Clunking Front Sway Bar solution, Oh Andy...i got it Options

[r_towle]

I have been frustrated for some time with the front anti sway bar fluttering during low speed driving. When you hit a bump, the hollow sway bar flutters in the middle and taps the gas tank, it is very close to the tank, 1/8 of an inch at most, and this tapping sends the noise and vibration through the car...its ampliphies and sounds like a pretty severe clunk.

Well, lots of time looking around, the whole front end has been out several times, its is certainly the sway bar, and at least SirAndy is one other person who has the same problem.

Well, I had to take out the tank for another reason, and I was looking at the sway bar, and sure enough the bottom of the tank has small marks showing the sway bar hitting it.

There are loads of ways to deal with this, but I had very little space between the tank and the bar, so my original idea of a pillow block and bearing in the middle of the bar would not clear the tank...hmm

I was cleaning up the back of the barn and noticed a length of garden hose laying there...hmm

I cut a piece of hose, long enough to go end to end of the sway bar.
I cut a slice down the middle of the hose from one end to the other.
The hose inner diameter is just a bit smaller than the sway bar, so it fits tight.
I put this piece on the sway bar, put it all together..
NOISE IS GONE

This has been going on for a few years, and instead of getting used to it, I finally fixed it, and it cost nothing but a piece of hose headed for the dumpster.

Rich