Do i need my rear sway bar?
Seasoned Member
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 311
Likes: 0
From: Placentia, CA
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 L
I respect the caution, but this will not happen if his jeep is stock. Longer brake lines aren't necessary until you get at least a 3" lift with full droop.
OP, if your jeep is 0-2" lifted, ditch the swaybar. you will maybe notice the difference the first time you drive it, but will quickly forget what it felt like to drive with a swaybar.
If you are more than 2" lifted, ditch the swaybar and get longer rear brake lines for $40 at 4wheelparts, which you should have anyway if you are more than 2" lifted.
So obviously I've either been misinformed or I misunderstood some information.
Can someone help me understand why that's wrong and what the correct info is?
Old School CF Moderator
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,652
Likes: 3
From: Chattanooga
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
XJ maniac was being sarcastic..
Whats wrong is people saying to keep the rear sway bar for safety reasons.
I removed the rear sway bar.. along with 100s of other people and noticed NO side-effects.
Correct info: remove the rear sway bar.. its pointless...and you can use the mounts on it as BPE's!
Whats wrong is people saying to keep the rear sway bar for safety reasons.
I removed the rear sway bar.. along with 100s of other people and noticed NO side-effects.
Correct info: remove the rear sway bar.. its pointless...and you can use the mounts on it as BPE's!
Junior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 15,016
Likes: 11
From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
I'll fly against the grain on this one... I absolutely LOVE my stock rear sway bar, and you can't pay me to remove it again. I don't run a front sway bar, and my rear leaves are extremely soft in rate. The rear sway bar helps keep weight transfer issues at bay while corning, which keeps my Aussie lockers behaving nicely on the street, and it also helps control body roll just enough on higher speed romps. No, it's not a Lotus and I fully get that, and certainly don't try to drive it like one. Similarly, it's not a tube chassis rock buggy, and I don't try to drive it like one of those either. But, with a slightly stiffer front coil, soft rear leaves, a mild rear sway bar, and decent shocks all around, it is very well balanced and behaves quite well for what it is capable of on the trail.
...Index finger.
I still haven't figured out why it's back there.
To an extent you're right but I'm not sure where the brake line part was relevant to the conversation.
The 0-2" vs 2"+ really doesn't weigh in on the issue at all.
Remove the rear sway bar whether it's stock or lifted 22"s.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 15,016
Likes: 11
From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 21,168
Likes: 5
From: Milwaukee, WI
Year: 1987
Engine: Check
Either way, rear sway bar doesn't do much but add extra weight. So ditch it to be faster and get better gas mileage.
It will also reduce back pressure in the exhaust...
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Year: 1991
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
I was skeptical about removing my rear sway too and how it might affect handling, but when I did my lift I saw how small it is so I went ahead and took it off. Can't tell a difference. New lift springs are probably going to be stiffer than the saggy old stockers, or same thing if you do an AAL or a bastard back, and that makes up for removing the rear sway.
CF Veteran
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 7,387
Likes: 10
From: City of Trees, CA
Year: 93 2 door
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
no it doesn't. or at least I couldn't feel the difference when I took it off my stock suspension. it doesn't really do anything at all. which is weird because chrysler usually does a pretty good job of just throwing in the bare minimum
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 99
Likes: 0
Model: Cherokee