How to tell a Rubicon from a regular jku?

shawn said:
Gimmick. Disconnects upset the front/rear balance of the rig.
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So we should be wheeling with the sway bar connected? I have always disconnected it, to let the front flex better and keep heels on the ground. My current rig actually has no sway bar at all. I do plan to add one in the near future for road driving.
 
77GreenMachine said:
So we should be wheeling with the sway bar connected? I have always disconnected it, to let the front flex better and keep heels on the ground. My current rig actually has no sway bar at all. I do plan to add one in the near future for road driving.
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In a Jeep with front/rear sway bars, if you disconnect the front bar, the body of the Jeep just follows the rear axle. Right rear droops, Jeep sways to the right. Right rear goes up on a rock, Jeep sways to the left. If you don't have lockers, disconnecting the sway bar may mean the difference between having enough traction or ending up teeter-totter with opposite wheels unloaded. But once you have lockers, removing the front sway bar introduces all sorts of weird behavior, especially at the margins. Now, when the left rear climbs first (leaving the right rear in a hole), the tub rolls right and rearward, unweighting the left front and making the Jeep feel tippy. With the front sway bar, the forces acting on the rear axle are counteracted by the front sway bar, and the whole thing feels more stable.

My gut says that not having sway bars at all is better, but not as good as having both connected. I haven't ever tried it that way, though. I think the sway bars help counteract some of the bad behavior you get in the rear axle when one tire droops way out and then tries to drive itself under the chassis. Basically, they don't let it go so far, so the anti-squat doesn't get out of hand.
 
shawn said:
In a Jeep with front/rear sway bars, if you disconnect the front bar, the body of the Jeep just follows the rear axle. Right rear droops, Jeep sways to the right. Right rear goes up on a rock, Jeep sways to the left. If you don't have lockers, disconnecting the sway bar may mean the difference between having enough traction or ending up teeter-totter with opposite wheels unloaded. But once you have lockers, removing the front sway bar introduces all sorts of weird behavior, especially at the margins. Now, when the left rear climbs first (leaving the right rear in a hole), the tub rolls right and rearward, unweighting the left front and making the Jeep feel tippy. With the front sway bar, the forces acting on the rear axle are counteracted by the front sway bar, and the whole thing feels more stable.

My gut says that not having sway bars at all is better, but not as good as having both connected. I haven't ever tried it that way, though. I think the sway bars help counteract some of the bad behavior you get in the rear axle when one tire droops way out and then tries to drive itself under the chassis. Basically, they don't let it go so far, so the anti-squat doesn't get out of hand.
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Hmmm. Perhaps this is worth a new thread for discussion. I see a lot of people running aftermarket sway bars, and I know with 3 or 4 links front and rear it helps control body roll. But I never thought of it actually helping much in stock form on an XJ or TJ. I am locked f/r with long arms. Wonder if I'd benefit more with them than without? Maybe some testing is in order.
 
An XJ and a TJ are apples to oranges when talking about sway bars and suspension manipulating the body roll as it is coil/coil vs. coil/leaf. My XJ had none sway bars, locked front and rear and did fine (to me) but had nothing to compare as I’ve never wheeled a coil/coil setup and was also longer wheel base than a TJ so I agree this would be an interesting topic to hear from those in different suspension camps.
 
rockcity said:
That was my initial thought but I'd have to manage with a standard transfer case in lieu of the 4:1. May not be a huge issue but it's definetly a thought to consider
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Do they sell low gears for the non-Rubicon TC in the JKU? Or, buy a used Rubicon TC? Or, go all out and buy an Atlas? Which transmission are you looking for, manual or auto? Someone mentioned earlier that you cannot put an Atlas behind the auto in a 2012 and newer Rubicon.

A non-Rubicon JKU goes for $12k less than a Rubicon model? It seems like the stock JKU with a SD60/14B plus used Rubicon TC is the cheapest way to go.
 
shawn said:
In a Jeep with front/rear sway bars, if you disconnect the front bar, the body of the Jeep just follows the rear axle. Right rear droops, Jeep sways to the right. Right rear goes up on a rock, Jeep sways to the left. If you don't have lockers, disconnecting the sway bar may mean the difference between having enough traction or ending up teeter-totter with opposite wheels unloaded. But once you have lockers, removing the front sway bar introduces all sorts of weird behavior, especially at the margins. Now, when the left rear climbs first (leaving the right rear in a hole), the tub rolls right and rearward, unweighting the left front and making the Jeep feel tippy. With the front sway bar, the forces acting on the rear axle are counteracted by the front sway bar, and the whole thing feels more stable.

My gut says that not having sway bars at all is better, but not as good as having both connected. I haven't ever tried it that way, though. I think the sway bars help counteract some of the bad behavior you get in the rear axle when one tire droops way out and then tries to drive itself under the chassis. Basically, they don't let it go so far, so the anti-squat doesn't get out of hand.
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Hmmm...
Front sway bar disconnected via the gimmicky electric disconnect, rear attached:

CC24D1BC-2283-49EC-A0BD-FD4045D20A5D.jpeg


Appears mostly level to me.
 
Rob I’ve got $500 in a SD 60 you’ll need some $35 sensors, a $450 truss, and if you’ve got aftermarket control arms it’ll bolt in if you keep it on coils and shocks (lowers are 1-2”wider than factory). I’ll be selling a hydro assist box lines and ram, setup on factory d44s axles with a truss 5.38 gears, and chromo axles front and rear. Hoping someone will just dump $4000+ on a proven setup. That will easily pay for me to gear and lock some 1 tons when I swap to those in, and probably for coilovers or hydro bumps too.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro
 
If I go as far to swap in D60s, I'd probably spend a few more $ on coilovers or ORIs

But would look for SD axles.


After thinking about it, I'm likely to just grab a Rubicon and run it with 37s. If I ever try to swap in D60s, it will take me at least 4 years to do so. Definetly don't want that... :D
 
77GreenMachine said:
Hmmm. Perhaps this is worth a new thread for discussion. I see a lot of people running aftermarket sway bars, and I know with 3 or 4 links front and rear it helps control body roll. But I never thought of it actually helping much in stock form on an XJ or TJ. I am locked f/r with long arms. Wonder if I'd benefit more with them than without? Maybe some testing is in order.
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Unless I'm having deja vu, this was discussed in depth recently. In my personal experience, I disagree with Shawn.
 
LBarr2002 said:
Unless I'm having deja vu, this was discussed in depth recently. In my personal experience, I disagree with Shawn.
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Love to dig up that thread if so. I can see it being applicable in a TJ. My old TJ floated all over the place without the front hooked up but did great off road. But I can remember a few scenarios where what Shawn said might have changed things a little. As for my XJ, it does great without it off road but I plan to put it back in with discos for the road
 
From a wheeling buddy/former customer in Cali. He’s got a 2014 rubicon 6spd with 5.38s, 37s, RCVs up front and revolution rear shafts. Was asking him about his cooper tires he runs.

242a525900b066ccf8996e1695a5a600.jpg


It’s also been to the Hammers, and Moab a bunch of times. He either drives it or flat tows it behind his RV. But one is our friends wheeling buddies works for Rebel Off-road so he tags along with them to events. Just finished up hydro assist in one and a 1.75x6.75 ram it drives great was whipping it around the neighborhood with 1 finger. Granted you can steer faster than the ram can move but I only noticed it during 3 point turns.
 
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