Swaybar gone.

[jeepguy97]

Besides the obvious handling issues, will removing the front sway bar have any negative affects? Like will it stress the track bar any. Comments welcome.

[Ramsey]

i have a theory about it that it will wear out your springs faster. without the bar your springs are having to work just a little bit harder in turns and are taking some more force. Therefore, in my head, that would cause them to wear out a little quicker and sag faster. Of course i have no idea if this is true.

[dizzymac]

Don't remove it, just get quick disco's. You'll see a noticible difference in handling if you remove it.

[Ramsey]

Don't remove it, just get quick disco's. You'll see a noticible difference in handling if you remove it.
sure he will notice a difference, but when i ran without one for a few months and then put on quick discos, i noticed a distinct differnece in the ride. before it floated over bumps much better no it kind of absorbs them roughly. at least i can corner fast now though. but yeah, to wrap up what i said, there you go

[Yucca-Man]

Driving without the swaybar is similar to the rollcage...you never really want to test out either of them in an emergency situation. While it is possible to drive the Jeep of rmonths without a swaybar and 'get used to' the handling, the fact is that the presence of the swaybar helps keep the front end under control that much better, and if it allows you to sideswipe a minivan full of kids instead of broadsiding it, that's a good thing. Right?

[XJ_ranger]

im caught in this paradox too - with the swaybar disconected, my rig drives like a caddy with blown shocks - ultra smooth, but when its connected, it rides like my ES3000's are frozen solid (then again, they just might be)

[jeepguy97]

Driving without the swaybar is similar to the rollcage

I don't have a roll cage.

[DrMoab]

I am running 8 inch coils with 2 inch spacers on the front and dont run a sway bar. Scary? Sure but I try and not drive it on the highway much.
As far as hurting anything....NOPE! IMHO

[Lawn Cher']

I don't have a roll cage.

Yuccaman was making an analogy.

[magoo117]

I'm the same as DrMoab,8" and 2" spacers,I have no sway bar and I drive it to work everyday.It does have alot of body roll but it is not unsafe for me in my opinion.I dont drive like Tony Stewart on the road,some of you know I do drive like him offroad though!!!Remember drive with your head,not on it.

[jeepguy97]

Well the thing is, I hate to spend the money for disconnects if i don't really need the swaybar. I know people who buy disconnects and never use them because they say you don't need the sway bar any way. I was just curious as to opinions of those who have it permantly disconnect and if you fel its unsafe. Maybe I'll just get some wing nuts to attach it with.

[martin]

When I lived in Missouri we had annual safety inspections. If any suspension component was missing or broke it had to be replaced before you could pass. I had an end link break on my 86 Ford Mustang 5.0 and the garage told me it was broke and even though it is just the sway bar it HAD TO be fixed. I paid them to install new end links, I had done the bushings a few months before, and then I was able to renew my license plates.

Go buy new sway bar bushings and new end links and install them. DO NOT drive the XJ until you do have the sway back back in place. You may go years without a problem but you never know when a deer or a kid will run in front of you and you will have to take an evasive maneuver. Without the say bar you may end up rolling your XJ and killing yourself. Hate to see that happen, also when your family tried to get money from JEEP the lawyers will tell them "he was stupid and removed the sway bar, it 100% his fault." If not for your sake, then for your family reistall the sway bar.

[dizzymac]

OEM links and bushings are cheap and not hard to install, why take the chance.

[gjxj]

Ary you all talking about the front of rear or both?

[Lawn Cher']

Front is being discussed here. The rear one is optional from the factory, which should be a clue as to its usefulness.

[bgcntry72]

Anyone know where to get end links.
I had one break off and have been sans-swaybar for a month now.
Not my ideal way to take the kids to school.
TIA.

[gjxj]

Ok, my guess would be if you have a rear and you remove the front you
should also remove the rear.

[Lawn Cher']

Anyone know where to get end links.
I had one break off and have been sans-swaybar for a month now.
Not my ideal way to take the kids to school.
TIA.

