Rear Sway Bar Questions

[Hammmerhead]

backing up to basics, have you cycled your rear suspension? not rti or trailer ramp

the thicker rear sway bar is part of the max tow package and provides additional stability. I'd say if it's feeling too tipsy you're actual lift is much taller, your shocks are too soft (combination of).

I'd cycle the rear suspension and make sure your bumpstops are at the proper height where nothing hits and your shocks don't bottom out.


Also cycle the front suspension.

Does anyone have a pic of the "thicker" sway bar? I ordered the OEM heavy duty version, but it sure is flimsy.

 

[olram30]

Subscribed to this thread.

 

[JAGS]

Lol wasn't saying you. It's actually ok so far. I was just thinking ahead.

Hmmm.

My advice would be to just remove the rear sway altogether. It doesn't really do anything back there except look cool. I learned this in my #webwrencher class.

 

[MTG]

According to your profile you have the MC GC lift. Not sure if you've done so or not, but if you install all 8 MC control arms I think you would be fine. :thumb:

 

[chitown35]

backing up to basics, have you cycled your rear suspension? not rti or trailer ramp

the thicker rear sway bar is part of the max tow package and provides additional stability. I'd say if it's feeling too tipsy you're actual lift is much taller, your shocks are too soft (combination of).

I'd cycle the rear suspension and make sure your bumpstops are at the proper height where nothing hits and your shocks don't bottom out.


Also cycle the front suspension.

Front and rear have both been cycled to set bumpstop. However, I didn't have the rear sway bar connected at the time since I had disconnected it to take the springs out and just forgot about it. But other than that bumpstop is set correctly. I've measured actual lift and it is just over 3.5. When I say it feels tipsy on off camber stuff I mean it feels like it leans over quite a bit instead of flexing a bit more. Not like anything having to do with shocks...? Maybe springs could be softer? But before I start messing around there I was thinking I'd just try addressing the sway bar thing.

I thought the rear sway bar didn't limit flex from what I've read here. You didn't say but was your front disconnected? If not that could be your problem, maybe it was and I didn't read correctly

Yes front was disconnected.

I know the rear sway bar supposedly doesn't limit suspension travel much, but maybe that is only with the limited travel, softer sock springs? My springs are a little bit stiffer I believe, and I've got a lot more room for travel than the stock setup.

This thread will become awesome!

So much bad information about to be spewed.

Haha I know you'll keep them honest, right?

 

[chitown35]

Also, I run a little lighter in the rear: got a fuel skid but have the stock bumper and only a 35 on the tf hinge. Stock carrier for now.

 

[wayoflife]

So I did some research and it appears there are 2 different sway bars for JKs. Mine is 7/8" diameter, while I have seen others with Sports say theirs is a 3/4" diameter.

LOL!! What in the world are you talking about? Rather than doing research on the internet, how about you just take a tape measure or ruler to your rear sway bar and measure it. They are ALL the same and they are only about 5/8" in diameter. FAR from being enough to be a limiting factor.

 

[olram30]

Am I the only one that thinks 1" bump stops on 3.5" coils is not enough. I have 3" up front and 2.5" bump stops in the rear and I had to trim quite a bit to keep my tires from getting shredded. Plus I would think those coils would go solid.

 

[wayoflife]

Am I the only one that thinks 1" bump stops on 3.5" coils is not enough. I have 3" up front and 2.5" bump stops in the rear and I had to trim quite a bit to keep my tires from getting shredded. Plus I would think those coils would go solid.

Nope. You wouldn't be the only one. Typically, you should be running about as much bump stop as you have lift. But hey, what would I know.

 

[chitown35]

LOL!! What in the world are you talking about? Rather than doing research on the internet, how about you just take a tape measure or ruler to your rear sway bar and measure it. They are ALL the same and they are only about 5/8" in diameter. FAR from being enough to be a limiting factor.

No, I'm saying I DID measure, and it was 7/8". But I only have one Jeep I can personally measure right now. Is yours only 5/8"? The reason I am thinking there are 2 different sizes is:
* There are 2 different part numbers you can order, one of which is listed as standard, the other "performance".
* The guy from Metalcloak said he'd seen different sizes on occasion
* I had someone else measure theirs and they said it was 3/4".
* You are telling me the ones you have seen are only about 5/8".

