# Noob ? Do I need my front sway bar (mkiv jetta Wagon)



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

I have my front sway bar connected still is this causeing me any problems or is preventing them? 


Thanks


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

i dont get what you are trying to say  
if you want to get lower, yes you need to take out the sway bar or replace it with one that goes under the axle


----------



## AlexsVR6 (Jul 24, 2007)

Some people remove their FSB so they can go lower. Its really up to you.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

AlexsVR6 said:


> Some people remove their FSB so they can go lower. Its really up to you.


 Thats what I have gathered that people do this to go lower but wouldnt removing this cause the ride control to go down the tubes


----------



## SuperBacon (May 8, 2006)

ive heard that unless you track your car, on mkiv's you really can't tell the difference. I took out the sway on my mk3 and did not notice a huge difference


----------



## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

I had to take sway bar out because it was the first thing hitting when I installed XL's 
IMO it is not safe. I could hear that hitting on axle during hard cornering. 
Now I feel quite safe and it was holding me up a lot.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

OffLineR said:


> I had to take sway bar out because it was the first thing hitting when I installed XL's
> IMO it is not safe. I could hear that hitting on axle during hard cornering.
> Now I feel quite safe and it was holding me up a lot.


 So you felt unsafe with the sway bar connected? or did you feel uncomfortable and unsafe with it off.. how did the ride control change with the sway bar off?


----------



## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

I felt unsafe when they were connected because of the rubbing problem. 

Check this thread: 
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5164782-Are-my-wheels-going-to-hole-me-up 

I need dry road to compare how does this change the handling. It has been raining for weeks now.


----------



## [email protected] (Feb 19, 2010)

The general rule is, if the struts don't have sway bar mounting points you should remove the sway bar entirely so it doesn't rub on anything.


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

SuperBacon said:


> ive heard that unless you track your car, on mkiv's you really can't tell the difference.


 truth and even if you do track the car having no sway improves turn in


----------



## no vtec 4me (Aug 1, 2006)

I will tell you that you CAN notice when you remove it. I dont care what anyone else says you can notice a difference. With that said, if you dont track your car, it wont bother you enough that you would regret taking it out. And since you have a bagged jetta wagon im gonna guess you dont do alot of aggressive driving


----------



## ForVWLife (Nov 12, 2004)

OffLineR said:


> I had to take sway bar out because it was the first thing hitting when I installed XL's
> IMO it is not safe. I could hear that hitting on axle during hard cornering.
> Now I feel quite safe and it was holding me up a lot.


 yours was dangling just not connected to the control arm riding against the axle...not safe at all and you shouldnt be driving a car where the sway is bouncing into the axle 

that is not removing sway bar 

dropping subframe and removing it completely or cutting ends off is the only option 

takes about 15min to drop subframe if you know what your doing :thumbup:


----------



## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

ForVWLife said:


> yours was dangling just not connected to the control arm riding against the axle...not safe at all and you shouldnt be driving a car where the sway is bouncing into the axle
> 
> that is not removing sway bar
> 
> ...


 
No it wasn't. Even the sway bar was connected to control arm, during hard cornering it was rubbing. That wasn't safw IMO. Than I removed it conpletely as you mentioned.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

ForVWLife said:


> yours was dangling just not connected to the control arm riding against the axle...not safe at all and you shouldnt be driving a car where the sway is bouncing into the axle
> 
> that is not removing sway bar
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information,

Do you know of a DIY for removing the subframe.. I have a bentley and was looking through that after I read your post and I couldnt really find anything specific and looked like it wouldnt take all day.

Once again thanks for your help


----------



## .:3513 (Feb 12, 2009)

Doesn't the Hotckis sway bar goes under the axles? i read that somewhere but not sure at the moment.


