While I've been around cars most of my life, my experience is all in sports cars, not trucks. With cars, sway bars aren't exactly required. There are cars that perform better without them entirely.

I recently bought a '93 Country 2 door for my son. It has, far as I can tell, a mild lift, which I need to measure. I took the truck to a local mechanic to have him inspect the suspension, and he gave me a laundry list. Included in that, apparently a previous owner just removed the rear sway bar - just cut off the tabs. Of course the mechanic wants me to replace it, but I'm wondering if it is that big a deal? Shouldn't it just create more oversteer?

TIA.

 

Many people remove their rear sway bar as soon as they get their Jeep. You wont notice a difference with or without it if you're not towing. Definitely not a big deal. You could remove the cut up brackets to make it look like it was never there. The Up Country edition XJ's came without one from the factory, even with a slight lift.

Factory suspension measurements are 17.5" front and 17" rear from the center of the wheel to the bottom of the factory fender flairs, IIRC.

 

Ditch it. You won't miss it.

 

x2 on what was said above. Toss that thing

 

Mine is on but I saw it the other day, it like a pencil. There's no way it's doing much. And since some xj s came without from factory, I'd find a different mechanic.

 

This is a funny fact I found here on the forum. A fellow member posted a picture of the build sheet for his cherokee that had the up country package. I happened to notice in the listing that it had a "rear sway bar delete." If Jeep is comfortable without the rear sway bar, with all their engineers and safety guru's, I don't even know why there are ever any discussions concerning the rear sway bar.

I see your concern, it's for your child and we want to keep them safe and sound. I can appreciate that but rest assured, the rear sway bar was not even included on all factory built jeeps.

Happy Jeepin'

 

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f59/xj...et-fyi-234853/

This guy's build sheet shows a "rear sway bar delete" with his up country package.

No worries mate.

Happy Jeepin'

 

Should put your location in your signature. Depending on what state you are located in, you may have an issue. Virginia is one of the states you would have an issue in. If the vehicle came with a piece of equipment, state inspection requires it to be present and operational. BUT, if you remove it to a point you can't tell it was ever there, who's to know any different.

Quick example. Passenger side view mirror on my truck. I broke the glass in the mirror, smacked it against a mail box. Inspection came up and I still hadn't replaced the glass. I knew it would fail because it was broken, even though you aren't required to have a side view mirror. I took the broken mirror off the door, took it in for inspection and passed no problem. I later replaced the mirror as I got tired of not having one.

Pull all brackets associated with the rear bar and keep getting it. My 90 came stock w/o one and it was a very stripped base model. Keep the front bar. My 90 is lifted 5" and sways like a boat in the water with the front bar disconnected. I wouldn't want to make an emergency maneuver without the front bar.

 

Never heard that about VA, and I've lived here for 30+ yrs....but I do know, if it's there, like a light or mirror, it has to work, if it's not, it doesn't matter.

Has nothing to do with if it was built with it or not....if you add it, like fog lights, they must work as well.

MY rear sway bar has been missing for years, and the front has been disconnected for at least 2 yrs...no issues at all.



.

 

my 92 came off the lot new w/o rear sway

the 2 98s i bought used came w/o them as well

 

Removed mine while installing new bump stops. Totally worth it and I do a lot of 70+ mph highway driving (people down here in socal go full autobahn when the traffic clears) and I have no issue with high speed maneuvering in my XJ, albeit I don't have a lift but still. And it's nice being able to pull out of a parking lot driveway and not have to be careful about going off the curb and havin your world rocked by the wheel slamming back on the ground. It goes off the curb like it dropped onto a cushion (my rear shocks are new). And going over gutters at an angle on the street is a lot more comfortable since I'm of being tossed side to side like a lettuce in a salad tosser. In the end, I love not having one just because the ride is more conferrable all around. And it doesn't affect body roll in the corners too significantly for me (and I could be considered a "spirited" driver).

 

Thanks for the replies, all. I didn't figure it was a big deal, but nice to have that opinion seconded. As for the mechanic, it was a national chain. I'm sure they have some policy that they have to insist on fixing anything they see "broken" or "missing" to protect them from lawsuits.


Unfortunately, don't need to worry about it anymore. My son's XJ burned yesterday - we think due to a faulty ignition switch that fed starter voltage thru the accessory circuit, which caught the radio on fire. Anyone need a two-door Cherokee that isn't scared of rewiring the entire thing? :/

 

I'm always interested in another 2 door. Where you located and how much?

 

You can PM me if you like with contact information.

 

I live in Norman, OK, so about 4 hours from you?
Perhaps I didn't adequately emphasize that it was //on fire//. By the time the fire department finished with it, the dash was a smoking crater, the windshield had shattered from the heat, and all the soft parts on top of the motor were in tiny charred pieces on the ground. Also, due to the heat they couldn't get the hood open, so the hood and both front fenders are pretty much garbage now.
I mean, if you think you could get some use out of it, I'd let you have it. I do have a clean title.
Here's a couple of pics of the aftermath... I apologize for the pics, still trying to figure out how to work them on this forum.