Rear Steeda Competition Sway Bar OMG WTF LOL
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V6 Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 69
Likes: 11
From: Vancouver, BC. Canada
Rear Steeda Competition Sway Bar OMG WTF LOL
My entire suspension on my 05 GT is pretty much all Steeda, front and rear comp sway bars, panhard rod and brace, rear billet control arms, front billet endlinks, front control arm brace, front and rear lowering springs...you get the idea pretty much the works, nice stuff
I was pulling into my apartment building today and I hear a loud bang from the suspension. It almost sounded like the rearend or something. I went to back into my parking spot and it was almost stuck and not moving.. I put it in drive and reverse again and managed to back into my spot. I got out and looked underneath and could see something hanging to the ground. I got a better look the rear sway bar at the passenger corner was completely broken off. The driver side was ok, the rest was still in the billet endlinks.
I just emailed Steeda because it has a lifetime guarantee, so I will see what happens. I dont race or rally my car. It does see spirited driving, but nothing crazy. I am just wondering if anyone else ever experienced a sway bar failure? Anyways I know what I am doing tomorrow. I will have to take some pics, I find it really weird...a sway bar failure
I was pulling into my apartment building today and I hear a loud bang from the suspension. It almost sounded like the rearend or something. I went to back into my parking spot and it was almost stuck and not moving.. I put it in drive and reverse again and managed to back into my spot. I got out and looked underneath and could see something hanging to the ground. I got a better look the rear sway bar at the passenger corner was completely broken off. The driver side was ok, the rest was still in the billet endlinks.
I just emailed Steeda because it has a lifetime guarantee, so I will see what happens. I dont race or rally my car. It does see spirited driving, but nothing crazy. I am just wondering if anyone else ever experienced a sway bar failure? Anyways I know what I am doing tomorrow. I will have to take some pics, I find it really weird...a sway bar failure
Last edited by darcman; Aug 15, 2020 at 02:20 AM.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: September 17, 2013
Posts: 828
Likes: 132
I have never seen or even heard of a sway bar failure like you described. Did it break where the mounting tabs are welded or the tubing at the radius bend? It sounds like metal fatigue. How long has the sway bar been on the car?
Steeda has always been a stand up company and should make good on it. Let us know how it turns out.
Steeda has always been a stand up company and should make good on it. Let us know how it turns out.
Thread Starter
V6 Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 69
Likes: 11
From: Vancouver, BC. Canada
The sway bar tube broke right at the radius bend, so I guess it was metal fatigue or some sort of flaw from new. I think it has been on the car for around 6 years, but only around 25,000 miles. When I installed it I believe there was 3 positions for stiffness and I went for the middle one. I think they said the stiffest position was for dry pavement only. I could see it breaking if it was a 4x4, but it is a lowered stang. Ya its an odd one, I thought the sway bars were made from chrome molly tubing too.
Mach 1 Member
Joined: September 17, 2013
Posts: 828
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I believe that i have the same sway bars on my 2011. They are chromoly. My rear is set on the softest setting and the front on the middle one. I have around 35,000 miles on mine so far without issue and I track the car.
Thread Starter
V6 Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 69
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From: Vancouver, BC. Canada
Not much of an update....Somebody named Rod from Steeda emailed me back asking for pics. I sent him these pics and a couple emails later and still nothing after a month...I am not very impressed. I am not sure if my inquiry was lost or what. I am trying to be patient with the whole COVID thing. I just emailed Steeda again tonight, hopefully I hear back.
Tms Mustang Member ------ The Customizer!
Joined: February 5, 2014
Posts: 859
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From: Canada
Not much of an update....Somebody named Rod from Steeda emailed me back asking for pics. I sent him these pics and a couple emails later and still nothing after a month...I am not very impressed. I am not sure if my inquiry was lost or what. I am trying to be patient with the whole COVID thing. I just emailed Steeda again tonight, hopefully I hear back.
Give that a shot.
I am very surprised that they haven't resolved this issue for you yet!
