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DIY - Gen III Rear Anti-Sway Bar Install

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by Dark_matter_doesn't, Apr 24, 2011.

  1. Dark_matter_doesn't

    Dark_matter_doesn't Prius Tinkerer

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    I installed the 2008 Scion xB rear anti-sway bar (part number PTR11-52091) on my Prius Saturday morning. For those interested in this mod, here are install instructions with photos of the process.

    I'd like to thank josh2008 for providing the seed information, that the 2008 Scion xB TRD rear anti-sway bar will fit a Gen III Prius.

    Tools Needed:
    2 Large zip ties
    Floor Jack
    Jack Stands
    Tire Iron
    15 mm box end wrench, long (> 8")
    13 mm open end wrench or cresent wrench
    Metric sockets and socket wrench

    1) Here are the parts that come with the anti-sway bar:
    [​IMG]
    The orange and blue parts are the links, orange = left, blue = right. The colored covers slip off when the nut is removed. In the box are the rubber bushings, metal straps, a bag of nuts & bolts, and a small tube of grease. The instructions for the xB are almost identical to those for the Gen III.

    2) I raised the vehicle rear up & put it on jackstands and removed the rear tires. The first thing I did was to locate the link mounting holes called out in the xB install instructions. Turns out there are holes just ahead of and slightly above the lower shock mounts:
    [​IMG]
    This is the hole on the left side in the middle of the picture. The rear shock mount nut is just to the right of the hole. Note the semi-circular hole just below the shock mount. This is where the nut for the anti-sway-bar link can be inserted (more below).
    [​IMG]
    This is the right side, unfortuntately inverted (this would only import inverted for some reason!).

    3) Here's a picture of the anti-sway bar on the ground behind the vehicle. There are flanges on the bar beneath the orange webbing pieces - these are the locations for the bushings. The xB instructions don't mention these flanges and require the bushings to be placed a specified distance along the anti-sway bar. The flanges make things easier.
    [​IMG]
    The orange webbing is part of the shipping packaging and come off. Note the bag of zip ties.

    4) The xB instructions say to hang the anti-sway bar temporarily from the rear axle using bungee cords. The zip ties work better:
    [​IMG]
    A tip: don't tighten the zip ties too much at this point, just get them started & locked. I have them too tight here & had to loosen them in step 8 below.

    5) The xB instructions require the lower shock mount bolt be removed. I managed to get the links installed while leaving the shock mount bolts alone. Take one nut off one of the left link ends, remove the colored cover and insert the end into the left side hole shown in step 2 above. Then insert the nut thru the semi-circular hole on the bottom and just ahead of the lower shock mount and tease the nut into starting to turn on the link stud. The first one was relatively easy, the second took some time and patience. With relatively thin fingers, it can be done. Spin the nut down on the stud until snug. Here's a picture of the left side looking forward from behind:
    [​IMG]

    6) Now for the right side. Same process, this result:
    [​IMG]

    7) Now attach the anti-sway bar to the lower ends of the links on each side. Leave the nuts finger-tight. Left side:
    [​IMG]
    Right side:
    [​IMG]

    8) Cut open the lubricant tube and squirt half into each rubber bushing hole. Spread the lubricant evenly around inside the holes. Then while holding the bushings open at the split, slip them over the anti-sway bar between the flanges on the bar. Rotate to get the pointy end up:
    [​IMG]
    The bushings fit the profile of the inside of the beam axle. Here's when I realized I had tightened the zip ties a bit too much. They can be loosened with a small screwdriver or a knife blade tip to lift the locking tab up, then slide the strap thru.

    9) Now for inserting the anti-sway bar up into the beam axle and securing it there. Using the directions in the xB instructions, place the triangular metal straps over the top of the beam axle at the bushings. The instructions say to attach the forward end of the lower strap to the front of the triangular upper straps, but I found that very awkward. Instead, I loosely attached the lower strap to the upper straps at the back of the upper strap one one side, then tried to swing the lower strap around while pushing the bar & bushings up into the axle. I tried slipping the forward strap bolt into its hole but had a devil of a time getting the bolt in. With the bold part-way in on the first strap assembly, I switched to the other one and managed to get the lower strap into position and the forward bolt secured:
    [​IMG]
    In the picture, the first strap is in the background (note the bolt part-way in), and the second strap is in the foreground. I then finished bolting up the second strap, which provided enough lift on the bar to enable getting the bolt in place on the first strap. I thought this was going to be the easy part!

