sorry to those that run without a sway bar...common sense aint so common now is it? its not only a danger to you but a definite danger to those other ppl out on the road...just f'in retarded! ive got v-8 coils and stiff shocks and i wouldnt do it but thats just me. you only miss the sway bar when ya need it. and you never know whats gonna jump out in front of you. running no sway bar on even a mildly lifted jeep is just damn bad advice in my opinion. common sense people....think about it :greensmok
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Sway bar help.. Broken nut
- Thread starter rehberg79
- Start date
veedubshafer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Palmerton PA
You can tell who has actually driven one both ways. NOT THIS GUY
wolfpackjeeper
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- 500' and 500KCAS, RAF lakenheath
I have driven them both ways and cannot recommend that you drive on the road with the front undone. Just because you can, does not mean you should. Go troll somewhere else, we are all full up here.
meh, I haven't had my sway hooked up in years, but I've got terribly stiff rear packs and a few more inches of wheelbase.
Seriously, I even drove all around Tellico on the highways with is disco'd and could not tell a difference.
As to the OP, if you want to repair it, you CAN get to it from the front of the frame rail if you take the bumper off, but it's a terrible PITA. I would use a step drill to drill out the hole where the current nut broke off, install a new nut on a plate and rosette weld it to the rail in about a half a dozen spots.
You may also want to investigate nutserts, that may be the easiest, if not the cheapest, solution to reinstall the blind nut.
http://www.avdel-global.com/en/products/threaded-inserts/thin-sheet-nutsertr.html
You don't need the installation tool to do just one. Just get a bolt longer than you need, thread a nut onto it and turn the nut against the nutsert to collapse it.
http://www.kcbraunschweig.com/kc/xbrace.html
Seriously, I even drove all around Tellico on the highways with is disco'd and could not tell a difference.
As to the OP, if you want to repair it, you CAN get to it from the front of the frame rail if you take the bumper off, but it's a terrible PITA. I would use a step drill to drill out the hole where the current nut broke off, install a new nut on a plate and rosette weld it to the rail in about a half a dozen spots.
You may also want to investigate nutserts, that may be the easiest, if not the cheapest, solution to reinstall the blind nut.
http://www.avdel-global.com/en/products/threaded-inserts/thin-sheet-nutsertr.html
You don't need the installation tool to do just one. Just get a bolt longer than you need, thread a nut onto it and turn the nut against the nutsert to collapse it.
http://www.kcbraunschweig.com/kc/xbrace.html
veedubshafer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Palmerton PA
Finally someone agrees with me! And a guy with two weiners at that! If you can't believe him who can you believe?
I wouldn't say that I agree with you. Just that I've done it an haven't crashed into a bus full of nuns.
Also, I've got really stiff 4wd MJ packs with a 3" AAL, and another 18" of wheelbase, so my experience is not th same as your average XJ owner. It's likely when I go SOA with 2wd packs I'm going to have to hook up my front sway again.
Also, when you argue, you look like an ass. At least offer solutions, this is the technical forum, and the OP asked for solutions to repair his swaybar, not a 2 page thread about whether he needs one or not.
souske
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The land of competition
Was kind of leary about suggesting jack nuts for this, but since nutserts were reccomended, it may work. Similar idea
rocknxj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Clinton, Utah (SLC area)
I have to chime in here for a couple of reasons. First, I have been highly entertained by this entire thread. Second, I also do not recommend driving with the sway bar disco'd, but me thinks that truly depends on the stiffness of the suspension lift parts, hence the varied comments on the subject.
I don't like the feel of a disco'd sway bar on my 5.5" RE lift, but it was a negligable difference on my 3.5" RE lift. Both had full rear leafs and new coils. Judge your ride for yourself and keep it connected if it feels squirrely.
I don't like the feel of a disco'd sway bar on my 5.5" RE lift, but it was a negligable difference on my 3.5" RE lift. Both had full rear leafs and new coils. Judge your ride for yourself and keep it connected if it feels squirrely.
veedubshafer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Palmerton PA
solomon7
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Portland OR
veedubshafer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Palmerton PA
Thats what I don't understand. Do I have some sort of magical XJ's? I just drove my stocker down a really windy road by my house here going 50-60 and its a bad road and its not uncontrollable at all. Maybe the type of tire helps? I usually run tires pretty hard. They're just 235/75 BFG AT KO's. Am I just used to driving old junk? I don't know. I'm honest here about the no sway bar thing. Heck, alot of guys with lowered GTI's and Jettas take out the front sway bar to clear the axles and they still handle fine.
- Location
- on the beach in Ocean View, VA
quickest, easiest, and cheapest would be to not drive it at all, until you fix it-- nutcert would be the easiest safe method.
veedubshafer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Palmerton PA
It turned out to be an easy fix. I cut the head off the bad bolt and used a magnetic pen to hold the nut there. Then dropped the steering box, behind it there is a quarter size hole. Pushed the broken nut up to the hole with the magnet and removed it. Fished a small peice of wire up through the bottom hole and out the top. I used a 3/8 bolt with a lock washer and pulled it down and inside the "frame". The lock washer on top stopped the bolt from turning when putting the nut on from the bottom side. Took about 30 mins. to fix.
Mat
Mat
driving under normal driving conditions without a sway bar is is not going to give you an uncontrolable xj. its actually very predicatable if you have any ounce of driving experience.
now, put your xj in an emergency life saving situatution/manuver, such a quick sharp turn to avoid a child/kid stepping out of the woods onto the windy road your driving. or put your xj into the handsof a young driver who has had his liscense for about 2 weeks and is now thinking he has the world by the balls with his new xj. same windy road, no traffic or anything on the road. every corner he gets more confidence until he underestimates the corner and tries to recover(recover is the key word here) from the poor line he took around the corner. its not the first manuver thats gets you, its when you try to recover and the situation is already set in motion.
why is it so hard for you to understand that under normal driving conditions with someone with driving experience, a sway bar is not usually needed. it when the unexpected happens or when a young, or possibly an older blue hair, gets behind the wheel and misjudges a turn and needs to make a correction.
are youa troll or just simple?
souske
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The land of competition
Call me slow, but I dont usually have time to hop out and re-connect my swaybar when a kid jumps out in front of me
do you run the kid down or do you swerve? maybe im slow, but i dont understand what your getting at.
so if you have disconnects you dont connect them when you get off the trail and drive home or to where ever you go?
whats worse then no sway bar, having disconnects and not using them. love to see you win that in court.
