Heard a pop and an intermitant metal rattle. Took it to the dealer and the technician showed me where the sway bar busted all the way through the weld on the right side and was cracked on the left. The dealership replaced it with a new sway bar but also mentioned to me they thought it was a bad design or badly engineered. When/if the next one breaks and it is no longer under warranty, what kind should I get installed? (Originally posted to wrong forum...)

 

I have the Hotchkis installed right now and I love them. Very stiff and handles awesome with aftermarket rims and springs.

Thats pretty sad that it broke like that. Cornering too hard maybe?

 

wow, did you push the car constantly?

even if you did, i shouldnt have done that, this is the first i hear of TRD bar breaking!

 

Yes I do corner too hard and push it -- but not constantly. Thats why i installed the lowering springs/sway/strut bars so i can enjoy my mountain drive and stick to the road. I dont offroad and miss 95% of the potholes so I am thinking my driving is within a "normal" range. But I do admit: I Love corners. Makes me miss riding my scooter.

 

I hope this isn't a problem with all of them

 

What's wrong with the TRD Design? Yours had a bad weld maybe?
I was planning on getting the TRD sway bar in a couple of weeks. Knowing this....maybe not?

Is there any other aftermaket ones for our XB?
I noticed that Hotchkis only comes as a front/rear sway bar set. I was thinking about only doing the rear sway. The front stock sway bar seems to be just fine. Or...do you think the Hotchkis front/rear setup is a good major upgrade from TRD rear/stock front.

 

From what i have heard and read the Hotchkis F/R set is a big improvement to the stock suspension. The Hotchkis ones are stiffer and lighter then the OEM and TRD...

 

Ok…. you guys talked me out of the TRD rear sway bar. Since the Hotchkis front/rear set is on sale, I pulled the trigger. The rear sway bar install looks simple enough. I'm a little concerned on how difficult the front sway bar install is. I hope not too much disassembly is required. Any input or tips about the front sway bar install?

 

I think the front bar is easy. It is the rear that I needed to take it to the dealer to get it up to install . But I am sure there is a thread giving instructions on how to do the install. I stuck with TRD since I have a 100,000 mile / 7 year warranty. I am already past 31K and have had my car since July 07.

 

That's a great warranty!! It would take me over 13 years to hit 100,000 mile mark.... I don't drive as much as most do here.

 

Front sway's easy. Hotchkis provides vague instructions, but they're as simple as installing.

Rear sway's even easier than the front.

 

i'm loving my hotchkis kit!!! the front is a bit of a pain, compared to the back. the back is way simple. and a HUGE difference over stock!!! well worth the money. sorry to hear the trd one popped on you. i had a very loud pop on an off camber driveway enterance off a busy road. looked everything over and couldn't find anything. and it hasn't done it since.

 

It has happened AGAIN. The rear sway bar busted! Now I am at 47000 miles. Same place too: right side at the weld. There MUST be a design flaw. grrrr.

 

geez. I want to say this could be driver error, but I dont see how it could be. That sucks

 

The first TRD sway bar did have a design flaw that resulted in the exact problem you've had twice. Others have had the weld break also. TRD discontinued that design, and redesigned a new rear sway bar that uses end links, but is also a bit more expensive.
http://www.trdsparks.com/displaypart...&parts_id=1566

First look, Redesigned TRD Sway
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=255833

DIY - Redesigned TRD Sway Install
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=257152


is your friend.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=27618

 

That's why trd discontinued the rear sway bar,to much problem,ask the dealer,i'm getting eibach or hotchkiss hopefully in the next few months,kuz i just bougth a borla doble,sportline eibach springs and the rumion rear spoiler.

 

Dame girl how hard you hitting those turns LoL

Def sucks, i have had mine awile and im scared of this happing to me, than again my car is over a year + old and i only have 7,000 miles. I think im gonna look into selling it and going with the hotchkis set oe maybe the Eibach since no one has them yet from what i see.

 

i heard from ptuning that the hotchkis front and rear sway bar replacements were breaking too...anyone have any problems with them. cause i want to get the trd rear sway bar but if peoples keep breaking then idk anyone have the hotchkis with breaking issues?

 

Mine is still going strong at 19,500 miles. I hope it doesn't break at 20k...

If it did I wouldn't buy the replacement because of the price increase. I'd probably get my pops to reweld it at his shop.

 

I have about 15k on my sway bar with no breaks... But if it does break i got friends with welders so i'll beef it up...