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Relative Front/Rear Suspension Flex (w/ and w/o front anti-sway bar)

Mirage mobile

NAXJA Forum User
Location
MO
Hey guys, I'm curious to hear if there are ways to balance the difference between front and rear flex / resistance to body roll.

SCENARIO 1: front anti-sway bar disconnected
The front is so soft that there is VERY minimal flex of the rear springs
Body roll begins to be the limiter once the front bumpstop is reached.
The rear leafs barely flex

SCENARIO 2: front anti-sway bar connected
The front is firmer, forcing the rear leafs to be the primary mover.
Body roll begins to be the limiter once the rear bumpstop is reached.
The front in scenario 2 flexs more than the rear in scenario 1 (closer to a balanced resistance to flex, but still way off from 50/50).

Heres my suspension setup:

FRONT (~4" lift):
stock anti-sway bar
metalcloak 3.5" dualrate spring
ADJ upper/lower control arms
control arm drop brackets


REAR (~4" lift):
no anti-sway bar
OME leaf springs with OEM rubber bushings

Perhaps this is why the TJ / expensive rigs have coils all around?

It would appear like a lighter, always connected, anti-sway bar could be the balancing solutions
 
Your first option is to get rid of those metalcloak coils and get something decent. Pretty much anything else, that isn't made out of a slinky.

Your second option is to add an offroad swaybar like a Currie Antirock.
 
get SRBs, or diff shackles. also take a look at your shocks too.
I run no sways on either end and my flex is balanced decently
4.5" Lift
3.5" IRO coils with a 1" puck
3.5" IRO leafs
DBmetalworks boomerang shackles
Doestech shocks
Core4x4 stage 1 control arms
33x10.50R15 KM2s

Dunno what itll do on an RTI but it flexes pretty good for having short arms

but sounds like either stiffer coils that force all the suspension to work together, or softer leaf springs that give a lot easier would help a lot.
ill post up pics of mine when I get back to the house tonight
 
50/50 flex with leaf springs is not an option. I don't know any XJ owner that keeps the front swaybar connected unless they are running an aftermarket off-road swaybar. Massive Flex is should not be the goal, a well balanced suspension and traction devices in both axles would be my choice.
 
50/50 flex with leaf springs is not an option. I don't know any XJ owner that keeps the front swaybar connected unless they are running an aftermarket off-road swaybar. Massive Flex is should not be the goal, a well balanced suspension and traction devices in both axles would be my choice.

I don’t know that I agree with this. Dead nuts 50/50. Sure. But you can be pretty damn close with leaf/link
 
I would suppose that my all leaf spring CJ-7 might have about 50/50 flex, but I have never considered that very important. It does have front and rear lockers, so any tire touching the ground has traction. My XJ has normal XJ suspension, and the front flexes more than the rear. I have never worried about not having equal flex of the front and rear axle, and would not consider this a handicap to its off-road capability. My XJ has front and rear lockers and it goes just about anywhere it does not drag metal bits, or spin the tires.

Maybe Mirage can further explain why he feels 50/50 flex is important.
 
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My metric tonne MJ flexes like a skateboard.
 
IMO you want the rear a tad stiffer. shackles will help loosen it up a bit. better stability in off camber situations and less likely to unload on you
 
4e566159785a5d90f171b181489745b6.jpg


Leaf springs flecks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
4e566159785a5d90f171b181489745b6.jpg


Leaf springs flecks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Damn!!! You got a build thread? I wanna know more about your rig.

what leaf spring pack and shackles setup for starters
 
It’s on here somewhere but pics are missing thanks to photobucket. Project telluride.

got the photosuckit google plugin. or I did at least. I'll see if I can find it.
 
sway bars still on?
No, went to discos and 2" leveling springs in the front. It does alright for the way its set up but the rear leaves definitely let you know they are in control. It's my truck, so offroad isn't a priority but its still fun to wheel. It'll go a lot more places than it should.
 
50/50 flex with leaf springs is not an option. I don't know any XJ owner that keeps the front swaybar connected unless they are running an aftermarket off-road swaybar. Massive Flex is should not be the goal, a well balanced suspension and traction devices in both axles would be my choice.


I would agree, I run a anti rock on the front. however, now having coils in the rear, I am leaning to poss put one in the rear. she flopped once cause the rear opened up. and wouldn't stop flexing , but if I do that. why did I spend money on them shocks ? :doh: so i'll leave it that way it is.
 
most guys that ive seen link the rear end up going with a antiRock out back around here.
 
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