Has my rear sway bar's structural integrity been compromised?
#1
Has my rear sway bar's structural integrity been compromised?
The nut/stud combo holding the sway bar bushing U-bracket to the larger sway bar mount had turned into a lump of rust. While cutting it off with an angle grinder, I nicked the sway bar with the cutting wheel.
Here's what it looks like now:
Is it at risk of snapping or something at that point?
Here's what it looks like now:
Is it at risk of snapping or something at that point?
#2
Senior Member
iTrader: (3)
Aren't these things supposed to be solid steel all the way through? I would honestly forget about it, but if you really care, remove it. Lots of people deliberately run without rear sway bars to reduce the oversteer our FCs have. I can't see why it would be catastrophically bad to run without one on the street.
#3
Engine, Not Motor
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You may eventually see some cracking on that bar. It's a big spring, so introducing a gash concentrates that force.
If you want to use it you can take a flap wheel to smooth the transition and polish it out, removing the stress areas as much as you can.
If you want to use it you can take a flap wheel to smooth the transition and polish it out, removing the stress areas as much as you can.
#4
Red Pill Dealer
iTrader: (10)
I can't speak on this sway bar not knowing it's origins but, some are hollow. The place to get a hint whether it's hollow or not is the end that is flattened. Clean the very end edge and see if it looks like a smashed tube or just a flattened bar.
#5
Instrument Of G0D.
iTrader: (1)
The bar is cactus. If you want to do the experiment just for ***** and giggles, put in back in and see how long it takes to shear and report back.Just make sure that if and when it fails it doesnt hit the ground and carnage your fuel tank and under carriage.
As said some people dont run a rear bar but if you are buying new bushes and brackets i woulndt waste them on that bar, get another one.
As said some people dont run a rear bar but if you are buying new bushes and brackets i woulndt waste them on that bar, get another one.
#6
Rotary Enthusiast
iTrader: (1)
You could do what Aaron said.
Or you could buy another used one or an aftermarket one. It looks rusty, not that it effects the performance of it much. I'm sure plenty of people are throwing their stock ones away or selling them for dirt cheap. We're not as rich as the 3rd gen guys, so we end up selling parts for cheap, or lowballing when buying parts
Or you could buy another used one or an aftermarket one. It looks rusty, not that it effects the performance of it much. I'm sure plenty of people are throwing their stock ones away or selling them for dirt cheap. We're not as rich as the 3rd gen guys, so we end up selling parts for cheap, or lowballing when buying parts
#7
The bar is cactus. If you want to do the experiment just for ***** and giggles, put in back in and see how long it takes to shear and report back.Just make sure that if and when it fails it doesnt hit the ground and carnage your fuel tank and under carriage.
As said some people dont run a rear bar but if you are buying new bushes and brackets i woulndt waste them on that bar, get another one.
As said some people dont run a rear bar but if you are buying new bushes and brackets i woulndt waste them on that bar, get another one.
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#8
Rotary Freak
iTrader: (1)
I wouldn't reuse that bar - it won't fail immediately, but like Aaron said, it's a spring, and the cut creates not just a weak point, but an area that concentrates force. These cars have too much rear bar, so if this was the 14mm bar from TII/GXL/Sport suspension and you have the base 12mm bar, you'll find it's actually an upgrade. I've run a base 12mm rear bar for years, and went to a 28mm front bar as well, and the car is still tail-happy on track. Your rear suspension can't put power to the ground well when the stiff bar is trying to lift the inside rear off the pavement.
#9
I wouldn't reuse that bar - it won't fail immediately, but like Aaron said, it's a spring, and the cut creates not just a weak point, but an area that concentrates force. These cars have too much rear bar, so if this was the 14mm bar from TII/GXL/Sport suspension and you have the base 12mm bar, you'll find it's actually an upgrade. I've run a base 12mm rear bar for years, and went to a 28mm front bar as well, and the car is still tail-happy on track. Your rear suspension can't put power to the ground well when the stiff bar is trying to lift the inside rear off the pavement.
#11
Rotary Freak
iTrader: (1)
Perhaps for the street, but most who track these cars go for no rear anti-roll bar, or significantly less relative to the front (ie., more front bar and the base rear bar). More rear bar on the street makes the car feel more responsive and agile, but at the limit, as on the track, FC's are notoriously prone to over-rotate - which can be entertaining to a point (or great for drifting), but slow. And then there's the point where you're leaving the track backwards into the weeds. Most people who track these cars also get rid of the DTSS bushings at the rear for the related reason of snap oversteer. I'm not on stock springs either, which makes a difference - 350lb/in fronts and 275lb/in rears with coilovers - which means I've also added significantly more front spring rate relative to the stock rear rates - and the car still likes to rotate - sometimes too much.
Last edited by rx7racerca; 08-19-15 at 07:50 AM.
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