Big D2

I respect everone's opinion. Thanks.


But here's another scenario. Since the Rubicon's have the front E-disco, what if I leave it connected on the trail (rear off ofcourse)?

tivrusky

sry for bringing up an old thread...
but has anybody tried this? ie disconnecting the rear anti-sway bar while leaving the front ones connected
if so, how'd it go?

Vexel

You will have a lot more body roll on off camber situations. The front is a lot stronger than the rear sway bar, so it can take a lot more force and flex a lot less. I think your nose would be listing from side to side with no real benefit in the rear, as opposed to having the rear connected. It can already flex enough in the rear while connected.

What I'm saying is.. if you're going to do that.. you might as well have both connected.

TEEJ

One factor that was not mentioned...the primary reason almost ALL anti-sway bars are thicker up front and thinner in back is to increase the response time for the rear to react to pitch changes.

IE: When traveling along, and the front hits a bump, and, then, the rear hits the same bump, there is a lag based upon the rate of travel...the time it took the rear tire to hit the bump after the front tire hit it.

If the F/R are reacting at the same rate, the rig will "see saw" as the front goes through its initial up/down motion, and then, a bit later, the rear does the same thing at the same rate....and the rig rocks forwards and backwards like a se saw or like a rocking horse, etc.

If the rear can respond a bit quicker to the input, by allowing the tire to rise with less resistance...the phasing of the rocking horse motion is broken/out of phase, so it rocks less, and the pitch rebound is reduced.

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Off road, as far as off camber situations go...the point of diminishing return on bar stiffness is: stiff enough to keep you from leaning down hill TOO far...but flexible enough to not hinder articulation.

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Part of a drooped Live Axle's traction is from the LEVERAGE of the cantilevered axle...pushing the drooped tire against the ground....long after the coil has lost contact or influence on down travel.

The sway bar DOES reduce the cantilevered leverage somewhat, as it pulls the drooped side UP, fighting the cantilevering DOWN that provides traction...in my leaf spring days...the LEAF PACK would ALSO act in this fashion, progressively reducing the down force as the pack reached its limit of flex.

So - As far as traction goes....the sway bar ALSO should not be so stiff that it steals too much down force (IT HAS TO steal SOME down force...as THAT'S what's being redistrubuted to the Un-Drooped axle side...)

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If you are worried about over drooping and dropping a coil out...merely install a set of coil retainers (JKS or a home made version to clip the coil into its seat for example), and the coils will not drop out.



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So - EVERYONE here who has commented on why they liked/disliked the sway bar on/off - is RIGHT....for the reasons THEY mentioned.

It WILL ride smoother at speed, as the response w/o the rear bar WILL be faster in back, smoothing out the rocking horse/pitch response rate issues.

It WILL lean more in turns and oversteer more w/o the rear bar, as front turn-in rates will be accelerated....and most modern rigs ARE set up to UNDERSTEER, as its less likely to result in a spin...and increasing the OVERSTEER is more likely to result in a spin....but allows faster turn in, and is preferred in racing situations, etc.

Older drivers who remember the wishy washy pick a line and hold on type steering/handling of old iron, vs the way a modern SUV can out handle a vintage sports car now a days...will be less sensitive to a loss in handling precision, whereas younger drivers who have only driven modern rigs will freak out when the rear end starts to go out on them avoiding a moose, etc. (You're only as young as your JK makes you feel?)



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So - anyway - that's my 2 cents on the issue, given inflation, recession, and so forth.