I have a set from my wife's '01 you can have. I'm surprised you don't have disco's on your XJ.

[Lawn Cher']

Ok, my guess would be if you have a rear and you remove the front you
should also remove the rear.

The SOP (standard operating procedure) is to remove the rear stabilizer bar entirely, and keep the front with a set of disconnects. The debate going on here is whether it is safe to remove the front entirely as well. IMHO, it is better to have it than not. Less than $100 for a pair of disconnects seems like good insurance to me for any street driven XJ.

[Eagle]

Front is being discussed here. The rear one is optional from the factory, which should be a clue as to its usefulness.
Minor technical correction, Mark. The rear sway bar was never optional on the XJ. There was never a place on the order form to check off if you wanted to pay extra to get a rear bar, nor was there ever a "delete option" you could check off to tell the factory you didn't want it even though it normally came on your model.

In the more recent model years, the factory omitted the rear sway bar on XJs built at the factory with the optional Up Country suspension package, but the Up Country package included higher rate rear springs which compensated for the roll resistence the rear bar would otherwise have generated. Not including the sway bar in an optional suspension package designed to work without it is very different from the bar being "optional," which would mean that no XJ got one unless the person placing the order paid extra to get it.

[BrianJr]

For a while I was firmly in the 'You do not need a sway bar' camp. If anything the ride was better. I had to get used to some more body roll in corners but it was nothing unmanageable; after all - it is a Jeep not a sports car.

That ended last week. Coming home I hit s stretch of wet road and the rear end lost traction. Normally this would not have been a big problem as I was not going very fast and was on a back road - just regain control and keep it on the road until traction improves. However, I found that the extra body roll made this a lot tougher then usual.

It is hard to describe what it was like. Basically, it was more difficult to regain control without over correcting. It was sort of like there was a lot of energy in the suspension so when it should be leveling out it would want to throw the jeep... I wish I could describe it better. Short story: the sway bar clearly helps dampen out the suspension when all h3!! is breaking loose and really makes a difference when you need to regain control.

My recommendation: forget that it corners fine without sway bars, forget that speed bumps are smoother, and remember that when you are all over the road because of ice, water, etc. you will want something to dampen out those slinkees we use for front springs. Get some good quick disconnects and use them.

Last comment and I will shut up: If you loose control of your Jeep and slide into someone, and the cop notices your sway bar was disconnected, my guess is you would be criminally negligent. No one will care if you would have lost control even with the sway bar - they will have a good argument that you made a conscious decision that placed others at risk and argueably resulted in the accident. They will have lots of engineering backing them up - you will have you opinion of what caused you to loose control.

[Lawn Cher']

Minor technical correction, Mark. The rear sway bar was never optional on the XJ. There was never a place on the order form to check off if you wanted to pay extra to get a rear bar, nor was there ever a "delete option" you could check off to tell the factory you didn't want it even though it normally came on your model.

In the more recent model years, the factory omitted the rear sway bar on XJs built at the factory with the optional Up Country suspension package, but the Up Country package included higher rate rear springs which compensated for the roll resistence the rear bar would otherwise have generated. Not including the sway bar in an optional suspension package designed to work without it is very different from the bar being "optional," which would mean that no XJ got one unless the person placing the order paid extra to get it.


Merely semantics, in the interest of being concise and avoiding the explanation you went through.

[lesslimited]

It is hard to describe what it was like. Basically, it was more difficult to regain control without over correcting. It was sort of like there was a lot of energy in the suspension so when it should be leveling out it would want to throw the jeep... I wish I could describe it better. Short story: the sway bar clearly helps dampen out the suspension when all h3!! is breaking loose and really makes a difference when you need to regain control.



This is a very good point! Ever notice when they are doing rollover testing, they turn sharply one way to compress the suspension, then turn the other way so the release of compression helps tip the vehicle up? Obviously, a swaybar greatly decreases that compression, especially on a flexy, long travel XJ suspension.

