ZJ V8 Sway bar?

[smithe1811]

what is the benefit of using the V8 ZJ sway bar? is it just stronger? or is there more to it?

 

Erik

[Pete M]

A thicker swaybar reduces vehicle sway when cornering or taking evasive actions. Bottom line is that the truck will handle better. :thumbsup: but you must measure. there were different bars used on different Jeeps and there's no guarantee that a random v8 GC bar will be thicker than your truck's. It should be, but ya gotta check.

[swoop]

I thought i read somewhere that XJs came with 23mm (MJ) 25mm or a 28mm sway bar. Might be worth looking to as I believe the GC v8 is only 25mm. :brows:

[Drahcir495]

I noticed a big difference.

 

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8051&start=210=

 

DIY write-up here->

 

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=11980

 

Size does matter ;)

[Eagle]

Over the years, I believe between the XJ, MJ and ZJ there are (were) at least four different diameter sway bars used. I would always go with the biggest, fattest sway bar I could get. Keep in mind, however, that with a stock vehicle (with any vehicle, actually) when you increase the roll stiffness in the front, you also increase understeer. That means you increase the tendency for the vehicle to plow off a corner nose-first if you hit the corner too fast. Conversely, if you add a sway bar to the rear or stiffen up the rear springs, you increase oversteer -- the tendency to let the tail spin out and go off a corner sideways or backwards.

 

Personally, I prefer driving a vehicle with slight oversteer and I always try to set up my suspensions that way. Detroit (or Tokyo, I guess) builds cars for the average driver, and more drivers seem to be freaked by oversteer than by understeer, so just about any vehicle you can buy has the suspension tuned for slight understeer.

 

Which is great if you sell replacement airbags.

[gambit4000s]

I saw a chart somewhere that went like this

 

To Increase oversteer

F Swaybar Dia -

F Swaybar bushing durometer -

R Swaybar Dia +

R Swaybar bushing durometer +

F Camber +

R Camber -

F Tire Pressure -

R Tire Pressure +

F Spring Rate -

R Spring Rate +

 

To Increase understeer

F Swaybar Dia +

F Swaybar bushing durometer +

R Swaybar Dia -

R Swaybar bushing durometer -

F Camber -

R Camber +

F Tire Pressure +

R Tire Pressure -

F Spring Rate +

R Spring Rate -

[smithe1811]

I saw a chart somewhere that went like this

 

To Increase oversteer

F Swaybar Dia -

F Swaybar bushing durometer -

R Swaybar Dia +

R Swaybar bushing durometer +

F Camber +

R Camber -

F Tire Pressure -

R Tire Pressure +

F Spring Rate -

R Spring Rate +

 

To Increase understeer

F Swaybar Dia +

F Swaybar bushing durometer +

R Swaybar Dia -

R Swaybar bushing durometer -

F Camber -

R Camber +

F Tire Pressure +

R Tire Pressure -

F Spring Rate +

R Spring Rate -

:hmm: :dunno:

[Oizarod115]

i think that was suspension tuning guidelines for someone going WAY faster than we are :cheers: but the same ideas still apply.

[gambit4000s]

i think that was suspension tuning guidelines for someone going WAY faster than we are :cheers: but the same ideas still apply.

Just throwing it out there. Ice and rain will make the effects more pronounced even at low speed, and the top heavy nature of even stock height trucks and suv's amplifies the weight transfer.

I was thinking if I used a V8 thick bar, I would probably add a rear bar to reduce the understeer. I wonder if rear bar disconnects are being produced.

[HOrnbrod]

I would probably add a rear bar to reduce the understeer. I wonder if rear bar disconnects are being produced.

 

They are not being produced as MJ sway bars were never produced from the factory, although they should have been. :D There are some MJ aftermarket options that may or may not still be availble, and they had no disconnects. If you an figure a way to adapt a rear sway bar (like an XJ bar) on an MJ, please let us know. I for one would very interested. :cheers:

[gambit4000s]

If I were to build a rear sway setup, I would probably adapt a 3 piece setup from a TJ/YJ/Circle track car etc. Something with a range of torsion beams available. One could modify virtually any solid axle system to work, front axle springs would obviously yield the highest rate increase.

 

Here is brief article (Yes this is a racing application, same theory, just ignore the driving in circles part, and left to right differences)

http://www.circletrack.com/howto/ctrp_0511_install_nascar_style_sway_bar/index.html

 

The Currie anti-rock stuff looks nice

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1020245&page=7 Install on a prerunner

http://www.currieenterprises.com/CESTORE/Product.aspx?id=3150 Front XJ/MJ bar

http://www.currieenterprises.com/CESTORE/antirock.aspx# Universals at bottom of page would be suitable for Rear application

[dasbulliwagen]

I remember a while back someone talking about this and that there was an aftermarket rear sway bar available, but only for longbeds. I'm not sure with our trucks that there is much need for them unless you are going to lower one and expect it to handle well on an autocross course... like the scca trucks so many have pictures of saved in our hardrives. And most vehicle Ive seen with rear swaybars, the bars are so small, I don't see how they do much to help.

