Rear sway bar disconnect/removal

[MoquitoVerde]

I'm looking to find more information about this topic.
Does anyone disconnect their rear sway bar when off-roading?
It seems we disconnect the front sway bar to get more articulation in the front, what about in the back/rear?
I saw a picture of a Jeep with the back wheel perched up high on a light pole (showing off) and I've met at least one guy (who works at a Jeep shop) who told me he removed his rear sway bar all together.

I unferunder removing the rear sway bar would cause more body roll on the highway.
I'm curious if people have quick disconnects for the rear like they have in the front

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[MoquitoVerde]

Stupid phone - supposed to be I understand not I ferunder

 

[River City Offroad]

There's no reason to disconnect the rear sway bar. The rear sway bar helps keep the body straight when the front end is twisted up and without it the Jeep will feel far worse when in off camber situations without it.

You're not really going to gain travel back there by removing or disconnecting it, but making sure that your end links are allowing it to articulate without binding is a good idea. If the links are too short it is hurting your articulation and the same goes for the front if you're using your electronic disconnect.

Marcus

 

[MoquitoVerde]

There's no reason to disconnect the rear sway bar. The rear sway bar helps keep the body straight when the front end is twisted up and without it the Jeep will feel far worse when in off camber situations without it.

You're not really going to gain travel back there by removing or disconnecting it, but making sure that your end links are allowing it to articulate without binding is a good idea. If the links are too short it is hurting your articulation and the same goes for the front if you're using your electronic disconnect.

Marcus

Thank you Marcus

 

[Sting-Gray]

I know this is an older discussion but... First thing I've done to every wrangler I've owned is trash the rear sway bar and Disco the front. Simplifies the rear-end, doesn't really affect street handling much(may not hold true for 4-doors), and allows for full tuck on the trail. You'll definitely notice a difference when crawling... tires stick to every obstacle. Affirmative traction = less spinning = less breakage.

 

[River City Offroad]

I know this is an older discussion but... First thing I've done to every wrangler I've owned is trash the rear sway bar and Disco the front. Simplifies the rear-end, doesn't really affect street handling much(may not hold true for 4-doors), and allows for full tuck on the trail. You'll definitely notice a difference when crawling... tires stick to every obstacle. Affirmative traction = less spinning = less breakage.

Sorry to disagree, but that really isn’t good information.

Watch:

 

[Sting-Gray]

The rear bar really has almost no affect on hadling for a 2door, but on a 4 door it could be noticeable on the highway. I don't mess with 4 doors though so... I actually get more articulation on our ramp with it off, it is a limiting factor,, just basic physics. Leave the front bar connected when you ramp it to really see the difference. Of course this is my opinion.....

 

[AnnDee4444]

For what it's worth: If you decide to eliminate the rear swaybar and want to regain some on-road handling, raising the panhard/track bar will raise the rear roll-center, which will result in less rear body roll.

The pro-touring guys use this as a way to tune understeer/oversteer.

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

Sorry to disagree, but that really isn’t good information.

Watch:

This video is 100% accurate for 99.999999% of applications. There are exceptions to every rule but this video hits the nail on the head for nearly everyone. Why do Offroad racecars run rear sway bars if the average consumer thinks they don't do anything except limit travel?

 

[DadJokes]

So if one is getting ~full articulation while disconnected up front and, of course, the rear is going over the same obstacle, should I be concerned about ruining a stock rubber bushing?

 

[word302]

The rear bar really has almost no affect on hadling for a 2door, but on a 4 door it could be noticeable on the highway. I don't mess with 4 doors though so... I actually get more articulation on our ramp with it off, it is a limiting factor,, just basic physics. Leave the front bar connected when you ramp it to really see the difference. Of course this is my opinion.....

If you need to leave the front sway bar connected to really see the affect of removing the rear sway bar then it isn't really making that much difference with the front disconnected.

 

[Rock Krawler Suspension]

So if one is getting ~full articulation while disconnected up front and, of course, the rear is going over the same obstacle, should I be concerned about ruining a stock rubber bushing?

There is no apples to apples comparison there. The front is a much bigger sway bar than the rear and the front has a far greater amount of torsional rigidity. The bushings in the rear are under less stress than the front would be due to the difference in material and thus effective spring rate of the sway bar. The video linked by @River City Offroad is a very real demonstration of the use of the rear sway bar.

 

[Hainliner]

Old thread. New jeep owner.

I just came from the gen1 Xterra world and removing the rear sway bar was something we all did. Mainly because they had a tendency to break the passenger side link which would then start poking the gas tank and that's bad news.

Barely noticed it gone and never missed it on 10 years of driving it that way.

Are we still of the impression that the JL needs a treat sway bar?

 

[Roky]

Old thread. New jeep owner.

I just came from the gen1 Xterra world and removing the rear sway bar was something we all did. Mainly because they had a tendency to break the passenger side link which would then start poking the gas tank and that's bad news.

Barely noticed it gone and never missed it on 10 years of driving it that way.

Are we still of the impression that the JL needs a treat sway bar?

I leave mine on……..

 

[Hainliner]

I leave mine on……..

I've seen that video and I think comparing that rig to mine seems like a stretch. But it seems to be the answer must people point to so maybe I'm asking the wrong question.

Has anyone actually pulled it off a stock JL and if so what are your thoughts about it.

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