Is this a broken sway bar
- Thread starter Catwood
- Start date
1KoolAsp 14TA
Enthusiast
yes it is!!!!
Bad Asp 06
Enthusiast
That's been put back to gether with a band-aid?
Seriously....
It appears that it broke and someone tried to jam a metal tube in it to hold it together.
Thoughts?
Thoughts? Yea, replace it ASAP! UPGRADE!!!!
Ricksnake1
Enthusiast
That`s the oldest car hustlers trick in the book. That and filling the rear end and trans with saw dust. Makes the gears runs smooth for a while.
(I picked this up watching the Andy Griffith Show when Barney bought the old Ford)
(I picked this up watching the Andy Griffith Show when Barney bought the old Ford)
AZTVR
Enthusiast
How did you discover that ? The only way that I can conceive of it being cobbled together like that is that someone didn't want to spend the money for a used replacement, and had the time to take that off and do it themselves for a resale, with no labor cost. No way that the previous owner or his mechanic did that, and I would have thought that it would have been noticeable at his level of driving ? On the other hand, I can't picture how it would have been manufactured with an inner tube like that.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
Here's a very believable scenario: Broken sway bar was removed and a tube was added to hold the part in place and support it while it was being welded. It's the end of the day, and it doesn't get welded that day; but it is being held tightly together by that tube. For whatever reason, in the next day or three someone other than the welder thinks that the bar was repaired, picks it up and installs it; but, the welder never had finished the job. Maybe the car was never raced at speed after that by someone who was knowlegeable about what the car felt like when it was working "right," so no one detected it until now.
I discovered it last night doing my track prep. How I missed it twice before I don't know. It would help to explain some dancing the car does at moments. I'm going to pull it today and see if I can get it welded and in the long run order a replacement.
LifeIsGood
Enthusiast
You may want to upgrade the stabilizer bar brackets and bushings. I'm not saying that you need to, but as long as you're taking them off...I just installed these yesterday...
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LifeIsGood
Enthusiast
I got them from Mark at IPSCO. I'll be doing an Illustrated Upgrades/How-To/DIY thread on these in the near future.
It's got something similar now. I need to fix or replace asap for an upcoming track day. Welding may be the option I can do today as NAPA won't have these in stock 
What I don't know is if the bar is stock or aftermarket. It's 1 1/8" diameter. I'm trying to find out what the stock size is but haven't fount it yet.
What I don't know is if the bar is stock or aftermarket. It's 1 1/8" diameter. I'm trying to find out what the stock size is but haven't fount it yet.
AZTVR
Enthusiast
I just measured my '02 rear bar. It is 7/8". The part # for 01 and 02 is the same. I'd say that yours is an aftermarket upgrade and probably is the reason why someone perhaps started repairing it rather than doing a quick replacement and it didn't get finished for whatever reason..
LifeIsGood
Enthusiast
Stock rear is 7/8", front is 1 1/16". Have fun at the track. 
luc
Enthusiast
I will check what type of metal it is B4 welding it, cold roll steel, tempered steel, spring steel, etc
Some can be welded and some can't ( will loose it's spring properties)
Jerome Sparich
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Carl, I would try and find a used one. If you weld that when it goes to twist and may just twist that weld apart. That would not be fun in the middle of a high speed sweeper.
You should never weld something like that. Any place that does sure is looking to get sued.
You should never weld something like that. Any place that does sure is looking to get sued.
1KoolAsp 14TA
Enthusiast
i agree that bar is toast 
Jerome Sparich
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Edit: Thought you needed a front bar
Last edited:
JohnnyViper
Enthusiast
wow that was a bs repair.....
Tom F&L GoR
Enthusiast
This is not advice, only some limited experience.
I built a replica Cobra and was trying various sway bars. I would visit the junkyard and buy something close to fitting, then cut and weld to better fit. As long as the welding stick is stronger than the spring material, the weld will stay stiff while the bar does the twisting. In my case, I only cut/welded the arms, never the center section. In fact, I often added a piece of flat stock that allowed me to drill several holes for the end link to attach to. Again, not advice, but if the arm is stiff (by using the proper welding rod and/or adding braces) then it won't bend, but the center section remains the torsional spring you desire. How well the weld area is prepared (chamfered ends, etc) makes a difference.
Alll in all, unpleasant surprise!
I built a replica Cobra and was trying various sway bars. I would visit the junkyard and buy something close to fitting, then cut and weld to better fit. As long as the welding stick is stronger than the spring material, the weld will stay stiff while the bar does the twisting. In my case, I only cut/welded the arms, never the center section. In fact, I often added a piece of flat stock that allowed me to drill several holes for the end link to attach to. Again, not advice, but if the arm is stiff (by using the proper welding rod and/or adding braces) then it won't bend, but the center section remains the torsional spring you desire. How well the weld area is prepared (chamfered ends, etc) makes a difference.
Alll in all, unpleasant surprise!
well, it's welded and in the car. The welder penetrated the dowel and added two stiffners top and bottom and did a stitch weld on both sides.
If I can get one in the mean quick I may change it other wise...going to the track.
seriously, what's wrong with a welded repair
signed
Ayrton Senna
If I can get one in the mean quick I may change it other wise...going to the track.
seriously, what's wrong with a welded repair
signed
Ayrton Senna
-FROG-
Enthusiast
I think I have a spare Gen I front sway bar. PM me if you need it.
Are they rare or something? I haven't replaced one but I can't imagine they;d be that expensive. Good luck finding it and stay ON the track....not like this:
[media]http://vimeo.com/23181852[/media]
(not a swaybar issue but an interesting vid from CMP this past weekend. The fellow put the Subie 10 feet up in a tree after missing entry to T3......)
[media]http://vimeo.com/23181852[/media]
(not a swaybar issue but an interesting vid from CMP this past weekend. The fellow put the Subie 10 feet up in a tree after missing entry to T3......)