[redyouch]

for over a year i was in the no sway bar club. one day driving down the road about 50 miles an hour some ******* old guy decides he can pull out in front of me and make it. he couldnt. i have to slam the brakes on 100% and cut the wheel all the way. LUCKILY i had put the sway bar back on a week earlier. the reason i put it on, i was going around a turn and decided to gas it a little for a nice chirp. wrong, i have never had the rear wheel get that far off the ground. so yes, the swaybar is necessary if you want to drive like an @sshole or have @ssholes driving around you...

[Eagle]

so yes, the swaybar is necessary if you want to drive on public roads
Fixed it for ya :) :wave:

[Camel_Joe]

I'm probably putting too much thought into this.
The torque of the engine in acceleration will compress your passenger side springs. I think with the swaybar on, that force is distributed to both left and right springs. With the swaybar off only the pass. side springs are being compressed. so they will wear faster and sag sooner than the driver side causing the jeep to lean to the passenger side.

This is what I came up with when trying to figure out why my jeep leans. Like I said, too much thinking.

[XJBill]

KEEP THE FRONT SWAYBAR CONNECTED WHEN ON THE ROAD. Only remove it when offroad.


Remove the rear completely.

[XJBill]

I'm probably putting too much thought into this.
The torque of the engine in acceleration will compress your passenger side springs. I think with the swaybar on, that force is distributed to both left and right springs. With the swaybar off only the pass. side springs are being compressed. so they will wear faster and sag sooner than the driver side causing the jeep to lean to the passenger side.

This is what I came up with when trying to figure out why my jeep leans. Like I said, too much thinking.

I would think that would be offset by the added drivers weight on the drivers side. Also, deceleration would have opposite reactions to the springs.

[xj92]

KEEP THE FRONT SWAYBAR CONNECTED WHEN ON THE ROAD. Only remove it when offroad.


Remove the rear completely.
DITTO. It's a cheap enough mod it's a non-issue. As stated previously, if you can't spend the $95 then get wing nuts and remove them that way or make home made ones or buy a used set.

[old_man]

Personally, I run the tomken wing nut type discos. I like the. I've found that I can get them back on by myself when the jeep isn't on perfectly level ground. It tends to take me less time than the "quick" discos.

[Beej]

Last comment and I will shut up: If you loose control of your Jeep and slide into someone, and the cop notices your sway bar was disconnected, my guess is you would be criminally negligent. No one will care if you would have lost control even with the sway bar - they will have a good argument that you made a conscious decision that placed others at risk and argueably resulted in the accident. They will have lots of engineering backing them up - you will have you opinion of what caused you to loose control.That's exactly right. If a kid follows a ball into the street and you swerve to avoid and your jeep rolls over and kills the kid anyway because it did not have a swaybar, you will very likely be found criminally negligent. Ask Buck Jackson about this, he lost a good friend when a guy towing a trailer beyond the capacity of his truck lost control and crossed the median killing his friend. That guy went to jail for criminal negligence causing death. Its a different situation but the same principle. Ignoring the engineered purpose of a machine and it results in death, you will be criminally negligent.
Just my 2 cents.
Play safe eh?
B.

[XJBill]

That's exactly right. If a kid follows a ball into the street and you swerve to avoid and your jeep rolls over and kills the kid anyway because it did not have a swaybar, you will very likely be found criminally negligent. Ask Buck Jackson about this, he lost a good friend when a guy towing a trailer beyond the capacity of his truck lost control and crossed the median killing his friend. That guy went to jail for criminal negligence causing death. Its a different situation but the same principle. Ignoring the engineered purpose of a machine and it results in death, you will be criminally negligent.
Just my 2 cents.
Play safe eh?
B.

Well, under that theory, we might as well remove our lifts and bigger tires too. They don't meet manufacturer specs either.

