Fixing the VW Vanagon sway bar

Why it breaks?

Do you hear "clunks" from the front end when hitting pot holes? Did you hit an unusually big bump lately? If the answer yes to both of these it is likely that the connecting rod between the lower A-arm and the sway bar is broken. It's purpose is to reduce leaning while turning by redistributing some of the "leaning force" from the outer wheel to the inner wheel. As a side effect it also does this when you hit a bump with one wheel.

The (anti) sway tosion bar is mounted in front of and above the wheel suspension. Two connecting rods (left and right) connect the tosion bar with the lower A-arms of the front wheel suspension. (see picture)

To allow for some twisting at the lower A-arm the connecting link is bolted on with an outer rubber and an inner metal bushing. Unfortunately the inner metal bushing rusts, and after some years the connection becomes too rigid. When hitting a large bump with one wheel or doing a large differential left-right suspension movement for any other reason the lower threaded part of the connecting link can break if it has rusted rigid.

The "clunks" you may be hearing while driving have two sources:

  1. The now loose end of the connecting rod hits the lower A-arm.
  2. If your suspension is loose (worn A-arm bushings or ball joints), but the sway bar is tensioned, the force from the sway bar takes out some of the looseness of the suspension. So broken sway bar => more "suspension clunk".
Note also that your wheel alignment with and without the force from the sway bar may be different.

How to fix it?

First pull the old connecting link off from the tosion bar. This is much easier if you first lubricate the rubber bushing between the two with some soap water. The second problem is to get the rusted threaded part and bushing out of the A-arm. I struggled with this for a long time (rust solvent, hammer and torch) until fellow vanagon listmember Bill Kennedy told me that the rubber bushing is actually two piece. Pry out the upper and lower rubber bushing with a screw driver first, and pounding out the rusted threaded piece and metal bushing becomes much easier.

With the broken part off you have two choices:

  1. Buy an new ($30 or so) or used connecting link.
  2. Fix the broken one: File the surface flat at the break. Drill and thread a hole for a 3/4 inch bolt, and then bolt the connecting link back on. Use the best grade bolt you can find. I also used a brass metal bushing instead of iron.


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Martin Jägersand , Comments? Email <jag@cs.rochester.edu>