Recently noticed that the passenger side rear swaybar link had snapped in two.

I have the Madness rear bar (Old design - two positions) and had it on the firm setting. My car is autocrossed regularly both by me and my co-driver.

At least we now know why the car was plowing so badly.

Another MCS autocrosser broke his front swaybar link at a recent event.

 

That can't be good. I was part of the recent swaybar group buy and am waiting for the new bar (long story). So where exactly did it break so all of us with similiar products know what to look for? Do you have any pictures you can share?

I don't hammer my car at Auto-X events all the time but I do track it periodically and if there is a concern that the sway bar might give way in a high speed turn just when I need it most there definitely could be some very serious liability concerns. Hell, if I wreck it I want it to be because I f'd up not because an aftermarket part failure.

Did you notice it "snap" or did the car just seem to get sloppy gradually?

Concerned.
Jim

 

Wait, I misunderstood. I was thinking that the swaybar itself gave but upon re-reading your post you mean the swaybar LINK broke. My bad. Even so, they may need to offer upgraded swaybar links with these heavy duty swaybars to avoid any such nastiness.

Still concerned but not feeling so ripped off now :smile:
Jim

 

I would still be concerned if the swaybar link broke at track speeds. As Fireball Roberts once described it: "Understeer is when the front end hits the wall, and Oversteer is when the backend hits the wall".

If your steering went from neutral to severe understeer you might not stay on the track at the next turn

I'm calling ground-control today, because I've heard that they make beefier links. I'm also ordering a couple of stock ones for spares.

The link snapped right in the middle

 

>>I would still be concerned if the swaybar link broke at track speeds. As Fireball Roberts once described it: "Understeer is when the front end hits the wall, and Oversteer is when the backend hits the wall".
>>
>>If your steering went from neutral to severe understeer you might not stay on the track at the next turn
>>
>>I'm calling ground-control today, because I've heard that they make beefier links. I'm also ordering a couple of stock ones for spares.
>>
>>The link snapped right in the middle


I'm hoping to install a new sway bar next weekend. On inspection, a few of us thought the links were suspsect, so this is not very surprising. I recall 2 on the market, but there are probably more:

http://www.mini-motorsport.com/suspension.php (6 down)

and I believe Madness also has something, but that page appears to be down now...

 

I may get these..

 

Minipilo, those drop links appear to be too thick for use with aftermarket springs. Perhaps with coilovers, but my KW springs get a hair of rub from the stock drop link with my Madness rear sway in the stiff setting.

R

 

if you are a tweaker with coilovers, the correct setup procedure is to disconnect one of the drop links front and rear, and then corner weight the car by adjusting spring perch height. This may require that the remaining link lengths be adjustable to not skew the work you just did.


I always felt those stock links were skimpy, but otherwise not badly made, especially compared to the rubber bushed rod and washer method usually used.