Prototype Currie Antirock For XJ's and ZJ's PICS!

Chris L · #1 03-20-2002, 05:53 PM

Well, I got my ZJ back from Currie today. I ordered my nine yesterday and he asked to borrow it to fit a prototype setup of the currie antirock swaybar used on TJ's {This was shalom and blaines idea originally}. Would like to see how many people may be interested in this set up, for a ZJ or an XJ {no more disco-ing}. I have to say I like the ride a lot better. Will be testing it off road in a couple of weeks. Let's hear some feedback!

97 ZJ 8.0" lift, Armed and plated "short bus".

mrblaine · #2 03-20-2002, 06:48 PM

How cool is that? I am glad to see it worked out as I pictured it.

BTW- Have you ever met anyone as nice as John?

Now you can have balanced flex front to rear. Both axles will be working together. The offcamber tippiness will be minimized. The best part of all will be not having to deteriorate performance by disconnecting the front, and eliminate the bothersome worry of losing parts to your discos.

Looking forward to a trail tested performance report. Let us know.

It is impossible to ascertain the value of something until you have paid for it a few times.

Art Welch · #3 03-20-2002, 07:06 PM

You guys just convinced me to get a TJ one finally. I've been holding on to those crappy old RE disconnects like a dinosaur, time to join the 21st century.

TJRON · #4 03-20-2002, 07:30 PM

Lost parts? Huh?
I just got back from the hardware store with 1/2 dozen washers and keepers.

Some day I will break down and spend the $$$.
Ron

I like the way my Jeep is now..... I'd just like it, well, a little higher off the ground with more ground clearance!

Paradiddle · #5 03-20-2002, 07:57 PM

Blaine - I agree - John is one of the nicest guys I've met - amazing care for the customer.

I envy him because you can tell he loves his job, and loves to talk shop with anyone.

I can't wait to hear how that works Chris.

Jeff

shopping for the right XJ

Chris L · #6 03-20-2002, 07:57 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by mrblaine:
How cool is that? I am glad to see it worked out as I pictured it.

BTW- Have you ever met anyone as nice as John?

Now you can have balanced flex front to rear. Both axles will be working together. The offcamber tippiness will be minimized. The best part of all will be not having to deteriorate performance by disconnecting the front, and eliminate the bothersome worry of losing parts to your discos.

Looking forward to a trail tested performance report. Let us know.

_It is impossible to ascertain the value of something until you have paid for it a few times._[/quote]

Blaine--
John was a really nice guy to work with. The one problem he brought to my attention is that there is no rear sway bar in my ZJ as of right now, so I thought maybe when I meet you at JV late saturday, we could test it out a bit. I will have to figure a way to get the sway bar to bolt back up before then. It rides nice, but has a little body roll due to lack of rear bar. Me likes it

97 ZJ 8.0" lift, Armed and plated "short bus".

mrblaine · #7 03-20-2002, 08:11 PM

Chris, as in all things, not everyone will appreciate or understand the benefits of controlled suspension offroad.

Those of us that run them, almost without exception will not trade them. A few have, but the overwhelming majority won't.

You have seen pics of my jeep flexing a bit, so I wouldn't worry about the loss of anything in that area. In my case, I would trade 100 points on the RTI ramp for better control offroad.

One of the areas where you can really have a blast is one of those high speed runs back to camp on the lake bed. Let one of those high boys try to catch you with his front disco'd. Never happen.

It is impossible to ascertain the value of something until you have paid for it a few times.

TObject · #8 03-20-2002, 09:09 PM

About those high speed runs back to the camp. You guys are crazy!

Now, I really enjoy rally, but to do that in a lifted jeep!

The thing is, by the time I get to the camp, Blaine and Garry are already there, drinking coffee.

BTW, I painted the scratches on my jeep body with White Hammerite. I officially use that stuff on any of the body scratches now, even on the hood.

mrblaine · #9 03-20-2002, 09:27 PM

It is impossible to ascertain the value of something until you have paid for it a few times.

Jeff Weston · #10 03-20-2002, 09:41 PM

Chris,

If the AR bar benefits the ZJ half as much as it does on my TJ, you'll find it to be one of the finest additions to your suspension. No joke, the difference is astounding. Within two months, I did the Rubicon without and with the bar. It was like driving a different vehicle. The stability and control is provides needs to be experienced to be appreciated. Honestly, there is no other aftermarket item on my Jeep that I would recommend more.

Art,

Like you, I was in the dark ages with the RE disconnects. As you know, they are a PITA! If for none of the other benefits listed, it is so nice to not have to fiddle around with those things anymore.

Jeff

speaceman · #11 03-20-2002, 11:52 PM

I think it goes without saying that I'm IN.

I can't wait to get a set going on my ZJ to compensate for some of the lift induced top-heaviness.

