P500 To Remove Sway Bar or Not to Remove Sway Bar?

[DG Rider]

I'll quote it and maybe you can read that...

As many of us have debated on whether to remove the swaybar or not and how difficult it is.. I thought a little how to would be handy.

Tools needed..
Ratchet
Short extension
14mm socket
12 mm socket
Jack or some means of lifting the rear end to remove a wheel.

First step.. Set parking break and chock front tire.. Jack up the rear end and pull the rear right wheel using a 14mm socket and ratchet with extension or tire iron.

Second step.. Locate the sway bar (funky bent rod just in front of the rear end) and notice the ball joint pivots are only held by one 12mm nut on the bottom side of the linkage. Remove these nuts from each lower side of the ball joint on each side of the sway bar using your ratchet and 12mm socket or wrench. Pull the threaded end out of the sway bar.

Third step.. (If you choose to remove the sway bar completely.. I would suggest it) Locate the two U shaped pivot points where the swaybar attaches to the frame. There are two 12mm bolts on each pivot.. Use your ratchet and socket with your extension for these. Once removed.. simply manipulate the sway bar out of the machine. This takes some rotating and moving but is why we removed the rear wheel.

Lastly, zip tie the remaining ball joints to the A-arms as shown. (these can be permanently removed if you so choose.. but you will need to insert an Allen wrench into the bolt to keep it from spinning.) Remount the wheel and tighten.. You're now ready to ride with far superior articulation and comfort!

View attachment 24059 View attachment 24060 View attachment 24061 View attachment 24062 View attachment 24063 View attachment 24064 View attachment 24065 View attachment 24066

 

[Montecresto]

yeah....
maybe there is some regional access settings?
I only get an error page.


View attachment 208993

If the thread creator has you on ignore or vice versa you’ll get that message too...

 

[SouthParkColorado]

Zip tied one corner 3 years ago. Layed on it's side 3 time's before disabling, 0 time's since. Also put on Big Horns 26".. 2.5 years ago.🙂. Two Good moves...

 

[Jetsaround1]

I have had several atv's and utv's over the years and have a 2018 honda pioneer 500, on every machine I have removed the sway bars and they ride so much better no comparison in the rocks ....only difference is if you are riding fast and turn it can get kinda scary

 

[quartz]

You will get many opinions on this. I keep mine on because of so many hill side trails that could cause the P5 to articulate on the down hill side resulting in tip over. You can do as @Mudder and others do and zip tie it in case you want to hook it back up. I haven't done that because I would be stopping a lot to hook back up. Those that do remove say the ride is much improved but i am used to the rough ride. Us Colorado guys are a tougher breed .

If I am understanding you correctly, it is better to leave it connected if you do hillside driving? I do lots of hillside driving and sometimes I feel like i am just about ready to tip over. After reading your opinion, I am diffidently going to leave mine hooked up. If fact I was wondering if they make training wheels for those steep hillsides. LOl.

 

[trigger]

If I am understanding you correctly, it is better to leave it connected if you do hillside driving? I do lots of hillside driving and sometimes I feel like i am just about ready to tip over. After reading your opinion, I am diffidently going to leave mine hooked up. If fact I was wondering if they make training wheels for those steep hillsides. LOl.

They're called spacers.

 

[Splorin]

Everyone should experiment with no bar. Lots of factors will influence the decision to dump it including tire construction, tire width, aftermarket shocks, spacers, center of gravity and driving style. Bars are usually used to compensate for soft OEM springs on most vehicles. Tossed many bars on Jeep products but kept some on other rigs. Put stiffer bars on semi-rally machines but completely misbehavin in those. I've mentioned the Yamaha recall before, they swapped bar for 2" spacers. I was skeptical about being 4" wider but with the aftermarket shocks dialed in and radial tire pressure set it railed. Big eye opener for the high end CanAm and Polaris guys I'd scare. I tossed bar first weekend on P5. Run many different tire/wheel combos. It's my job to compensate for 'no bar'.....

