I did the "Cheap Handling Fix"!

zman-az wrote:

ClassAGeek wrote:
Moving the links to the inner holes probably puts less load on the bar. The range of movement appears to be reduced as the tie rods move from perpendicular to a more obtuse angle.

Ever have a nut you can't get loose with a socket wrench so you put a big bar on it to get more leverage. Sway bar works the same way. It takes alot more torque with a smaller handled wrench than a longer one. That is why the relocation to the inner hole on the sway bar works. The range of movement is the same between the axel and the frame and that is the two points the sway bar is connected to.

Nice analogy except it is backwards.

First: recognize that the force applied by the motorhome is constant regardless of which hole you choose to use. The MH still weighs the same. It will continue to 'sway' with the same amount of force pushing down. Only the twisting force changes because the different length of the sway bar end.

The long part of the bar exerts more twisting force on the torsion bar. Move to the shorter hole (which we have all done), apply the same amount of force from the motorhome (which is constant) and you will twist the torsion bar less. Less twist means less stress on the sway bar.

The only problem is the range of movement with the shorter hole. The connecting links are no longer perpendicular to the torsion bar arm. There is less movement before the torsion bar falls in-line with the connecting rod, meaning no more twisting movement. Get this far and something will either bend laterally or break.

So far no one has had this happen - but it is a possibly. The fix for this problem is simple: Buy the longer adjustable connecting rods mentioned elsewhere in this thread. Mine are on their way via Amazon.

Simply lengthen the rods until the torsion arm is perpendicular at rest and you will have restored the original range of motion. With the longer tie rods, you will also get a marginally stiffer performance compared to the shorter tie rod.