Bent Anti-Sway Bars?

[POWERED by HONDA]

How common is it for Anti-Sway bars (or links) to get bent or damaged in someway?

Acura called me to say my rear anti-sway bar was bent, and that was causing the rattling when going over some bumps. (I figured it was just loose, like all the other problems here.)

Any thoughts, concerns, comments?

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

Sounds like they're joshing you. The bushings and retainers or drop links would likely bend and shear before the bar "bent". They may be confusing the bar being under load from the suspension being dropped.

-- Chris

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Revolutionize your NSX with ScienceofSpeed
www.ScienceofSpeed.com | [email protected] | 877-863-4520

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

Provide more info such as what suspension you have and what anti-sways you are using.

-- Chris

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

It's a completely stock 1998 NSX-T.

 

[ScienceofSpeed]

I don't see anyway how a sway bar would bend. There are weaker links in the system. Did they happen to say your drop links are bent? When is the sound loudest? Is it loud when one corner is of the suspension is in a different position in the travel range (ie. the front wheel is on a speed bump, and the other is not?)

cheers,
-- Chris

------------------
Revolutionize your NSX with ScienceofSpeed
www.ScienceofSpeed.com | [email protected] | 877-863-4520

 

[nsxtasy]

If I were you, I'd make an appointment to take my car to Mark Basch over at Dali Racing and have him take a look at it.

 

[FuryNSX]

Originally posted by POWERED by HONDA:

Acura called me to say my rear anti-sway bar was bent, and that was causing the rattling when going over some bumps. (I figured it was just loose, like all the other problems here.)

Any thoughts, concerns, comments?

Hmmm.....let me guess. Kearny Mesa?

------------------
1995 NSX-T
1999 3.2TL
2001 Odyssey
1992 SC400

 

[NSX/MR2]

Ss the service at KM's Acura not acceptable?

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

The car makes a rattling noise when going over the little freeway seperation bumps or the reflectors. It's like a click or clinking sound.

It's on the right side. The left side really doesn't do it... loud anyway.

They did say they bent it back and now the sound is gone. I don't know if they are actually referring to the bar or the links. I will call them in the morning.

The car is currently under warranty and that's why I took it to the dealer.

Shouldn't these things be replaced? Especially if it was under warranty?

This is actually being taken care of at Hoehn Acura in Carlsbad.

Can a bad accident cause this problem? (ie: bent frame?)

The car was inspected by Larry Garcia of NSX Modified before I purchased it.

Scary thing is, I bought this car from Auto Market/Lotus of Orange County. The dealer that got busted for drugs.

 

[matteni]

Hmm - something definately not right here. I broke one of my end links, but the sway bar was completely fine. If you look at a end link it "tapers down" and is a much weaker point in the system.

Sway bars have pretty intracate bends and IF it did bend - I doubt they would have the where with all to make it perfect again.

When that happens next time I would make a "surprise" visit and ask to check it out. If it were me I would be shopping for a new dealer and or some jack stands and a floor jack.

------------------
Nick M

91' Red/Black with Many Mods
99' Honda Odyssey with Many Kids

 

[nsxtasy]

Originally posted by matteni:
If it were me I would be shopping for a new dealer and or some jack stands and a floor jack.

It's a lot easier to DIY for routine maintenance or installing an aftermarket part, than it is to diagnose a problem. If the dealer can't figure it out (and it looks like they can't), your chances of doing so aren't good...

 

[POWERED by HONDA]

I called them.

They said it was the link. It was hitting the shocks and that's why it would make that noise.

I don't know much about the suspension, so I don't know if that sounds feasible or not.

Either way, they bent it back. And I shouldn't be hearing that noise.

I asked them how come they didn't replace (can you?) the links instead of just bending it back. He said "we can't. It's not a defect in the part. Something had to have happened for it to bend.'

Err. I'm going to pick up my car.

[This message has been edited by POWERED by HONDA (edited 04 September 2002).]

 

[RatedR]

I think you should call Acura client services. Its one thing to maybe bottom out and hit something that caused your links to bend....but its another to just say "its bent and something had to have cause it"...

well, duh! If you radio all of a sudden stops working, or your A/C compressor craps out, something cause that to happen as well and its covered under warranty. As long as your car is under factory warranty and there are no signs of your car hitting something underneath that would have cause the problem....they should replace the parts.

------------------
00 ITR #671. For Sale.
92 Civic CX (daily driver)

Looking to buy an NSX soon, but have to sell the Type R first!

 

[BadCarma]

Originally posted by RatedR:
I think you should call Acura client services. Its one thing to maybe bottom out and hit something that caused your links to bend....but its another to just say "its bent and something had to have cause it"...

well, duh! If you radio all of a sudden stops working, or your A/C compressor craps out, something cause that to happen as well and its covered under warranty. As long as your car is under factory warranty and there are no signs of your car hitting something underneath that would have cause the problem....they should replace the parts.

