stoopid question, i was searching on ebay Options

[fatlando]

and keep seeing auctions for "Front and Rear" Sway bars...What are they and do i need to replace them?

I've been a 914 owner for a few years and have just started my OJT Apprenitceship as a wanna be 914 mechanic.

just wondering.... (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/unsure.gif)

[ArtechnikA]

it may help you to understand what they are if you think for a moment that they are properly called "anti-roll" bars -- but typically only pedantic types like myself call them that (and refer to "shock absorbers" by their proper name "spring dampers.")

since they MOSTLY affect only roll, they are typically used to fine-tune a suspension or add additional roll resistance to a car in which resisting roll with springs alone would result in an excessively harsh ride.

anti-roll bars are torsion bars that run, perpendicular to the axis of travel, from one wheel to its axle pair. by transferring weight from the 'inside' wheel to the 'outside' wheel in a turn, the body resists rolling.

like Mike says - a proper bar won't wear out, although the bushings sometimes do. in the case of non-adjustable bars (e.g. factory...) people sometimes replace them with stiffer but adjustable bars so the suspension can be tuned for different venues. a car that is nimble and has good turn-in at an autocross will be 'twitchy' on a big track at very high speeds.

most 914's benefit greatly from having SOME front anti-roll bar. the factory bar is quite light; there are racing parts that are very, very stiff. this does not make them BETTER unless you are racing. 914's are all about balance...