Sway Bars & Components

The sway bar, also known as a stabilizer bar, anti-roll bar, and anti-sway bar, is a form of torsion bar that connects the wheels and suspension on opposite sides of the vehicle. A sway bar increases roll stiffness and prevents the excessive lateral weight transfer that causes body roll, so the car or truck stays more level when cornering, resulting in better weight distribution on the tires, and improved handling and traction. Most modern cars and trucks have front sway bars, and many vehicles, especially performance models, have rear bars as well.

A typical sway bar is a solid or hollow steel bar with bends and angles that roughly form an elongated “U” shape. The straight part of the bar, the base of the “U”, is mounted in bushings to the vehicle frame, while the ends, the lever arms, are connected to the suspension on each side of the vehicle with links. The end links also have bushings or ball joints where they are fastened to the sway bar and suspension. While the sway bar itself can be damaged in a collision, the bushings and ball joints are the common wear parts.

When you turn a corner in your vehicle, more weight is transferred to the wheels on the outside of the turn, causing the body to lean. The suspension on the outside wheels is compressed, while the suspension at the inside wheels is unloaded. The unequal suspension heights impart a twisting motion to the sway bar. The sway bar resists twisting and transfers the compressing force on the outside suspension to the inside suspension, to keep it loaded so the vehicle remains level and the inside tire has adequate road contact. The degree to which the sway bar resists twisting and body roll depends on its stiffness, which is determined by factors including diameter, material rigidity, and whether it is hollow or solid.

The sway bar is generally a very durable component, but like any metal component it can be deformed due to collision impact and deteriorate from rust. The attachment points for the end links can also elongate or distort to the point where replacement is necessary. Excessive wear or failure of the bushings and/or end links are the most common sway bar problems, which are usually indicated by clunking noises, increased body roll and poor handling. Some end links have replaceable bushings and these can be revitalized with repair kits that usually include the bushings as well as the metal retainers. Links that have ball joints and/or integral bushings at each end require replacement of the link if either the ball joint or bushings are worn.

Inspect the sway bar and end links with the suspension in the loaded and unloaded positions. Look for cracked, torn, and deteriorated bushings and looseness in the ball sockets on links so equipped. These defects can cause the looseness that results in noise and poor handling. Whatever the cause of failure, we can supply you with everything you need, from complete sway bars to bushings, end links and end link repair kits. We have sway bar parts for all popular late model cars and trucks and some classic cars, and all have been engineered to original equipment specifications so you can have the performance your vehicle was designed to deliver.