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: January 25, 2010
Posts: 3,971
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From: Massachusetts
some small companies still answer their phones, last time I called Steeda it was pretty easy to get a human being on the phone, so that is an option too
it looks like it could be a fatigue failure to me . . . the bend was probably over-stressed in manufacturing, a crack developed, and over time the crack grew to the point that the whole thing failed . . . on the broken surface you can see some areas that look like they rusted and other parts that look like a recent break
it looks like it could be a fatigue failure to me . . . the bend was probably over-stressed in manufacturing, a crack developed, and over time the crack grew to the point that the whole thing failed . . . on the broken surface you can see some areas that look like they rusted and other parts that look like a recent break
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From: Insane
You need to call them more often, be insistent. Maybe every other day or two. Make them understand you mean business, and won't give up until they say something either way.
That said, if a Steeda sway bar has failed due to a little surface rust and/or maybe a harsh turn... Switch to the Eibach GT500 version and don't look back. Or something else, anyway, I'm a little biased, obviously.
That said, and like Bert mentioned, sometimes parts fail and it's just random and lucky, so you do you on switching or not.
You can sue Steeda if you want to get recompensed, but maybe it'll be best to just replace it outright. Lil' scary, that failing...
That said, if a Steeda sway bar has failed due to a little surface rust and/or maybe a harsh turn... Switch to the Eibach GT500 version and don't look back. Or something else, anyway, I'm a little biased, obviously.
That said, and like Bert mentioned, sometimes parts fail and it's just random and lucky, so you do you on switching or not.You can sue Steeda if you want to get recompensed, but maybe it'll be best to just replace it outright. Lil' scary, that failing...
. I have always thought sway bars were solid
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: January 25, 2010
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From: Massachusetts
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: February 2, 2004
Posts: 7,648
Likes: 675
From: Insane
Ok, since this thread is revived.... I took a second look at the pictures, because bored and things. Sue me. 
Well, no, don't, I don't have any money, so you'll have better luck gettin' blood from the inside of a non-prepared beforehand rock. Pressing on...
This is not a Steeda failure. Not... entirely anyway. Overall the rust situation on that car is... problematic. Obviously a salty winter road domain goin' on, looks like. Perhaps I'm mistaken. Don't think I am. So we have a way for rust to get in the cars various panels and steel. Which includes one particular sway bar, if the circumstances permit.
Notice the ends that sheared off that sway bar. Both of them have rust *through* the bar. Like, all the way through. That doesn't happen immediately. That's an over time issue. Also notice the lifted paint from the bar, all due to rust. That shouldn't be happening... and that's where Steeda could be to blame.
So... First issue would be a manufacturer defect. A bad paint situation, and/or a 'pre-cut' tube the sway bar was made of, already dented in or something. And again, obviously there's a paint problem on the bar, but not terribly surprising given the overall condition under there (no judging, just.. there it is..) and the flexing of the bar that's happening. It probably contributed to the problem, but I don't think any of that was *the* problem.
See, we already know about the 'through rust' in the tube from above. But notice *where* the through rust is in the tube? It's orientation? It looks to be forward and down in overall orientation. Like something smacked it *hard*. Aka, trauma from the road. Seem like perhaps OP ran over something a few whiles back. Quite a few whiles, I'd say. But it happened, and the rust got started. Time took it's deadly grip upon the situation... and tada. One good bump and there it goes, one sheared tube, overstressed because the rust was enough across and deep to compromise it, the grains of steel failed, and boom, there goes the sway bar. Or so I'm thinkin' anyway...
Of course, this is a supposition of many circumstantial evidence factors combined with a teensy bit of metallurgy and stresses thereto understandings, so I may have just techobabbled like an incoherent idiot. I do that sometimes.
That said, after revisiting this, I rescind my advise to go Eibach over this, although I do recommend that GT500 sway bar kit indeed, as the cause is not theirs as far as I can determine. Like said earlier "((mostly) solid waste product of animals) happens." I'm not certain the Eibach would have faired better or not, nor any other brand to be sure. Just an unfortunate situation, overall.
---
To address the oft cited 'thin walls' and 'not solid?' items, no, they're not solid. I mean, sure, you can get solid ones, but... there's really no point, except cheaper... but also less effective and heavier to boot. And they're not all that thick walled, but definitely thick enough. Metal's fun that way. The torsional forces aren't much in the center, but great on the outer diameter. So you'd make a hollow, bigger diameter bar (which is what you see happening for upgrades!) but just thick enough wall to maximize the performance desired. Add lightness, get stiff. Wait... 
