Sway Bar + Sway Bar Link

[drthrift035]

I believe that the sway bar and sway bar links are a safety hazard if they are not functioning properly. However, I have heard other people say that it does not affect safety. How could it not affect safety if the driving experience is compromised especially when turning. Please let me know what you think ?

Topic

[Dave]

I removed them from my 88 chevy with no problems after. Most people that come in at work with broken end links don’t know it.

[drthrift035]

Really. I had a guy come to me a day later after I did his brakes and he noticed something very funny concerning them right away.

[college man]

It will affect body roll which is the handling of the car.
it will make the cars handling floaty or soft.I suggest safety
concern.

[Bill]

I think it depends on the vehicle as to it’s effectiveness. Broken components are not ideal but as far as safety it’s hard for me to say. I guess it depends on the situation the car might get into. If it wasn’t needed the car companies sure wouldn’t install it.

[exceptionalchris]

is this a question for a test??? sounds like it. lol. my biggest safely concern would be the driver.

[drthrift035]

[quote=”exceptionalchris” post=70707]is this a question for a test??? sounds like it. lol. my biggest safely concern would be the driver.[/quote]

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

[Bluesnut]

It is a safety issue because as collegeman stated; it affects body roll and handling.

The difference between an in-place, operative sway bar and a broken or missing one could make a life and death difference in a panic situation.

[drthrift035]

[quote=”Bluesnut” post=70753]It is a safety issue because as collegeman stated; it affects body roll and handling.

The difference between an in-place, operative sway bar and a broken or missing one could make a life and death difference in a panic situation.[/quote]

Wow. That makes perfect sense !

[NissanMaxx]

You have to remember that a lot of car makes don’t even bother to put sway bars in there car so to me it’s not that important. The sway bar gave me a lot of issues on my previous Maxima so I ended up removing it. Never had issues afterward. However a sway bar is important if your going to use the car for drifting and racing. Other than that I think it’s pointless.

[AccordinGB]

This is what ETC is all about. Thank you for the info.

I was doing the brake maintenance on my 07 Accord with 55K on the clock yesterday, and saw the stabilizer bar link (Honda’s term) just hanging there. I was concerned, as I had just come back from a 300 mile day trip, and may have put my family at risk. I had no idea how important the part was in providing safety or proper alignment.

The cup holding the ball end is just made of plastic, with 4 tabs of the plastic part sticking through holes in the metal bar part. One of the tabs broke off and the thing let go. As only one tab was holding it, it looks like it was bad from the factory and it took 7 years for it to go anyway.

Bottom line is that it was a $14 part from AutoZone, and it was not as serious as I had first thought.

Again, thanks!

[Author]

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