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Custom Sway bar?

Okayplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
255
Location
Denver, CO
Just wondering if anyone tried fabricating a sway bar, is it possible? Is there something special that goes into making one?
 

Barnes

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Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Messages
6,249
Location
Richland, WA
I know it can be done, but why? Are the available used and new aftermarket swaybars not good for your application?
 

Okayplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
255
Location
Denver, CO
Well it's not that they don't work for my application, but I have access to both the tubing and a bender at little to no cost so...
 

jepherz

Staff member
Joined
Aug 8, 2004
Messages
7,877
Location
KC, Missouri
I guess give it a whirl then? Just copy the shape of the factory bar with more stout material. It probably won't be worth your time, but sometimes doing something yourself and learning something is worth the extra expense. I think people have modified stock bars (not that I've seen on vr4's) to strengthen them.
 

Barnes

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 9, 2003
Messages
6,249
Location
Richland, WA
The thing you have to be careful of is that you can't just take a random piece of bar that is a little bigger than the factor bar and bend it to fit. You have to know the physical properties of the bar so you get the spring rate you want. The material, hardening (heat or work hardening), and shape affect the spring rate.

Also, you will probably need to use solid bar, not tubing/pipe.

I'm kinda skeptical about doing this yourself. It might be waaaay more work than it is worth.
 

ktmrider

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
3,128
Location
Tempe, AZ
Jon you're right on.

You would need to use spring steel material, something like what torsion bars are made of. Regular tubing does not have the "twisting" properties that anti-roll bars are subject to.

Weight is also a big concern, I know Eibach and others will use hollow material when they can.

Could be a fun project tho, curious about any outcome if you decide to attempt it.
 

Muskrat

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 13, 2004
Messages
2,107
Location
Lexington, KY
^+1 to what Barnes said.

It's actually really cool to see these things made. The straight bars come out of a furnace red hot, and are bent up by a robot in about 3 seconds. It's crazy. I even saw one place where they were moved from the bender to the quench fixture by hand. Just a guy with a set of tongs standing on the edge of a boiling pit, holding a red-hot piece of steel. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif
 

Okayplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
255
Location
Denver, CO
All good info folks. The spring rate and metal type were big concerns of mine. Probably a bit bigger a bite than I'm able to chew. So I guess the search will continue on some sway bars for 1968. Any leads?
 

curtis

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
11,892
Location
Clarksville TN
I haven't made it to mine yet but a 94/95 Mustang GT rear bar lines up almost perfect with the stock rear. All that has to be done is cut off the factory ends about 8 inches long and cut off the ends of the mustang and sleeve the two together with some small steel tubing. Do a search under my name I post pictures a few years back. Curtis
 

Okayplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 14, 2010
Messages
255
Location
Denver, CO
Good looking out Curtis, I think this would be a good project for my car to add the list. Thanks
 

iLLeffeKt vr-4

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 26, 2004
Messages
2,153
Location
NYC
ST makes a sway bar for a 1g which will fit a gvr4. However, I think it will only fit if your 4ws has been removed.
 
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