Overland Ready

[SavageSunJeep]

interesting... I figured a recomendation towards a dual rate or discos would come about. I guess you really can't believe everything thats on the internet those two first hand opinions would have spewed a really good antirock, disco argument on JU and most other jeep boards

I have run discos, but never the dual rate. Discos are a On or Off proposition and driving a Jeep without them in a highway situation for say 500 miles is just not safe IMO.

As for dual rate, well it appears that it offers a "dual rate", no more, no less. The AR in fact offers multiple rates since it is adjustable in 5 different levels.

Not to digress but having adjustable shocks makes all the difference in the world. Between my shocks and AR I can fine-tune for off road, streets or high as I see fit in at least 45 different settings.

Albeit I have not run the AR for 6 years as Robert has I do have 4 years and about 50k miles on it; from city traffic to 3000 mile highway trips and I see no reason to change.

 

[robert j. yates]

Don is correct....the AR does contain 5 settings that changes the leverage on the torsion bar. With that said...the torsion bar in the AR is a fair bit smaller in diameter than the stock swaybar or the larger bar of the dual rate system. I run my AR on the second loosest setting and am fully confortable with it on the road.

As for shocks...while mine are not manually adjustable per se, they are a quality shock...Edelbrock IAS Extreme Travel Remotes. I had the rear shocks revalved by Edelbrock to siffen up the compression stroke a bit in anticipation of the trailer and I am happy with the result. The IAS valve system system that Edelbrock has patented is infinately reactive to road conditions and I am plenty confident in them.

 

[SavageSunJeep]

Don is correct....the AR does contain 5 settings that changes the leverage on the torsion bar. With that said...the torsion bar in the AR is a fair bit smaller in diameter than the stock swaybar or the larger bar of the dual rate system. I run my AR on the second loosest setting and am fully confortable with it on the road.

As for shocks...while mine are not manually adjustable per se, they are a quality shock...Edelbrock IAS Extreme Travel Remotes. I had the rear shocks revalved by Edelbrock to siffen up the compression stroke a bit in anticipation of the trailer and I am happy with the result. The IAS valve system system that Edelbrock has patented is infinately reactive to road conditions and I am plenty confident in them.

I have run the IAS and would say they fill bill for a shock that can react to different situations on/off road.

Point being you want a shock that reacts to differences rather than one that is just passive and gives the same response to all conditions.

Rancho now has a similar shock that is patented. I wanted to pick up a pair for my trailer but they currently do not have a size that works for me.

 

[Paradiddle]

Sway bar difference - between the dual and the AR

Hi,

I recognize a lot of you here from other Jeep forums. I was doing a search for light weight camp trailers for my TJ and found this place - cool looking site.

Anyway - I own a Swayloc - the first dual rate sway bar that Tough Stuff developed. It is still available and a high quality product.

I had an Anit Rock prior to the Swayloc and loved the off road performance (I'm a big Currie fan). The difference between the two, however is amazing. After the Swayloc my Jeep handled as good as if not better then when it had a stock front swaybar. Truely a fantastic upgrade. Mine is the original design that is air actuated, but now Off Road Only (ORO) has a manual version if you don't have on-board air.

I was running a stock rear sway bar up until my last build and now have a rear AR (which firms up the Jeep even more). I think the Swayloc was my favorite mod tying the big brakes and lockers.

I agree a Jeep isn't a rice rocket, but it is so nice to have one that turns flat and is predictable. Regarding the adjustments on the AR (the holes) the dual rate systems have that same adjustment. They are an AR inside of an outer sway bar - you engage both for stiff on road driving and disengage the outer bar for off road (leaving you with an AR).

A great upgrade and I think one that would benefit anyone towing. I've not hooked a trailer up yet - but I want to put a friends new Kimberly Kamper on to see how it works.