"You have the right to remain stock. Should you give up that right, anything you modify can and will be used against you in a court of law". :laugh3:

[jeepguy97]

I run the tomken wing nut type discos

Do you by chance have a link to these? Thanks.

[BrentNClemson]

Yep, I used to be lazy and not re-connect mine for a couple weeks after a trail ride. A deer in the middle of the road going 65 changed that. Just barely missed it, but swerving to miss something at that speed is not fun at all. Get some wingnuts if ya don't have the cash for disconnects. It'll take you a little longer to disconnect, but who cares.

[jrsxj98]

ok I ran without one for about a year. well about a month ago I had to make a quick swerve to miss hitting a kid who ran out in front of me. My good friend was behind me and told me that the jeep literally came up on two wheels. I know it certainly felt like it from the drivers side. needless to say the bar is back on. Do yourself a favor and get the disco's!

[Lawn Cher']

Well, under that theory, we might as well remove our lifts and bigger tires too. They don't meet manufacturer specs either.

"You have the right to remain stock. Should you give up that right, anything you modify can and will be used against you in a court of law". :laugh3:

Don't laugh. If certain powers-that-be have their way, we may see that situation sooner than you think. Responsibility on & off road is very important for individual safety and the future of our activity.

[DrMoab]

Yep, I used to be lazy and not re-connect mine for a couple weeks after a trail ride. A deer in the middle of the road going 65 changed that. Just barely missed it, but swerving to miss something at that speed is not fun at all. Get some wingnuts if ya don't have the cash for disconnects. It'll take you a little longer to disconnect, but who cares.
Ever make a very sharp corretion with 8 inchs of lift, 35 inch tires? I have...with a sway bar attached. I still came real close to losing control.
I also have with no sway bar. It rolled more to the side BUT when I had the sway bars on when I yanked the wheel hard to the right and then tried to bring it back in line the force of the sway bar sent it back the other way SIDEWAYS. Then again the other way and then again back before I could get it under control. This DID NOT HAPPEN when I didn't have the sway bars connected even though the circumstances were almost identical.
Stock jeep or under three or four inches of lift...I say yeah keep um hooked up. Eight inches or taller...Not going to help much if your so top heavy you are going to go over anyways.
Flame me all you want. There is always two sides to things. All I know is If I get into a wreck in my jeep and some one wants to sue me they will anyway regardless of a sway bar just because it is modified.

[DrMoab]

Don't laugh. If certain powers-that-be have their way, we may see that situation sooner than you think. Responsibility on & off road is very important for individual safety and the future of our activity.
Is Utah the only state that has recently made their lift laws more librial? A couple of years back 4 inches was as high as you could go and it had to be a stock style suspension. That meant no long arms...no ifs conversions nothing of the sort.
We fought this and won. Now its whatever you want to do pretty much as long as it will pass a safty inspection and also has to be under a certian height from the bottom of the frame to the ground...depending on the weight of the vehicle. An XJ can be 28 inches from the ground to the frame under the drivers seat...Pretty high.
I don't belive that we are going to have our rights taken away from us if we all fight to keep what we have...You just have to fight for it.

[Beej]

Okay, after reading this and posting my above response, I called my attorney to clarify. She practises personal injury and liability law among other things. This is what she had to say.

If the Crown Counsel (or in the US: District Attorney) thinks that any vehicular modifications affected the outcome of an accident in which someone was injured or killed, they will "most likely" pursue legal action against the person or company who modified the vehicle, unless the modifications done were designed and certified by an engineer.

In the case of death, they would seek criminal charges for negligence causing death. In the case of injury, it might be criminal charges if they think the actions were significantly dangerous or simply allow civil action to go ahead, depending on the attorney. She also pointed out that civil action is much more common in the US than in Canada.

She said that if it were her client and someone was injured or killed by a modified vehicle, she would seek personal damages and recommend criminal charges to the Crown (or DA) regardless of the extent of the modifications.

