Hellwig sway bar and offroad... Disappointing.

[word302]

I guess the internet never told them their rigs would perform better with sway bars? I stand corrected. Or maybe the cost of a sway bar didn’t fit in their often six figure build budgets?

Yeah because the suspension on those vehicles is so comparable to a JL. Like comparing apples to sauerkraut.

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[Mudduck]

Yeah because the suspension on those vehicles is so comparable to a JL. Like comparing apples to sauerkraut.

 

[Zandcwhite]

Yeah because the suspension on those vehicles is so comparable to a JL. Like comparing apples to sauerkraut.

Currently not so much, 10-15 years ago...nearly identical. I've seen hundreds of rock buggies over the years on the Rubicon and Fordyce that were coils, shocks, and links just like the jl. Some were triangulated 4-links, many still ran track bars like the jl. Sure many had longer arms, but almost none had sway bars. On road, you absolutely want a sway bar, off road maybe not so much. Either that or an extremely light swaybar like an anti-rock. You obviously don't want a heavier and thicker bar like the hellwig. If you want the on road benefits of the hellwig, I'd have no problem running discos in the rear off road personally. Of course you'll have more body roll, but you'll also gain smoother suspension travel and flex. I've personally wheeled a tj, an xj, a wj, and a zj without rear swaybars and driven them on the street. None fell over, and only the tj felt sketchy in higher speed corners, but that has more to do with wheelbase than rear swaybar.

 

[Jeepin' John]

Disconnecting the rear is a poor choice. Just lick your wounds and get rid of that sway bar.

that hasn't been my experience from wheeling multiple jeeps and a land rover discovery with the front and rear disconnected. Disconnecting any sway bar reduces body roll resistance, but like zandcwhite said, none of them magically flopped over from not having a rear bar connected, and you will get more flex with the rear disconnected when the jeep is at a decline. When all the weight is on the front, you'll run out of front spring stiffness before the rear does, and the rear will be pushing your light back end over. I'd like to see a comparison of rear connected versus rear disconnected backing up an RTI ramp, simulating flex for stability going down a technical trail

 

[sherpaJL]

https://www.rockjock4x4.com/products/antirock-sway-bars

 

[oceanblue2019]

I'll start off by saying i knew it would reduce flex. On the road it's the best upgrade i think I've done. Especially for the money. If you do heavy on road, it's the ticket. If you do a lot of off road, it's just not worth the money.

I went to a local place to see what, if any, change. I was blown away by how much it wouldn't flex ?. The passenger side should have been into the fender well until it barely rubs the inner fender. The driver's side should have at least been touching the ground.

I have changed my shocks since then and then the sway bar but that's all that's changed. New shocks have basically identical collapsed and extended lengths. Here are the pics vs an older pic. You decide how much it hinders flex.

I just undo one of the rear swaybar links at the axle and tie wrap it to the bar when we go off-road on big obstacles or tough trails.

 

[oceanblue2019]

https://www.rockjock4x4.com/products/antirock-sway-bars

Great off road but don't help on road like the Hellwig does.

 

[Roky]

I want to share what I know about the oem rear sway bar……it does not reduce or stop flex in any way. On mine it hits the track bar frame brace and makes a hell of clunk when passenger stuffs, on driver stuff it hits the frame. Here I’m twisted up and I’m doing my best Bronco impression, hanging a wheel, to show my point. The shock is the limiting factor here. The factory sway bar will hit the frame and stop, but it will continue to twist, not limiting anything……….this is what I know for a fact on my rig, OMMV…….

Of course I’m always looking for a better mouse trap, but so far this is it for me. I finally rode in a Jeep with a rear anti rock but didn’t like it in curvy highways we have here. So the search continues………..

 

[oceanblue2019]

I want to share what I know about the oem rear sway bar……it does not reduce or stop flex in any way. On mine it hits the track bar frame brace and makes a hell of clunk when passenger stuffs, on driver stuff it hits the frame. Here I’m twisted up and I’m doing my best Bronco impression, hanging a wheel, to show my point. The shock is the limiting factor here. The factory sway bar will hit the frame and stop, but it will continue to twist, not limiting anything……….this is what I know for a fact on my rig, OMMV…….

We're going to have to get you one to test for us

As I can definitely feel it, and see it, limiting the rear when on stuff 2/3 as wild as you are on in the photos above. It just wants to tuck the butt down and stops the rear axle from articulating.

 

[Roky]

We're going to have to get you one to test for us

As I can definitely feel it, and see it, limiting the rear when on stuff 2/3 as wild as you are on in the photos above. It just wants to tuck the butt down and stops the rear axle from articulating.

Are you talking about oem or helwig, I’ve unhooked my rear sway bar , there’s absolutely no difference in my rig, none, just more loosy goosy on the trail.

 

[Zandcwhite]

I want to share what I know about the oem rear sway bar……it does not reduce or stop flex in any way. On mine it hits the track bar frame brace and makes a hell of clunk when passenger stuffs, on driver stuff it hits the frame. Here I’m twisted up and I’m doing my best Bronco impression, hanging a wheel, to show my point. The shock is the limiting factor here. The factory sway bar will hit the frame and stop, but it will continue to twist, not limiting anything……….this is what I know for a fact on my rig, OMMV…….

Of course I’m always looking for a better mouse trap, but so far this is it for me. I finally rode in a Jeep with a rear anti rock but didn’t like it in curvy highways we have here. So the search continues………..

The factory rear bar is so light and pencil thin that it does allow for full flex on most rigs. Of course because it is so flexible one could argue you aren't gaining much antisway from the thing either, thus the dramatic difference both on and off road running the hellwig. Have you driven on road with the factory swaybar disconnected? I'm guessing you'll see just as little difference there as you do off road.

 

[oceanblue2019]

Are you talking about oem or helwig, I’ve unhooked my rear sway bar , there’s absolutely no difference in my rig, none.

Hellwig.

When running the OEM I had zero issues. Never disconnected it.

Went to Hellwig and loved it on the highway but it really hurt off-road.

So I started to disconnect it off-road when anything more then fire-roads.

 

[Roky]

The factory rear bar is so light and pencil thin that it does allow for full flex on most rigs. Of course because it is so flexible one could argue you aren't gaining much antisway from the thing either, thus the dramatic difference both on and off road running the hellwig. Have you driven on road with the factory swaybar disconnected? I'm guessing you'll see just as little difference there as you do off road.

Exactly…however it does help sway better than the anti rock did. I was looking into the helwig at one time, decided after hearing others that I’m doing the best I can with what I got, for on/off road performance. Like I said I’m always looking for greener grass…..

 

[Zandcwhite]

Exactly…however it does help sway better than the anti rock did. I was looking into the helwig at one time, decided after hearing others that I’m doing the best I can with what I got, for on/off road performance. Like I said I’m always looking for greener grass…..

I can relate there. I think if someone really wanted the best of both worlds the helwig and a quick disco may be the ticket, but I don’t have issues with flex off road or sway on road enough to bother.

 

[Roky]

We're going to have to get you one to test for us

……… ok…….

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