Is radius rod same thing as sway bar

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I came across insanely crazy video of rear sway barereplacement on one of the premium sedans. The bushings had shifted on the sway bar. Bushings are integrated with the sway bar and can not be purchased separately. To replace the sway bar, the video had to remove most of the rear components off that vehicle.

So I tried to find some reference material on that model and the only thing I could see was something called "radius rod" and the list of items needed to be removed to access the radius rod closely matched what the video had shown for rear sway bar.

How is it possible to build the entire rear of the car around the rear sway bar?
 
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It's common for suspension assemblies to be installed as "packages". They probably didn't build it around the sway bar...but it's difficult to extricate the sway bar without also removing other stuff, because it was installed as part of a package.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
It's common for suspension assemblies to be installed as "packages". They probably didn't build it around the sway bar...but it's difficult to extricate the sway bar without also removing other stuff, because it was installed as part of a package.


Upgraded the rear swaybar on my 2001 Taurus with one from a 1991 SHO. Was great. Wanted to do the front ... until I learned that, to replace the front swaybar, you have to drop the front subframe. No thanks!
 
It wasn't built around the sway bar. If its Japanese chances are the sway bar mounts were installed first along with the bar then the whole rear cradle assy fitted after it.
Its common, some GM bolt the front bar on the engine cradle before it meets up the bodies sub frame. Some are easy to get out others are a PITA.

Post the video if you can.
 
The radius rod centers an axle or control arm fore-and-aft. On a saturn s-series or taurus the front sway bar also does radius arm duty.

If a lower control arm is A-shaped it doesn't need a radius rod.
 
Picture the 66-77 Bronco.Front coil spring suspension.Coils will not "locate" the axle and keep it from movements.So Ford used Forged Radius arms aft of the axle to locate it front to rear and allow a pivot point,and added a panhard rod atop the axle to prevent left/right movement (todays "death wobble").A sway bar if added,would clamp to the axle tube and using links,connect to the frame rails.
 
I did not quite get how the bushings got shifted on the sway bar. On the sway bar that I am familiar with, it does no locating duty and there would be no axial load between the bushing and the shaft. Something seems to be seriously wrong if the entire cradle shifted underneath.

Trav,

Here is the video; can you speculate as to how this could have happened? One expects a play to develop between the bushing and the shaft as the bushing wears off or worse to crack or to become non-compliant.
 
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Originally Posted By: Miller88
Upgraded the rear swaybar on my 2001 Taurus with one from a 1991 SHO. Was great. Wanted to do the front ... until I learned that, to replace the front swaybar, you have to drop the front subframe. No thanks!


Yes; very common on FWD platforms that use front "perimeter" subframes. This is the case on both of our current vehicles, and was the case on both of my FWD Cadillacs. It was not the case on our Mopar minivans because they didn't have front "perimeter" subframes...just kind of "half" subframes.

The rear sway bar is "trapped" in our Acura MDX. The bushings are still replaceable, but I don't think you can get the sway bar out without lowering the rear subframe. It's super easy on our Honda CR-V, however. The rear sway bar bolts to the rear subframe, but externally and to the rear, so you can just remove the bolts and remove the bar from the vehicle.
 
Car & Driver included an article in the early 80's explaining that there is no such thing as a "sway bar" or even an "anti-sway bar" on a car. It's a colloquialism that is incorrect.

They would more correctly be called either anti-roll bars or stabilizer bars. But, as with any other colloquialism (i.e. "dino oil") we know what people are talking about.
 
My only guess would be because cars with independent suspensions usually uses some sort of link that allows some movement, these don't so the force is transmitted side to side with force, something has to give.
A rear wheel was either run up on something high at more than crawling speed like you would if you were parking on the curb or it was flogged hard enough to do this which i find doubtful.

Just looking at the design i know what i would do before putting it back together but i wont say for fear of being called a heretic by the purist. LOL
 
Originally Posted By: DBMaster
Car & Driver included an article in the early 80's explaining that there is no such thing as a "sway bar" or even an "anti-sway bar" on a car. It's a colloquialism that is incorrect.

They would more correctly be called either anti-roll bars or stabilizer bars. But, as with any other colloquialism (i.e. "dino oil") we know what people are talking about.


Yeah like how they taught English in German schools years ago. May i have the bill of fare instead of can i have a Menu. There was something about friggin carpets too but i don't remember, it was over 50 years ago.
We all know what it is, no point in changing the words to the same music.
Interesting though, thanks for posting it.
 
Please tell! The only way I can see this happening is if the entire rear suspension is literally being hung by the stabilizer bar!

I have eyes on a S550 and I need to understand how unrealistic owning a 100K+ miles specimen of a $100K car is before jumping!
 
No. This explains it.
http://www.whyhighend.com/independent-suspension.html

I would either stake or make a double split cup for the bushings, i would need to look at them first to see where the movement is occurring.
This is the last vehicle on earth you need to own used with 100K on it. Even if you have a mechanic with the skills and equipment the parts will eat you alive.

Mechanically they are are a great car but there is so much technology in them a minor issue becomes a big dollar problem quickly.
 
Mercedes has been using that style of rear suspension since the '80's...although I don't know if the swaybar mounting has always been like that. I will look at mine a bit closer when I next get it in the air. I had to replace the drive coupling last week, you have to drop the exhaust to do that. Not something I'd do at home, I took it to work and did it on the hoist.

English Fords used a combined radius rod and swaybar for many years, on Escorts, Cortinas etc.
 
One of the reason I am tempted is I see even dealers selling them at +250K miles on the clock. I would not go near S600 or AMG but a vanilla S550 (!!) with airmatic (instead of ABC) probably won't be money pit. I might have to start learning about Arnott Industries; but at this stage I am trying to do my due diligence on the weak points of W221
 
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