Front Sway Bar Necessity

[Sparky-Watts]

I've read from some folks on here that they don't run a front sway bar on their CJ/YJ. I disconnected mine a couple of weeks ago while I was playing at the lake, and never hooked it back up. I can't tell much difference in the handling, except maybe just a little bit more body roll in the corners, but just barely enough to notice. The bumps are smoother, too, especially when only one front wheel hits the bump.

My questions are: Is there really a need for the front sway bar if you don't drive it like a sports car? Will I do any damage to the front end components by leaving it disconnected and driving it that way?

	Swaybar A sway bar (also stabilizer bar, anti-sway bar, roll bar, or anti-roll bar, ARB) is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction.

For One Its Not A Sports Car And Not Made To Corner. If You Want To Take Corners At A Higher Speed Then Yes I Would Put It Back On. If Not You Get About 30% More Articulation. My Self I Took The Hole Dam Thing Off. As For Damage To The Front End From Not Having It No.

[wts]

A spring-under leaf suspension is fine with out them. I've got a 5" lift and 33's.

If SPO or coils then you'll want to retain them.

[Sparky-Watts]

Originally Posted by froggy2toes

For One Its Not A Sports Car And Not Made To Corner. If You Want To Take Corners At A Higher Speed Then Yes I Would Put It Back On. If Not You Get About 30% More Articulation. My Self I Took The Hole Dam Thing Off. As For Damage To The Front End From Not Having It No.

Thanks, Froggy. Kinda what I figured. Actually, I've taken some corners pretty fast (well, fast for a Jeep) and haven't noticed much problem. I'm not talking tire-squealing fast, though. I'm pretty conservative in my driving on the streets, and off-road don't get in many situations to take fast corners, so I'm ok. I've been disconnected since I originally posted this thread last month and prefer the handling over being connected. It's also nice to be able to drive off into something without stopping to disconnect. Last week on the way home from work I had to drive through a pretty steep ditch due to an accident to get to one of the other victims, and I wouldn't have made it without that added flex of being disconnected. (Didn't matter though, the girl was dead when I got there.)

[TwistedCopper]

I remember not running mine when my BDS springs were pretty new. As they became more broken in and softer it was more noticeable. One day I was on the highway and got slammed by a wind gust just passing a tree line and it made my mind up to put it back on.

Sparky, you have those sweet BDS disconnects... Seeing yours I liked them so much I bought a pair yesterday to replace my Rubicon Express PITA discos. The BDS are so simple and easy to use... what a great design!!!

It's been raining but they're getting installed before the weekend is over.

I know it is tempting to leave it disco'ed but for your family's sake connect those links. YEah the ride is a little bumpier OTR but hey - it's a Jeep

[jay79cj7]

I personally have no experience with removing it, but have read about this quite a bit. Jeep didn't spend money putting it on there if it didn't do something. They may not make much or any difference in normal driving, but it becomes valuable quickly if you have to swerve or find yourself in some other unusual driving condition. Thats the only time you are really going to wish you had it, and unfortunately, once you realize you want it there, its too late. I look at it kind of like the roll bar... I never use it, so why not pull it off, save the weight and open up the CJ even more? If you have disconnects, I'd recommend leaving it on there.

[skeezer]

Throw it away, let that ride flex

Ive Been Running Since July Without Them And Havent Had Any Problems At All. I Live In The North Coast Were The Weather Changes Very Fast. Wind,rain,mud,sand And Lots Of Stoned Drivers Wiht Slow Reflexes. Had To Swerve A Few Times Not Even Close To A Roll Over. I Have 2" Tuff Country Springs,15x8 Black Daytona Wheels With 31-10.5 Wild Cat Ext's On Sway Bars. First Jeep And Love It. Daly Driver.

Originally Posted by froggy2toes

Ive Been Running Since July Without Them And Havent Had Any Problems At All. I Live In The North Coast Were The Weather Changes Very Fast. Wind,rain,mud,sand And Lots Of Stoned Drivers With Slow Reflexes. Had To Swerve A Few Times Not Even Close To A Roll Over. I Have 2" Tuff Country Springs,15x8 Black Daytona Wheels With 31-10.5 Wild Cat Ext's no Sway Bars. First Jeep And Love It. Daly Driver.

WAITED A LONG TIME FOR A JEEP.

[LVRockCrawler]

been about 2yrs with my 4"lift and no sway bar and no track bar (front or rear) and haven't had a problem (knock on wood!) even with the wind gusts we get here in the high desert - thought it would be squirelly without the track bar in front but i havent noticed a difference... think the lawyers got them both installed (track and sway bars...) - pull em and see how it feels - you can always bolt em back on!

	Swaybar A sway bar (also stabilizer bar, anti-sway bar, roll bar, or anti-roll bar, ARB) is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction.

	Track bar A track bar is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the axle. While the purpose of the rear suspension of an automobile is to allow the wheels to move vertically with respect to the body, it is undesirable to allow them to move forward and backwards, or from side to side. It is this latter movement that the track bar is designed to prevent. It is a simple device, consisting of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the rear axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle. The bar is attached on either end with pivots that permit it to swivel upwards and downwards only, so that the axle is, in turn, allowed to move in the vertical plane only.

[TwistedCopper]

Originally Posted by Sparky-Watts

a little bit more body roll in the corners, but just barely enough to notice.

Originally Posted by Sparky-Watts

I've taken some corners pretty fast (well, fast for a Jeep) and haven't noticed much problem. I'm not talking tire-squealing fast, though. I'm pretty conservative in my driving on the streets

Like Jay79cj7 said... it's not your normal driving situations when you will wish you had them. That little extra body roll in normal conditions will be amplified greatly when you have to swerve to avoid that drunk crossing the center line or have to jerk the wheel quickly to avoid the unexpected whatever it may be.

While I have no qualms about ditching the rear trackbar, the front trackbar and swaybar stay on mine while on the road, and it's not even a daily driver. The only advantages you'll get from leaving the swaybar disconnected is not having to disconnect and reconnect when offroading and a smoother ride, but they are not worth the risk or the liability if you get in a wreck.

As for the front trackbar, the front axle has front mounted shackles. That's why it's there. If I ever get around to doing a shackle reversal I'll ditch the front trackbar, as the axle will then trail behind the fixed end of the leafsprings being much more stable.

Yeah thet didn't have these parts on Jeeps many years ago, but since they installed these things SWB Jeeps no longer have the "They roll over real easy" stigma about them. There's a good reason for that

	Swaybar A sway bar (also stabilizer bar, anti-sway bar, roll bar, or anti-roll bar, ARB) is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction.

	Track bar A track bar is a component of a car suspension system that provides lateral location of the axle. While the purpose of the rear suspension of an automobile is to allow the wheels to move vertically with respect to the body, it is undesirable to allow them to move forward and backwards, or from side to side. It is this latter movement that the track bar is designed to prevent. It is a simple device, consisting of a rigid bar running sideways in the same plane as the rear axle, connecting one end of the axle to the car body or chassis on the opposite side of the vehicle. The bar is attached on either end with pivots that permit it to swivel upwards and downwards only, so that the axle is, in turn, allowed to move in the vertical plane only.

[mud4feet]

Originally Posted by TwistedCopper

..........Yeah thet didn't have these parts on Jeeps many years ago, but since they installed these things SWB Jeeps no longer have the "They roll over real easy" stigma about them. There's a good reason for that