Sway bars, also known as "stabilizer" or "anti-roll" bars, are one of the more basic suspension pieces that one might ever need to replace. The job requires only basic tools.
The purpose of a sway bar is to prevent excess body roll. A new sway bar might be required if the vehicle exhibits a worsening tendency to roll while cornering.
Sway bars are connected to the wheel spindles on either side by a pair of vertical end links, and are secured to the frame by two or three semi-circular brackets.
Sway bars must always be installed with the wheels on the ground or on a set of ramps. This will prevent sway-bar pre-loading and the subsequent bad handling.
The new rubber bushings that fill the gap between the sway bar and its frame mounts can be a tight fit. A liberal amount of grease will ease installation.
Sway bar end links are usually secured with a "castle nut" which requires a thin metal cotter pin to hold it in place. New cotter pins are always a good idea, as the old ones can be weakened by removal and break off later.
