Looks interesting, but why couldn’t they have built them with lockouts like mountain bike shocks…
https://www.apexdesignsusa.com/products/airlynx-jeep-jl-jt-jk
https://www.apexdesignsusa.com/products/airlynx-jeep-jl-jt-jk
Interesting take on sway links
- Thread starter Artsifrtsi
- Start date
Its only adjustable until it bottoms out.
Walker Evans makes a product like that for UTVs but its not adjustable. I have customers that run that with a sway bar disconnect for when they do rocks and trails.
Walker Evans makes a product like that for UTVs but its not adjustable. I have customers that run that with a sway bar disconnect for when they do rocks and trails.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
I'm in conversation with Apex about adapting these to the TJ. I actually think these can be adapted if mounted upside down and using a bracket on the swaybar end similar to the JKS disco's.
I haven't pulled the trigger on a set yet. I'm waiting for a few measurements, but if there's a good chance these will work out, I'll be the guinea pig. I'll just need to fab a mount.
Why not just get an Antirock? Simple. I don't want an Antirock. My jeep is largely on forest roads these days with minimal crawling. Antirock would be overkill for my use case and be too loose on the road for my liking. My rig is heavier than most.
I want something I can fine tune for more on AND off-road comfort. These will help mitigate head bobble, give me more articulation (I'm tired of disconnecting my JKS links), and when my kids get the Jeep, I can pressure them up for safer on-road manners.
I haven't pulled the trigger on a set yet. I'm waiting for a few measurements, but if there's a good chance these will work out, I'll be the guinea pig. I'll just need to fab a mount.
Why not just get an Antirock? Simple. I don't want an Antirock. My jeep is largely on forest roads these days with minimal crawling. Antirock would be overkill for my use case and be too loose on the road for my liking. My rig is heavier than most.
I want something I can fine tune for more on AND off-road comfort. These will help mitigate head bobble, give me more articulation (I'm tired of disconnecting my JKS links), and when my kids get the Jeep, I can pressure them up for safer on-road manners.
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The adjustability is only good until it bottoms out. Bottomed out or pressurized to the point it doesn't compress will not increase the rate of the sway bar it is connected to.
Those will not give you more articulation than a disconnected sway bar.
Those will not give you more articulation than a disconnected sway bar.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Maybe I didn't convey my point well.
I'm not expecting more articulation than a disconnected sway bar, but I am expecting more than the factory sway bar PLUS the added benefit of reducing the bobble.
Additionally, I like that the factory rate of the swaybar kicks back in once the AirLynx bottoms out. This will stiffen up the body roll on harder turns providing better road manners than an anti-rock...on paper.
For my intended purpose, this checks all the boxes. And to your point - not a new concept. UTV's and high speed offroad race applications have been using something like this for quite some time.
The SwayLoc does what you are wanting. Plus it is nicer on the street than the factory sway bar. It is both stiffer from the larger torsion bar and less jarring due to the longer lever arms.
These do nothing to increase the spring rate of the sway bar. You are only changing the connection.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Man we're just talking right past each other tonight LOL. Yes I understand they don't increase the spring rate. But once bottomed out, the stiffness returns to the factory spring rate.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Interesting. I knew the SwayLoc was stiffer than factory on the road setting, but in my mind that didn't translate to less jarring. Conceptually, the way you explained it makes sense. Longer arms means more leverage which should translate to a smoother force curve.
How does that affect perceived bobble? I would think bobble doesn't change. If anything, it may worsen given the stiffer rate but perhaps with a less jarring seat feel? To mitigate bobble, I would think you need some independent give on each side of the sway bar. The AirLynx would allow me to fine tune that while still maintaining desirable road manners.
What I can tell you is that I can leave the SwayLoc on street mode far longer on a rough gravel road than I could with the factory bar before I would pull the disconnects.
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Won't it start rotating once it bottoms out and then start extending again as it rotates upward?
