Running without a front swaybar?

J

Jim B

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How many of you are running with no swaybar or with it disconnected all the time?
What bad effects does it cause?
I just found that the horn on the axel that the front swaybar link attaches to has broken off
and is missing. It broke just above the axel tube and is a part of the axel so it's not something
that can be replaced easy or is easy to fabricate.
 
IMO you absolutely need a functioning SB if your driving your Jeep on the road which I assume you are. It should be leaning excessively in the curves and wallowing around correct? Your going to have to get something fabricated up by a shop and welded on. It’s fairly simple and doesn’t have to be pretty. Get some disconnect SW links so you can disconnect when going off-road. You must be really flexing the suspension pretty aggressively to break the lower SB horn off your axel.
 
I’ve run with my sway bar disconnected several times. I don’t attach it until I’m home from trail ridding or even the next day while I’m at work. I probably have in total 250 miles under my belt with no front sway bar connected. I only get more body roll but that’s it. No other issues.
 
I usually disconnect at home before I head out to a run, and reconnect when I get back home.

You get used to how it feels pretty quick. If I'm on the hwy I'll drive a bit slower than usual too.
 
Jim B said:
How many of you are running with no swaybar or with it disconnected all the time?
What bad effects does it cause?
I just found that the horn on the axel that the front swaybar link attaches to has broken off
and is missing. It broke just above the axel tube and is a part of the axel so it's not something
that can be replaced easy or is easy to fabricate.
Click to expand...
Why not just have a competent welder weld it back in place? That's an easy job and it wouldn't cost much. That piece is available separately if it's beyond repair/being welded back into place. No doubt you could get one from @mrblaine in short order.

Having driven a few times without either the front or rear antiswaybar connected (once due to forgetfulness, the other due to the rear link breaking), it's not something I would do again willingly.
 
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If you need to make an emergency maneuver while on your way home you may find out too late that you need at least the front antisway bar hooked up on the roads.
 
Part of me figures it's no big deal, my CJ5 never had one and drove just fine (in my 20 yr old mind at the time) but I'd keep the windshield up and the side bars on when driving the Wrangler without the swaybar just in case.
 
JEEPCJTJ said:
Part of me figures it's no big deal, my CJ5 never had one and drove just fine (in my 20 yr old mind at the time) but I'd keep the windshield up and the side bars on when driving the Wrangler without the swaybar just in case.
Click to expand...

CJ's also had leaf springs. They behave different than coil springs.
 
I'm not saying it's safe or unsafe for you to drive without your front sway bar hooked up because I don't know how you drive. On my first jeep, the first time I disconnected it never got hooked back up. It only had 3 inches of lift and 33s and yes it did have significantly more body roll. Some people aren't comfortable with that. I drove my jeep accordingly and never had any issues with just having the rear sway bar.

Jerry hit the nail on the head... it's fixable if you're concerned about driving without a sway bar on the front.
 
JEEPCJTJ said:
Part of me figures it's no big deal, my CJ5 never had one and drove just fine
Click to expand...
Yes of course, that CJ had leaf springs that were rigid/stable in all directions except up & down. The TJ's coil springs are not rigid/stable in any direction.
 
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I really wish people would search the forum before asking this question. It's starting to pop up on a weekly basis.

@Chris: can this somehow be made into a sticky?
 
Running without a front sway bar connected at highway speed on a coil spring vehicle is kind of asking for it .

Doing it on a short wheel base , lifted vehicle is taking it to another level.
 
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