being the broke college student that I am, I've been wanting to upgrade my suspension, but can't I've been looking at a lot of rear sway bars in the classifieds, and they all look like just bent 1" bars with holes for bolts. I tried searching, and couldn't find any threads on people trying to make them. I bet if you wanted to, you can get a solid 1" pipe, instead of a hollow one and bend it to spec. Has anyone tried this? It'd be something I'm interested in sice I can't shell out a couple hundred for a bent bar.

 

Solid?

Oh, and just how are you going to bend a solid 1 inch bar?

Not trying to kill your dreams, but this idea is more difficult than it is worth.

 

With a hydraulic pipe bender.

 

Could you do it, sure anything can be done. Do you have the equipment bend the bar? Do you have access to a welder, drill press, etc?

You need spring steel though, not the stuff you get at your local welding/metal supply place. In the end buying one is probably not much more than making one.

 

If you do have access to a hydraulic pipe bender that actually can bend 1 inch solid bar you're going to have something that weighs 125 pounds and doesn't flex.

If you use something not solid but the wrong materiel it'll flex. Sure.
Once.

If you don't know or understand the engineering involved before you embark on this endeavor you're going to spend far more than the sway bar costs to buy and potentially place yourself and others at risk.

 

Yeah I have access to a hydraulic pipe bender, welder and drill press. I just have to find out what kind of steel is used. I don't care if I use solid steel. Just making one and learning will be worth it. I'm sure I won't spend close to $200 doing it so it'll be a win/win

 

Solid steel won't work. It'll yield. You need spring steel.

 

I hate hate hate discouraging people from trying to learn new things so I'll stop here and just advise extreme caution. Good luck.

 

Thanks. I appreciate constructive feedback though. I just can't believe no one has tried this. My best friend is a mechanical engineer and we would build things all the time for our cars growing up.

 

in for finished product

 

in for moar lolololols

 

All the information you need has already been posted here by John Powell.

 

very interesting. subd for finished piece

 

Buy Powell race parts. /thread

 

nga is broke so he is makin one

 

OP already stated he can't afford it. At the same time though, there's NO WAY I would make a component for my suspension like that unless I had a very very high degree of confidence in the person who made the part. I would hate to see what would happen if the bar wasn't strong enough and broke under load, that would probably be pretty messy... Good luck though, and definitely be safe!

 

I understand that the op said he was a broke college student. So if you know your broke then don't expect to mod your dd. it's idiotic. Unsafe when making homemade custom suspension parts. If you are broke then where are you using your parts? School?

 

No reason you can't make one if you have access to the right materials, right tools, proper skills and the engineering. IMHO it doesn't make much sense unless you have an application that doesnt have an aftermarket version available. Doubt it would save you much if any money in the end.

Here is a homemade one for a Honda fit.
DIY rear sway bar - Unofficial Honda FIT Forums

Another option would be to locate a bar in the junkyard that looks close and mod that. In any case watch the heat when you are welding so you don't take the temper out of the spring steel otherwise you will put it on and it will twist like a licorice the first time you put any force on it.

 

Maybe you're all right. I was just curious if anyone's ever done it. I don't really have any time right now anyways d/t school.

 

Could be an interesting project but bend it wrong or use the wrong material and it wont work in a possibly very bad way.

 

In for moar of his post, makes me laugh

 

^ this or when it snaps while its under load in a turn....

Like Sox-Fan i like seeing people come up with new things, but suspension stuff and an Ice box for the top of your blower are two different things.

just be careful

 

Progress Rear Anti Roll Sway Bar 05 09 Chevy Cobalt | eBay

 

or this

Eibach Anti Roll Single Sway Bar Kit Rear Sway Bar Only Part 3899 312 | eBay

 

This is more or less what I was getting at lol.