Thought I would share a cool video taken with a drone. I’ve been denied on this obstacle every time I’ve tried it. Recent upgrades to my Jeep have finally allowed me to tackle it. For anyone familiar with the back way to crown king, it’s a pretty easy trail through the mountains going from lake pleasant to crown king. There are a few good obstacles along the way, I say it’s an easy trail since there are bypasses for everything.

 

The drone operator did a pretty good job moving around and getting some different perspectives, especially there at the end. New tires were the difference maker from last few times?

 

Yep, went from 35’s to 37’s. The extra tad bit of clearance may have helped but more tread was probably the biggest factor. Although, since last time I was winched up that part (got high centered), I added all control arms and hydro steer. But I didn’t really gain anything for that with those aside from easier steering on the rocks.

 

Nice climb, looks like you need to stay all the way to the left and you would walk right up it. Would be easier to climb with the sway bar connected too.

 

This was mine. The Red trail at Badlands park in Attica, IN This was super tough for a 2 door on 37's. I was on the old style Mtr's which ran more like 35.5" Stretched around 108" and went to 40's and it became too easy. I could drive up it backwards and started hitting the climb aout 10 feet to the right of the old notch. My rig today would walk up that climb like a speed bump.

 

Thanks! So I don’t understand the mechanics on how a swaybar helps in this situation. I do realize that if both axles are off camber in the same direction, the body would have less roll to the down slope and the rig would be more stable. But in this case, how would a sway bar help? Do you suggest sway bars like the anti rocks as an overall improvement for off-road?

Its funny when we see these monster obstacles and think “one day...”, then it happens and the obstacle is no longer the tough one. There’s now another obstacle at Pyeatt Draw that I need to revisit. I’ve made it up the filter but around half way on the trail there’s a large boulder that has a split in it. I got high centered on my rock rails last time I tried it. That’s now my next milestone obstacle. I’ll try to find a video of it. I think this one will be challenging for any 4 door though. The break over angle is pretty tough. I’ve yet to see another Jeep do it in person.

 

When connected and you have one wheel up a climb the sway bar wil be giving the oppisite wheel lift, making it easier to gain traction and climb. When you are disconnected the oppisite wheel is just dead weight trying to climb. The problem with the factory sway bar is that it is too big for the smaller flexing you do off road.

 

Tom, it's an interesting point you bring up and I'm curious. I can totally see how connected the sway bar is going to help pull that lower front wheel up, but most often times doesn't doing that just hang that wheel in the air and leave you in a more tippy situation than if the wheel was planted and crawled up on it's own accord? I have always considered increased flex and tires on the ground to be a more stable situation. Maybe I'm thinking about the situation wrong.

You're suggesting that something more flexible similar to the rear sway bar is a better alternative, to allow some flex, but not as much as being disconnected or something like an Antirock?

 

I don’t do any rock stuff, I’m more of a Waylon fan👍🏻, anyway, I would have thought being connected it would hold the tire up in the air instead of letting it drop to the ground and get traction.

nice video

 

Yes you don't want an overly stiff sway bar like the factory one for best overall results.