Reinforcement SB tabs question

[Earendil]

I'll be installing IE 25/22mm sway bars tomorrow, and at some point after that driving the car to a place to get the rear tabs welded on.

The question is whether at the loosest setting, the rear can be attached and not snap anything?

Alternatively, would it hurt anything to have one side of the rear sway completely unbolted?

If I need them (or me standing by) to disassemble/reassemble things I guess I will, but I'd much rather have it all buttoned up so that I can drive it into a shop and say "Weld that", and drive away without anyone touching a wrench.

Thoughts?

[JGood]

The shop will need to disconnect the swaybar links to weld the tabs anyway, so you might as well just leave them both disconnected, drive to the shop, get them welded, drive home, and spend 10 minutes tops jacking up the car and bolting them in... Or just have the shop bolt the links in while it's up in the air anyway, which would take 2 minutes.

Leaving one side disconnected will be the same as not having either side connected, as far as force applied to the tabs. If you hook up both sides, it may be fine for 20 years without the reinforcement, or the tabs may snap the first time you take a corner even on the loosest setting. There's no way anyone can know that, especially without seeing what condition the tabs are currently in.

[Earendil]

The shop will need to disconnect the swaybar links to weld the tabs anyway, so you might as well just leave them both disconnected, drive to the shop, get them welded, drive home, and spend 10 minutes tops jacking up the car and bolting them in... Or just have the shop bolt the links in while it's up in the air anyway, which would take 2 minutes.

Leaving one side disconnected will be the same as not having either side connected, as far as force applied to the tabs. If you hook up both sides, it may be fine for 20 years without the reinforcement, or the tabs may snap the first time you take a corner even on the loosest setting. There's no way anyone can know that, especially without seeing what condition the tabs are currently in.

Okay, good deal, thanks for the info. I'll go ahead and get the bar in place and make sure it all looks good, and then unbolt each side before driving it down to get it welded. Thanks a bunch of the advice!

Cheers!

[Holland]

Some E30's didn't even come with rear bars, countless guys auto-x with no rear bar. Put the bar in without the tabs. Honestly though I doubt they would snap with mild street driving.

[FLG]

Mine snapped shortly after installing. So just drive to the shop disconnected.

Also I feel street driving is more harsh at times then track driving. Uneven pavement makes suspension work overtime.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[jlevie]

The first time I installed a set of IE 22/19mm sways I drove the car a few blocks (on city streets) to a friend's house to weld in the reinforcements. By the time I got there (having never been over 30mph) both tabs on the trailing arms were bent!

[F34R]

I run no sway bar at scca events. You will be fine, disconnect both sides and drive it there.