(not making any statement about it's usefulness as a sway bar link)
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Can you elaborate on what you mean by rotate? The stock swaybar is still the limiting factor once the AirLynx has gone through all of its travel.
Do people actually not like the antirock on road? I think it's pretty nice on and off road.
The nicer the shocks are, the better the Antirock is on the road where excessive body roll is concerned. It is an interesting juggling act that makes more sense in hindsight after the shocks are doing the bulk of work to mitigate roll in all directions.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
I've read mixed feedback, but the overwhelming majority don't mind the ride. It is a compromise in physics though. I'm running OME shocks, so I'm sure the body roll would be more than manageable.
My kids will inherit the Jeep in a few years. I'm trying to find a better balancing act that keeps safety in mind (as safe as a short wheelbase Jeep can be).
Like I said. My jeep is heavier than most. It'll have more body roll from the weight alone.
I've got the OME shocks as well, and upgraded from JKS quick discos to the swayloc 18 months ago. One of the best upgrades I've made and second JJVW's comments.
In addition, the TJ feels more planted on road with far less of the top heavy/ body roll feel. Eases through corners much more smoothly and gradually. The same applies to all lateral movement. Significant improvement in all aspects offroad as well.
I've never owned an Antitock, but have driven my buddy's TJ with one and didn't enjoy it at all on road (only experience with it).
Our jeeps look to be very similarly set up. Not sure where you are in the Phoenix area, but if you're ever over near Gilbert, I'm happy to meet somewhere and take a ride for you to get a first hand comparison.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
My man! I'm in the central area, but I'll make the pilgrimage to experience a SwayLoc. I'll slide into your DM's at some point and we can coordinate something.
ShredAZ
TJ Enthusiast
Update on the Apex AirLynks. There is oil inside, and Apex thought running them upside down might cause problems. I'm not sure I buy it because some of their Toyota offerings have the piston mounted upside down. Either way, I abandoned the idea for now.
As luck would have it though, a set of JKS FlexConnects fell into my lap for $100. At that price I'm willing to take a risk (for science). Same principle, but they use springs instead of air pressure. The FlexConnects can still fully be disconnected if I'm doing something more technical.
@DaveC - I'm still willing to take you up on the offer. Might be interesting to compare the two once the FlexConnexts arrive.
As luck would have it though, a set of JKS FlexConnects fell into my lap for $100. At that price I'm willing to take a risk (for science). Same principle, but they use springs instead of air pressure. The FlexConnects can still fully be disconnected if I'm doing something more technical.
@DaveC - I'm still willing to take you up on the offer. Might be interesting to compare the two once the FlexConnexts arrive.
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I vote swayloc for the exact same reasons as listed above.
To answer your initial question. Mountain Bike Lockouts are not supposed to be ridden hard or jumped when locked out. The lockout feature is for climbing up the mountain before bombing down. As bikes get bigger and suspension gets rowdier lockout features go away. Fox made an 831 specifically for jumping. It was essentially a rigid fork until you over shot a jump, land to flat and needs some give, it does not have a lockout feature its just a super stiff fork. I have blown multiple shocks weighing 190 lbs jumping bikes, I would imagine the "lockout" would explode rather quick with the forces applied in this situation.
The speeds are far greater and the forces much higher. Not saying its not possible to design a lockout that would work in this application it just would not or should not be like a mountain bike shock.
To answer your initial question. Mountain Bike Lockouts are not supposed to be ridden hard or jumped when locked out. The lockout feature is for climbing up the mountain before bombing down. As bikes get bigger and suspension gets rowdier lockout features go away. Fox made an 831 specifically for jumping. It was essentially a rigid fork until you over shot a jump, land to flat and needs some give, it does not have a lockout feature its just a super stiff fork. I have blown multiple shocks weighing 190 lbs jumping bikes, I would imagine the "lockout" would explode rather quick with the forces applied in this situation.
The speeds are far greater and the forces much higher. Not saying its not possible to design a lockout that would work in this application it just would not or should not be like a mountain bike shock.
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