It's too bad that you didn't have your radiator skid in Chris.

I have to go out to my ZJ tomorrow morning but it looks like the brackets that Currie designed hook into the front skid bolt holes.

I wonder if it will be possible to mount the skid over the Currie anti-rock bracket so that you can use both.

Anyway, the pics are way cool.

Grey 98 ZJ.

PlatinumZJ · #12 03-21-2002, 05:10 AM

Chris,

How would you compare the onroad stability of the AR with that of the factory swaybar?

Also, what are your plans for a rear swaybar? I also am not running a rear swaybar at this time because of the inconvenience of taking it off and putting it on.

Jay

'97 ZJ 5.2L

Handlebars · #13 03-21-2002, 05:31 AM

I'm wondering what benifits this will give my XJ with it's stiff RE leaf springs. My front axle will freely follow the trail due to the soft coil springs but the rear end... Well, let's just say the body rides at whatever angle the rear tires are riding at. Like this:

The leaf springs are all that are limiting up travel, the shocks and bumpstops are nowhere near bottoming out there. I have no problem with off camber stuff with my small lift and tires. Is this mainly something for the high-riding guys with big tires and flexy coil-spring suspensions?

97 2-door 5-speed XJ
"Yes, tow hooks are required!
Trail Crew SoCal 4x4 Club

Chris L · #14 03-21-2002, 08:35 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by PlatinumZJ:
Chris,

How would you compare the onroad stability of the AR with that of the factory swaybar?

Also, what are your plans for a rear swaybar? I also am not running a rear swaybar at this time because of the inconvenience of taking it off and putting it on.

Jay

<A HREF="http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/2/42/19/32224219LfAVhW_ph[/quote]" TARGET=_blank>http://community.webshots.com/storage/1/v5/2/42/19/32224219LfAVhW_ph[/quote]</A>

Jay the ride feels good right now with the exception of a small amount of body roll due to the rear sway bar missing. I am going to try and relocate it to see if I can get it to work. That should make a big difference in the body roll. Now as I head into my drive at an angle, the Antirock seems to make the transition much smoother. I would like to see about doing something simular in the back, like what blaine has on his TJ. Will keep ya posted..

97 ZJ 8.0" lift, Armed and plated "short bus".

Chris L · #15 03-21-2002, 08:37 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Handlebars:
I'm wondering what benifits this will give my XJ with it's stiff RE leaf springs. My front axle will freely follow the trail due to the soft coil springs but the rear end... Well, let's just say the body rides at whatever angle the rear tires are riding at. The leaf springs are all that are limiting up travel, the shocks and bumpstops are nowhere near bottoming out there. I have no problem with off camber stuff with my small lift and tires. Is this mainly something for the high-riding guys with big tires and flexy coil-spring suspensions?

97 2-door 5-speed XJ
_"Yes, tow hooks _are_ required!_
<A HREF="http://www.4wdlow.com/tcmain.htm[/quote]" TARGET=_blank>http://www.4wdlow.com/tcmain.htm[/quote]</A>

Alex--
Not sure how this would affect an XJ. Maybe Blaine or someone with more suspension experience can chime in on this.

97 ZJ 8.0" lift, Armed and plated "short bus".

Z-what? · #16 03-21-2002, 01:57 PM

Blaine,
Call me slow, but I'm sitting here trying to understand how the AR bar is going to control the flex and axles off-road. It seems to me that when the bar is disconnected at both ends it will pivot freely and have no more control than running with the swaybar completely disconnected. Does the AR bar have some something built into that limits the amount of flex? I'm not too clear on how exactly this bar works. I'm trying to weigh out the benefits of a solid (upgraded) swaybar on-road with the Currie bar on-road and take into account the benefits of running the Currie bar off-road instead of being completely disconnected.

94 ZJ 6.5" lift

Robert J. Yates · #17 03-21-2002, 02:29 PM

I became a proponent of the Anti-rock after I went to 35's. The first time out with 35's I used my trusty JKS disco's up front and the tub flopped over like an old waterbed mattress anytime the spings unloaded. This put my tires into my fenderwells front and rear while not doing a thing for stability.

I then added an Anti-rock up front and with Blaines' help, adapted a set of Anti-rock links to my rear swaybar and the difference is unbelievable. The tub now maintains sqaure positioning front to rear and does not flop over when the springs unload - tough close quarters obstacles can now be taken with much more confidence and finesse. I found that I do carry a front tire a bit more often (and still not much) with it but I am locked so I really don't care - I have had enough of the tub unloading on obstacles, especially on the Hammers - that was expensive and am ok with sacrificing as Blaine says the last 100 points of my RTI score.

