Currie Enterprises Anti-Rock Off-Road Sway Bar
By Chad
Crowell
Intro | Installation | On-Road | Off-Road |
Conclusions
OFF-ROAD DRIVING
I was able to
test out the Currie at the same time I tested the new Rubicon Express
lift. I went to Bassi Falls, a small off-road area near the
Rubicon, and spent two days playing with the new setup.
My first concern
was that the Anti-Rock would limit my front axle droop, causing
decreased traction by not allowing to axle to move downward as far
as it could with a completely disconnected swaybar. Well,
the axle was limited by maybe 3” or so at most. With the
massive amount of droop I get out of the RE kit, this difference
is not enough to cause any heartache. I still felt that the
Jeep was stretching its legs and the tires were staying in contact
with the terrain.
I also tried to “feel” the Jeeps balance.
I had gotten used to how the body followed the rear end over the
years, and my driving style was in tune with that. Driving
with the Anti-Rock definitely changed the way the Jeep moved as
it traveled over uneven terrain. Instead of the TJ sitting
back while the front axle reached out for traction, the body would
move somewhat with the front axle, while allowing the rear axle
to stay put or move in the other direction.
In some cases,
this felt better than it had before, and seemed to aid the traction
by putting more weight toward the side of the front axle that was
drooping. In other areas, off-camber ones to be exact, it
took some getting used to, as the body would lean downhill if the
downhill front tire began to droop. Still, it never made
the Jeep feel unstable or more rollover prone, it was just different
from what I had learned before.
A side benefit
of the Anti-Rock is that my shocks had always been the axle limiter
before, and now the Anti-Rock kept them from over-extending and
having the axle weight pulling down on them. It seems to
me this would extend the life of the shocks.
Overall, there
is a difference in the way the Jeep walks over rocks and ditches,
and the difference is quite perceptible. I was never uncomfortable
with the way my Jeep performed in the past, and the addition of
the Anti-Rock, as advertised, made the Jeep feel more balanced and
predictable off-road.
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Intro | Installation | On-Road | Off-Road |
Conclusions
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