I just replaced all my shocks and front sway bar bushings this past weekend. This was after almost losing it driving over a hump of an intersection and having the truck toss violently after crossing. Scary enough that I didn't want to drive the Jeep home that day. So I went online to shop for the best price and best reviews, and ended up with the Monroe Gas-Matic LT shocks. In hindsight, I should have probably stepped up to the Sensa-Trac, but budget was an issue. While replacing the rear passenger shock(what an effed up spot it's in), I look up at what I thought to be a hose. Turns out it's the dinkiest sway bar I've ever seen!!! My thumb is bigger around than that piece of crap.

Now let me say that it is riding MUCH better, but I still experience the rear wanting to step out when I hit a manhole cover or pothole. Having owned a few light trucks before, I feel as though there is a lot of room for improvement after looking at what was underneath the rear. I will also be replacing the steering dampener this coming weekend. It's an '01 2WD, so I will be keeping the sway bar, Just wondering if there is an upgraded bar I should be looking for, or am I SOL?

Any help would be appreciated, as I drive through more turns and construction zones than I would care to on a daily basis.

 

your shocks are probably too stiff for the lightweight XJ. Seriously, they weigh like 3400 lbs stock with is about what most little sedans weigh. the stiff shocks make them bounce off everything, there was a particular manhole cover in my town that my rear end would kick out on every time I hit it.

It's an XJ thing.

 

My manual says that my 2WD 4 door weighs in at 2998 or something very close to that. I find it hard to believe my Chrysler Crossfire SRT-6 weighs 200 pounds more, but they should know, or I need to get on a scale. Anyways, the ride is comfortable and she doesn't bounce, just the back end feeling like it wants to slide side to side. I just want to know if there is a bigger(thicker diameter) rear anti-sway bar that someone may have tried. I understand that most trail riders have quick disconnects on their sway bars, and I think I read something about a few people just tossing that p.o.s. Anyone?

 

If it feels like it's swaying side-to-side I'd take a good look at your leaf springs. Sounds like they're on their way out/bushings worn/centering pin broken/clips gone.

Anti-sway bar quick disconnects are sold for the front one, which is the one that really matters since it's got coils. Upcountry package XJs actually came from the factory without the rear one. Most folks that rip them off don't even notice that it's gone, some actually report a better ride, and very few report a slight additional roll on corners. The slipping thing isn't one I've heard related to the anti-sway bar yet though.

 

I agree, I don't think the sway bar is the cause or fix for your problem. Depending on what rear axle you have you may have bad c-clips. I would start with jacking up the rear end and pull/push the wheels to see if the axle shafts have any slop.

 

I come from the sports car world and have road raced them.
A larger rear bar will stiffen the rear and cause it to step-out even more. You need a bigger front bar to get where you want to go.

 

It was the camber change (or more likely, lack there of) of the front suspension that scared you. Best advise slow down on bumps, as a last ditch effort you could try a longer softer spring (front) for faster travel, but you would quickly encounter an issue with bottoming, especially when your on the skids hard. Rear anti sway bars are small in diameter because there is not a whole lot of torsion resistance encountered due to ~70% of the weight up front. Some sway is good as it tends to plant to outside tire, too much bar & you'll jack the inside one.

 

To answer the title...yes. You can get upgrade to the front sway bar from a V8 ZJ but make sure you get the brackets that mount it to the unibody and the bushings. You don't need the end links but when you go but new bushing for the whole thing remember that its for a zj and not an xj. The link bushings are different because the bore on the ends are smaller.

 

Ok, I'll be jacking up the rear end this weekend to look for play/slop anywhere it may come from. I guess driving sporty cars for the last few years has skewed my idea of how a truck should handle. Seriously need to retrain my habits. And I have started to slow down over bumps and around corners since the scare.