Sway bar disconnect

Chairokey

New member
Could anyone explain to me simply what the advantage of having the sway bar disconnected gives during off roading? I hope it's ok that I ask some pretty simple questions here on the boards. I could google it but I do enjoy engaging in conversation much more :)
 

kaptkrappy

New member
Could anyone explain to me simply what the advantage of having the sway bar disconnected gives during off roading? I hope it's ok that I ask some pretty simple questions here on the boards. I could google it but I do enjoy engaging in conversation much more :)

The sway bars job is to keep the body of the vehicle from trying to roll over or "sway" outward when turning. It also acts as a travel limiter when one wheel is higher or lower than the other by keeping the axle parallel with the body. This is not good when you are climbing obstacles and trying to maintain maximum traction (all 4 wheels on the ground). Disconnecting the front sway bar while off road, lets the axle pivot much further than possible when its connected (see photo).

Rubicon-sway-bar-disconnect.jpg
 

Chairokey

New member
kaptkrappy said:
The sway bars job is to keep the body of the vehicle from trying to roll over or "sway" outward when turning. It also acts as a travel limiter when one wheel is higher or lower than the other by keeping the axle parallel with the body. This is not good when you are climbing obstacles and trying to maintain maximum traction (all 4 wheels on the ground). Disconnecting the front sway bar while off road, lets the axle pivot much further than possible when its connected (see photo).

<img src="http://wayalife.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=2433"/>

Thanks! That makes perfect sense! I believe I read that one could manually disconnect the sway bar if you don't have an electric disconnect. How hard is this to do? And is upgrading to an electric disconnect a common upgrade? If so how costly is that?
 

Chairokey

New member
Thanks! That makes perfect sense! I believe I read that one could manually disconnect the sway bar if you don't have an electric disconnect. How hard is this to do? And is upgrading to an electric disconnect a common upgrade? If so how costly is that?

Oh so this feature isn't even available for aftermarket on a vehicle besides a Rubicon??
 

kaptkrappy

New member
Thanks! That makes perfect sense! I believe I read that one could manually disconnect the sway bar if you don't have an electric disconnect. How hard is this to do? And is upgrading to an electric disconnect a common upgrade? If so how costly is that?

Here is a link to just one site that sells quick "disco's" (what they are commonly called).
I have seen Rubicon electric disconnects for sale. They are usually broken (as low as a couple hundred bucks) and new ones occasionally taken off new Rubicons that have undergone some heavy suspension mods (as high as $1500.00 +). Not sure that would be worth the $$$ and effort to get it to work.

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jelliott076

New member
After 2010 the electronic sway bar disconnect was standard on the Rubicon, I don't know about the other models. If yours doesn't have the system on it JKS makes a pretty simple system that allows you to manually disconnect. The drawback is you have to be on level ground to disconnect and reinstall.
 

tkuntz

New member
Oh so this feature isn't even available for aftermarket on a vehicle besides a Rubicon??

Just about anything is possible. You can add an OEM style Rubicon Edition Sway Bar Disconnect to your X or Sahara model. However I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that most of us without the Rubicon opt more for options similar to the JKS Quicker Disconnects. I've tried disconnecting my sway bar (I have an X model), and it is not TOO difficult, but the quicker disconnects seems to make things a bit easier, or so I hear. I will hopefully be getting these shortly. Hopefully that answered any questions you may have had. Also, I have heard of some instances where the OEM Rubicon disconnect fails, and now EVO MFG makes a disconnect to fix that problem.

Rubicon Sway Bar Disconnect and Switch Pod (requires dealer activation):
http://www.quadratec.com/products/52446_112_07.htm
http://www.quadratec.com/products/52446_114.htm

JKS Quicker Disconnects:
http://www.quadratec.com/products/16160_10X_PG.htm

EVO MFG NoLimits Manual Rubicon Swaybar Disconnect:
http://www.offroadevolution.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=EVO-NOLIMITS
 
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