Twice in the past 45,000kms I have had to tighten one of the bolts connecting my right rear sway bar to the chassis.
How did I know it needed tightening?
A nasty clunking noise from the rear underbelly of vehicle when driving over terrain was the trigger that prompted me to search for the source of the alarming noise.
Just one nut/bolt affected. Not easy to get to and typically covered in mud/road grime, but a simple fix.
However....
This last time I heard the noise and went to tighten the bolt, I discovered that the steel had actually torn at the bolt=mount.
Drive or not?
Repair needed, but I also discovered this just before commencing a 1900km journey from Cairns back to Brisbane for work... to drive or not to drive...?
The tear looked small, and I planned to drive on bitumen / main roads all the way, so took the risk and drove.
In hindsight I was very lucky it did not disconnect entirely and fall off while driving.
Driving with just one sway bar arm attached
I did remove the right sway bar arm and was able to drive without it, but that was a very unusual experience, Lulu feeling very unstable. I only did it the once, after that I left Lulu parked off the road and I cycled everywhere after that!
What is a sway bar?
This is what I learnt from an internet search:
Sway bars connect one side of the suspension to the other with attachment points generally on the lower A-arms and frame (chassis), and twist to limit the roll during cornering. As the truck enters a corner, centrifugal forces create a body roll force.
Sway bars improve a car’s handling around turns and corners by controlling the vehicle’s weight transfer, including body roll. By working to keep the wheels on each side of the car as even as possible, they help keep the car more planted and maintain a strong contact patch between the tires and the ground.
What do they look like?
This is what they look like on my vehicle, view looking towards rear.
The repair
This little video compilation shows the damage and the repair.
Lessons learnt
Confirmed that I am doing the right thing to stop and find source of any unusual sounds on the vehicle.
I've learnt how good a job the sway bars do of preventing roll over, driving without one was NOT fun.
So amazing to be able to drive her again!
Freedom to explore, further afield than I can by bicycle.
Bring it on!
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