Sway bars anyone?

[vwbdog]

Hello all,

I have a trusty '76 Westy that's missing its front sway bar. I've been driving it this way so long that I don't remember what it was like before. How important is that sway bar?

Any tips? or sway bars?

Also, Aren't buses too much fun in the snow... holy sh*t.

Cheers,
BC

[germansupplyscott]

yes, you need it. i would say it is a safety issue to drive without it.

if your bus drives poorly in the snow you probably need better tires. buses are great in snow with the right tires. lots of traction and clearance. you have to try pretty hard to get stuck in snow with a bus.
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SL

[kkirwin]

When you go to put a new one on don't bother going with the stock bar. Upgrade to this one and you will see better handling with your bus.

http://www.germansupply.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=16260&cat=302&page=2
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1978 Riviera FI Auto Trans
1973 Super Beetle
2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4X4 5.7 HEMI
2012 Suzuki VStrom DL1000
2006 Yamaha WR450

[cc79westie]

I'd get one too but it says it's out of stock
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1979 Westfalia (Sage Green)
1966 Pontiac GTO
1977 Chevy Monza 5.0 V-8
1984 Datsun/Nissan 300ZX
1989 Plymouth Reliant K

[germansupplyscott]

the empi oversize swaybars are very good. they are available at lots of vendors. we don't always have them in stock because we are not actually a stocking empi dealer. whenever we order from our suppliers who deal in empi stuff we get them in.
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SL

[NUKETROOP]

Ok,
Stupid question time

I don't see a rear swaybar on my 77 Westy. Am I supposed to have one? I'm confused because I see them for sale but there is none on my rear.

thanks!
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Los Alamos Nat'l Labs weapons rock. Lawrence Livermore weapons SUCK!
IYA-ATOMIC-YAS
1977 Campmobile w/78 Engine(H-Lifters)

[JMazier]

Nope, they do not come with one stock. You can install one if you like however you should read Ratwell's write up on them first.

Cheers
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Cheers!

Jérôme

’79 Cali Westy 2.0 F.I.
'74 Honda CB 350 Four
'78 Honda CB 750 K
'12 Golf GTI
'11 Ural Patrol

[jmstu76]

[Clatter]

When i got blown off the road in a big gust going thru 29 palms once, i promised myself to do as much as possible to make the bus handle better.

Low profile tires, heavy shocks, wider rims, damper, lowered, new suspension parts....

Nothing helped as much as the front and rear set of 7/8 Addco sway bars.

If you drive a lot on the highway, get the front and rear set.
It looks like the Addcos became Empi, and as much as that makes me want to vomit,
The Addcos were really sweet.

(showing my age now, garumph....)
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Bus Motor Build

What’s That Noise?!?

[WestyPop]

[obieoberstar]

Been through 29 Palms and the Palm Springs area in my bus a few years back. Not a fun trip. There is a reason for the wind generators in that area. The semi-trucks did not help.

I recently removed Whiteline stabilizer bars from my bus. The front was an adjustable unit with 3 different holes in the stabilizer bar. It made the front end very tight, but to the point of being 'locked.' The rear bar was not adjustable. One thing that was a problem with the Whiteline was that it used links to attach the bar to the lower torsion arms. My stabilizer bar was not the most symmetric. One link had to be positioned ahead of the bar and the other behind it. Some washers were required to get the spacing correct. Still, it kinda 'popped' going over bumps while turning.

Went back to stock for now. Will consider going with a stock style upgraded sway bar that does not have the links coupled with my Whiteline rear bar.

Ground clearance was an issue also. The addition of the links caused the bar to stick down about 4 inches from the stock position.

I have tried these bars off and on for the last few years while dealing with an unrelated alignment issue. The ride is tight and cornering is improved, but unhappy with the fitment.

Anyone else out there with experience with these bars?

[bus68us]

Ok, I’m a week in to a 3 week road trip and 1300 miles from home with a broken sway bar on my stock 1977 Westy. Should I...

A: get it welded (have limited access since we’re on a farm for the next couple days) as a temporary fix to get home

B: get a replacement a couple hundred miles away in a few days

C: cruise on and address when I get home.

We drove 300+ miles today with it broken. Heard annoying banging and idiscovered upon inspection of the front end once we got here. Drove over mountain pass, high winds, with trucks on interstate and uneven pavement and sucked but wasn’t awful. Leaning toward leaving it until I can fix it right at home. Any thoughts appreciated

Thanks guys.

[danfromsyr]

I don't think welding it is going to last very long..
they twist and they are a spring steel.
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[SGKent]

find a replacement from a donor.
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“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Wildthings]

Going to a larger diameter aftermarket sway bar will make a bit of difference in how the van behaves in the wind.

[kerian159]

I've got a stock one that I just pulled off my bus if anybody's interested. Upgraded to the HD.
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1976 Type II Westy P22

"Growing older, but not up!"

[Tcash]

Take it off chuck the sway bar, but save all the parts to put a new one on when you get home.
You will be fine without it.
No auto crossing on the way home.
Good luck
Tcash

[sodbuster]

[wihr]

I drove for the most part of a year with a broken sway bar. I did not die. However, when I replaced it the bus was less susceptible to cross wind sway.

WW
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WIHR

1970 Campmobile "Van Ordinaire"
2009 Lincoln Town Car "Behemoth"
1969 Lambretta 150 DL "Nina"
1962 Matchless G 12 CS 650cc

[bus68us]

So.... We finished our trip.
Removed the broken sway bar.
Drove another 2600 miles without the sway bar.

We didn't die.

Our trip was awesome.

Thanks for all the input guys