 

[trigger]

For old times sake...
I was one of the holdouts, didn't unhook it for about a year and a half. Regardless of what everybody said, Honda put it there for a reason. Then I finally tried it and zip tied it up, never connected again and eventually took it out.
Have put this machine through the gauntlet and IMO, the ASB makes the rear suspension feel stiff and lifeless. Probably better for corner slinging but not what this machine was built for. By the time you feel it tipping, it's too late.
With it disconnected, it'll lean a little more in the corners but that's a good thing. Gives you a better feel of the rear end, it's capability and it's limit, which is invaluable when riding treacherous sh**.

 

[25yrds]

I feel the sway bar was only installed on the p5 because they(Honda) was/is concerned about idiots going too fast and turning too with too much traction. I can't see why anyone would would want to tie both sides together on an otherwise independent suspension

 

[25yrds]

Smoother ride and more fun without it. Just don't take turns at speed. No intention of putting mine back on.

That's funny, you said "Speed" on a p500 forum😄

 

[100Acre]

Removed mine and it stays in place with magic.

 

[25yrds]

Removed mine and it stays in place with magic.

I've got one for sale if anyone's interested. Comes with all mounting bolts/hardware. Has less than 50 miles on it. 😉😄.

 

[25yrds]

I've got one for sale if anyone's interested. Comes with all mounting bolts/hardware. Has less than 50 miles on it. 😉😄.

CHEAP!!

 

[100Acre]

CHEAP!!

Did @Smitty335 start a new profile and you're really him? HA! Only Smitty quotes himself.....

 

[25yrds]

If I am understanding you correctly, it is better to leave it connected if you do hillside driving? I do lots of hillside driving and sometimes I feel like i am just about ready to tip over. After reading your opinion, I am diffidently going to leave mine hooked up. If fact I was wondering if they make training wheels for those steep hillsides. LOl.

Afraid you're not understanding correctly. It will tip over on, pretty much, the same angle with or without sway bar connected. With it gone you're actually letting the suspension do what it was designed to do. With sway bar disconnected you will definitely feel more articulation. And it will scare you. Until you realize it's actually letting the uphill tire move farther, without restriction from the downhill tire(the one with all the weight on it), and distribute weight more evenly. Look at it this way. Cars drive on level roads. Whenever you pitch into a corner you want to have as much weight on both sides as you can and body sway will definitely add more weight because of, mostly, speed. And the weight will be towards outside tire. Thus sway bars. Now, if off-roading,

 

[25yrds]

Afraid you're not understanding correctly. It will tip over on, pretty much, the same angle with or without sway bar connected. With it gone you're actually letting the suspension do what it was designed to do. With sway bar disconnected you will definitely feel more articulation. And it will scare you. Until you realize it's actually letting the uphill tire move farther, without restriction from the downhill tire(the one with all the weight on it), and distribute weight more evenly. Look at it this way. Cars drive on level roads. Whenever you pitch into a corner you want to have as much weight, equally, on both sides as you can, and body sway will definitely add more weight because of, mostly, speed. Thus sway bar. Off roading, aka, slow, off camber, sway bar will tie both sides together, not letting independent suspension work and trying to keep traction on both sides.

 

[25yrds]

Man, my big thumb keeps getting in the way. Sorry

 

[25yrds]

Man, my big thumb keeps getting in the way. Sorry

Long story short. Spacers to get it wider is the only real solution to stability

 

[Alan aka Davinci]

I must be on of the rare hold out's. My P5 is a 2015 do a lot of off chamber riding and have not convinced myself to remove it. I also don't have any spacers because we go a lot of places that are width restricted.

 

[CamoP500]

Took mine off. Night and day difference in rough trails as to ride quality and traction. Both rear wheels stay in contact with the ground. Can't feel any difference in high speed turns. Not that I really look to oval race with it. Mine will never go back on.