WJ sway bar on an XJ

Just finished my WJ knuckle swap. Used the Teraflex swaybar link relocation to move the pins up 4 inches.
Took it out wheeling yesterday but forgot to move the spare pins to fit the new shorter links, so I had to drive with swaybar attached.
It broke. The ear on the passenger side broke right off.

So that said, I've got two questions.
1. Did this break because of the relocation? The links were shortened to keep the swaybar ears nearly level when attached. Looks to be in the same location as it was before.
2. Will the beefier WJ Swaybar fit on my XJ? I haven't had a chance to measure at the wrecker yet. Maybe someone can save me a trip?

It probably broke from wheeling with it attached, why not disco and tie wrap or bungee it up out of the way? The relocation wouldn't cause it to break. I think a wj bar could be made to fit, although the mounting holes are wider. Definitely not a simple bolt in, but with a bit of fab work it could happen.

See, I know its' a bad idea to wheel with the swaybar connected, but we didn't have anything strong enough to hold them out of the way.

But that said, my buddy with his stock XJ doesn't even have disco's and his swaybar has never broke.
I'm just suspicious because of that. Stock should break first

Stock sway bar mounts are incredibly strong, much stronger than the mild steel ones used in the aftermarket IME.

Which Teraflex mounts did you break, the ones that kind of mount to the inner C?

Root Moose said:

Stock sway bar mounts are incredibly strong, much stronger than the mild steel ones used in the aftermarket IME.

Which Teraflex mounts did you break, the ones that kind of mount to the inner C?

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Sorry, I wasn't clear. It's not the mount that broke. It's the swaybar itself that broke.
The end of the swaybar that bolts to the link snapped right off.

I didn't think Alberta had rust bad enough to cause something like that so that can't be the cause...

Fwiw, I'd get a cheap replacement from the wrecker and see if happens again.

Root Moose said:

I didn't think Alberta had rust bad enough to cause something like that so that can't be the cause...

Fwiw, I'd get a cheap replacement from the wrecker and see if happens again.

Click to expand...

Ha! not enough rust in Alberta? I've never been anywhere with worse rust conditions . That said, i'm in BC now which isn't nearly as bad.

Plan is to throw another sway bar on, but I just don't see this as random chance. it's gotta be a setup issue, or maybe sway bars just can't deal with bigger tires/suspension. I've never wheeled with it connected till last night.

Come east if you want to see rust.

Yeah, swap it, disconnect when wheeling.

I strongly doubt that, I've wheeled both with and without a sway bar connected, NOT gently in either case (I'll put it this way, I poked a hole in the inner fender with the top of the sway bar link in one case, and destroy shock absorbers to the point that they break in half or lose a bushing eye every 4-6 months) and I've never broken a swaybar.

Usually it's just a faulty/worn/old swaybar. Rust can also cause more weakening than you would expect, some deep concentrated pitting will concentrate stress in one spot and result in it breaking there. Typically I see them fail under the bushing sleeves though, usually because those areas hold water against the bar and they get so pitted that a strong hit fractures the bar. Happened on my parent's 97 caravan, their 01 2500 clubvan, and my dad's 01 ranger most recently. None had ever even been off the road.

Can you post a pic of the broken surface of the metal? You can usually tell how a part failed by looking at the break.

edit: I'm rather interested in what people run for stiffer front swaybars - ZJ ones? WJ ones? My DD XJ sees more spirited pavement driving than dirt these days and the body roll is getting annoying. Does make it rotate nicely going around corners, though

A very few ZJs and XJs came with a 28mm bar, roughly 1 1/8 if memory serves. I've never seen one in a wrecking yard but they do exist, if parts books are to be believed. If you can find one, it's a handling upgrade.
Easier is to get an Addco or Hellwig 1 1/8" front bar. The two companies also make rear bars. One is 7/8" thick, the other isn't, both are thicker than stock. I've thought about buying the thicker bars but it's not a high priority just now.

To the OP... I can't picture a setup issue causing that kind of breakage. Or any kind, for that matter. You've got side-side and front-back possibilities for misalignment. I guess up-down is possible, too. I just can't picture any of them causing a break. Clean up the ends of the bar along the break, gently, and I bet you find pitting or some such. Possible the metal just reached the end of its fatigue life. I think if you throw a fresh bar under there, though, it has a long and healthy life.

I'm running a 28mm swaybar (from an XJ) on my Jeep now and I've wheeled it quite hard with it connected and never broke the bar... I have broken each of the mounts but never the bar.