Sway bar disconnect on stock Sahara?

[LizardBoy]

I am wondering if disconnecting the sway bars while off-road on a stock Sahara, which has a little over 32-inch tires, would add anything to the vehicle's capabilities. I want to stay fairly close to stock, but would consider a 1-1.5-inch lift. More than that with 32-inch tires the Wrangler, I think, looks too high. There may be 33-inch tires in my future, but not now. Your advice is most welcome!

Sponsored

 

[RedundanT]

My 2013 Sahara had a AEV lift with Teraflex quick disconnect front links. Worked just as good as my fancy electric 2015 Rubicon. Yes disconnecting the front sway bar helps on a lift, stock height probably not so much.

 

[Abramovich]

My 20113 Sahara had a AEV lift with Teraflex quick disconnect front links. Worked just as good as my fancy electric 2015 Rubicon. Yes disconnecting the front sway bar helps on a lift, stock height probably not so much.

Did you take the Deloreon to get to that Sahara, to get back to the future?

 

[MarkY3130]

I think it would help a ton on a stock Sahara. Why wouldn’t it? It works great on a stock rubicon (though rubicon is a push button vs manual) so why wouldn’t it work great on a stock Sahara. The suspension and tire size are nearly the same in stock configuration.

It makes a big difference offroad and the Sahara will notice the improvement a lot.

 

[Karnak]

I am wondering if disconnecting the sway bars while off-road on a stock Sahara, which has a little over 32-inch tires, would add anything to the vehicle's capabilities. I want to stay fairly close to stock, but would consider a 1-1.5-inch lift. More than that with 32-inch tires the Wrangler, I think, looks too high. There may be 33-inch tires in my future, but not now. Your advice is most welcome!

your stock suspension can still extend more than what your sway bar is preventing and its always a good idea to disconnect the sway bar if you can and you'll notice that you will gain a lot more traction (cause of more flex) in areas where your flexing cause your wheels will tend to stay on the ground a bit more enabling your 4wd system to work properly. Also, makes for a lot less jerky side to side swinging of the cab while off-roading rocky areas.

in fact, disconnecting for non Rubicon models is more important that on Rubicon's because the Rubicon has lockers and even if one wheel is in the air a bit, it'll still put traction to the other wheel contrary to the other models which once you start loosing traction on a wheel in the air, on both opposing "X" then you may start spinning and not moving. The only way to help in that case is to have lockers or the limited slip does help a bit as well although not as efficient.

So yes, if you can/want, disconnect the front sway bar and you will love the difference off-road. part of One of the first few mods I always recommend is including a quick disconnect kit and I never hear anyone regret it......its a cheap mod to get.

 

[At Risk Ute]

We noticed a big difference when I added the JKS disconnects to my sport with takeoff rubi lift and BFGs. I can have it disconnected before my tires are aired down.

 

[RedundanT]

Did you take the Deloreon to get to that Sahara, to get back to the future?

LOL 2013 before coffee

 

[jeepoch]

Steve,

I have a lifted Sport S with 35's. Certainly not stock. However, my off-roading capability increased dramatically when I also installed the Sway-Bar disconnects. The added articulation makes all the difference in the world.

According to Yan, @Karnak above, this is probably the most important piece of off-roading equipment you can have besides lockers. I 100% totally and completely concur.

The primary theory to successfully accomplish any off-road challenge is to always keep as much traction as possible. The absolute best way to do that is to keep all four wheels on the ground. Especially on any axle with open diffs.

I'm pretty certain, but don't know all the package and option details, that most Sahara's have the Limited Slip Differential on just the rear axle. This means that you too have an open diff on the front. Open diffs unfortunately due to their design sends power to just the wheel with the least resistance. This would be the (useless) tire in the air. So the secret then for those of us without lockers, is to always try and keep all the wheels on the ground. So for the front axle, either wheel is still contributing to overall motion.

The absolute best way to do that on any Jeep, independent of trim, is to disconnect the Sway-Bar in whatever which way you can in order to get all the articulation possible. For the Rubi's they have a pushbutton in their cockpit. For the rest of us, it has to be done the old-fashioned manual way. Once disconnected however, your suspension will flex to whatever your current spring articulation will allow. The more, the better. Even on a stock suspension, you'll be amazed at how much this can be.

So yes even on a stock rig, disconnecting the Sway-Bar is something you always want to do when off-roading. It will help tremendously. Don't ever underestimate it.

Word of caution however, the sway-bar always needs to be reconnected for on-road travels, for safety. You'll have a much higher risk of rollover potential at speeds above about 25 to 30 mph. So the sway-bar does indeed have a very valuable purpose. Just almost zero when off-roading.

So the quick disconnects have made my 4 wheeling adventures way more enjoyable. And besides, it's always fun to help pull up the stock Rubi's up an obstacle that I had no trouble with. Most other Jeepers are pretty amazed at where I take my Sport. With the discos, Difficult to Severe trails are certainly now in my vocabulary and diet. I still leave the Extreme stuff to the adventurous with the lockers. Without the disconnected sway bars, I'd limit myself to nothing but the stuff below Severe. It's fun when you can successfully navigate and accomplish an obstacle. Not so much when you have to pull out the recovery gear in order to get past it.

I've never been stuck yet with my sway-bars disconnected. The investment in the lift and 35" tires (to me) was important but the sway-bar disconnects, really more than anything else, makes off-roading in my JL Sport now all the more enjoyable.

You won't regret them even if that's the only mod you make.

Jay

 

[LizardBoy]

Thank you everyone for your VERY helpful comments. A quick sway bar disconnect is in my immediate future!

Sponsored