JKS Swaybar Quick Disconnects
The swaybar is a very important piece of metal when driving on the streets as it helps to prevent your vehicle from swaying too far and rolling when you go around corners. However, this piece of metal is in the way when on technical trails.
On trails you want to have maximum flexibility in your suspension system in order to maintain maximum traction. With the swaybar connected, the axle does not flex as much. I've opted to replace the front swaybar links (that connect the swaybar to the axle) with JKS quick disconnect links. These are designed to function as normal links on surface roads, but can be quickly disconnected from the axle when off-road - the best of both worlds!
The stock link which connects the swaybar to the front axle (driver side).
The link was removed along with the bolt that attaches it to the axle with as that will be replaced as well. The bolt was pressed in and I used a u-joint removal tool to press it back out though a tie-rod removal tool would have worked just as well - especially for the passenger side where I had to remove the steering stabilizer to fit my tool in.
The JKS quicker disconnect link is now installed for surface road driving.
Now on the trails with the swaybar disconnected, the front axle can fully flex thus providing the maximum traction on the trail.
JKS supplies two posts to mount the disconnected link to, but the manufacturer states they are to be used with a TJ (Wrangler) or a XJ (Cherokee) provided you have a stock front skid plate. Well, they worked really well on my TJ, but I don't have a skid plate up front so some friends and I devised this setup.
A bottom view of the link securely disconnected using the supplied posts.
A bottom view of the post when the disconnect link is connected to the axle for pavement driving.
When the link is attached to the axle, the post can be swung out of the way of the swaybar.