Robert P

Weird, but it's happened to my WS6 two times.. The first picture was taken Feb. of 2003. The second taken March of 2006.

The first pic shows the stock bracket - broken right in two at the bend in it. I had poly bushings in it. After that happened, I got new brackets. Now, one of them has broken too. (See 2nd picture)

Why would this be happening?

I rarely autocross the car. It has welded in LGM sfc's and all kinds of other LGM suspension stuff... However, the first time this happened, I had no suspension mods at all...

???

mrhzk35404

iTrader: (7)

Was your car ever wrecked?

LS1FIRE

iTrader: (1)

Maybe somone from frrax knows.

CaptUSA

iTrader: (5)

Dayamn Geena!!

Robert P

My car's never been wrecked.. I have owned it since it had 4 miles on it...

I'd really like to stop buying clamshell brackets for the sway bar though.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

My 3rd gen used to snap those all the time. I was buying them from my dealer in bulk (4-8 at a time) and changing them when they broke. It's not as common on a 4th gen, but it happens. However, it usually happens when you are running a large front sway bar (usually a 35mm) on a car with stock springs. Since the stock springs are not as stiff as aftermarket lowering springs, the sway bar does the majority of the work in reducing total body roll. That adds stress to those mounting points and they can fail. This is less common on lowered cars with aftermarket springs (not that it's terribly common at all). On the 4th gens, it's often the bracket that those are bolted to that fails (the mount for that bracket).

I'd just get another set and swap them out.

I see that you are running G2 springs. It's odd that you are breaking them. How hard are you driving the car and on what kind of tires?

THE CHOP SHOP

iTrader: (7)

I have seen guys with broken ones before and they added a small piece of metal as a gusset in a triangle shape to keep it from happening. From seeing other aftermarket swaybar kits for other cars I feel that metal they used should have been a different gauge.

John_D.

iTrader: (2)

What sway bar is that?

From the second pic, it looks like two alignment problems may be happening with that bar.

1. The bend in the bar is into the bushing a little. That will try to push the bushing down more on that side, when the bar rotates with the lca.

2. The bar appears to be pulling the bushing into the back half of the loop. From the way the bushing is deformed and pressed out on both sides, on the back half. Possibly the bar end is too short when the lca is fully compressed or fully extended (if the endlinks don't give it enough relief).

Turo

iTrader: (23)

I had to say that out loud to realize what you were quoting

skatinjay27

that happened to me on both sides and I have a larger sway bar and had stock springs, got them welded back and change the springs and never happened again

Krab

iTrader: (28)

So this could be a potential problem for people who have an aftermarket swaybar and stock springs? I just installed a 35mm bar on my car (stock springs)...

572ysc

I am not sure but could it be that the sway bar bolt is tightend to much on the lower A-arm and so there is to much pressure? Just asking.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

It could be.... We mostly see that problem on F-stock autocross cars that have to run stock springs (and not lowered), but can run a large sway bar and run on sticky tires. It's not much of an issue with street cars (it's rare). My 3rd gen broke several, but I ran that car far harder than I ever should have on public roads (I was young and stupid, it's been many years ago now) and that's how I kept breaking them.

I doubt you'll ever have a problem with yours.

ssPetess

iTrader: (8)

Double check your end links. When you lower a car, the end links should also be shorter to accommodate the drop. The sway bar where it bends toward the A arm should be level with the ground. My guess is that is is pointing down slightly since your end links are probably for the stock ride height. Try shorter end links, this will allow the bar to flex a bit more and not put as much stress on the bushing mount. You can also try switching to rubber end link bushings...

JimMueller

iTrader: (9)

That's the first time I've heard of that. Where do you buy shorter endlinks? Technically you just need a shorter tube for the middle of the endlink, no?

ssPetess

iTrader: (8)

No, since the threaded part only usually accommodates the tube. You can get them just about anywhere. Strano, energy suspension, or any of the catalog houses... 90% of the time, noone notices using the stock end links. When the sway bars are designed, they are bent at certain angles to work and flex properly. These angles are based off the stock ride height. When you lower your car, you also need to take into account the end links but like I said, 90% of the people probably don't and they work fine...

BURN'EM

iTrader: (11)

i broke mine in the middle at the Dragstrip on a wheels up launch, replaced it and ripped the bolt out of the drivers side next time out Screw it run a STB and live without the sway bar.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

One is not a substitute for the other.

Jim, he's right on the shorter end links.

schultzsj

iTrader: (1)

It has happened to me a couple of times also. I used to go fast around speed bumps so that only one side hit the bump. This puts tremendous "down" stress on the opposing side bracket and so I thought this might be causing it. I also have poly mount and end link bushings and a larger front bar which increase the stress on the bracket.

I quit doing the one-side speed bumps after I broke the last bracket a couple of years ago and I have not broken one since - don't know if this is coincidence.

Steve