LXi Front Anti-Sway Bar

[Jon]

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "david brady"
wrote:
>
> Folks,
>
> As many of you know, I've been trying to get my LXi to ride better
> for quite some time. I've added Koni FSD's to the rear, set the
ride
> height to spec, played with the tag axle air-bag pressure, and
finely
> calibrated my tire pressures. All of these efforts paid off but
none
> offered the big bang I was looking for. I've long been considering
> disconnecting the front sway bar to see what effect it has on the
> ride quality. As many of you know, the LXi was the first
Wanderlodge
> to be factory equipped with a front sway bar. The sway bar is
2.125"
> in diameter and provides 2500 lbs/in of spring rate at the wheel.
> Well, around 1000 miles ago I disconnected the bar and the results
> are astonishing. Folks out there who have experience with
aftermarket
> sway bars know that they are quite effective in limiting lean in
> turns and at sprucing up the steering response in general. What I
> found after disconnecting mine is that the bird does lean more in a
> turn, but the suspension quickly settles providing good turn-in and
> corner stability. During crosswinds, I can feel the bird roll with
> each gust, but the steering control isn't terribly effected. What
is
> changed dramatically is the ride. For the first time, my LXi's
front
> suspension actually absorbs bumps! In addition, gone is the
> porpoising that I thought was endemic to the entire Wanderlodge
line.
> It turns out that my front air-bags offer 2500 lb/in of spring rate
> at the wheel; the sway bar doubles this to 5000 lb/in. Also, the
> front shocks are tuned to handle the dampening of the air-bags; the
> sway bar is largely undamped. If I increase the Koni dampening to
> include the sway bar, then on straight ahead bumps, the ride
becomes
> extremely harsh. The undamped sway bar causes the front end to
> sometimes launch resulting in huge weight transfer to the rear
axle,
> right at the time that the rear axle is hitting the bump, causing
the
> rear axle to launch vertically, etc. All of that is gone. The bird
> doesn't porpoise; it's front axle has independent wheel movement;
and
> it absorbs bumps instead of launching the vehicle into a rocking to-
> and-fro frenzy. What a difference. As I stated earlier, there are
> handling compromises, but to me the improvement in ride easily
> outways the increase in driver dilligence in heavy crosswinds. What
> I'd like to do is to try a lighter weight bar. Something on the
order
> of 500 to 1000 lbs/in of spring rate; or better yet, something like
> HWH's Active Air. But for now, I'm enjoying the ride.
>
> David Brady
> '02 LXi, FL


Well that is interesting. I wonder how many of the commercial
bluebird buses have this sway bar installed? Seems like the
Wanderlodge engineers mist something when they installed that
particular sway bar set up. Have you tried to contact the people at
the Bluebird company to see if they have a lighter set up? Well
anyway very interesting report and should it give a good heads up to
fellow owners of the Lxi's. Thanks

Jon
Bremerton
>