Ome 863

[RobRed]

When one side of the suspension changes angle it induces the load on the sway bar... when you lift the truck you are changing the neutral position of the bar. As soon as the angle changes on the lifted truck the suspension has to work against an instantly max loaded sway bar because the neutral point on one side becomes severely different. The longer link restores the stock (or close to stock) loading characteristics of the bar. You are not changing shock values but you are lowering the leverage against them (via sway bar induced leverage) as the suspension moves through it's arc.

If the truck were perfectly level and no suspension moves, then the longer links make no difference. Once there is a side to side difference the effect becomes very apparent.

Disconnect your stock links from your lifted 100 and see if the ride quality changes.

 

[SanDiegoCruiser]

Rob, is this more noticeable with extended rear sway bars or both front & rear? I have extended rear and have really not noticed much difference.

 

[spressomon]

Sorry...I'm 180 off in opinion on the extended links making any real difference to the ride quality. Yes: If the anti-sway bar is removed there is a pronounced difference in suspension compliancy...albeit to a detrimental effect for emergency/quick highway speed maneuvers. But 1-2" extensions are not going to alter how the ASB levers at normal ride height.

Yes...at the extremes of articulation it will make a difference with regard to articulation and travel. But can't see how it will make a difference for normal driving.

Just my 2 cents...and maybe all its worth.

 

[RobRed]

Rob, is this more noticeable with extended rear sway bars or both front & rear? I have extended rear and have really not noticed much difference.

Front's made the bigger difference.

Sorry...I'm 180 off in opinion on the extended links making any real difference to the ride quality. Yes: If the anti-sway bar is removed there is a pronounced difference in suspension compliancy...albeit to a detrimental effect for emergency/quick highway speed maneuvers. But 1-2" extensions are not going to alter how the ASB levers at normal ride height.

Yes...at the extremes of articulation it will make a difference with regard to articulation and travel. But can't see how it will make a difference for normal driving.

Just my 2 cents...and maybe all its worth.

Dan I certainly respect your opinion and experience. I could be very well be insane.

There is a ton of tension on the ASB as soon as the suspension starts to cycle right and left. The lifted truck exaggerates this as soon as you tension the ASB with movement. You are certainly correct about the articulation as the longer links free up some of that resistance in the travel. This effect also reduces roll stiffness. So what we might call articulation is also translates in compliance as the ASB tension is changed during normal driving.

I have no dog in this hunt other than I noticed the crazy tension on the bars and wanted to return them to neutral, post lift. The ride change was just a side benefit. My investment in the links was $35 for the rear and $40 for the front... $75 all in.

For those interested my current setup is:

-Rad Flo 2.5" Remote Reservoir Shocks
-Total Chaos UCAs
-OME 863 Rear Springs
-OME 303001 Torsion Bars
-Slee Diff Drop
-Extreme Land Cruiser Extended rear ASB Links
-Custom RobRed Extended (2") front Sway Bar Links
-Metaltech Adjustable Rear Control Arms (upper/lower) installing tomorrow

Complete details in my build link.

 

[DJWUZJ]

I can vouch for @RobRed and the ASB link extension.

I only did the rears, but even with just those, the best way I could describe it is that the truck felt "less arthritic" in the buttocks.

I also don't see any downside in this, unless you are running a stock lift, at which point there could be negative consequences.

It's a cheap mod, with no documented trade off, that could also net some piece of mind under full flex that your chances of snapping ASB link or mount would decrease. I think @CappyKD had this happen recently in Moab.

 

[CappyKD]

I can vouch for @RobRed and the ASB link extension.

I only did the rears, but even with just those, the best way I could describe it is that the truck felt "less arthritic" in the buttocks.

I also don't see any downside in this, unless you are running a stock lift, at which point there could be negative consequences.

It's a cheap mod, with no documented trade off, that could also net some piece of mind under full flex that your chances of snapping ASB link or mount would decrease. I think @CappyKD had this happen recently in Moab.

I snapped the rear passengers side rear mount off of the frame, but that wasn't in Moab. That was after my first trip to Moab and before my second. The first time I went to Moab, last October it was my TPS that went out. In spring at CM 2014 the only thing I did was rip the bolts out of the captured nuts in the frame from dragging my front bumper on ledges and not removing the factory "tow" hook. (Didn't see the extent of the bumper carnage until I got home.)

I haven't touched ASB mount extensions yet, because I am still running the AHC, so most of the time the geometry is normal. When my AHC fails and I swap to a convention setup, I will address the end links.