Anyone interested in larger rear anti-sway bar

Like I said in another thread, I've removed my stock bar, measured it and drove the car without it. I didn't detect much difference. I've found someone to make us a new bar to our specs. They will make a jig from my bar and be able to make us a new one. Volume helps here so there's a discount for us as follows:
2-5 15%
5-9 30%
9-24 37%

I'm hoping to be able to get at least 5 people to take a chance with me and get the price down to probably $80. plus shipping and painting. The bars will be unfinished so you'll have to paint it or powder coat it yourself and of course pay for shipping to me and then from me to you. It will probably take about 10 days from the time they receive my bar. We can expedite this for maybe another $30, I'll have to check with my source. The idea is to allow the new bar to drop right in and fit the rubber bushing in the middle and of course not hit the bottom part of the torsion beam...it's close there so I'll instruct the manufacturer to make the bottom of the bar the lowest point along the bar so It should fit. I'm going to increase the diameter by only about 0.125" and it will be solid. So the weight will increase from about 2.7 lbs to 7.1 lbs

The stock bar is about 0.759" OD and 0.568" ID (by weight calculation).

So if this bar was solid it would be about 46% stiffer.

If we go to a solid bar with a 0.875" OD it would be 158% stiffer. That's about a 22mm bar compared to a 19.5 mm bar. A solid bar is recommended to keep the cost down. The bars will be unfinished so you'll either have to paint it or have it powder coated. I can't guarantee any performance difference but I'm going to get one for myself and anyone else that wants one. If I can get 5 bars ordered the cost goes down by about 30% and once we have the fixture built we can re-order them. I don't plan to make anything on this but just cover all the costs.

So let's get the discussion going. What do you think. Do you want to try one? How about the solid VS hollow choice? The ID of course has a small effect on the stiffness but can reduce the weight. I don't want to go too far or we might start having oversteer issues. Maybe we'll follow this with the front one I don't know. That's a bit tougher to remove so at this point it's open to discussion too. Anyone have any ideas on this? Thanks

 

So what's this on my kitchen floor then?

 

The traditional definition of a torsion bar is "A long straight bar fastened to the frame at one end and to a suspension part at the other". So that doesn't fit does it?

The definition of anti-sway bar is:

"stabilizer bar: a rigid metal bar between the front suspensions and between the rear suspensions of cars and trucks; serves to stabilize the chassis"

Our rear bar to attached to torsion beam at both ends which links the left and right suspension. It's there to reduce roll by coupling the left rear suspension to the right rear suspension better than the torsion beam does on its own. There are variations on this of course where the sway bar is extended to the shock or strut area with a bend and extension on either side. These seem to be more effective.

The rest of the world refers to what we have as an anti-sway bar or just sway bar because of how it's connected and its effect. It's incorrect to confuse this with a torsion bar because that's not what it is. You were wrong about the front and the back with your statement that the Prius doesn't have sway or anti-sway bars.

 

OK, try this definition of a torsion bar and see if it fits:

Definition: A steel bar that is twisted to support the weight of the vehicle. Torsion bars are used in place of coil or leaf springs on some vehicles, and allow ride height to be adjusted to compensate for sage that occurs over time.

 

In the static position, vehicle not moving, there will be zero change in vehicle height, unlike what a true torsion bar suspension will do if you beef it up. That' the big difference and why the two names are not interchangable. In motion, cornering, it does act through it's resistance to torsion (its torsional rigidity) to limit roll. Calling it a torsion beam because it works through it's torsional rigidity is really acting ignorant of the facts here. It's has a proper name or two already and it just confuses everyone about it's purpose. A torsion bar it's not and a sway bar, anti-sway bar, or even stability bar is what has been chosen for it's name. The Prius has coil springs not torsion bars in case you guys have not looked under your cars!

Feel free to call it anything you want though if that makes you happy. Hey let's make up new names for a steering wheel too to confuse everyone. How about torque assisted steering device.

I think I give up on this idiotic discussion because it serves no real purpose. Serves me right for trying to share something with others. I know some of you guys just love to argue over nothing...forever. I quit!