The Anti-rock works in the same manner as your rear swaybar - it twists. Technically the way it is set-up, at least on TJ's, makes it a torsion bar.

98 TJ Sport
D44ARB/D30Detroit/Teralow/35" MTr's

Daless2 · #18 03-21-2002, 03:42 PM

Hi Folks,

I'd like to pick your brains a bit on the Currie AR and what you feel the differences might be on my Jeep "On the Street"

As most of you know my Jeep would be considered a "Low Rider" if sitting next to most of yours.

The pertinent info of my setup is;

97 TJ, 32" BFG/MT's, a 2 inch lift, 1 inch body lift, and what I conceder to be absolutely great Edelbrock IAS shocks, and first generation JKS disconnects.

I have a ton of upgrades sitting in the my shop waiting for me to install in a week or so. Mostly drive train. None will be raising the height.

Obviously I don't have Johnson Valley as my rock garden either, but for the type of wheeling I do most here in the Kentucky area I am very pleased with the off road performance and incredible ability to climb steep grades.

(That's the Strong Point. Weak point is very big rocks! Just doesn't have the clearance with these tires and lift. Anyway....)

I'm sold on and like the idea of more control offered by the Currie AR bar in the off road environment.

What I have an interested in is your first hand knowledge. How you think it would effect my Jeep "On the Street".

While my TJ is not used as a daily driver it could be. Not only by myself, but also my wife and my daughter drive it. A lot of highway driving.

The Currie on-line catalog states:

Quote:
CAUTION: Jeeps will have more body roll than stock. This Sway Bar may be used on the street however, it will not provide the same performance as the stock setup.
End quote.

What do you folks think this will do to my Jeeps "on street" performance???

My primary concern is Handling Safety.

One more piece of info.

I went from DT 3000 shocks to the Edelbrock IAS shocks.
(Off road they seem to perform the same for me.)

But On Road the difference was night and day when it comes to stopping the Jeep body roll in corners.

Can't and wouldn't say they turned my TJ into a sports car but it really was a remarkable improvement in handling.

I share this so you know I have some "room" to work with here in the "on street body roll department."

Anyway, your thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Frank

Jeff Weston · #19 03-21-2002, 08:53 PM

Frank,

At first, you will definitely notice a bit more body roll, especially if you have it on its lightest setting. I actually now prefer the way my Jeep rides on the street with the AR. Bumps hit at an angle are a lot less jarring. Addionally, the body roll seems to be more uniform, front to back. With the stock swaybars, I felt like the back end wanted to come around on me while the stiff front bar kept the front in place.

As for articulation, my Jeep ramps nearly the same with the AR as it did before. While the front may get a little less travel than before, the rear springs tend to work harder. I would think that this would help out the Handlebar's XJ with stiffer rear springs.

Can you tell that I dig this thing?

Jeff

mrblaine · #20 03-22-2002, 06:13 AM

Frank, try as I might, I cannot come up with any analogous situations to prove why or how the AR works better. I would also believe that is why some people remove them.

Another reason is that it is not until you start extracting every bit of performance from your jeep on the trails that you really begin to appreciate it.

With the heavy front bar on the street, it is the one doing most of the work. When you balance it front to rear and let the front and rear work together more, you will feel a difference in the handling. You do get more body roll, but it feels different.

Once you get to where you can trust it, it's no longer a problem. Just takes some getting used to.

It is impossible to ascertain the value of something until you have paid for it a few times.

Daless2 · #21 03-22-2002, 06:33 AM

Hi Jeff, Hi Blaine,

Thank you both for your input.

I think I will give this a try, even thought quite clearly my Jeep isn't stretching the limits of performance, perhaps I can get some value off road without sacrificing too much handling stability on road.

When I think about it this certainly isn't a complex mod.

If it doesn't work out to my liking I'm sure I could take it off and re-sell it to someone else who might get more benefit on a more built Jeep.

Thanks, I appreciate your information.

Frank

Robert J. Yates · #22 03-22-2002, 09:07 AM

With the Anti-rock on the street, while there is a bit more body roll, the rear end is planted much more firmly - frankly, the Jeep holds a line in a corner much better now than it did even when stock.

Blaine is also holding out on you Frank - Kats Jeep had an Anti-rock on it when it was stock. Those little links he adapted certainly could qualify as cute - almost "fluffy"

98 TJ Sport
D44ARB/D30Detroit/Teralow/35" MTr's

AAMC · #23 03-22-2002, 11:48 AM

I like. The full coil busses lean like stink. It would definitely be nice to have something like this, especially for the rear, to improve off road performance.

Anton Cabellon

'00 WJ, 7" lift
Specs and Mods
Midwest Jeepthing

papromike · #24 03-25-2002, 06:43 AM

Chris, I am in....

Michael...

p.s. ....e0-mail me...

big family truckster