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Welding on a swaybar
- Thread starter therieldeal
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therieldeal
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ive checked everywhere for a swaybar
the thing about those mercedes pieces is they are quality, non universal, purpose built parts... which from the looks of things on the mercedes forums are highly reccomended and used quite often. not really in the same realm as a $15 "lowering kit" from jc whitney.
interestingly, to replace the front bar on some older mercedes cars you have to remove the entire engine/tranny/etc etc etc. its considered a 20 hour job at a shop =o.
the thing about those mercedes pieces is they are quality, non universal, purpose built parts... which from the looks of things on the mercedes forums are highly reccomended and used quite often. not really in the same realm as a $15 "lowering kit" from jc whitney.
interestingly, to replace the front bar on some older mercedes cars you have to remove the entire engine/tranny/etc etc etc. its considered a 20 hour job at a shop =o.
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I really hope that doesn't apply to mine...
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Dang it, these things really help. I just know I gained a few ponies with that supercharger on my 2.9! You guys gotta believe me. I just have to find that dyno sheet that disappeared.
Dang it, these things really help. I just know I gained a few ponies with that supercharger on my 2.9! You guys gotta believe me. I just have to find that dyno sheet that disappeared.
It musta flown out the window because you were goin so fast!
therieldeal
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while the electric supercharger jokes are ...well... no they arent really even that funny... they arent exactly helpful lol.
anyone else have any input on making a weld at the very end of the swaybar?
ive found plenty of discussions on this topic by searching around on google... ive found people to generally be strongly opinionated one way or the other. lots of people say "dont do it, it will break and you'll crash and die".
on the other hand, there are plenty of people who are saying "i did it, and it worked fine. heck the thing has been on my race car for 10 years with no problems"
not sure who to believe at this point. i found lots of people heating/bending swaybars to fit applications they were not intended for. apparantly it is the section between the two mounting points that actually does the flexing, the "arm" part of the bar is simply a lever acting on the center section. its flexibility is apparantly not critical in the least.
anyone else have any input on making a weld at the very end of the swaybar?
ive found plenty of discussions on this topic by searching around on google... ive found people to generally be strongly opinionated one way or the other. lots of people say "dont do it, it will break and you'll crash and die".
on the other hand, there are plenty of people who are saying "i did it, and it worked fine. heck the thing has been on my race car for 10 years with no problems"
not sure who to believe at this point. i found lots of people heating/bending swaybars to fit applications they were not intended for. apparantly it is the section between the two mounting points that actually does the flexing, the "arm" part of the bar is simply a lever acting on the center section. its flexibility is apparantly not critical in the least.
Shran
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Have you tried www.car-part.com for a junkyard replacement? It will search all over the country. Somebody has got to have one.
Now I have a question, and probably a stupid one. It seems to me that there is a difference between a sway bar and a torsion bar, which is what the weld-on piece you mentioned before is for. I always thought a sway bar was the piece that attaches to either your front or rear axle and frame that helps with cornering, and is an optional piece sometimes, and a torsion bar is a critical piece of your front suspension.
Personally if it's a sway bar like I mentioned, I'd just weld the bastard and see how it holds up. The rest of your suspension is holding your car up anyway.
However if it's a torsion bar... I don't know. Probably would do my best to find a replacement.
Am I on the right track here, or am I off completely?
Now I have a question, and probably a stupid one. It seems to me that there is a difference between a sway bar and a torsion bar, which is what the weld-on piece you mentioned before is for. I always thought a sway bar was the piece that attaches to either your front or rear axle and frame that helps with cornering, and is an optional piece sometimes, and a torsion bar is a critical piece of your front suspension.
Personally if it's a sway bar like I mentioned, I'd just weld the bastard and see how it holds up. The rest of your suspension is holding your car up anyway.
However if it's a torsion bar... I don't know. Probably would do my best to find a replacement.
Am I on the right track here, or am I off completely?
therieldeal
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i think you are correct, however i have never owned a vehicle with a torsion bar so i am not sure.
the part in question is in fact a swaybar. i could take it off and drive around just fine, aside from annoying body roll and poor handling. heck many vehicles including my 89 ranger came with no swaybars from the factory.
i think i'm gonna give it a shot. when i'm done i'll take it to an autox or something and see what happens. if it breaks, oh well. if it doesn't, i think it will be okay.
the part in question is in fact a swaybar. i could take it off and drive around just fine, aside from annoying body roll and poor handling. heck many vehicles including my 89 ranger came with no swaybars from the factory.
i think i'm gonna give it a shot. when i'm done i'll take it to an autox or something and see what happens. if it breaks, oh well. if it doesn't, i think it will be okay.
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Sounds good, I have never owned a torsion bar vehicle either. I just have a rough idea of what they're used for.
One of my Rangers came with no sway bars and the other only came with one.
One of my Rangers came with no sway bars and the other only came with one.
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I say try it. Just do it like I reccomended.
If it breaks, your out of a swaybar............again. Then you can buy a new one.
I doubt a breaking swaybar while dodging a merging Prius is going to kill anyone, just make it handle like a heep.
If it breaks, your out of a swaybar............again. Then you can buy a new one.
I doubt a breaking swaybar while dodging a merging Prius is going to kill anyone, just make it handle like a heep.
therieldeal
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i broke a rear endlink on my escort once, which is theoretically just as bad as breaking the bar itself.... nothing eventful happened. it just handled weird until i had a chance to replace it.
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What ISN'T these days? It only really matters if you are exposed to it for extended amounts of time.
I say try it. If it doesn't work, its just a sway bar, its not like you're trying to weld a leaf spring back together, if a sway bar breaks, big deal.
therieldeal
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my welding guy usually welds outdoors or in his garage with the bay doors open anyway
spraypaint is toxic too... does everyone here wear a full respirator when painting with a rattle can? lol
yeah if it breaks... i'm right back where i started. so i guess it doesnt really matter. hopefully it works though
spraypaint is toxic too... does everyone here wear a full respirator when painting with a rattle can? lol
yeah if it breaks... i'm right back where i started. so i guess it doesnt really matter. hopefully it works though
milje
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And I thought I'd seen everything, but I have never seen those coil spring lowering devices. I just ordered two sets, hoping I can adapt them to the leaf springs in the back. If I can't I'll just run a limiter cable from my axle to the frame like I was planning
i have done both, welded many cracked ends on GM sway bars with good results.
i also have welded a few leaf springs back together, they were on my personal truck, it was a 1990 F-150, there was only one body panel that didn't have rust holes in it, the roof.
heck the rear axle cover was so bad it would spring leaks, and i would just weld them up!
i sold the truck for 2 grand!
i say do it
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