Um, anyway, here's a paper on it for ya:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/...lid-sway-bars/
So I have spoken. Or typed. Whatever. Kibitz at will, I can take it!
Well, no, don't, I don't have any money, so you'll have better luck gettin' blood from the inside of a non-prepared beforehand rock. Pressing on...This is not a Steeda failure. Not... entirely anyway. Overall the rust situation on that car is... problematic. Obviously a salty winter road domain goin' on, looks like. Perhaps I'm mistaken. Don't think I am. So we have a way for rust to get in the cars various panels and steel. Which includes one particular sway bar, if the circumstances permit.
Notice the ends that sheared off that sway bar. Both of them have rust *through* the bar. Like, all the way through. That doesn't happen immediately. That's an over time issue. Also notice the lifted paint from the bar, all due to rust. That shouldn't be happening... and that's where Steeda could be to blame.
So... First issue would be a manufacturer defect. A bad paint situation, and/or a 'pre-cut' tube the sway bar was made of, already dented in or something. And again, obviously there's a paint problem on the bar, but not terribly surprising given the overall condition under there (no judging, just.. there it is..) and the flexing of the bar that's happening. It probably contributed to the problem, but I don't think any of that was *the* problem.
See, we already know about the 'through rust' in the tube from above. But notice *where* the through rust is in the tube? It's orientation? It looks to be forward and down in overall orientation. Like something smacked it *hard*. Aka, trauma from the road. Seem like perhaps OP ran over something a few whiles back. Quite a few whiles, I'd say. But it happened, and the rust got started. Time took it's deadly grip upon the situation... and tada. One good bump and there it goes, one sheared tube, overstressed because the rust was enough across and deep to compromise it, the grains of steel failed, and boom, there goes the sway bar. Or so I'm thinkin' anyway...
Of course, this is a supposition of many circumstantial evidence factors combined with a teensy bit of metallurgy and stresses thereto understandings, so I may have just techobabbled like an incoherent idiot. I do that sometimes.
That said, after revisiting this, I rescind my advise to go Eibach over this, although I do recommend that GT500 sway bar kit indeed, as the cause is not theirs as far as I can determine. Like said earlier "((mostly) solid waste product of animals) happens." I'm not certain the Eibach would have faired better or not, nor any other brand to be sure. Just an unfortunate situation, overall.
---
To address the oft cited 'thin walls' and 'not solid?' items, no, they're not solid. I mean, sure, you can get solid ones, but... there's really no point, except cheaper... but also less effective and heavier to boot. And they're not all that thick walled, but definitely thick enough. Metal's fun that way.
The torsional forces aren't much in the center, but great on the outer diameter. So you'd make a hollow, bigger diameter bar (which is what you see happening for upgrades!) but just thick enough wall to maximize the performance desired. Add lightness, get stiff. Wait... Um, anyway, here's a paper on it for ya:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/...lid-sway-bars/
So I have spoken. Or typed. Whatever. Kibitz at will, I can take it!
Last edited by houtex; Nov 24, 2020 at 10:43 PM.
Legacy TMS Member
Joined: November 13, 2005
Posts: 2,193
Likes: 46
Ok, since this thread is revived.... I took a second look at the pictures, because bored and things. Sue me. Well, no, don't, I don't have any money, so you'll have better luck gettin' blood from the inside of a non-prepared beforehand rock. Pressing on...
This is not a Steeda failure. Not... entirely anyway. Overall the rust situation on that car is... problematic. Obviously a salty winter road domain goin' on, looks like. Perhaps I'm mistaken. Don't think I am. So we have a way for rust to get in the cars various panels and steel. Which includes one particular sway bar, if the circumstances permit.
Notice the ends that sheared off that sway bar. Both of them have rust *through* the bar. Like, all the way through. That doesn't happen immediately. That's an over time issue. Also notice the lifted paint from the bar, all due to rust. That shouldn't be happening... and that's where Steeda could be to blame.
So... First issue would be a manufacturer defect. A bad paint situation, and/or a 'pre-cut' tube the sway bar was made of, already dented in or something. And again, obviously there's a paint problem on the bar, but not terribly surprising given the overall condition under there (no judging, just.. there it is..) and the flexing of the bar that's happening. It probably contributed to the problem, but I don't think any of that was *the* problem.