 

[wayoflife]

No, I'm saying I DID measure, and it was 7/8". But I only have one Jeep I can personally measure right now. Is yours only 5/8"? The reason I am thinking there are 2 different sizes is:
* There are 2 different part numbers you can order, one of which is listed as standard, the other "performance".
* The guy from Metalcloak said he'd seen different sizes on occasion
* I had someone else measure theirs and they said it was 3/4".
* You are telling me the ones you have seen are only about 5/8".

I don't know man, what I can tell you is that I've owned 4 different JK's over the last 9 years and the newest one is a 2012. They have been 2 Rubicon's, a Sport and a Sahara and they have ALL had the exact same rear sway bar from the factory. If you've got a rear sway bar that's almost 1" thick and from the factory (NOT what you can order separately), that's news to me.

 

[olram30]

For the record, I have a Rubicon with the tow package, not sure what size my sway bar is. My rear tire stuffs just fine. Factory sway bar

 

[chitown35]

Am I the only one that thinks 1" bump stops on 3.5" coils is not enough. I have 3" up front and 2.5" bump stops in the rear and I had to trim quite a bit to keep my tires from getting shredded. Plus I would think those coils would go solid.

Nope. You wouldn't be the only one. Typically, you should be running about as much bump stop as you have lift. But hey, what would I know.

What I said was that the MC shocks only require 1" of bump stop. I am actually running 2" all around, because I have yet to address a clearance issue with the front fender flare support bracket thing.

That being said, the running as much bump stop as you have lift rule is probably correct if you are running long travel standard shocks, or stock fender flares, or lots of other things which I am not.

 

[chitown35]

I don't know man, what I can tell you is that I've owned 4 different JK's over the last 9 years and the newest one is a 2012. They have been 2 Rubicon's, a Sport and a Sahara and they have ALL had the exact same rear sway bar from the factory. If you've got a rear sway bar that's almost 1" thick and from the factory (NOT what you can order separately), that's news to me.

Yep, from the factory. Did any of yours have the Max Tow package? Maybe that is it?

 

[olram30]

What I said was that the MC shocks only require 1" of bump stop. I am actually running 2" all around, because I have yet to address a clearance issue with the front fender flare support bracket thing.

That being said, the running as much bump stop as you have lift rule is probably correct if you are running long travel standard shocks, or stock fender flares, or lots of other things which I am not.

Take the shocks out of the equation for a second. Pretend they aren't there. Are your coils going solid and bump stops help with clearance issues on your up travel. What size tires are you running?

 

[chitown35]

For the record, I have a Rubicon with the tow package, not sure what size my sway bar is. My rear tire stuffs just fine. Factory sway bar

Nice. How much droop did you have on the other side there though where the sway bar would have been limiting you?

 

[olram30]

Yep, from the factory. Did any of yours have the Max Tow package? Maybe that is it?

I have a 2012 Rubicon with max tow package. Let that go already and let's figure out why your shit isn't getting good up travel.

 

[chitown35]

Take the shocks out of the equation for a second. Pretend they aren't there. Are your coils going solid and bump stops help with clearance issues on your up travel. What size tires are you running?

No, coils aren't going solid. I'm running 315/70R17 STT Pros. Measured just under 34" under the Jeep.

 

[wayoflife]

What I said was that the MC shocks only require 1" of bump stop. I am actually running 2" all around, because I have yet to address a clearance issue with the front fender flare support bracket thing.

That being said, the running as much bump stop as you have lift rule is probably correct if you are running long travel standard shocks, or stock fender flares, or lots of other things which I am not.

Nope, the primary reason for running about the same length bump stop extension as you have lift is to help prevent the over compression of your coils. In other words, to prevent them from being squashed down to the point where they no longer return to their original height. The prevention of rubbing things like your fenders or bottoming out your shocks is a perk.

Yep, from the factory. Did any of yours have the Max Tow package? Maybe that is it?

Umm, yes, on BOTH my 2007 and 2012 Rubicons. If they've changed things since 2012, it's news to me.

 

[olram30]

Nice. How much droop did you have on the other side there though where the sway bar would have been limiting you?

Best picture I have with droop. Sorry I'm not using a mc trailer to test.