have a fiberglass bed cap on on it and carry various pieces of just in case equipment under the wood platform in the bed. So traction is generally not a problem.

I had a similar experience with my Honda CR-Vs and the upgraded rear sway bar.

I think they help keep the tires planted on the road better so that over or understeer is less of a concern.

FWD based vehicles tend to understeer and will keep going in the direction the vehicle was going when the tires lose traction. RWD based vehicles tend to oversteer, where the rear tires break loose first.

 

[Lefty]

Very well said: lucid, cogent, and highly articulate!

I've already learned that beefier bar is much better in the front. It certainly corrects that understeer problem. And thanks for answering the original question about a bigger bar in back.

I have not found a Bronco2 in the Upull Yard, but there are Ford Explorers the same year as my Ranger. The Explorer is configured differently but I am hoping it bolts on easy and improves handling.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Go out in an empty parking lot. Start driving in tight of a circle as you can. Slowly accelerate until you vehicle does one of the following...
Begins making a bigger circle= understeer
Or
Begins making a smaller circle= oversteer
If neither happens then your in the happy zone.
Oops, made a mistake on over/understeer, now corrected.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I goofed on the terms on the above post. Now corrected

 

[Lefty]

I goofed on the terms on the above post. Now corrected

I liked it anyway.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Very well said: lucid, cogent, and highly articulate!

I've already learned that beefier bar is much better in the front. It certainly corrects that understeer problem. And thanks for answering the original question about a bigger bar in back.

I have not found a Bronco2 in the Upull Yard, but there are Ford Explorers the same year as my Ranger. The Explorer is configured differently but I am hoping it bolts on easy and improves handling.

*Not just BII, only 2wd BII's had the big bar. Very few and far between.

Explorer bolts onto the axle as in the brackets are welded to the axle. If you do an Explorer axle swap the bar will attach the frame provided you drill holes... which is easier than modifying F-150 axle brackets to fit to use a BII/Ranger sway bar (what I did 10 years after I cut the brackets off my Explorer axle) Ranger/BII rear sway bar clamps onto the axle.

 

[Lefty]

*Not just BII, only 2wd BII's had the big bar. Very few and far between.

Explorer bolts onto the axle as in the brackets are welded to the axle. If you do an Explorer axle swap the bar will attach the frame provided you drill holes... which is easier than modifying F-150 axle brackets to fit to use a BII/Ranger sway bar (what I did 10 years after I cut the brackets off my Explorer axle) Ranger/BII rear sway bar clamps onto the axle.

Thanks for the tip. I found only 1 Bronco II, but it was a 4WD which came with the smaller bar.

The Explorer sway bar will probably be the more likely donor even if more fuss. I have not been out to the junkyard yet but there is a photo in the tech section. The bar seems to be clamped onto the axle on either side of the differential. Am I correct, or will this be welded to the axle?

 

[rubydist]

Yes, the bracket is welded to the axle, and the sway bar is clamped to the bracket.

 

[sgtsandman]

I thought I saw someone post that early Explorers had the clamp on sway bar. It could be either a misunderstanding on my part or that poster’s part.