I don't know why I thought I'd open this can of worms but I figured some people, like me a year ago might want some insite on the idea of removing the rear swaybar and the effects of it.

NOTE: I'm talking about removing the REAR sway bar. The front should only be disconnected off road unless you want your jeep or yourself to become a statistic.

The idea of removing mine first occurred to me when I installed my 3" lift blocks in the rear. If you install a 2" block you will have the same affect but a 3" is worse. The block raises the swaybar end link up to where it becomes in contact with the tire. This can be solved by either buying a set of rims with wider backspacing, replacing the blocks with real leaf springs, modifying the rear sway bar, or simply removing it.

After looking at my college budget and realizing I'm broke, and the work involving modification of the rear swaybar would be to much of a pain. I started doing a lot of research into removing the rear swaybar. I was very concerned about this becuase a roll over was something I did not want to occur on my DD.

From what I found is that, the rear sway bar does help to prevent extreme off camber lean. However, it's kind of like a filter on a cigarette. It works but it's kind of point less in the broad spectrum.

So I tried it and I like it. The on road handling was really not effected and there was a big improvement on the off road ride. Some XJ's with the upcountry packages actually didn't come with a rear swaybar. Only thing to really watch out for is off camber leaning in extreme situations. Worse case scenario, your rear leans into the side of tree and you bust out your rear side panel window. This happened in a guys ZJ I know. But the conclusion we found was becuase the ZJ is coil sprung and will "whip over" more. Since the XJ is leaf sprung in the rear, you tip it far enough your tire's just going to come off the ground anyway.

I'm happy with the choice and have no plans to reapply it. So whats your guys take on it. Pro rear swaybar, against, or neither?

 

i dont got one. i say you need your front cause i drove without mine for a week after a long weekend i didnt put it back on right away (laziness) and its kinda a scary ride.

 

The only problem with the rear sway bar off is if you drive alot of Interstate. It will in a sense sway at high speeds you have to take extra caution when changing lanes. Its not bad but you can definitly feel it.

I agree the front should never be taken off unless you are on trails. Neither one of my jeeps have the rear attached.

 

Mines been gone for a long time. Once you get used to it, never miss it.

 

i'm glad you posted this cause i've been thinking about removing my rear sway bar due to the previous owner using blocks (it's a pro comp lift but they don't come with rear blocks,so i don't know what happened there) he retained the bar with some homebrewing and it works but is a little noisy...anyway i haul the kids around so after hearing what you guys are saying i think i'll keep it on there..seems safer especially cause i have blocks right?

 

If you plan on doing any wheeling then take it off and leave it off. You will feel it a lil at 55+ MPH but once you drive it more you get used to it. I just don't whip in and out of traffic on the Interstate when in it. The rear way bar is really pointless to have on if you plan on wheeling it at all.

 

XJ's aren't race cars so a rear sway bar isn't needed..I don't run mine and not long ago driving my kids to school some dumb *** with no brake lights stopped right in front of me and I had to swerve and was going about 50mph...Jeep took it with no issues and didn't feel out of control at all...

 

I kept mine off too. I have drove without a front for along time, I should have bought all I needed for the lift from the start. But i had 33 x 12.50's. So i don't know if the extra width helped out any. I never had a scary moment either.

 

trash the fawkr. you dont need it, drive it like a jeep not a ricer

 

I agree the ront is nessary and should be on except when wheeling as for the rear most lift companys will actually tell you in the directions to remove it and not put it back on. due to the way thier set up on the vehicle quick disco's are kinda hard to make but it could be done.Mine has been gone for years and I never have missed it

 

My front swaybar busted the end link on the passengers side. The dangling end link hit the bolt head on the tie rod and almost wrecked me. I pulled the whole front swaybar off until I could get a new end link. Never have replaced it.
Felt real scary the first day. Now I do not notice it. Thinking about removing the rear one also.

 

leave the rear off, its more loose and fun

 

I'm noticing with most of you guys saying it was scary without the front... it seems like the majority saying that are running 3 inch springs, with or without spacers. And the people saying it wasn't much different without the front all have taller/stiffer springs... anyone else seeing that?

As for the rear, unless your springs are crap, junk it, it barely does anything at all.

 

Front bar has been off for a while. Rear bar has been off for a week. Ride off road and over bumpy patched pavement is much better. Hard cornering is looser, not real scary, as long as you know body will roll a bit. Straight line braking is the same or better. Offroad traction, braking,ride,noise level etc are all better. jeep is 91 stock 30x9,5x15 tires...not so much tread. 248,000+ miles. daily driven as my only transportation.

 

This is good to know, I was torn last week when I put my lift in, but at 6.5" it didn't really make sense to leave it in anyway.