[LEAD_NOT_FOLLOW]

I'm running Quickor swaybars. A bit of the history behind Quickor. Quickor Eng. was founded by Glenn Risburger back in the early 80's in Canada (company registered in 1972). They started off making performance swaybar kits for track cars. Glen than sold Quickor to Warn Ind. and went to work for their truck division in 1986. Glenn and Quickor parted company in mid 1990. Warn kept the ground effects and swaybar portion of the company and the bushing side was sold to Marcore of Canada. Warn than basically ran Quickor into the dump and Quickor filled bankruptcy in the late 1990's and the company today no longer exist.

 

Why the history lesson? Well Quickor worked with the factory Mopar Jeep team in the mid 80's and early 90's on the MJ racing teams. The Quickor bar for the Jeep XJ/MJ's was designed directly for the MJ race team, tested by them and than put on the market for the general consumer.

 

Front swaybar;

 

 

Rear swaybar;

 

 

On a side note; best mod I've ever made to a street driven Jeep!

 

We purchased all the remaining stock of Quickor Jeep swaybars about a year and a half ago and they sold rather quickly. To my knowledge their is no Quickor XJ/MJ swaybars available anywhere anymore; you'd have to pickup a used one (good luck finding one).

 

EDIT: Quickor is back in business! They are now located in Portland, OR. I've been in contact with them and they currently have no interest in producing swaybars for the Jeep again.

 

 

Addco does make a front and rear swaybar for the Jeep MJ. Front bar is 516, rear bar is 468.

[HOrnbrod]

I remember a while back someone talking about this and that there was an aftermarket rear sway bar available, but only for longbeds.

 

That bar was available only for short beds. In order to use THIS on a longbed the shock mounting points would have to be altered because the bar used the upper shock bolts as mounting points.

[purplexj]

The Xj Limited models all had the 28MM front sway bar and no rear. I removed my rear bar and you can def notice alot more sway in corners but no loss of control other wise even when towing my trailer. I have a 28mm but not installed yet. My KYB's are starting to feel very soft but in control too , may need a little stiffer shocks in the rear to control roll without having to re-install the rear sway bar.

[STERLING STINGER]

this is way off subject

smithe needs to know if he should just go buy one from the pick n pull, or order one

basically....is the cherokee v8 sway an upgrade, or just a replacement

[purplexj]

I believe the V8 ZJ is the bigger sway bar 30mm , the XJ Limited is 28mm . Either one will be way cheaper than aftermarket. Either one will give you better handling. The diference is minute.

[Eagle]

basically....is the cherokee v8 sway an upgrade, or just a replacement

There is no Cherokee V8.

[STERLING STINGER]

basically....is the cherokee v8 sway an upgrade, or just a replacement

There is no Cherokee V8.

you dudes know what i meant.....

you should of gave me one of these for the mistake :fool:

lol :clapping:

[bentnotbusted]

The Xj Limited models all had the 28MM front sway bar and no rear.

 

Not sure where you got that info but I assure you it's wrong. There are 2 limiteds here in my driveway and they both have factory rear swaybars.

[dasbulliwagen]

Was working on a WJ and noticed the rear sway bar, and thought it would be an easy mod to put on the MJ, The bar bolted to the axle housing using perches, but it looks like it could be mounted with some U-bolts, and the upper link mounts bolt to the underside of the frame.... and like I said earlier, the skinnyness of the bar makes it look like it won't do much, but I guess it would have some sort of effect....anything would help. If I ever get to a PNP maybe Ill look at grabbing one... the one I saw looked like it was on a 35, but I don't remember if the 35 was offered under the WJ or not.

[XJguy]

what are the diameters of these sway bars?

 

I'm running Quickor swaybars. A bit of the history behind Quickor. Quickor Eng. was founded by Glenn Risburger back in the early 80's in Canada (company registered in 1972). They started off making performance swaybar kits for track cars. Glen than sold Quickor to Warn Ind. and went to work for their truck division in 1986. Glenn and Quickor parted company in mid 1990. Warn kept the ground effects and swaybar portion of the company and the bushing side was sold to Marcore of Canada. Warn than basically ran Quickor into the dump and Quickor filled bankruptcy in the late 1990's and the company today no longer exist.

 

Why the history lesson? Well Quickor worked with the factory Mopar Jeep team in the mid 80's and early 90's on the MJ racing teams. The Quickor bar for the Jeep XJ/MJ's was designed directly for the MJ race team, tested by them and than put on the market for the general consumer.

 

Front swaybar;

 

 

Rear swaybar;

 

 

On a side note; best mod I've ever made to a street driven Jeep!

 

We purchased all the remaining stock of Quickor Jeep swaybars about a year and a half ago and they sold rather quickly. To my knowledge their is no Quickor XJ/MJ swaybars available anywhere anymore; you'd have to pickup a used one (good luck finding one).

 

EDIT: Quickor is back in business! They are now located in Portland, OR. I've been in contact with them and they currently have no interest in producing swaybars for the Jeep again.

 

 

Addco does make a front and rear swaybar for the Jeep MJ. Front bar is [url= rear bar is [url=

[Comanche County]

Here's a good read on the different ZJ suspensions...read down the page a bit for sway bar specs....Addco would be the way to go for a ZJ, one day if money allows I'll have one on my 5.9. The Addco bars may be a little too stiff for an MJ though.

 

http://www.kevinsoffroad.com/techarticl ... grade.html

[jpnjim]

Upcountry/off road package XJ's had their rear sway bars deleted from the factory,

that might be where the confusion (as far as if Limited XJ's had bars, or not) came from.