Thread: Broken sway bar

Last week,I had a minor click in my suspension turn into a major clunk. I did some investigating myself but found nothing. Took it to a shop and they found the sway bar was completly broken off on the end where it bolts in. They said they had never seen that happen before. Have any of the experts here had a sway bar break off at the end? I will try and post a pic later today after work.

03 GT 141,000 miles

It's a common issue here and there. They usually crack at the end and then break if not addressed early.

Yup very common, in fact will happen to everyone on these cars at some point. Replace it with the Dorman on, it's solid and better made, and get energy suspension endlinks, the moog endlinks are a soft blue rubber that I found wears out fast.

I'm surprised the shop said that with how common this issue is on these cars. If your not going to do the work yourself then you might want to find a shop that's a little more experienced with these cars. Or find someone local from the forums to help you learn. Fwiw I've seen people drive 4+ hours just to have bill boost work on there car, he did my first 3 builds and I learned enough from him to do the next 3 on my own.

Originally Posted by Swiggles

Fwiw I've seen people drive 4+ hours just to have bill boost work on there car, he did my first 3 builds and I learned enough from him to do the next 3 on my own.

I did 2+ Hours to Bill's place and have never been happier!! Whats up Swiggles?! It's Billy here from the Bronx. Me and Richie had a blast with you guys that day. Tons of laughs and got a bunch of stuff done. I'd drive 4+hours if I had to!

same here, one side was snapped off the bar, bolted to the end link still. and the other side was cracked 1/2 way through.

got a dorman solid bar, it comes with new end links, and caps and bushing.

i will say the dorman bushings kinda suck, less then a year old and the large bushing are shot already. you may want to find some polly bushings for the sway bar.

Ya the energy suspension ones are poly, here's the part numbers

Endlinks Front: Energy Suspension urethane 9.8122G (G denotes black, R is for red)

Center bushings: Energy Suspension urethane 9-5167g for the 33mm ones dorman bar is 33mm.

My sway end cracked too, changed it before it completely broke off. Replaced it with the GMPP sway. My SE also broke, son has that car now, replaced the sway with the Dorman. Both have from and rear strut tower braces, replaced control arms, HT trailing arms. Only difference is the from sway. I'd say the Dorman has a tighter feel hands down. The energy suspension poly's all around is the way to go!

: )

I was at a very reptuble GM dealership I get a "very good discount" at. Thanks for the replies. Again, the people here know more than trained GM techs.

Well they had never seen a wbody sway bar break so I'd question how much more they know than gm techs. Don't let them change it to a new gm one though because in a few years that weld will rust out and break like the rest of them.

hes right^^^^ get a dorman, i got mine local for 120. like i said it come with everything you need.

if you shop the net you can find them for 70 to 100.

Attachment 11574

A pic is worth a thousand words.

I put in the dorman bar with NAPA blue poly link bushings this weekend. Would have preferred a GMPP because it is hollow but the dorman was on Kijiji for 1/4 the price of buying one at NAPA. I can't get over how dumb it is to have a solid torsion bar. Working the 15mm wrench on the center bushings was brutal. By the way, has anybody had the links contacting the axles while cornering hard?

Originally Posted by mechguy

I put in the dorman bar with NAPA blue poly link bushings this weekend. Would have preferred a GMPP because it is hollow but the dorman was on Kijiji for 1/4 the price of buying one at NAPA. I can't get over how dumb it is to have a solid torsion bar. Working the 15mm wrench on the center bushings was brutal. By the way, has anybody had the links contacting the axles while cornering hard?

Why is a solid bar dumb? Don't you want it to be stiff to improve the handling?

Originally Posted by Swiggles

Why is a solid bar dumb? Don't you want it to be stiff to improve the handling?

Highest stress during bending and torsion occurs at the periphery of the bar. No need for material in the middle as it basically just adds mass. Diameter is what matters more.

Originally Posted by Logan541

Better yet go to a jy like I did find a impala, monte, or gp police cruiser got a super heavy bar for $8.99

No, I wouldn't remove one in a JY if the car depended on it.

Originally Posted by matt5112

Moog end links and inner bar bushings would be nice.

Might be easier to find than the energy pieces.

Moogs are easy to get but I'm telling you they are a waste of money. The links and bushings that come with the bar last longer, my lasted a few months. You can get the energy ones from summitracing.com and you'll have them within a few days.