Anti-Sway bars don't help off road

[BusaDave9]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am debating anti-sway bars with a friend and wanted other feedback. I say anti sway bars don't' help when rock crawling or off-roading on rough terrain. Anti-sway bars are good for one thing – when taking a corner at speed (usually on road) the vehicle will sway to the outside of the curve. An anti-sway bar can keep the vehicle level and can help handling in that case. If you are off road and the right front tire goes over a rock an anti-sway bar will then try to pull up on the left front tire. Even if the left front tire isn't pulled up off the ground weight is still distributed more evenly on all 4 tires without anti-sway bars.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]AntiRock sway bars and others are a waste of money.[/FONT]

 

[LongHorn]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am debating anti-sway bars with a friend and wanted other feedback. I say anti sway bars don't' help when rock crawling or off-roading on rough terrain. Anti-sway bars are good for one thing – when taking a corner at speed (usually on road) the vehicle will sway to the outside of the curve. An anti-sway bar can keep the vehicle level and can help handling in that case. If you are off road and the right front tire goes over a rock an anti-sway bar will then try to pull up on the left front tire. Even if the left front tire isn't pulled up off the ground weight is still distributed more evenly on all 4 tires without anti-sway bars.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]AntiRock sway bars and others are a waste of money.[/FONT]

I could see a benefit off road in Limited situations, but I don't run them on my rig at all & I'm running 38's with over a foot of lift.

 

[CJ]

Anti sway bars limit articulation - that is why many use a 'sway bar' disconnect when they hit the trail. IMHO - If your CJ has them, keep them connected but get a kit and disconnect them when you go off-road... Why not have the best for both circumstances?

 

[Old Dog]

Most people with leaf springs and a stock sway bar run disconnects for off road and connect them back up for on road.
Alot of people I know with coils (tj's) run the antirock sway bars if they have a big lift, because they are to flexy on off camber trails without them.

 

[coldwater]

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]I am debating anti-sway bars with a friend and wanted other feedback. I say anti sway bars don't' help when rock crawling or off-roading on rough terrain. Anti-sway bars are good for one thing – when taking a corner at speed (usually on road) the vehicle will sway to the outside of the curve. An anti-sway bar can keep the vehicle level and can help handling in that case. If you are off road and the right front tire goes over a rock an anti-sway bar will then try to pull up on the left front tire. Even if the left front tire isn't pulled up off the ground weight is still distributed more evenly on all 4 tires without anti-sway bars.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]AntiRock sway bars and others are a waste of money.[/FONT]

I wouldn't call sway bars a waste of money by any means. Bu to answer your question about their operation and usefulness off road, A sway bar ties the body and frame to the axles. It allows a moderate amount of shift, but stops it from any extreme movement from side to side. This is a good thing on lifted vehicles with a compliant suspension when used on the street. When used off road, the suspension will be Limited in It's ability to flex from the body and frame and articulation will suffer. Sway bar disconnects are the best route to go If you use a Jeep a good deal of the time as a street vehicle, and sometime trail rig.

 

[BajaEdition]

I like to have a rear sway bar and a disconnecting saw bar in front if I have the option. I like the rear to be steady and the front to articulate.
Sway bars do as they claim, and off road you want to articulate in the rocks, however there is a point where over articulating has a negative result on both traction and stability. I know most guys claim you can not have to much articulation and a lot of guys build custom buggies with way ridiculous movement, but you look at well built rigs and they will have limiting straps etc. I learned the hard way about twisting and busting welds, there is a limit to everything.