What Is a Front Sway Bar?

Sway bars can be a hinderance off road, but are required everywhere else.

Sway bars (also known as "stabilizer," "anti-roll" or simply "roll" bars) are vital component of any vehicle's suspension, especially fully or partially independent suspension. These simple twist-springs help prevent excess body roll and improve handling capability.

History

The first sway bar for automotive use was patented by S.L.C. Coleman of New Brunswick, Canada, on April 22, 1919.

Purpose

Sway bars prevent excess body roll while cornering by tying together the two sides of a vehicle's suspension with a flexible metal bar, forcing them to compress against each other.

Principle

The sway bar is made of the same sort of steel as the vehicle's main springs, but has little or no effect on the up-and-down movement of the wheels.

Stability

A front sway bar stabilizes the front suspension, and helps the vehicle to track straighter while cornering. A thicker bar can make turn-in response faster, but will reduce the handling limits if it's too stiff.

Removal

Off-roaders often remove the sway-bar end-links to make the vehicle handle more precisely on rough terrain, but on-road handling without a sway bar can be unpredictable and dangerous.

References

• swedishbricks.com: Sway Bar FAQ
• Nasioc.com: Official Sway Bar FAQ
• Legacycentral.com: Sway Bar FAQ

Resources

• Sway Bar Comparison (Video)