She said that she would argue that the vehicle was equipped with modifications not offered as alternatives to original equipment on the vehicle. She also said there are lots of precedents for this in criminal and summary law in Canada, and she would be "very likely" to win. (She wasn't as sure about the US, but said that due to the phenomenal amount of civil suits there, it would be a huge surprise if it was not the first response of the injured's lawyers.)

She said she would do this for any modification at all, even a simple budget boost with slightly larger tires.(!) She pointed out as well though that the entire process might be thwarted simply by the accident investigators not being familiar with the vehicle, and therefore being unable to notice or demonstrate that the modifications even existed, let alone affected the vehicle.

Her advice to me was, "if you are going to modify your vehicle, make sure you use parts and kits that were engineered for the purpose, not designed by your buddy Steve in his garage, and that they are installed to appear or replace original equipment. And remember, with any modifications at all, you are taking a risk with liability".

She cited a case where a guy in Alberta was racing a friend with a modified snowmobile and crashed through a fence killing himself. His family sued the mechanic who modified it and won, the deciding factor being that if it had not been modified, he would not have been able to travel at the speed he had been going, and might have survived the impact.

Seems to me that at least approaching stock appearances is for the best.
Just a couple of more cents.
B.

[DrMoab]

Okay, after reading this and posting my above response, I called my attorney to clarify. She practises personal injury and liability law among other things. This is what she had to say.

If the Crown Counsel (or in the US: District Attorney) thinks that any vehicular modifications affected the outcome of an accident in which someone was injured or killed, they will "most likely" pursue legal action against the person or company who modified the vehicle, unless the modifications done were designed and certified by an engineer.

In the case of death, they would seek criminal charges for negligence causing death. In the case of injury, it might be criminal charges if they think the actions were significantly dangerous or simply allow civil action to go ahead, depending on the attorney. She also pointed out that civil action is much more common in the US than in Canada.

She said that if it were her client and someone was injured or killed by a modified vehicle, she would seek personal damages and recommend criminal charges to the Crown (or DA) regardless of the extent of the modifications.


B.
Another reason to hate Lawers. I just don't get what this world is comming too. If some Ricer going 110 mph hit me and I got hurt I sure as hell wouldn't sue them. I think they need to ban all but maybe .000001% of the law suits filed anymore

[Beej]

Another reason to hate Lawers. I just don't get what this world is comming too. If some Ricer going 110 mph hit me and I got hurt I sure as hell wouldn't sue them. I think they need to ban all but maybe .000001% of the law suits filed anymoreAgreed! :D
I basically told her the same thing! Although I have never had to use her (aside from buying a house) I'm glad she's there if I need her. I would only use her for defense though, being a psychotherapist and behavioural consultant I am acutely aware of liability issues and civil suits and the damage they can do to one's career, hence she's on retainer.
I just posted it because I thought the stance she takes was interesting. Food for thought for all of us who are addicted to modifications. After all, are there any of us on here who have NO modifications done? I thought mine were minor, but I guess all it takes is a greedy lawyer and a suggestible plaintiff....
B.

[XJ_ranger]

KEEP THE FRONT SWAYBAR CONNECTED WHEN ON THE ROAD. Only remove it when offroad.


Remove the rear completely.
wow - awesome call

good job!

i think that is the general consensus of all the OTHER 50000000 threads on this topic

(this is what i do)

[gump]

The torque of the engine in acceleration will compress your passenger side springs.
I'm running the 2.8, so torque is not an issue! Seriously though, I've been without a sway bar for a year now, and there is certainly an adjustment period! I used to chime into these debates by saying "Just ditch it!", but I don't do that anymore. No, I haven't had a near fatal encounter with a moose or anything, I just have come to know the value of the sway bar. There is definatly a more controlled feeling with it installed. I torched the links in half 'cause I couldn't get them off, so just reinstalling mine is not an option, but if I had it to do over, I would go with disco's.

