The sway bar - more accurately referred to as the "anti-sway bar" - helps stabilize the vehicle's body in relation to the suspension. It is attached to both chassis rails and connected to the axle housing using sway bar end links. The sway bar's spring steel construction allows it to function like a torsion bar, resisting vehicle body roll during cornering. On the road, sway bars are critical to proper vehicle handling and control. Although virtually transparent to the driver, make no mistake about the importance of this device to vehicle safety. Jeep engineers carefully design sway bars to ensure the proper rate of resistance for each unique model.

Off-road, however, the sway bar counteracts the suspension's ability to function independently of the chassis, thus preventing the tires from maintaining contact with uneven terrain. Unless equipped with a locking differential, engine power is transferred to the tires without traction and the vehicle is unable to continue forward progress.