REVIEW: Apex autoLYNX anti-sway bar disconnects
Photo of stock anti-sway bar
Review By Fred GinsburgWHAT ARE ANTI-SWAY BARS?
Standard Jeep anti-sway bars are located in the front fender area, just behind your tires. The front anti-sway bar is attached to both frame rails in the center using a rubber bushing assembly, which prevents vibration from being transmitted into the frame while allowing the bar to rotate. The anti-sway bar end links are bolted to the axle housing at two mounting points, one on either side. Anti-sway bars prevent the cabin from swaying & rocking too much during highway travel at higher speeds.
However, at slow speeds when offroading, those same anti-sway bars reduce the amount of articulation (freedom of your axles to go up/down) and actually transmit more lateral vibration to the cabin when you drive over uneven terrain such as washboarding and rocks. In other words, you feel like you are being tossed side to side inside your jeep.
CONNECT AND DISCONNECT
Many offroaders prefer to disconnect their anti-sway bars at the beginning of a run; and to reconnect them prior to heading home on a highway.
Rubicons come equipped with an electric anti-sway bar disconnect, activated by a switch on your dashboard that remotely unlocks the sway bars. Note that on the Rubicon, the anti-sway bar itself is not physically disconnected; instead, it is a piston type affair that is permitted to freely lengthen/shorten within a housing.
All other Jeeps have a “permanent” anti-sway bar that is fixed length and bolted in place.
Numerous vendors manufacture “quick disconnects” that replace the original bolts at the lower connecting point with a less permanent attachment, often with an easily removed bolt secured with cotter pin or pull pin.
After the anti-sway bar is manually disconnected from its lower attachment -- you swing it upwards out of the way and cable tie it, or latch it, to the upper part of the frame. At the conclusion of the run, you unlatch the sway bar, swing it back down, and refasten the bolt/pin. Sometimes easier said than done, as you may have to encourage the upper frame to reposition itself to allow the holes to line up.
About the new Apex autoLYNX anti-sway bar disconnects
Here is Fred’s review. THEY WORK. To lock or unlock the sway bars, all you have to do is to rotate the blue lever knob 180 degrees. Takes literally 5 seconds. While deflating your tires, just reach under the fender and turn the knob. That's it!
At the end of the run, same thing. No jumping up and down or trying to align bolts while scrambling around in the dirt under the front end of your jeep. So simple, even an unfit 69 year olde (like me) can do it.
Why would you want disconnects?
So why disconnect your anti-sway bars? It made such a world of difference on a recent run through Bitter Springs. Usually we get tossed side to side inside of our cabin when traversing washboard trails, or rock gardens. But the disconnects provide greater axle articulation along with isolation of the cabin -- way, way smoother ride. Like someone added a full layer of cushioning.
How does it work?
Instead of your anti-sway bar being a solid bar, bolted top and bottom -- the Apex is a telescoping shaft inside of a cylinder. Picture a piston inside of a shock absorber (or Rubicon auto disconnect).
Photo of installed Apex AutoLYNX
When locked, the shaft does not move. When unlocked (disconnected), the telescoping lower shaft allows the axle to articulate up/down freely.
Unlike traditional anti-sway bar disconnects-- you do not need to pull out cotter pins, remove a bolt, and strap the sway bar up & out of the way; nor to repeat the process in order to replace the bar at the end of the run.
What’s the Price?
The Apex autoLYNX list for $450/pair from Apex Designs. If you are a vet, military, law enforcement, medical, or first responder -- you can get $50 discount. Or, find a local dealer. Add another hundred or so for professional installation, or do it yourself if you are handy.
Check out this video from APEX Performance Products
Install video of the APEX autoLYNX
Desert Wranglers is not affiliated with or is sponsored by MOPAR. This video is for instructional purposes only.