Swaybar repair pictoral, 300SD - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Pete Burton · #1 01-29-2006, 11:05 PM

EDIT:
This procedure is not MB approved, no safety or engineering data.
Use at your own risk.
By continuing to read this, you accept full responsibility for any attempt to use this theoretical unproven procedure.

Here's a few pictures of how I repaired the broken swaybar on my 300SD. Basically, I cut off the end, drilled and tapped it and inserted a bolt. But as usual, I digress:

1. As I looked at it shortly after it broke. The end bolt practically peeled out of the tiny amount of end material that wasn't corroded away.

2. Removed the shock and disconnected the control arm, swing it out of the way and holding it with a very carefully crafted piece of cardboard

3. Cut off what was left of the 16mm diameter end.

4. Started to drill a hole down the center of the swaybar end. I went slowly and carefully. No exotic drill was needed, but I kept checking squareness until I got it right. As you can see, the last picture here shows that the hole was still crooked. Get it straight before you get to tap drill diameter.

Pete Burton · #2 01-29-2006, 11:06 PM

5. Here's a picture of the finished tapped hole. 1/2-13 x 1.3" Deep.

6. Parts fitted loosely together. From left, 1/2-13 x 4" GRADE 8 hex head bolt. 123-323-04-76 washer, drilled out to 1/2" ID. 123-333-06-67 washer. 116-333-40-14 support. 116-333-40-14 support. 123-333-06-67 washer. Underneath all of that, a piece of 1/2"ID x 5/8OD polyethylene tubing, to bring the diameter around the bolt up to nearly 16mm. I would have liked to use a harder plastic, but that's what they had at the hardware store.

7. Outside both 123-333-06-67 washers, it measures 60 mm, just like the still unbroken right side.

8. Done.

Pete Burton · #3 01-29-2006, 11:06 PM

I'll put any other info here that might be helpful for anyone else who wants to try fixing it this way. I pried good on the end of this, I'm sure it's stronger than whatever is left on the other side. I couldn't see tearing out all the stuff behind the firewalls and springing for a new bar. But that's just me. All the parts you see cost about $13.

The only caveat I have to make here is that it is important to drill the hole right down the middle of the bar, to retain maximum strength. I know a few otherwise pretty competent mechanics that aren't the graetest in this area. Patience.

#4 01-30-2006, 03:09 AM

Nice work.

Was the metal of pretty good quality (ie drilled/tapped nice?)

See quite a few broken sway bars...whats the deal?

d.delano · #5 01-30-2006, 11:03 AM

That's awesome. I would have tried to do the same thing if faced with pulling the car apart to replace the bar. I'll bet now you want to to the other side just like it.

RAYMOND485 · #6 01-30-2006, 11:21 AM

1984 300d Turbo 136k
Install A New Sway Bar, I Install The 2 Bushing, Remove The Battery And Battery Tray, Driver Side Remove The Master Cyl And Brake Booster Diy

Pete Burton · #7 01-30-2006, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandon314159

Nice work.

Was the metal of pretty good quality (ie drilled/tapped nice?)

See quite a few broken sway bars...whats the deal?

Thanks. The metal is of excellent quality as far as I could tell. It tapped pretty easily, but I used a good quality, non coated tap with a dab of Boelube. I believe that water gets trapped between the rubber supports and the bar as the rubber gets old.

Pete Burton · #8 01-31-2006, 08:11 AM

What would really make this repair a piece of cake is to have an alignment tool made out of a piece of bar stock to slip over the end of the bar with drill bushings so that alignment was (nearly) foolproof. But I sold my lathe when I moved

pawoSD · #9 01-31-2006, 08:34 AM

But its much more fun to just tear everything apart!

Pete Burton · #10 06-15-2006, 04:07 PM

bump, seeing as this subject just came up. What's the magic search word for this anyway, sway, swaybar, sway bar, torsion bar, salad bar?

blueranger · #11 06-15-2006, 07:41 PM

wow pete, you are the man,
normally everyones opion here is to take to the dealer for the expert repair..
But you always diy....

I am bowing in your direction....

pawoSD · #12 06-15-2006, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pete Burton

bump, seeing as this subject just came up. What's the magic search word for this anyway, sway, swaybar, sway bar, torsion bar, salad bar?

Type in "Sway Epic"

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueranger

wow pete, you are the man,
normally everyones opion here is to take to the dealer for the expert repair..
But you always diy....

I am bowing in your direction....

Hey hey hey, we did the dealer repair on our own, in a 1 stall garage, with a propane heater, and didn't jack the car up (yes we did it with the wheels on the car), 60 hours of work later and it was back on the road!!!

Here's a link:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=138289

t walgamuth · #13 06-15-2006, 11:05 PM

that looks very good but i seriously doubt it will last.

however, if it breaks off you are no worse off than you were before, i dont imagine.

tom w

blueranger · #14 06-15-2006, 11:09 PM

well, why would a #8 bolt break... its bigger than the swaybar end it replaced which rusted off....

You should appreciate this its a work of genuis....

pawoSD · #15 06-15-2006, 11:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueranger

well, why would a #8 bolt break... its bigger than the swaybar end it replaced which rusted off....

You should appreciate this its a work of genuis....

Because the sway bar is a "cold cast" piece of metal, its not really supposed to be drilled into or altered like that....at least thats what I read/heard somewhere. The sway bar could crack apart where the bolt goes into it, the bolt would be fine, but the sway bar wouldn't be. I am curious to see how long it lasts.