    10) With the bar mounting straps tight, I then tightened up the nuts on the links. The upper link nuts behind the shocks can be reached from above and just ahead of the shock by inserting a long-ish box-end wrench down into the cavity just ahead of the shock. I tightened the nuts firmly as much as I could.

    Final pictures: left side (my Cusco and Tanabe braces are visible forward):
    [​IMG]
    Right side:
    [​IMG]

    I haven't had a chance to give this a work-out this weekend, but I'm not hearing any squeaks. With these instructions, this install should take less than two hours.
     
    mnml, sfv41901, EdyJun and 6 others like this.
  2. casualvic

    casualvic Junior Member

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    nice!! how much does this part run??
     
  3. seegarman

    seegarman Junior Member

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    Nice job, so how does the car handle with the rear sway bar installed?
     
  4. xpcman

    xpcman Senior Member

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    $250 on Ebay
     
  5. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Dark, are you going to take your car out and push it hard enough to really lose it in a corner? And under different conditions?
     
  6. REV-X

    REV-X New Member

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  7. indyV

    indyV Junior Member

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    Excellent. I just ordered one for myself.
     
  8. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    when I was ordering the best price was at TRDsparks, the part # TRD PTR11-52091. That was after a couple futile attempts to get Eibach anti-roll kit (apparently discontinued).

    Here is rear anti-roll bar part #s/info, good luck :
    EIB-8290-312: Eibach Anti Roll Kit (discontinued) ~150-160$ shipped
    TRD PTR11-52091 ~240$ (with links)
    TRD PTR11-52080 ~150$ (w/o links discontinued due to breakage but still available)
    TRD PTR11-52090 ??$ (listed as replacement for PTR11-52080)
     
  9. D Unit

    D Unit Junior Member

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    This might seem like a silly question, but I actually had a 2008 XB with TRD rear sway bar installed and actually like how you could see the red bar installed when viewed from behind. Is the red TRD sway bar easily visible from behind as well when installed on a Prius?

    Since I'm bumping an old thread, I found a site selling the bar for only $143 plus shipping. :cheer2: It seems they are a dealer in WA and a few people at ScionLife have had good luck with them. I have NA.

    ScionPartsPeople.com - Genuine Scion Parts and Scion Accessories
     
  10. ucsmfu

    ucsmfu Senior Member

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    does this fit the 2010 prius ?, is there a tanabe one or is this one the preferred choice for most people ?

    any drawbacks on mpg ?
     
  11. xs650

    xs650 Senior Member

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    Careful, it doesn't show or mention the links.
     
  12. D Unit

    D Unit Junior Member

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    The thickness of the bar is generally more important than the brand. When I first got my TRD sway bar for my 2008 xb, it broke at the weld a year or so later and turned out to be common problem. TRD ended up revising it, and fixed the welds in 2009-2010 IIRC. I assume all the newer ones are the revised versions. From my understanding, the only manufacturers that make a rear sway bar for the 2008 xb is either TRD or Hotckis. Neither will affect MPG and is very easy to install for a novice mechanic.
     
  13. ucsmfu

    ucsmfu Senior Member

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    there's no trd rear sway bar ?

    is it designed for another car but fits on the prius ?

    thanks
     
  14. D Unit

    D Unit Junior Member

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    Yes. If you read the first post in this thread, it says "I installed the 2008 Scion xB rear anti-sway bar (part number PTR11-52091) on my Prius Saturday morning." :) I wish I would've known this because I left my Hotchkis rear sway bar on my 2008 XB when I traded it in for the Prius. :eek:
     
  15. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Just installed mine tonight (but when with the white Prius Plus one). OP's instructions are spot on. However, I ended up unbolting the shock absorbers because it gives you much better access. The trick to removing the shock absorbers is to remove both rear tires, "load" the corner you're working on by placing a floor jack underneath the shock mount. This is the ONLY way you'll be able to remove/reinstall the bolt. Also, you MUST wait until the car is back on the ground before torquing the shock mounting bolt to 67 ft-lbs or else the bolt will not have been tightened correctly.
     
  16. cyclopathic

    cyclopathic Senior Member

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    did you lift it with jack? I haven't had any problems with ramp, no need to remove tires, jack shock, etc.
     
  17. The Critic

    The Critic Resident Critic

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    Yes, I lifted it the rear and had it on jackstands.

    MB860 ?
     
  18. txl146

    txl146 Member

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    What's the size of stock bar and 08 Scion TRD bar?
     
  19. Duckles McGee

    Duckles McGee Junior Member

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  20. txl146

    txl146 Member

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    sorry, I just noticed that stock Prius doesn't have a rear sway bar.