Broken Sway Bar Bracket

[bradical]

Has anyone ever had a sway bar bracket fail? The front passenger side bracket on my car cracked and was bent way back. I have aftermarket Addco bars front and rear, so I called Addco and the friendly sales manager there told me they had "improved" the design of the brackets and sent me two new ones, complete with new bushings. That's what I call great customer service!

What I'm wondering is, what could have caused the bracket to fail? I didn't do anything "heroic" with the car prior to the failure.

[fastblackmerc]

Has anyone ever had a sway bar bracket fail? The front passenger side bracket on my car cracked and was bent way back. I have aftermarket Addco bars front and rear, so I called Addco and the friendly sales manager there told me they had "improved" the design of the brackets and sent me two new ones, complete with new bushings. That's what I call great customer service!

What I'm wondering is, what could have caused the bracket to fail? I didn't do anything "heroic" with the car prior to the failure.

Can you post some pictures of the failed brackets?

Have had a problem with my Addco (frt & rear). Had them install for over 50k miles.

I did add grease-able bushings.

Grease-able Sway Bar Bushings - Energy Suspensions
Front – 9.5165 or 9.5172

[rayjay]

I'd say change out the sway bar end links to Moog (front), greasable like Jim said. Much heavier construction than OEM.

[fastblackmerc]

I'd say change out the sway bar end links to Moog (front), greasable like Jim said. Much heavier construction than OEM.

I think he's talking about the brackets not the end links, but I'd go with the MOOG greasable end links also.

[bradical]

The bracket failed where the "ear" bends out from the curved bracket. Apparently, motion of the sway bar bent the bracket rearward and down. The bushing remained on the bar.

[fastblackmerc]

The bracket failed where the "ear" bends out from the curved bracket. Apparently, motion of the sway bar bent the bracket rearward and down. The bushing remained on the bar.

The Energy Suspension bracket / bushing assemblies are heavy duty. Most FLAPS will carry them or they can order them.

[bradical]

Addco sent me two new brackets along with new bushings for free, so I'm happy. The new brackets seem slightly beefier (I didn't measure them before install, so this is subjective at best) but the bend where the ear forms was "softer" - had more radius, not being a hard 90 degree bend. The new bushings also seemed to be harder material than the ones I removed.

On another topic - I need to replace my LCM (need to tap it now to get lights on). Fastblackmerc - do you still offer the core swap deal on repaired units?

[fastblackmerc]

I need to replace my LCM (need to tap it now to get lights on). Fastblackmerc - do you still offer the core swap deal on repaired units?
Yes I do. PM me.

[bradical]

PM has been sent.

[Baconbit]

Can you post some pictures of the failed brackets?

Have had a problem with my Addco (frt & rear). Had them install for over 50k miles.

I did add grease-able bushings.

Grease-able Sway Bar Bushings - Energy Suspensions
Front – 9.5165 or 9.5172

Hey Jim will those numbers work for the factory front sway bar? What is the difference in the two?

[fastblackmerc]

Hey Jim will those numbers work for the factory front sway bar? What is the difference in the two?

The difference is the diameter of the Addco unit is significantly larger than the stock unit.

The Energy Suspension bushings will not work on the stock sway bar.

[napolitano]

Has anyone ever had a sway bar bracket fail? The front passenger side bracket on my car cracked and was bent way back. I have aftermarket Addco bars front and rear, so I called Addco and the friendly sales manager there told me they had "improved" the design of the brackets and sent me two new ones, complete with new bushings. That's what I call great customer service!

What I'm wondering is, what could have caused the bracket to fail? I didn't do anything "heroic" with the car prior to the failure.

I still haven't had time to put my kit on yet. Front sway bar. When I get home I will look to see if they are the new design or not. Are you sure you weren't doing dukes of hazard style in that car?

[Baconbit]

Jim, are there any aftermarket greaseable or all around better brackets and bushings that will work on the stock front?

[fastblackmerc]

Jim, are there any aftermarket greaseable or all around better brackets and bushings that will work on the stock front?

Here is a link to the Energy Suspension sway bar bushing web page. You need to know some dimensions.

http://www.energysuspensionparts.com/Universal-Sway-Bar-Bushings.asp

[rayjay]

I think he's talking about the brackets not the end links, but I'd go with the MOOG greasable end links also.

My bad, never seen that happen before. +1 on the ES bushings and you can get greaseable ones, I have them.

[Baconbit]

Does anyone know the exact millimeter measurement of our factory front sway bar? I want to get new brackets and bushings for the front bar when I switch to Moog endlinks. Hopefully I can find energy suspension greasable bushings for the front just need the measurements or part number if someone knows it already;)