Rear sway bar removal

lindsey97

TJ Enthusiast
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Feb 23, 2018
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417
Location
Wynnewood, OK, USA
Considering running OME 2.5" lift kit on my 2002 TJ. I am curious what the Jeep will handle like if the rear swaybar is removed while driven on the street.

Will it flex better off road? Any before and after RTI numbers?

Also, why does Old Man Emu not include longer rear swaybar end links in their kit? Are they actually needed?
 
What kind of flex are we talking about? How much shock travel?

This is with the factory rear and a front Antirock, btw.
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Longer rear sway bar end links are not needed with only a 2.5” lift.

The factory rear sway bar is small, and hardly restrictive at all when it comes to limiting the rear flex. It’s nothing like the front.

You don’t stand to gain anything by removing the rear sway bar when off-roading. This is the reason you never see anyone doing it.
 
Leave the rear antiswaybar installed and connected even while offroading. Leaf spring vehicles get away without them but coil spring Jeeps don't. Leaving it installed and connected will not reduce your rear axle's usable amount of flex/articulation. My TJ is well set up and does tough trails, very tough on occasion... its rear antiswaybar is always connected, plus an Antirock antiswaybar always remains connected up front.
 
Something that I have been seeing a lot on JKs is the rear antirock. It seems Currie makes one for the TJ.

Currie Enterprises CE-9900TJR TJ/LJ Bolt-On Rear ANTIROCK Sway Bar Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003FXX52O/?tag=wranglerorg-20

That’s far from a bolt-on affair. Lots of cutting, grinding, and welding will be required. In addition, you’ll need a body lift and it’s going to likely run into other clearance issues as well, which will either require more bump stop to limit up travel, or other methods of adding more clearance.

Read the reviews on Amazon, they echo what I am saying.

This in my opinion is intended for people who are either running very custom setups such as full-width axles, stretched wheelbases, etc.
 
X2 to what Chris said. A rear Antirock is intended more for vehicles with custom rear axles or other significant changes that preclude the use of the OE antiswaybar. Antiswaybar twist rates are very similar between the rear OE antiswaybar and a rear Antirock.
 
I cant get the instructions to download. But if Currie is calling it a bolt on. I wonder why the reviews say it needs welding.
 
You can get longer rear swaybar links from JKS, if you want. They have to be cut down to the size you need.

DPG Offroad's Old Man Emu Ultimate TJ/LJ Wrangler Kit comes with them. I installed them when I put that kit on my LJ back in the spring.
 
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That looks like a pretty good deal. I found a used rear antiswaybar on eBay for $70 but when you add in the cost of extended links it brings up to within $10 of that one which is new. I'd go for the one you found on Zuksoffroad.

BTW...Got the Rancho RS5000X’s installed. Took your advice and trimmed the spring perches. They ride pretty damn nice!!!
 
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That looks like a pretty good deal. I found a used rear antiswaybar on eBay for $70 but when you add in the cost of extended links it brings up to within $10 of that one which is new. I'd go for the one you found on Zuksoffroad.

Question for you Jerry, I need to know a part number or the size of the factory nut/anti rotation tab. It’s in the attached pic.

That is not a pic of my TJ, but one from the instruction pamphlet for the sway bar I bought. I went with a Hellwig 7871.

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