R129 - Rear sway bar missing !

[Pcn1]

As part of my maintenance I'm currently giving the rear callipers and pads a good clean and re copper slip etc. (The discs and pads are all fine with minimal wear)

Last year I refreshed the front sway bar, powder coated and new bushes. Thought Id do the same to the rear end this summer. Only the rear sway bar isn't there !

Why would anyone have removed it ? The car came with wide AMG alloys when I bought it, so I'm wondering if the bar or drop links would have fouled against the inner wheel/tyre so that's why it was taken off.

Any thoughts guys ?

Thanks

 

[Doodle]

Silly question, but are you sure you're looking in the right place? The rear sway bar sits up high, hidden right against the body tub with long drop links down to the arms.

AMG alloys would not make any difference, it's heavily shaped for clearance - if it would hit the bar then the rear shocks would also be in trouble.

 

[Pcn1]

Yes I'm looking in the right spot, I can see the body mounts for the inner bar bushes.

Very strange……

 

[Doodle]

Very strange indeed! It's not exactly a trivial task to remove either (well, without resorting to butchery).

 

[Bellow]

Why would anyone have removed it ?

Functionally, to reduce (inner wheel) wheelspin (in tight corners), reduce wheelspin on rough terrain, reduce oversteer (promote understeer).
Why it was removed though I have no idea and doubt it was for of any of the above! Reinstating it will likely sweeten the handling.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Not all cars have a rear sway bar. Did someone on here not find this out on an older C class recently ? W1ghty ?? I would be very odd indeed if someone had removed it and forgot to put it back !

 

[Doodle]

Not all cars have a rear sway bar.

True, but on something as weighty as an SL it would be pretty unusual. The EPC certainly seems to think it should be there.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Taking off a sway bar to fit wider tyres would be a pretty drastic move, but not impossible to have happened . How long have you had the car ?

 

[grober]

Rear Suspension Refresh (R129) Mercedes SL & (W124) – A Wandering Star!


SPRINGS,SUSPENSION AND HYDRAULICS MERCEDES SL 500 USA (129068)

SOME R129s had self levelling rear suspension----- if this had been converted to standard at some point in time this might explain the loss of the antiroll bar??

 

[Doodle]

ADS is fitted all round, not just to the rear, and both systems have ARBs. I think you could only get it on the V8/V12s though?

Every historic post I've found online about missing sway bar is by the same person (Sam/Samuelson) around the same time, and circle back to that one reference by the contributor on mercedes.in. Could it be the same car, or is it just that nobody else has questioned it before? It's certainly a conundrum.

 

[W1ghty]

Not all cars have a rear sway bar. Did someone on here not find this out on an older C class recently ? W1ghty ?? I would be very odd indeed if someone had removed it and forgot to put it back !

It weren’t me buddy , sorry . I’ll have to check if I have one

 

[Petrol Pete]

It was someone on here though , there were photos of the underside of the car showing mounting points but no sway bar or did I dream that ?

I am going to have a search around...just for my own sanity

 

[whitenemesis]

I am going to have a search around...just for my own sanity

You can have a look for mine as well, while you're at it ..

 

[Petrol Pete]

The parts diagrams on grobers post #9 clearly show both suspension types have a ARB fitted.

 

[BTB 500]

ADS is fitted all round, not just to the rear, and both systems have ARBs. I think you could only get it on the V8/V12s though?

The SL600 had ADS as standard, but it was an option on all other R129 models. I don't think I've ever personally come across a 6-cyl car with it though, and only one SL60.

 

[Doodle]

I should have consulted my brochure. £3500 option back in 1995!

 

[Pcn1]

My plans are to buy a used sway bar from e-bay, get it powder coated, then new bushes and drop links and refit.

Why it was removed, guess I'll never know, but I want it back !