What do you know about rear sway bar links?
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JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 457
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From: BC
What do you know about rear sway bar links?
Okay so I just installed Evo Rock Star Skids on my Jeep which has a 2.5" Teraflex coil lift with an additional 1" coil spacer in the rear. These were the new style rock stars so apparently they don't move the axle side sway bar link mount height wise. However when I went and flexed out the rear (sounds bad) at full stuff with my 12" sway bar links I rubbed the side wall of my tire. I have spyder trax spacers on my stock rims with 315/75R16 mud terrains for reference. I then came home and put on some 9" sway bar links I had. Now when flexed no rubbing. Of course I understand why I don't but what I am wondering is what is a proper length for a rear sway bar link? I realize this is different depending on lift but there must be some kind of rule of thumb here? I see what happens if they are too long but what about too short. Anyway let me know what you guys think I want to get some facts on this.
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 457
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From: BC
Update
So I ended up chopping down the rear sway bar links that came with my Teraflex 2.5" coil lift that were originally 12.25" and made them 10.75". Just went and flexed this out and all is good at full stuff (maybe 1/4" of bump stop left) I am at least 3/4" away from the inner side wall with the link now. I will post some pics tomorrow both of what I did to the links as well how it looks now. Also since changing the link size I got the sway bar to just a few degrees positive from perpendicular to the ground which from what I understand is a good thing. Forgot to see what this looks like at full droop but I will do that tomorrow as well.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 237
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From: San Antonio, TX
Okay so ... I went and flexed out the rear ... at full stuff with my 12" ... bar ... I rubbed the side wall... I then came home and put on some 9" ... bar ... I had. Now when flexed no rubbing. Of course I understand why ... but what I am wondering is what is a proper length for a rear ...? I realize this is different depending on ... but there must be some kind of rule of thumb here? I see what happens if they are too long but what about too short. Anyway let me know what you guys think I want to get some facts on this.
Sorry, I couldn't resist. In all seriousness, as was already mentioned, try to keep your swaybar parallel.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 146
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From: Denham Springs, LA
I know there is some controversy around this, but I got tired of messing around with the sway bar links. I have had my rear sway bar removed for over a year and a half. Just something to think about. 
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 318
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From: Dela Where?
I had a similar issue with my links with my AEV pintlers. Check my pics on my profile. I fixed the issue with Jks adjustables much thinner. I am at 11.5 and plenty of distance away from the tire. The swaybar is still parallel. Another part of the issue was the rear wasn't quite centered with the bracket. I am running the same lift with 1" spacers. Honestly we should be on the 3" rear track bar bracket. I am still 3/8 to 1/2 out of center.