[2xtreme]

If some Ricer going 110 mph hit me and I got hurt I sure as hell wouldn't sue them

You might feel this way. And I suspect that I understand your point of view. However, if anyone was negligent and hit me and I or more importantly anyone of my family got hurt I would want everything possible to make up for that loss.

Lets be responsible for our actions!! You hit another car for your own negligence, do what ever you can to make it right, if not expect to get sued to make it right.

There might be lots of silly lawsuits, I agree. However, if people took responsibilities for their actions we probably could get rid of most of them. It is not the lawyers faults but the "peoples" faults.

Lets take responsibility for our actions!!

Michael,

[DrMoab]

Agreed! :D
I basically told her the same thing! Although I have never had to use her (aside from buying a house) I'm glad she's there if I need her. I would only use her for defense though, being a psychotherapist and behavioural consultant I am acutely aware of liability issues and civil suits and the damage they can do to one's career, hence she's on retainer.
I just posted it because I thought the stance she takes was interesting. Food for thought for all of us who are addicted to modifications. After all, are there any of us on here who have NO modifications done? I thought mine were minor, but I guess all it takes is a greedy lawyer and a suggestible plaintiff....
B.
Its gotta make you wonder what would happen if two lifted cherokees were to get in a wreck were one swerved to miss a dear...rolled into the path of the other one...causeing it to roll and both people got hurt...then what would the lawyers do? Sue the deer?

[chad]

I'm the same as DrMoab,8" and 2" spacers,I have no sway bar and I drive it to work everyday.It does have alot of body roll but it is not unsafe for me in my opinion.I dont drive like Tony Stewart on the road,some of you know I do drive like him offroad though!!!Remember drive with your head,not on it.


It's not always your driving that requires the use of a swaybar!
I learned this the hard way. I got lazy after a trail run and dicided to reconnect when I got home. Well on the way some moron coming the opposite way drifted into my lane and I had to do some evasive manuvering. I wasn't going too fast, but when I had to swerve around him I'm pretty sure both driver side tires came off the ground! Scared the crap out of me. I'll never drive on the road without it again.
Chad

[DrMoab]

There might be lots of silly lawsuits, I agree. However, if people took responsibilities for their actions we probably could get rid of most of them. It is not the lawyers faults but the "peoples" faults.

Lets take responsibility for our actions!!

Michael,
I think I need to disagree with you alittle bit here. Ever since cars were invented people have been cutting,chopping,lifting,lowering and making them go faster and faster. Look at the fifties and sixies with the hot rod scene then. Do you think people back then were suing left and right for getting in a wreck with a modified vehicle? I bet not.
You know its funny. In Japan when a plane goes down no one ever sues the airlines.You know why? Because they have a belive that kind of says um...dung happens! They know that sometimes bad things fall on them. They don't have this stupid need to be compesated for loss. That whole idea is an American ideal and it sucks! We need to get away from that and just understand that sometimes bad things happen and we don't need to be greedy over it. If I was in a wreck any my 4 year old daughter was killed I would be devestated over it. What in the world is money going to do to help? It sure isn't going to bring her back!
Yeah I think as wheelers we need to take responsibilty for our vehicles and the way we drive them.
I don't run sway bars. I don't feel safer having them on, Period. If I have to make a hard correction to one side or the other...hard enough that the sway bar is going to save me...Its going to roll anyway just because of the high center of gravity. What do I do to compensate for this? I don't drive it to and from the trails mostly. I tow it. I do drive it around town a bit once in awhile but usualy at speeds below 45.
Now if my boy was 16 would I let him drive it around town....Prolly not without sway bars :D
Should other people have theirs on? I guess if they feel more comfortable.
Would I tell you that you don't need them...NO
I just don't like the idea of because I might have a modified vehicle it makes me automaticly wrong in an acident. I know no one has said that here but you know that is what the lawyers would do. Even if someone else was at fault.
Driving a truck for a living I see this happen all the time. Car does something stupid and trucker wipes them out...He is going to pay for a law suit...amost every time.
OK stepping down now..
Sorry guys, :soapbox:

[DrMoab]

Oh yeah one more thing. I was going to say my rant isn't about running sway bars or not...More about lawyers in this country...I really hate most of them.