Jeff

 

[SavageSunJeep]

Jeff,
In talking with another buddy of mine today and seeing the 2 threads on here ref the swayloc it appears that the difference between the on-road handling between the 2 is one of a stiffer sway bar on the swayloc????? Where is my thinking wrong on this point.

That said, with the adjustability of the AR it might behoove (I like that word), behoove Currie to come out with a stiffer sway-bar option.


You think?

 

[ntsqd]

If single rate is all you need, why not build it yourself from a Stock Car Products bar and arms?

 

[Paradiddle]

Jeff,
In talking with another buddy of mine today and seeing the 2 threads on here ref the swayloc it appears that the difference between the on-road handling between the 2 is one of a stiffer sway bar on the swayloc????? Where is my thinking wrong on this point.

That said, with the adjustability of the AR it might behoove (I like that word), behoove Currie to come out with a stiffer sway-bar option.


You think?

Don,

Go to ORO's website. The Swaloc is an really dual rate Antirock type sway bar. It looks nearly the same as the Antirock with an OUTER hollow sway bar that the antirock looking sway bar rides in. You can link the two sway bars together giving you a slightly stiffer then stock drive - you use this on the street. When you go off-road you disconnect the outer bar essentially giving you the Antirock performance off road. For anyone who has wheeled off camber or on difficult trails where traction is a premium you'll know how balanced a TJ with the Antirock feels. Really the Swayloc is the best of both worlds.

Building a stiffer sway bar is not the solution - you want stiff on the road and balanced/Antirock off the road. I can't see a reason for Currie to build a stiffer AR - they work fantastic. If you want to return your Jeep to it's stock sway control regardless of lift and tires the Swayloc is for you.

Jeff

http://www.offroadonly.com/products/suspension/swayloc/index.shtml

This is a GIF of the manual version

 

[Lawrence]

A great upgrade and I think one that would benefit anyone towing. I've not hooked a trailer up yet - but I want to put a friends new Kimberly Kamper on to see how it works.
Jeff

Jeff,

When I pick it up, I'd be interested in hooking up with you to see what the difference is towing with the Antirock and towing with the Swaylock. But come on, fess up, the real reason you want to "tow" it is so that you can take it overnight You can borrow it anytime.

Jeff,
In talking with another buddy of mine today and seeing the 2 threads on here ref the swayloc it appears that the difference between the on-road handling between the 2 is one of a stiffer sway bar on the swayloc????? Where is my thinking wrong on this point.

That said, with the adjustability of the AR it might behoove (I like that word), behoove Currie to come out with a stiffer sway-bar option.


You think?

Don,

I have the Antirock and I really like it, but I drove Jeff's Jeep and another with the Swaylock, and it is pretty astounding onroad. After this experiment, I realized that as much as I like the Antirock, I had adjusted my driving style to it. With the Swaylock, you don't have to slow down entering a curve to avoid too much body roll. It takes a few curves to get used to it, but once you do, you drive the Jeep without thinking, just the way you would a stock one.

 

[robert j. yates]

Well....now that we have decided who has the best swaybar on their Jeep I thought I would get *my* thread back on topic. Overland preparation for me entailed looking at a number of different systems on my Jeep in anticipation of pulling my Horizon but long before I ordered the trailer, I already had gotten started by examining my electrical needs. The next couple of posts are about how I augmented my Jeeps' stock electrical system in order to provide me with in field welding repair ability, additional winching security and trailer battery bank charging.