See, we already know about the 'through rust' in the tube from above. But notice *where* the through rust is in the tube? It's orientation? It looks to be forward and down in overall orientation. Like something smacked it *hard*. Aka, trauma from the road. Seem like perhaps OP ran over something a few whiles back. Quite a few whiles, I'd say. But it happened, and the rust got started. Time took it's deadly grip upon the situation... and tada. One good bump and there it goes, one sheared tube, overstressed because the rust was enough across and deep to compromise it, the grains of steel failed, and boom, there goes the sway bar. Or so I'm thinkin' anyway...
Of course, this is a supposition of many circumstantial evidence factors combined with a teensy bit of metallurgy and stresses thereto understandings, so I may have just techobabbled like an incoherent idiot. I do that sometimes.
That said, after revisiting this, I rescind my advise to go Eibach over this, although I do recommend that GT500 sway bar kit indeed, as the cause is not theirs as far as I can determine. Like said earlier "((mostly) solid waste product of animals) happens." I'm not certain the Eibach would have faired better or not, nor any other brand to be sure. Just an unfortunate situation, overall.
---
To address the oft cited 'thin walls' and 'not solid?' items, no, they're not solid. I mean, sure, you can get solid ones, but... there's really no point, except cheaper... but also less effective and heavier to boot. And they're not all that thick walled, but definitely thick enough. Metal's fun that way. The torsional forces aren't much in the center, but great on the outer diameter. So you'd make a hollow, bigger diameter bar (which is what you see happening for upgrades!) but just thick enough wall to maximize the performance desired. Add lightness, get stiff. Wait...
Um, anyway, here's a paper on it for ya:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/...lid-sway-bars/
So I have spoken. Or typed. Whatever. Kibitz at will, I can take it!
Well, no, don't, I don't have any money, so you'll have better luck gettin' blood from the inside of a non-prepared beforehand rock. Pressing on...This is not a Steeda failure. Not... entirely anyway. Overall the rust situation on that car is... problematic. Obviously a salty winter road domain goin' on, looks like. Perhaps I'm mistaken. Don't think I am. So we have a way for rust to get in the cars various panels and steel. Which includes one particular sway bar, if the circumstances permit.
Notice the ends that sheared off that sway bar. Both of them have rust *through* the bar. Like, all the way through. That doesn't happen immediately. That's an over time issue. Also notice the lifted paint from the bar, all due to rust. That shouldn't be happening... and that's where Steeda could be to blame.
So... First issue would be a manufacturer defect. A bad paint situation, and/or a 'pre-cut' tube the sway bar was made of, already dented in or something. And again, obviously there's a paint problem on the bar, but not terribly surprising given the overall condition under there (no judging, just.. there it is..) and the flexing of the bar that's happening. It probably contributed to the problem, but I don't think any of that was *the* problem.
See, we already know about the 'through rust' in the tube from above. But notice *where* the through rust is in the tube? It's orientation? It looks to be forward and down in overall orientation. Like something smacked it *hard*. Aka, trauma from the road. Seem like perhaps OP ran over something a few whiles back. Quite a few whiles, I'd say. But it happened, and the rust got started. Time took it's deadly grip upon the situation... and tada. One good bump and there it goes, one sheared tube, overstressed because the rust was enough across and deep to compromise it, the grains of steel failed, and boom, there goes the sway bar. Or so I'm thinkin' anyway...
Of course, this is a supposition of many circumstantial evidence factors combined with a teensy bit of metallurgy and stresses thereto understandings, so I may have just techobabbled like an incoherent idiot. I do that sometimes.
That said, after revisiting this, I rescind my advise to go Eibach over this, although I do recommend that GT500 sway bar kit indeed, as the cause is not theirs as far as I can determine. Like said earlier "((mostly) solid waste product of animals) happens." I'm not certain the Eibach would have faired better or not, nor any other brand to be sure. Just an unfortunate situation, overall.
---
To address the oft cited 'thin walls' and 'not solid?' items, no, they're not solid. I mean, sure, you can get solid ones, but... there's really no point, except cheaper... but also less effective and heavier to boot. And they're not all that thick walled, but definitely thick enough. Metal's fun that way.
