Broken sway bar

[71whitewesty]

Hello all, I have been wondering what has been banging around in the front end and finally yanked on the sway bar to find out it's broken. I don't know how long it's been broken but I am sure at least a year, maybe a few years... (I don't drive it much in the winter). I guess it handled a bit more "boat-like" than my other bus but really I didn't notice anything other than the clanking over bumps (and I drive this in major wind all the time).
So my question is do I just get another original sway bar ( I see one I might pick up for $35) or do I get an "upgraded" heavy duty new one? Right now I'm leaning towards just a used original one.
Are they pretty easy to replace? It looks like two clamps and two bolts but I've never replaced one so any suggestions are welcome. Thank you for any suggestions.
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71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[richparker]

If it were me, I’d go stock and replace the bushings and clamps too.
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
’65 Deluxe Build
’63 Deluxe Build

[71whitewesty]

^^ that's what I'm thinking too but was thinking to reuse my bushings and clamps but I guess I'll need to take a good look at them to see if they are worth reusing or getting new ones. I don't mind getting new ones if that's the way to go.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[SGKent]

stock. soak the bolts in penetrating oil before you try to remove them.
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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]

I went with a heavier bar up front and think it adds a bit of extra stability. I have plans to get a fairly light bar made for the rear, something that doesn't hang down much at all unlike the rear bars I have seen.

[aeromech]

I've installed the EMPI HD sway bar before. I've also installed stock. My suggestion is for you to contact [email protected] and see if he has a good, used bar on hand.

I learned a couple tricks when installing sway bars. I struggled with the first one. A good pair of vise grips is your friend.

_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[kerian159]

just for informational purposes, the rear bars are bent that way for the automatic transmissions so i'm sure if you had someone that could bend some decent pipe you could make your own to fit up and around a manual
_________________
1976 Type II Westy P22

"Growing older, but not up!"

[SGKent]

[71whitewesty]

Thanks again all. I did get one from Ken at the BusCo. I drove up there to see his operation and now have a new favorite parts supplier. Great guy and lots of those little parts we need.
So now I'm just trying to get the old one off. I did get another set of clamps from Ken but am trying to save my original ones too if I can. I've sprayed them down with Kroil and have been pounding on the clips to no avail. I'm going to give it another round of blows today and see if I can get it to budge but I'll take any and all suggestions. I put a c clamp on it to try and take the tension off. I have not jacked it up but might try that today for more room.
I am also planning to just reuse the bushings that are on the one I got from Ken. Any reason why I shouldn't use them? I don't mind getting new ones if that's the way to go. Thanks again for the suggestions.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[aeromech]

I think you want the weight off the front wheels when you do this. Did you bend back the locking tabs on the clips? Once you are at this point the best tool to remove the clips would be an air hammer. If you don’t have that you can use a regular, heavy hammer and a drift. Be sure you understand which way to pound on the clip because is wider a one end.
_________________
Lead Mechanic: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Licensed Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic
Licensed Pilot (Single engine Land)
Boeing 727,737-200-300-400,757,767
Airbus A319,320,321
DC9/MD80
BAe146
Fokker F28/F100
VW type 1 1962,63,65,69,72
VW Type 2 1971 (3 ea.) 1978, 1969
VW Jetta
VW Passat
Capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound

[71whitewesty]

Thanks Aeromech. I did bend the tabs flat again and do understand they go on one way. My compressor is broken so no air hammer available so using a big hammer and drift at the moment. But I heard the air hammer is the way to go...
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[71whitewesty]

I got the camps off in one piece. Just needed a bigger hammer and drift and another evening of penetrating lube to work its magic.
The rest looks easy. Thanks for the tips and I'll report back once I have it done.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[SGKent]

When you get there and wonder how, you use vise grips to hold the sides together to start the slide clamp on then hammer it on and bend the tab down. Spray the rubber where the sway bar goes thru it with a little silicone spray or light silicone grease before you begin and it will have less chance of squeaking later.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[pioneer1]

1- you probably bought the proper clamps but rock auto sold me some that are meant for thinner bars and they had to be chucked across the shop floor
2- I always use a hose clamp and vice grips to squeeze the clamp together to slide the clips
_________________
"Always waiting for tomorrow ruined everything"

'85 Porsche 911 Targa

'76 Westfalia project

[71whitewesty]

Just thought I'd follow up on this now that it's done and give my two cent tips.
I did this job over about 4 or 5 days. Those days were used mostly to soak the parts in Kroil, otherwise it's a couple hour job once things have been soaked well, that made all the difference, patience and Kroil soaking.
The clamps came off pretty easy actually. I am glad I saved the clamps instead of cutting them. They are in fine shape and I reused them. I kept the set the Ken sold me for spares. I just used a hammer and drift to get the clamps off. I also just used the bushings that were on the sway bar, after cleaning them up they seemed just fine. The two bolts were pretty stuck on there too but did eventually come off without issues. It helps with a broken sway bar to wiggle each side of the sway bar or hammer each side back and forth to break the rust up to help the bolt come off.
I didn't need to jack it up anything but it might help to give you more room to work. The clamps went back on easily with a pair of regular vise grips to hold the rails of the clamps closed to put the clamp on it.
Pretty easy job really as long as you soak the parts for a few days.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions. Always appreciated.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[SGKent]

well done. Back in the mid 70's I had to remove an exhaust stud on a manifold that needed surfacing. Every time it needed to be done, the studs would gall and snap. Then it was drill it out, tap and replace. I tried anti-seize etc.. I took the manifold by my friend's shop to borrow his drill press and he looked at it, said why don't you try penetrating oil on what is left first. OK. He knew everything about that stuff. I put penetrating oil on it, we went and sat down to have a soda, and about an hour later I went to take one out with a pair of vise grips on what was left. Came right out. Weird I thought that penetrating oil would make such a difference - then I fiddled with the other one without the vise grips and it unscrewed with my fingers. Without the penetrating oil it was so tight it broke the stud. With it, it unscrewed with my fingers. What a lesson learned about penetrating oil. Always keep a couple cans around now. It doesn't always work but many times it is the solution.
_________________
“Most people don’t know what they’re doing, and a lot of them are really good at it.” - George Carlin

[Wildthings]

[71whitewesty]

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&...com/google

I've mentioned it before but I swear on this stuff. With a few days and enough time I've had results like SGkent mentions.
_________________
71 Westy 1600 DP, all stock Bus 1
1970's Snow Trac 1600 SP (sold 12/2016)
1968 Tucker sno cat, sold 2021
1969 Tucker Sno cat 542
2017 VW Alltrac
71 tin top stock 1600 DP (project but runs)
Twin 71 White Westy, Bus 2, that I pulled from a 15 year slumber in a dry eastern WA field in 2015.
1966 Sundial Camper "Boomer"

[SGKent]