Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post Reply
User avatar

Topic author
Vanjoe
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Way east of Rochester,NY

Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by Vanjoe »

Need advice. I can't replace it right now. Would it be better to remove a broken front sway bar on rwd and drive without it? My concern is uneven pressures with it broken. Just did a highway trip and the van was wobbling sorta diagonal corner to corner every so often.
Any imput on replacement deals?
(my main driver had to be parked yesterday,needing serious suspension repair). This means I have to drive the van even though I hate driving it crippled.
thanks, Joe
1998 Astro. Sterling Hi-top Conversion. 1st Second gen owned.
Former ....
90 Astro shorty conversion,$500 short term driver
91 ext Astro bad body,bad motor $325, became a 350/4bl cruiser with all under hood acces working.TOTALED..my fault
88 Astro shorty conversion 177k-270k,threw rod. $2500
85 Astro mint body ...totaled 9 days later...not my fault. Paid $1k, insurance gave me $2k
86 Astro shorty 147k-242k, $2500. sold running!

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

I would leave it in as long as the broken side doesn't damage anything else when it flexes and hits. The end connected will just rotate the bar as the suspension moves.
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
User avatar

MountainManJoe
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 3088
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: The Pacific North Wet
Has thanked: 44 times
Been thanked: 24 times

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by MountainManJoe »

Yikes. How did it break?
User avatar

Topic author
Vanjoe
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Way east of Rochester,NY

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by Vanjoe »

timelessbeing wrote:Yikes. How did it break?
I have no idea. I had towed my 5k camper for a couple weeks, then had dirtbike in hitch carrier when I noticed it pulling to one side. it was the wrong side for the leaking rear tire. Investigation showed broke sway bar.
If it is secure on one side and loose on side where broken, my fear is uneven pressures on the front end. Thinking if it was removed,all would be equal but loose and floppy. Opinions? It tends to pull to the unbroken side and today on a highway,up to 75mph, it would rock corner to corner. Very strange and disconcerting.
1998 Astro. Sterling Hi-top Conversion. 1st Second gen owned.
Former ....
90 Astro shorty conversion,$500 short term driver
91 ext Astro bad body,bad motor $325, became a 350/4bl cruiser with all under hood acces working.TOTALED..my fault
88 Astro shorty conversion 177k-270k,threw rod. $2500
85 Astro mint body ...totaled 9 days later...not my fault. Paid $1k, insurance gave me $2k
86 Astro shorty 147k-242k, $2500. sold running!
User avatar

MountainManJoe
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 3088
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:55 pm
Location: The Pacific North Wet
Has thanked: 44 times
Been thanked: 24 times

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by MountainManJoe »

The actual bar broke or just the end link?

I don't see how it would cause pulling unless it was touching the tire.

LiftedAWDAstro
I have my van tatooed on my cheeks
Posts: 4379
Joined: Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:35 pm
Location: New Haven, NY

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

The 2 mounts that hold the bar to the subframe don't do anything but allow the bar to rotate. There is no reason to do anything to it. Just leave the one side connected and completely remove the broken side connecting link to the control arm. I would get it repaired asap!
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
User avatar

Topic author
Vanjoe
I get chills without my van.
Posts: 66
Joined: Mon Jun 13, 2011 7:54 pm
Location: Way east of Rochester,NY

Re: Front Sway Bar,drive broken or drive removed?

Post by Vanjoe »

I would get it replaced asap also..... if I didnt owe more than I have this month! I just put tires on my Opel GT and then saw that the rear axle control arm needs welding and metal fabbing. The fishing camping trip last month used up this month's money! And I am repairing a Civic to get it state inspected so I can garage the van for most of the winter. Mean time, the van is driveable sorta.
Connecting link... remove. Good idea. Thanks
1998 Astro. Sterling Hi-top Conversion. 1st Second gen owned.
Former ....
90 Astro shorty conversion,$500 short term driver
91 ext Astro bad body,bad motor $325, became a 350/4bl cruiser with all under hood acces working.TOTALED..my fault
88 Astro shorty conversion 177k-270k,threw rod. $2500
85 Astro mint body ...totaled 9 days later...not my fault. Paid $1k, insurance gave me $2k
86 Astro shorty 147k-242k, $2500. sold running!
Post Reply