Stabilizer Bar

Stabilizer bars (also called anti-sway bars or anti-roll bars) are part of the suspension systems of many automobiles. They help reduce the body roll of a car over road irregularities or during fast cornering. It uses short lever arms linked by a torsion spring to connect the opposite wheels together (right/left). The first stabilizer bar was invented in 1919 by a Canadian inventor, but did not become a common accessory for vehicles until the 1950s and onward.

Brands

There are numerous brands of anti-roll or stabilizer bars available, and at the end of the day it comes down to price and personal preference. Eibach is one of the most popular brands, and offers many packages that also include new springs. For racers, Jegster is a popular brand. Their 40096 Drag Race Anti-Roll Bar is perfect for drag racers and is one of the best reviewed roll bars on the market.

Safety

The main purpose of an anti-roll bar is to force each side of the vehicle to rise or lower to similar heights to help reduce the sideways roll of the car on large bumps, sharp corners, and curves. While all cars come equipped with them, some people choose to take them out or you may be waiting for a new one to come in to replace a damaged bar. It is possible to drive without it, but it is advisable that you take corners slowly and control your speed if you do so. An anti-roll bar improves your suspension and ensures it does not collapse on the outside wheels, so it is important to make sure you have one and that it is well maintained.

Benefits

Anti-roll bars provide two main functions: they tune the handling of balance of a car and reduce body lean. Both of these features improve the performance of your car. It allows you to take corners faster and more smoothly, while reducing the total roll stiffness of the vehicle. It also allows you to tune the understeer and oversteer behavior to your own preference by changing the proportion of the total roll stiffness that comes from the rear and front axles. This allows the driver to ensure their car is customized to fit their own driving preferences.

Drawbacks

Because a stabilizer bar attaches the opposite wheels together, the bar will shift the force of bumps affecting one wheel to the opposite wheel. This can produce jarring side to side body motions on broken or rough pavement. This movement can increase in severity with the stiffness and diameter of the stabilizer bar. Too much roll stiffness may cause the inside wheels to rise off the road during very hard cornering.

Cost

To replace an anti-roll bar, the estimated cost is somewhere between $100 and $140, which includes labor and parts. New anti-roll bars can be found online (on sites like eBay) for as little as $30 to as much as $2,000, depending on the brand and the type of vehicle the bar is being used for (high-performance models tend to have the more expensive bars). As usual, if you are looking to save money, shop around at various places and look online, and try to install it yourself to reduce labor cost.