ANTI ROLL BAR.

[Moleman]

Has anyone ever had their anti roll bar snap? Mine has just snapped on the weld joint on my westfield. It might have just been a bad weld as it's only 5 years old.
Now that I have taken it off I have realised it is a hollow tube & was wondering if it should be a solid one due to the stresses it takes or is it like that to keep the weight down?
Also the aluminium blocks that clamp it to the sub frame don't have any rubber bushes around the anti roll bar & was clamped on tight, Does anyone know if that is the norm as I would of thought they would need some movement in them due to the stresses put on them. but I could be wrong.     

[robp]

Yes, my Westfield (rear) ARB snapped too. Easy enough to re-weld and has been fine since. There is no bushing on the mounts but the bar should turn freely.

[Moleman]

I forgot to say it was the rear one. I do think it was the fact it was not moving freely so I will check that when i either replace it or get it welded.
Thanks for the info. 

[chrislandy]

It doesn't matter whether the bar is solid or hollow, the greatest stress in the elastic range mobilise at the outer surface (the point of greatest radius), if the tube had failed then it would most likely buckle so it would either flatten at that point or you would see some surface imperfections (like diagional lines) indicating initial failure

It sounds like a stress riser such as a weld defect has caused fatigue in the weld and hence failure. As mentioned, the bar should turn freely in the mounting block to minimise the forces within the bar and so it can work as it's designed to.

Chris.

[Moleman]

Thanks for that Chris. I will check it all when fitting the replacement parts.