I agree with rated r. my acura dealer would never pull that s#$t.find another dealer.btw my car is not under warrenty but i have seen them work with the warrenty cars and thats a fact.they have cut me so much slack on everything I would never consider another dealer.trust me on this one all dealers are NOT the same quality.and like ken said if the dealer doesnt know it will be hard for you to diagnos.remedy MB
david

 

[nsxtasy]

Okay, I'm not as technical as some folks here... but my gut tells me that a part that has been bent, and bent back, is not as strong as one that has never been bent at all. If it were my car, I would not be satisfied with this resolution. Unless our technical gurus here disagree with this assumption.

Also keep in mind that there are two issues here: (1) getting your car fixed right, and (2) getting Acura to pay for it. (1) is easier than (2). I wonder whether your dealer is capable of either (1) or (2). I know Mark Basch is capable of (1), and can advise you regarding (2) but cannot take care of that himself. That's why I suggested going to him; he might fix it for you (but you might have to pay), or he might advise you on how to proceed.

If there is another Acura dealer in the San Diego area that does excellent NSX service work, that might be another alternative for a second opinion, and if so, maybe they could get it covered under warranty (or, maybe not; I am not expressing an opinion regarding whether it should be covered under warranty, only pointing out that only Acura dealers qualify to get warranty coverage for a repair).

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 04 September 2002).]

 

[RatedR]

Not too mention, by them just "bending" it back...there is NO WAY to tell if its back to the Exact same position/specs as the factory piece when brand new. This would alarm me as well seeing as most mechanics cant bend steal, unless using some claps and a big hammer or other tools....im assuming the worst here...but they probably just bent it enough out of the way so its not rubbing anything.

I would be worried that my car isnt going to handle just right with this temp repair. Demand new parts be put on. This is a $60-$70,000 car were talking about here...not an Integra!

------------------
00 ITR #671. For Sale.
92 Civic CX (daily driver)

Looking to buy an NSX soon, but have to sell the Type R first!

 

[Larry Bastanza]

Conrad,

I agree there is no way the link is as strong. It should be replaced. I will not bother to debate about Acura's position, but I would press them about it, since if the link were to actually fail it could be quite dangerous, since it will upset the balance of the car, especially if it were to fail when you were pushing the car hard.

With that said, this is not a high ticket item, maybe around $100or so if I recall. So I would fight a little with the dealer about it, but it should get replaced ASAP, especially if you drive the car in a spirited manner regularly.

Good Luck,
LarryB

 

[matteni]

I had to replace my link. It broke and was around $120 retail. It snapped at the tapered point and I doubt it would bend as it look like it was welded there - ICBW.

Either way it is a relatively easy fix and you should demand a replacement AND a new allignment.

I do a fair amount of tracking the car and have aftermarket sway bars and sway bar collars so mine was a little more understandable - allthough it was the first replacement my dealer had ordered and had never seen one break.

 

[Hrant]

Please check the following so we can identify if your problem is geramne with some of the "issues" we also found at a recent tech inspection session.

1. Is your sway bar centered?
2. Is your sway bar hitting the corners of the battery tray? All four 97+ that we inspected showed this phenomena!!
3. What is the clearance between the left and right link and the dampners (shocks).
4. Have you really assured yourself that you have a stock spring or the dampners are not shot .... in other words the car is not lowered?

On my 98-T with recent Bilsteins on the lower perch, the right link hit the Bilstein and scarred the yellow paint (that is how we noticved it)! I have the Comptech sway bars. My clearance between the link and dampners when the sway bar was cenetered was just an index finger, or about 0.5" ......... I think if I stiffen the sway bar further it will give more clearance ........ I was very surprised because that was also the amount of the sway bar movement with Comptech clips which do not seem to be strong enough to stop stop the sway bar from sliding!!

 

[nsxtasy]

There was a similar thread yesterday about a dealer in the Detroit area who refused to work on a car, allegedly because it was modified.

I would not go to a dealer who does not welcome my business. Granted, some folks live in areas where their is only one dealer, and don't have any other options. But anywhere there are several dealers, you have a choice. Take it elsewhere.

If I were in your particular situation, I would take it to Mark Basch at Dali Racing, and have him replace the piece. Yes, it means paying for a repair that wasn't done properly - but it is a relatively minor amount, and I would be more concerned about getting my car fixed right, than about getting financial reimbursement from an uncooperative dealer.

And, in the future, I would take my car to Mark (or another competent dealer) for non-warranty repairs, and another dealer for warranty service.

There was also a recommendation in the other thread about contacting Acura customer service just to let them know about your dissatisfaction with the service received at Hoehn, and I agree that this is a good idea too. But, even if Acura HQ made such a recommendation, I would not want to take it back there for them to "make it right".

Just my O.

Let us know how it turns out.

[This message has been edited by nsxtasy (edited 06 September 2002).]

 

[FuryNSX]

Geez, seems like every Acura dealership around here in San Diego has problems dealing with NSXs. At least M.Basch is close by. I hope I don't need any warranty service before that runs out. (Fingers crossed.)

Conrad, hope everything works out on this.

------------------
1995 NSX-T
1999 3.2TL
2001 Odyssey
1992 SC400

 

[cojones]

Originally posted by ScienceofSpeed:
I don't see anyway how a sway bar would bend.

I've seen them break (torn by shear) on a few BMW club racecars... granted these are heavier cars with more power (B-mod E46M3). But they have been known to fail.