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

if you can find a golf 4motion sway bar it goes under the axle too. oem and alot cheaper than the aftermarket options.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

I havent really had issues with it hittting unless im full slammed and trying to drive and im in my fenders then anyways.. It sounds like taking it off causes some driveability issues


----------



## jdotlim (Jun 2, 2008)

i had mine out for about 8 months now. no problem with handling, IMO. i feel like buying sway bars is a waste of $500+ (hsport kit) because if you're bagged you're probably not doing very aggressive driving where you need a sway bar. I honestly CAN'T tell the different (if any) without it on my car. I still kinda of take quick turns on freeway on ramps and it handles still good. but it is preference, maybe you will feel SAFER with it still on, then grab the ones that goes under the axle if you're trying to go as low as possible. but IMO, i wouldn't spend that money on it. i would buy something else, just saying.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

The car is also a TDi but it is no rocketship but do not want to sacrifice handling... I havent noticed or I dont drive low enough for it to hit the sway bar unless I full drop


----------



## Kiddie Rimzo (Feb 21, 2008)

i noticed not having a sway bar when i was taking exit/on ramps mostly. 
now that im back at stock height i notice it every turn :banghead:


----------



## Pasquallies (Dec 17, 2010)

any insight on high speed lane changes without a sway??


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

Pasquallies said:


> any insight on high speed lane changes without a sway??


is this serious? how the **** are you changing lanes?


----------



## Pasquallies (Dec 17, 2010)

martin13 said:


> is this serious? how the **** are you changing lanes?


yeah it is. you ever have someone cut you off when your on the highway while going 75?


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

How much lower do people go withoutht the sway bar connected?


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

bagdwag said:


> How much lower do people go withoutht the sway bar connected?


depends if you're notched or not



Pasquallies said:


> yeah it is. you ever have someone cut you off when your on the highway while going 75?


touche. sorry haha


----------



## BradenE (Aug 25, 2005)

bagdwag said:


> Thanks for the information,
> 
> Do you know of a DIY for removing the subframe.. I have a bentley and was looking through that after I read your post and I couldnt really find anything specific and looked like it wouldnt take all day.
> 
> Once again thanks for your help


here



no vtec 4me said:


> I will tell you that you CAN notice when you remove it. I dont care what anyone else says you can notice a difference. With that said, if you dont track your car, it wont bother you enough that you would regret taking it out. And since you have a bagged jetta wagon im gonna guess you dont do alot of aggressive driving


^^^ and this 

oh and 15 minutes. are you kidding me? that would honestly be a world record, it takes me 15 mins to get the car in the air.


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

15min did sound really fast.. but how much lower are you able to go with the sway bar removed? I have been so busy with the KOH stuff that it still doesnt have the frame notched out on the pass side


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

bagdwag said:


> 15min did sound really fast.. but how much lower are you able to go with the sway bar removed? I have been so busy with the KOH stuff that it still doesnt have the frame notched out on the pass side


i got like an extra 3/4" on the passenger side. i still need to notch my frame though. my subframe is sitting like 2" from the ground aired out right now.


----------



## jkroll (Jul 6, 2008)

*uhhh*

if if's and but's were candies and nuts, we would all have a merry christmas :screwy:


----------



## martin13 (Apr 20, 2010)

jkroll said:


> if if's and but's were candies and nuts, we would all have a merry christmas :screwy:


say what?


----------



## bagdwag (Aug 11, 2010)

I am wondering about how much lower people get with the sway bar gone becasue I want to make the decsion if it is worth lossing the handling for looking cool


----------



## BradenE (Aug 25, 2005)

bagdwag said:


> I am wondering about how much lower people get with the sway bar gone becasue I want to make the decsion if it is worth lossing the handling for looking cool


I got a decent amount lower, but the main reason I took mine out was because I wanted to ride low without sounding like a clanking, rumbling, ****box every time I hit a bump. It's the main reason I might get frame notched too, it's not that I want to have my bumper slam into the earth when I lay out, but rather to stop banging with "normal" low driving.


----------



## OffLineR (Oct 19, 2010)

BradenE said:


> I got a decent amount lower, but the main reason I took mine out was because I wanted to ride low without sounding like a clanking, rumbling, ****box every time I hit a bump. It's the main reason I might get frame notched too, it's not that I want to have my bumper slam into the earth when I lay out, but rather to stop banging with "normal" low driving.


Me too :thumbup:


----------