I have long been a proponant of Odyssey batteries having had a poor experience with an Optima Yellowtop early on in my Jeeping experiences. The only real problem with the Odyssesy's was that there was only one dual kit available for them for a TJ with AC at the time and it used the smaller 925 series rather than the PC1200 I wanted to run. A couple of Off Road Expos ago I ran into Yawan Smith from Kodiack Industries who was working on a tray that would hold 2 PC1200's and allow me to keep my AC. It took Yawan a while to actually commercialize his product and I was one of the first in line once they hit production. You can find my install write-up on my good Friend Stu Olsons' site and I am also attaching a picture of it installed....

http://www.stu-offroad.com/electrical/kodiak/kodiak-1.htm

To the dual battery set-up, I immediately added a Ready Welder so that infield repairs on broken parts could be effectuated. I like this welder better than a Premier or MobiArc due to the fact that it is not tied in to the vehicles electrical system. I have also seen it used and used it myself and frankly, once you get used to the hot tip, it is a valuable tool to have in your arsenal.

http://www.readywelder.com/

Finally, in anticipation of ordering the trailer and during my motor build, I decided to bite the bullet and get a high amperage alternator. After looking at my options and pricing, I decided to procure a 20-920-237 220 amp alternator locally here in So Cal from Mechman. With the harness and adapter bracket, it wasn't cheap but with 100amps at idle and 220 amps at 2100rpm available, it suited my needs perfectly.

http://www.mechman.com/alt.htm

A couple of notes on the install...at Dennis' (Mechman) recomendation, I elected to use 1O cabling for the new alternator so as to protect my harness from surge. Also, this alternator would not have fit with the stock TJ airbox in place and as it was, I had to massage the inner fender with some BFH to provide for some clearance. A picture of the Mechman tucked into place is also attached.

 

[robert j. yates]

I ordered my Horizon with dual batteries in order to further provide me with plenty of on-vehicle power...particularly for the Engle fridge. One of the reasons why I went with the Mechman alternator was so that I could adequately charge both Odysseys' on my Jeep and the 2 Dekas' on the Horizon. While a charge circuit for the trailer was easy enough to figure out...I wanted to make sure I was in control of the decision on when to charge and that required a bit of extra work.

I started by deciding on the use of 10guage wire from the main Oddysey on the Jeep and to control it, I went to Napa. There I picked up a 100amp heavy duty solenoid along with a 100amp in-line fuse bus. I mounted these along the inner passenger side fender as I had already removed my stock airbox so I had plenty of space. Pictures are attached.....

I determined that I would completely isolate the second Odyssey on my rig except for winching purposes so the solenoid controls the trailer charge off the primary battery. To control the solenoid, I added a 20amp marine grade switch and LED in the cab. With the switch in the on position, the LED is illuminated and I am sending a charge back to the 7pin for the Horizon. One note....the switch is active only when the Jeep is in run position. It was wired into the wiper circuit as a precaution so that it would be automatically disabled when in the start or crank position.

 

[robert j. yates]

One final bit of electrical preparation was a brake controller for the electric brakes on my Horizon. I have known about the Prodigy controller for some time and in further conversation with Mario...I decided that it would be my choice of controller.

The real issue was where to put it in a tight and getting tighter TJ passenger compartment. I am planning a purchanse of Lowrance GPS and the Prodigy has some placement requirements so that it will work correctly so after some head scratching...I got it into a place that is out of the way, yet easily accessible while preserving existing functionality of my center console.

I have also attached a pic of where I placed the 7pin connector. I'd like to find a better place for it but at this point...I called my electrical mods good for now and consider that element of my Overland Ready schedule complete.

 

[DevEmp]

Very similar to the direction I'm heading - dual batteries, controllable charging circuit for trailer, brake controller. I'm also planning on a roof rack with a removable/connectorized harness for the lights I'd like to mount on it. I'll probably go with a standard 4 pin trailer harness for that. I'm also planning on tube fenders for the front, so I'll probably have to do those before the dual battery (and OBA). What style of battery isolator did you end up using, and where did you mount it? I'll probably pick up all of my electrical parts and have the "backbone" of the system in long before I actually stuff in another battery or get brakes on the trailer.

 

[robert j. yates]

If you are talking about the isolator/manager on the Jeep...it was included with the Kodiack kit. Pretty much your standard continuous duty 250 switchable solenoid as seen in the other dual kits on the market.

The trailer does not use a manager to control the Dekas' but it does have a smart charger for when its parked.