[shotstopper]

I ran mine for a few days right after I installed my lift without a front sway bar. Pretty scary around corners. I bought RE quick disconnects pretty cheap and they come on and off quickly. I totally removed the rear sway bar though according to the lift install directions. Rides smoother and have no problems there.

[Camel_Joe]

I have no swaybars and I've made a few "emergency maneuvers" with no problems. I really think it depends on your springs and shocks. If there stiff it won't be too bad with out the sway bars. If your running stock or some other old/squishy springs with lousy shocks then definatly keep the sway bar.

I would think that would be offset by the added drivers weight on the drivers side. Also, deceleration would have opposite reactions to the springs.

:lecture:
I only weigh 140 I don't notice any offset. Most deceleration is done by the brakes not the engine. Your not getting torque in the opposite direction unless your going in reverse.

[XJBill]

I have no swaybars and I've made a few "emergency maneuvers" with no problems. I really think it depends on your springs and shocks. If there stiff it won't be too bad with out the sway bars. If your running stock or some other old/squishy springs with lousy shocks then definatly keep the sway bar.



:lecture:
I only weigh 140 I don't notice any offset. Most deceleration is done by the brakes not the engine. Your not getting torque in the opposite direction unless your going in reverse.

You are correct. Most deceleration IS done by the brakes. But it is like being in reverse when the brakes are applied AT THE AXLE. The body is still trying to go forward but the wheels are trying to stop. When you accelerate, the body is trying to stay stationary but the wheels want to roll. Opposite forces.....I see what you mean though. You wouldn't have the "twisting" action from the motor/driveshaft on the axle....hmmm....you got me thinking now. :confused1

[CheapXJ]

Its gotta make you wonder what would happen if two lifted cherokees were to get in a wreck were one swerved to miss a dear...rolled into the path of the other one...causeing it to roll and both people got hurt...then what would the lawyers do? Sue the deer?
they should sue the animal rights/anti-hunting activists.

if it werent for them, the deer wouldn't have been there. it would have been steaks, burgers, bologna, jerky and a decoration in someone's home.

[nhrocker]

Not to go back to the almost the topic, :P, but I am in the middle of trying to put a BB in my XJ and after reading this thread, desided to remove my rear sway bar altogether. I still haven't gotten the broken bolt out to put in the new shackle, but the bar came out easy. :D

Earlier in here someone mentioned using wing nuts for the front as a disco. alternative. I'm guessing it's used in place of the top nut. Am I correct?

[jeepguy97]

That is correct.

[nhrocker]

Thanks! Now I need to get to a hardware store! :D

[Flyfisher]

I don't understand the issue. With quick disco's, it takes 5 minutes to disconnect for the trail...maybe 10 min. to reconnect. I leave my swaybar connected, then disco before going on a trail run. I reconnect when finished (on a level garage floor where it's easier). It's worth the 10-15 minutes to have "factory" handling for 90% of my driving!

Just one man's humble opinion.

[resonant_evil]

as advised here i removed my rear swaybar. i dont miss it, what can i do with it now?

[DrMoab]

I don't understand the issue. With quick disco's, it takes 5 minutes to disconnect for the trail...maybe 10 min. to reconnect. I leave my swaybar connected, then disco before going on a trail run. I reconnect when finished (on a level garage floor where it's easier). It's worth the 10-15 minutes to have "factory" handling for 90% of my driving!

Just one man's humble opinion.
The big issue for me is the fact that when I built my steering the tubing I used was bigger then stock by quite a bit and it hit the lower sway bar mounts before letting the wheels trun all the way to one side. Since I had not run a sway bar for a few years I just cut the suckers off. To be honest I really want to do a Anti-Rock sway bar and I will need to fab up some new ones but until I do that I will just run with out.