Dicos On a Libby

[LibertyFever]

I haven't seen much discussion about the use of sway bar disconnects on Libby's. I understand the concept on vehicles with flat axles but with the Libby's front IFS wouldn't disconnecting the sway bar allow too much suspension travel possibly snapping an axle shaft?

 

[Marlon_JB2]

I haven't seen much discussion about the use of sway bar disconnects on Libby's. I understand the concept on vehicles with flat axles but with the Libby's front IFS wouldn't disconnecting the sway bar allow too much suspension travel possibly snapping an axle shaft?

I haven't heard of anything like that.

 

[Atrus]

I don't see how it'd snap an axle shaft. The sway bar's purpose isn't to act as a stop on the suspension. The strut is what stops suspension travel in the front. I removed and reinstalled my strut assemblies with the sway bar connected and the strut was at full extension.

 

[J-Thompson]

I don't see how it'd snap an axle shaft. The sway bar's purpose isn't to act as a stop on the suspension. The strut is what stops suspension travel in the front. I removed and reinstalled my strut assemblies with the sway bar connected and the strut was at full extension.

woh that is not 100% true
only 50% true
the struts and shocks control drop or down travle ONLY if you have shocks or struts that are to long and they bottom out befor the weight of the jeep hits the bumpstop you will destroy them

as far as dissconecting the sway bar on IFS
I feel that it is to much work for to little reward
on rigs like the TJ or XJ you gain like 5" of wheel travle
on the KJ you realy gain almost 0" maybe 1" so not realy worth it
can it be done sure but does it realy help IDK
My take on the KJ has become what I heard a guy say about his YJ
"I know that I dont have the flex of a TJ ,I know that I will be getting air under my tires so I locked it to give me traction on air"
same goes for the KJ ,lock it so you get traction on air
then you can throw flex out the window

 

[Atrus]

Hmmmm, I stand corrected then. I'd have to look at the suspension again. I fully agree upon compression as there's the bump stop up in the wheelwell. I don't recall anything that would limit on travel extension, just compression. Where's this other stop?

 

[JeepJeepster]

The sway bar only keeps down sway. It had nothing to do with the amount a wheel can droop and the kj does NOT have struts, only shocks. The shock limits down travel and if it doesnt then your upper balljoint hitting the spring will which destroys the joint.

You will gain more than 1" of travel with the sway bar off.

 

[J-Thompson]

Hmmmm, I stand corrected then. I'd have to look at the suspension again. I fully agree upon compression as there's the bump stop up in the wheelwell. I don't recall anything that would limit on travel extension, just compression. Where's this other stop?

no other stop the bompstop is mounted to the unibody
when you put all the weight of either the front or rear on one wheel then it will go to the bump stop ,limiting the UP travle of that wheel ,or stoping it from bumping into the wheel well
the down travle is limited by strut or shock length ,shock fully opened

When I bought the new shocks for the TJ a while back I did so based on the fully closed length of the shock
I wanted a shock that when fully closed it was 1" shorter then when I measured from mount to mount at full stuff
I removed both rear shocks and springs placed the axel on jack stands and lifted 1 side to the bumpstop then measured something like 14"
I took 1" from that and bought a 13" fully CLOSED length shock

get it now?

 

[Atrus]

Ah, I think I should have clarified in my original post. What I had meant is, the strut is the limiting factor in extension. Compression, yes, I fully agree the bump stop is the limiting factor. That's why I was saying when I removed the front assembly, I didn't have to remove the sway bar - the shock is what limits the amount of droop the lower control arm can have.

 

[Corwyyn]

I haven't seen much discussion about the use of sway bar disconnects on Libby's. I understand the concept on vehicles with flat axles but with the Libby's front IFS wouldn't disconnecting the sway bar allow too much suspension travel possibly snapping an axle shaft?

To answer the original topic, JKS did manufacture some quick-disco's for the KJ swaybar; they went in place of the two end links from the bar to the lower control arm. But with a lack of high demand for the units after the initial rush they have since discontinued production on them. I've run with mine off but didn't notice enough of a difference for me to want the quick disconnects.

Just my $1.25 (two cents adjusted for inflation, exchange rates, etc...)

 

[JeepJeepster]

They never did get them quite right either, which I believe is the major reason that did not sell good. Everyone complained about them making noises, the steel cable that held the sway out of the way broke, poorly designed really.

 

[MoladoGuy]

Longer struts/springs, clevis lift, and you got yourself more flex. Waste of time to remove the sway let alone play with it using disco's (however they are discontinued like Kevin said).

 

[fouros]

i have run a trail with my KJ sway bar connected and my mates KJ with swaybar taken off

we ran the same line ( well as close as possible ) the one thing i noticed was that with the front swaybar removed the KJ kept more level and the rear was not having to flex as much making the vehical more stable on stepups

just my 25c ( Aussie dollar is only worth 80cUS)

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Yea, I saw some Disco's advertised on the web that looked the the Biz.
I figured any added articulation over stock would be a benefit!
... Back down to my dungeon so I can design my own I guess!


ry'

 

[JeepJeepster]

No sway bar:

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sway bar:

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No sway bar:

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Sway bar:

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Thank you.

 

[LibertyFever]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. It kind of shows that I don't yet understand IFS. Thanks too jeepster for posting your pics. It makes your point crystal clear.

Its been my experience that with a coil suspension vehicle sway bars are necessary for highway driving. You can't disconnect them permanently.

When I do begin the mods on my Libby to get it ready for the trails (a modest lift & bigger tires plus more skid plates) I'll look into fabbing up some disco's.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

It's been 3 years and I don't understand IFS either. You are not alone.

 

[J-Thompson]

jeepster
I am not trying to cut your point
however in those pics I dont see more "flex" with or with out
I do see less body roll but that is not better articulation

The pic of your jeep shows it best
the "up" tire is at the same point both times
that means that with the bar on the jeep still had enough weight to "flex" the bar


Ok thinking about it for a few min.s I know how to explain it idea.gif
Think of the front of a wrangler as an ink pen
hold the pen in the center and push one side up ,the other side goes down
now on IFS there is no ridgid connecting point so the pen would have a hinge on both ends if you move one side the other will not be changed
granted the body will roll less but the limit on travle will be the same

The reason that TJ's and the like get such great changes with and with out is that with the sway bar on it has a shorter range of travle
so that while the up side will hit the bumpstop but the down side is held by the shorter sway bar link
it has to do with the length of the link between the sway bar and axle
and the bar being solid across the frame
This is why the JK's with the auto disco. thing simply cut the center out of the bar when activeted