swaybar, pros? cons?

[AZJeff]

I remember this sort of discussion on the XJ forums, with the same predictable schools of thought:

 

Those who understand the purpose of anti-sway bars keep them installed and add disconnects if they see fit.

 

Those who are ignorant of the devices' purpose rip them off, and claim they can compensate by driving differently.  This group rarely will admit their mistake when calamity strikes.

 

As others noted, If anti-sway bars were not a benefit, AMC/Chrysler would not have made them standard on all XJ/MJ front ends.   Consider that before you join the second group I cited above.

 

[Me&my86MJ]

  I love it! You guys want to lynch me right now for simply weighting in as someone who currently doesn't have sway bars on, just happens to be how my comanche is right now, never once did I say they are not needed, Pete i totally understand the longer links actually had longer links purchased when i got all my lift components but ended up being too short sadly,  and Eagle do you feel you are grasping there just a bit to argue (@#$% no i wouldn't swerve either, you don't know the kids in my neighborhood, lol, just kidding).

 

 Calling me ignorant AZJEFF trying to claim I said other than I did, you could read and see bit diffrent but I'm the ignorant one.

 

 Man there has been a lot of hate here lately and honestly I getting tired of all of it guys, just read all of the post.

[Eagle]

43 minutes ago, Me&my86MJ said:

 Man there has been a lot of hate here lately and honestly I getting tired of all of it guys, just read all of the post.

 

No hate, just people who have seen enough accidents to want to help other people avoid them. You wrote what you wrote, we read what you wrote and we responded. If what you wrote isn't what you meant, that's on you, not the readers.

 

In my 74 years on this planet, I've been in two serious accidents, a few fender benders, and several near misses. At the age of fourteen there was a question if I would ever be able to live a normal life due to an accident (I was a passenger). I know -- first-hand and all too well -- how quickly something unexpected can happen. If it hasn't happened to you -- yet -- you are fortunate. Thank God for that. But that doesn't mean you're safe on the street without the sway bar, not even temporarily or for short distances.

 

I'm off my soapbox. You're an adult. Make your own decision.

[Wounded_Fighter]

Wow, topic exploded a little bit...

[Longview]

 
The guy on NAXJA didn't have any issues, either -- until he landed on his roof.

My trucks factory height, I'm not worried.

Building a coil yj at the moment on tons, that will get two pro rock bars.

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[Longview]

 
Fix it.

Again, stock height, not worried.

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[HOrnbrod]

Go for it kids. No hate here, people much more experienced than you are just trying to help. Y'all are butthurt I guess, I don't care anymore.  

[Wounded_Fighter]

So, left mine off. Well... let me start with, bushings for the bar are ordered. Without even getting in and driving, just having hands on hood pushing down, omg different haha. Not too bad driving wise imo, but not safe as said. Problem I ran into with my swap was the axle moved forward 1-2 inches? With the bars that were on the manche and the rusty's LCAs that came with it. (I left the rusty's on) UCAs, need bushings, all of them, left them off too.

Sway will be going back on when bushings come in, QDs will be ordered later.

[gogmorgo]

IIRC there are two bolt positions for the sway bar bushings/mounts, but I'd have to crawl under and check. 

I ran with no sway bar for a few days. Even at stock height it was sketchier than I cared for. Corners were nuts, crosswinds got hairy, but probably the worst was discovering that without turning the wheel far enough off centre to deviate from a straight line I could rock the truck side to side enough it felt like I would pick up a wheel, which wasn't of itself what scared me, just that the fact I could do that in under ten direction changes that weren't enough that I noticeably deviated from a straight line. I couldn't imagine what a quick left-right would do. 

Lift springs are often stiffer than the factory springs, and that does mean a slight increase in roll resistance (more work to compress the one side) but the higher centre of gravity as a result of increased height would negate most of that benefit.

 

As has been said, a sway bar is a spring that resists left-right differences in suspension height. It keeps the body more level in corners, allowing less change in steering geometry and generally just more predictable handling. The pro-rock sway bar came about because professionals recognized a need for some roll resistance, just without as much limitation on differential suspension travel as the stock ones create. Pretty much, the pro-rock is just a lighter sway bar, although it's also adjustable to allow for multiple suspension variations or driving styles. 

As far as flex goes:

This is with the 28mm bar still connected. All four wheels on the ground, and the rock is taller than the clearance under my bumper. I'm sure you could find yourself in a more twisted position off-road if you tried, but that front right tire is almost on the bumpstop. Suffice it to say while there are definitely places you need more flex, you've probably got a pretty built rig already if you're regularly visiting them, and disconnects won't be that big an expense over the rest of the build. Even if it's just some quick pins replacing the lower bolts, it's still better than running on the street without a sway bar. 

[schardein]

Here is an old thread with pics of three different sized factory sway bars.  My drive to work was 30 miles of mostly winding country road.  Sway bars make a difference, and larger diameter handles better.