Can someone please explain how the swaybar & end links work to provide ANY stability?

[redgtxdi]

As per my Monroe QuickStrut thread, I didn't change my end links or swaybar bushings. Things seem to be fine, w/ possibly a small noise from the front passenger side which I'd assume is either end link or sway bushing...........BUT.......

As I did the job, I looked at that stuff & wondered to myself............"How the fsck does this bar keep the suspension from swaying??"

And, it's not the bar itself.........but the links (imho). If the links move around, then how in the world can the rigidity of the bar lend to any rigidity in the suspension??

A strut bar doesn't link w/ end links, it bolts DIRECTLY to the 3 top bolts of the strut mount, so why doesn't sway bar do that on the bottom side??

(confused) TIA

[Venom_5]

endlinks serve the same purpose as bolts .... they just "link" the bar to the car

when one wheel pushes up, it pushes the endlink up with it ..... the swaybar resists this motion, and also causes the other side to do the same, therefore making both wheels load-bearing, not just one

this works best in turns

[BlueFusion6851]

Load-bearing, no. The swaybar works with the lower control arms to RESIST body lean. You were correct on the endlink explanation though.

[Venom_5]

Originally Posted by BlueFusion6851

Load-bearing, no. The swaybar works with the lower control arms to RESIST body lean. You were correct on the endlink explanation though.

um, the purpose is to make both wheels load-bearning

otherwise, you would have one wheel taking ALL of the force, and the other one taking NO force - and that is no good

if i have to, ill draw you a picture ... i just went over this stuff in the shop when workin on the car we're building & the anti-roll system

[redgtxdi]

OK, I get that part.........(though basically it's load-bearing by "proxy")


Anyway, that gets the right picture in my head............it levels both sides of the suspension as it basically only works in a "vertical" plane. Any horizontal action (driver to passenger & vice versa) is strictly coincidental and the end links w/ their ball joint ends, simply "forgive" that movement while primarily working to vertically keep things level.

And as such, unless something was literally broken, the only reason to replace end links & sway bushings would be noise, correct??

[Venom_5]

you should be able to see if they are broken .... visual inspection, and test for play

the end links are pretty sturdy mofos, so i doubt yours are broken - the bushings could be loose or the mounts might be broken .... what kind of noises do you hear?

[redgtxdi]

This one'll be hard to explain, but here goes.........

(Keep in mind I wanted "completely" silent)

I tested this by rolling in & out of my driveway because any soft compressions (deep, long dips) or any undulations that were too short/quick (like dummy dots/reflectors) didn't do it.

That little lip (about 1") at the bottom of the driveway where the primary driveway ramp meets the street (gutter) ***PLUS*** the transition from down to up (street to driveway) was enough of a deep & quick dip to make me hear a little noise (almost a squeak, but not quite).

I sat there & rolled in/out of the driveway about 20 times to hear it, but who knows.

My wife drives the car normally & she said she can't hear what I'm talking about, but she's 101% NOT a car person.

[Venom_5]

youre being too picky .... your chassis could squeak from that sort of movement

but "squeaks" are from bushings, not endlinks .... they could also be from springs, the frame, or pretty much anything metal

if your wife cant hear it, and she's not hard of hearing, then leave it alone

[Black95Cam]

Originally Posted by Venom_5

youre being too picky .... your chassis could squeak from that sort of movement

exactly... cant expect much from olders cars..

[redgtxdi]

Ya, I figured as much, but I love that Camry. I swear that sucker feels nowhere NEAR 10 years old! I just wanna go back in time about 10years & have her be new FOREVARRRR!!

I'll jack the car up this weekend & give everything a good tug & if nothin' barks back at me, I ain't gonna bother w/ links & bushings. I've been under both cars enough in the last 2 weeks to be ASE certified......... ...........& poppa needs some rest!!!

[Kep]

Often you can spray squeaking bushings with WD40 or some silicone spray and they will quiet up. If you do this one at a time you will know when you spray the squeaking part.

Kep

[redgtxdi]

Ya, I need to get some silicone spray!!!

I don't really like spraying stuff w/ WD-40 unless it's for rust-removal and/or cleaning because it *IS* solvent based and even if it didn't harm parts, it'll still clean 'em & sometimes (especially when you want lubrication of any kind) you don't wanna flush out any lubrication that may be there already.

What was that stuff that Clark Griswold used on the bottom of the snowpan in "Christmas Vacation"??

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zpCVrzVr97M