Driving my lifted Rubicon in Colorado this Summer, I have learned the value of front sway bar disconnects. Pulling them really helps tame a rough trail or road. The back end still feels stiff as a board. Do rear disconnects have a similar effect?
Rear sway bar disconnects
- Thread starter Ron Hall
- Start date
No, you do NOT want rear antiswaybar disconnects for your TJ. They were being sold for the TJ right after it came out but they're rarely found today due to them giving no real benefit. Disconnecting the rear antiswaybar does not give more usable articulation/flex.
John Currie won the ARCA US National rock crawling championship with Antirock antiswaybars installed and fully connected front and rear on his Fireant TJ. Disco'ing the front antiswaybar can help when offroad when you don't have the Antirock replacement antiswaybar up front.
John Currie won the ARCA US National rock crawling championship with Antirock antiswaybars installed and fully connected front and rear on his Fireant TJ. Disco'ing the front antiswaybar can help when offroad when you don't have the Antirock replacement antiswaybar up front.
This shows my TJ on an uneven trail with its factory rear antiswaybar connected. You can see it flexes pretty well.
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The rear sway bar is not restricting suspension travel. If anything, it would work even better with a softer, tunable front sway bar.
This vague term "usable flex" is the amount of flex ultimately determined by the shock travel. If something is limiting the travel allowed by the shock, identify what it is and decide what to do about it.
This vague term "usable flex" is the amount of flex ultimately determined by the shock travel. If something is limiting the travel allowed by the shock, identify what it is and decide what to do about it.
It's only determined by shock travel if the shock length is correct. I consider usable flex to be that which when the tire still has enough downward force on it so the tire won't spin ineffectively in the air or when barely touching the surface without enough traction to keep you moving.
Agreed. The shock and spring lengths are both assumed to be appropriate to the overall build.
I do know that the factory rear does not restrict 12" travel shocks. And a front Antirock on the middle setting does not restrict 11" travel shocks. In each instance, the extended coil is seated at full extension.
Jerry, thank you for using the word ANTIswaybar. I have never seen a vehicle with a device designed to make it sway. I don't even know of any reason why the aftermarket would make a product to cause a vehicle to sway. Perhaps on one of those hydraulic bouncy cars they build in L.A.?
I know that is one of the last things I would want while driving down the road. That and a Death Wobble Creator.
I know that is one of the last things I would want while driving down the road. That and a Death Wobble Creator.
what i Get from this thread is NO disconnect sway bar. my question then, is there any reason to upgrade the rear sway bar? or is there even a upgraded sway bar for the rear? i really didn't see anything online that looks like a upgrade other then disconnects. so does that mean the factory rear sway bar is good to go on a 3.5" lift?
my rear end was making bad whining sounds, so when i did the fluid change i saw crazy amounts of metal. now I'm getting ready to do some rear end upgrades, (ill take all the suggestions you got)
my laundry list as of now is, adjustable control arms upper/lower. adjustable trac bar, not sure if I'm gonna go dana44
or just a rebuild and locker for the 35.
any thoughts would be appreciated
my rear end was making bad whining sounds, so when i did the fluid change i saw crazy amounts of metal. now I'm getting ready to do some rear end upgrades, (ill take all the suggestions you got)
my laundry list as of now is, adjustable control arms upper/lower. adjustable trac bar, not sure if I'm gonna go dana44
or just a rebuild and locker for the 35.
any thoughts would be appreciated
There are certain builds where the rear factory sway bar won't fit anymore, a stiffer rear is desired or the links are getting in the way of rocks. Currie sells an Antirock for the rear. The vast majority on stock axles will be just fine with the factory rear.
what i Get from this thread is NO disconnect sway bar. my ? then, is there any reason to upgrade the rear sway bar? or is there even a upgraded sway bar for the rear? i really didn't see anything online that looks like a upgrade other then disconnects. so does that mean the factory rear sway bar is good to go on a 3.5" lift?
my rear end was making bad whining sounds, so when i did the fluid change i saw crazy amounts of metal. now I'm getting ready to do some rear end upgrades, (ill take all the suggestions you got)
my laundry list as of now is, adjustable control arms upper/lower. adjustable trac bar, not sure if I'm gonna go dana44
or just a rebuild and locker for the 35.
any thoughts would be appreciated
No need to disconnect or upgrade the rear sway bar whatsoever, unless you're running an aftermarket axle (i.e. a wider Dana 60) and a very custom setup.
Another stock rear antisway bar user here. The antirock would be nice, but with as much junk that is packed underneath in the rear, it seems easier to just use what has been working.
Southtowns27
Member
How's the Antirock behave on the street? It seems like it wouldn't be nearly as good at preventing body roll as the factory bar, but how "bad" is it?
The looser it is on the trail the looser it is on the street. There are adjusting holes in the bar that let you decide how much roll you want, but if the stock bar is too soft for you then this isn't the direction I would go.
ranger101
TJ Addict
Long story short, it’s great. I’ve run it on a few different positions, starting out with it at the stiffest setting. After having it almost a year now I find myself running it on the second softest setting with no plans of readjusting it anytime soon.
I'm guessing it is just a matter of getting used to how the Jeep moves in a corner. How stiff is it in the stiffest position compared to the stock antisway bar?
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