removing rear swaybar

[Tonto]

BahBah
I retracted my earlier comment as it was quite possible there was an application for rear disconnects I was not aware of.

However, for general application, you're correct, and the following is pretty widely accepted:
On-road - swaybars if originally fitted should be connected to improve handling
Off-road - disconnecting front swaybar will permit increased articulation

There've been a few threads lately discussing fromt swaybars and showing pics of improved articulation with swaybars off.

Worth noting that:
- not all XJs were fitted with rear swaybars, as noted by others above. The swaybars were fitted to the more 'road-oriented' models.
- removing a swaybar if standard for the vehicle is looked on unfavorably by road authorities
- many TJ owners don't worry about disconnecting rear swaybar for day-to-day offroading as it is a lighter duty than front (although there is a TK SLider product in USA to permit some additional movement offroad)
- have also read articles from the USA claiming it is in fact more advantageous to leave rear swaybar attached on a TJ when offroad (wish I could find reference but can't). I gather there are views both ways.

I think the point made above about trailers is not about the rear swaybar offering load carrying ability (which it clearlt doesn't) but that a rear swaybar will assist with controlling sway induced or exacerbated by the additional load of the trailer (ever had a trailer get a sway up - you'll know what I mean)

[Steve F]

Originally Posted by BahBah

The Suburban web site says that you only need the extra disconnect bits if you have 4" lift or more hence the $53.30. Not much point now as I now know we are discussing a different end of the car.

Just to clear this up for future reference by anyone else, here it is directly from the Suburban site

Rubicon Units are economical disconnects suit standard to 6” lift. Both parts, adaptors (Below) to suit XJ or TJ and Sway Bar links to suit must be ordered. 4” links suit standard Jeeps, 8” to 10" suit higher 4-6” lifts.

Originally Posted by BahBah

I read somewhere else that the front swaybar was integral to the system and cannot be removed. Suburban state that their lift kit can be made better with the addition of a disconnect kit. OK, I have to assume it is for the back because my assumption is that it cannot be used in the front. Their web side doesn't where it is for.

It can be removed but it shouldn't be removed if you want an semblence of handling on road, especially when braking and cornering at the same time. This is the whole reason for disconnects, at slow speeds offroad the swaybar is a hinderence so it gets disconnected, at higher speeds on road its a legal/saftey/handling feature so gets reconnected.

With the rear the swaybar I cant really comment on KJ's but can say that most XJ drivers who go offroad eithier have an XJ that had no rear swaybar from the factory or have taken it off and chucked it in the bin. I've never seen an XJ with rear disconnects.

And yep, certainly agree with your description on how it works.

Cheers
Steve

[BahBah]

All sounds good to me.

I understand what you mean by the trailer sway. I haven't had the problem but I know people that have destroyed caravans when they did get it. I am not saying it won't help that but I cannot see technically why it would as trailer sway would be lateral movement and the bar wouldn't do anything for that. Maybe it would tighten up vertical movement a bit which would help. If anything I would have thought tighter bushes, better shocks and tires with stiffer sidewalls would be better. Again, I haven't had the issue so I cannot speak from experience. There is the engineer coming out again but I am willing to be corrected.

Anyway, we are probably digressing from the original topic for this thread. Next....

[Tonto]

I cannot see technically why it would as trailer sway would be lateral movement and the bar wouldn't do anything for that

often the problem gets serious when lateral sway transmits to body roll on the car. that's where the sway bars come into it.

not really too far off topic of Optical's question - it's one reason why, depending on your planned use for the Jeep, you might think twice before removing the rear swaybar.

[BahBah]

I agree the bar would probably help in a lateral sway situation, given the name of the device , as long as the sway is effecting downward motion also which I assume it would to some degree. Wouldn't better shocks dampen the sway? It is basically a physical resonance setting up a standing wave between the two objects (car and caravan) and if left alone with the wrong conditions it will eventually amplify itself (termed underdamped) until the mechanics break. BANG! The only way to stop the resonance it is to 'overdamp' the resonance to absorb and correct the problem. The only thing that does that is the shocks but only in a vertical plain so it won't absorb all. The sway bar would help as it would transmit some of the sway across to the other side counteracting the load placed on the other spring but if you don't have the correct shocks it is no point. Yes, it is a combination thing. Sorry, the techo has popped up again.