Sway Bars

[80LIX]

Im looking at improving the onroad handling of the ZJ.

Anyone ever swap out their swaybars with heavy duty ones. I found these lads that have bars for the ZJ www.whiteline.com.au, does anyone else make em.

Thanks.

I'd like to know the same answer? My Machanic mate reckons there're the skinniest sway bars he has ever seen. Too small for such a sized vehicle.

[billsta]

cant say much about ZJ's...

but as for WJ's..
im pretty sure ARB has a "rear sway bar" availble... ring suburban...

but really they are puny in the rear... i think the front is doing most of the work. i dont run a rear sway bay and its marginally different... but with the front & rear off...

good luck

[goodol55]

Originally Posted by asp_777

I'd like to know the same answer? My Machanic mate reckons there're the skinniest sway bars he has ever seen. Too small for such a sized vehicle.

Sorry I can't help with this one other than to say be careful.
I'm talking about performance cars here - Years ago we used to put on the fattest bars we could find but there's a trend today to actually leave off the rear bar entirely. The theory seems to be to loosen up the rear so that the tyres actually get to work rather than skate. This works for some cars but NOT ALL. My (extremely wild) guess here in 4x4 application could be that you'll lose wheel travel if rear bar is too big (ie Stiff).

So it would be good if some one who has experimented with a Grand could clue us up.

[OzJeeper]

The rear sway bar is a skinny biatch. It's there to enable you and I to tow a simple small load to the tip on the week end or a caravan if needed.
If you don't tow then get rid of it - or disconnect it - but don't try and tow without it as the Grand will be a "Lose Lady in the Rear End". (eg - all over the place)

Disconnect the front sway bar (bigger dimension bar) and guess what? No real direct steering and "Happy Hippo" hour - rolls and wallows big time.

Short answer - the front does the work. The rear stops "bump steer and directional load steer". Serious of-road work like the Rubicon then disconnect it. Drive it on a daily basis and like the handling? then leave the thing connected until just before that serious trip, then disco it.
But consider quick disco's of your choise or budget for the front.

HTH

Surely the thicker the sway the better for on-road handling, or am I wrong. I can understand the need to remove it for off-road.

[wildturkey]

Surely the thicker the sway the better for on-road handling, or am I wrong. I can understand the need to remove it for off-road.

On the road - Yes & No. It depends on what other suspension components have been upgraded and to what extent. Whacking on the thickest mutha can make handling worse. It comes down to the right combo/setup of parts and what you want out of the car. If you're not going to do any serious 4WD'ing then talk to whiteline, they are a good company and have a good name in perf car setups. Have used some of their gear on my Rex when i had it.

As for our Jeeps, i was told by the guy at ARB in Tempe that WJ/WG were about the only 4WD they recommend upgrading the rear swaybar on. Looks like an electrical chord eh lol.