The torsional forces aren't much in the center, but great on the outer diameter. So you'd make a hollow, bigger diameter bar (which is what you see happening for upgrades!) but just thick enough wall to maximize the performance desired. Add lightness, get stiff. Wait... Um, anyway, here's a paper on it for ya:
https://www.onallcylinders.com/2017/...lid-sway-bars/
So I have spoken. Or typed. Whatever. Kibitz at will, I can take it!
However I *was* able to get replacement MRT hood struts! They even had my 2006 order number on file.
Thread Starter
V6 Member
Joined: December 23, 2013
Posts: 69
Likes: 11
From: Vancouver, BC. Canada
Its been a while since I reported back to this thread. Houtex, No I havent hit something over and over again really hard LOL. Houtex I just read your comments again and the forward and down is normal, thats the way the swaybar is formed. The rust looks way worse in the pictures than it actually is, except for the rearend and swaybar its actually pretty clean under the car. My car is daily driven year round and although where I live we have about the mildest winters in Canada, we do get the occasional snow and they do use salt. If you notice the paint that is flaked off is very thin. This would be my only real complaint of the Steeda gear is the paint (at least on my stuff) isnt very good at all. If it was powder coated, it was a very thin powder coating anyways. Even if it was just regular spray painting, its still very thin. I got other suspension stuff at the same time. When I installed the front Steeda swaybar the silver paint flaked off fairly easily when the nut contacted the paint. I remember thinking at the time the paint was pretty cheezy..
When I bought the Steeda swaybars I wasnt worried about product quality. Steeda was or is still the premere or at least one of the best aftermarket sources for Mustang goodies Most manufacturers of Mustang swaybars only use regular steel tubing and not chrome moly tubing like Steeda. Chrome moly tubing is almost twice as strong as regular steel tubing. One of the reasons I am so surprised that the swaybar failed. Exposed steel not painted can show rust within 24 hours...look at your brake rotors if your car hasnt been driven for a few days. It takes a long time for steel that thick to rust through. The swaybar failed I believe from some sort of metal fatigue...maybe there was flaw from new.
Anyways I finally heard back from Steeda (Rod) around the middle of November saying they would replace the swaybar. Oh good it only took 3 months to get back to me. Rod told me since the pandemic they have received 10 times as many emails as they normally do. Rod said Steeda would do free shipping to the US. I originally got everything shipped to Ship Happens in Sumas, Washington. Now that the US/Canadian border is closed, shipping to the US isnt an option for me. I emailed Rod back saying I would need the swaybar shipped to Canada and how much would that be, etc Well I havent heard back from Steeda or Rod for around 1 1/2 months. I have been super busy with work for the last six months and I am trying to be patient in the current pandemic climate. I may have to send off some more email or maybe even call the whole process is taking waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to long.
Cheers and Happy New Year
When I bought the Steeda swaybars I wasnt worried about product quality. Steeda was or is still the premere or at least one of the best aftermarket sources for Mustang goodies Most manufacturers of Mustang swaybars only use regular steel tubing and not chrome moly tubing like Steeda. Chrome moly tubing is almost twice as strong as regular steel tubing. One of the reasons I am so surprised that the swaybar failed. Exposed steel not painted can show rust within 24 hours...look at your brake rotors if your car hasnt been driven for a few days. It takes a long time for steel that thick to rust through. The swaybar failed I believe from some sort of metal fatigue...maybe there was flaw from new.
Anyways I finally heard back from Steeda (Rod) around the middle of November saying they would replace the swaybar. Oh good it only took 3 months to get back to me. Rod told me since the pandemic they have received 10 times as many emails as they normally do. Rod said Steeda would do free shipping to the US. I originally got everything shipped to Ship Happens in Sumas, Washington. Now that the US/Canadian border is closed, shipping to the US isnt an option for me. I emailed Rod back saying I would need the swaybar shipped to Canada and how much would that be, etc Well I havent heard back from Steeda or Rod for around 1 1/2 months. I have been super busy with work for the last six months and I am trying to be patient in the current pandemic climate. I may have to send off some more email or maybe even call the whole process is taking waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to long.
Cheers and Happy New Year
Last edited by darcman; Dec 30, 2020 at 11:49 PM.
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