Whiteline front anti-roll bar issue
 

So i'm 1 week away from reaching a year with these bars. The front bar just snapped off on the driver side turning into my driveway tonight. I heard a loud bang and felt my car run over something. I just sent them an email and I'll keep you guys posted. Here are some pics.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2926/3...ab71f474_n.jpgsway1 by Elson Alonso, on Flickr
From this you see some discoloration on the bar at the first bend coming off the subframe. Interesting

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2862/3...b40ef102_n.jpgsway2 by Elson Alonso, on Flickr
Just snapped almost clean off. Amazing

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2940/3...93126267_n.jpgsway3 by Elson Alonso, on Flickr
just a 5lb piece of metal on my desk now. Email is sent with more photos. Lets see how they handle this.

Damn that is not good... :eekdance:

hm.. how is it that this bar has become so popular on the forum with all these problems..

this just could be a few people with the problems, but i don't recall seeing post like this for other brands of bars.

Call Whiteline. I'm sure they will replace it.

Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk

Wow, I know these bars have a good rep in the subie world but I'm surprised all the issues here. They were one I briefly considered before I got my stillens and glad I didn't after all the bushing issues they had. It looks like your bar had a crack for a while, the rusty portion shows that and finally broke all the way through. Had it been making any noise before?

Me too. My Whiteline parts on my STi worked great. My 370 Whiteline endlinks were nonstop problems until they completely broke.

Maybe I am one lucky person? I had Whiteline front and rear with SPL endlinks for nearly two years with mixed use and everything seems fine. No issues here.

Email sent this morning with several pictures and they responded within hours requesting some more info. Just sent the second email and i'll let you guys know how that goes. It's looking promising.

Lifted my car up and checked the rear bar. no stress marks on them like I saw with the front.

I might have experienced a manufacturing issue which could've happened to anyone. Luck of the draw I guess.

what's your suspension setup? stock endlinks or have any coilovers etc?

Hi

Sorry to read your mis-hap.

I have the same sways front and rear for last 5 years - and have had no problems.
Looking at the example 'sway3' pic - did you have the bolts connected in the first hole?
This would be the tightest setting.
Frontbar settings on the first hole coupled with aftermarket coils and bushes etc - will cause excessive binding/twist to the bar overtime.

If I remember I think the recommended setting is the second hole for front.
The rear recommended settings either the second or third hole - preference to the driver.

Looks like there was a fracture long before it snapped. The cross section shows about 1/3 rust build up. It has been broken before it completely snapped. Scarier if there was no sign of rust and it just snapped. How did it break? My guess is manufacturing defect or stress-corrosion. That bar should not have passed inspection before powder coating. A small nick or a tiny and shallow hairline crevice will enlarge due to stress BUT what do I know.

I forgot to add. The lesson is if the car is on the rack, grab a flashlight and check everything you can underneath.

:eek: I thought I replayed in osbornsm thread.

Sorry to see that and hope they will give you a satisfied solution.

:icon18:


Glad i still has my brand new stillens back up set. :D

One more reason I'm glad I went with Hotchkis:eek:

SPL FUCA
Bilstein B16 Coilovers
Stock endlinks for the front end. They were holding up fine. Right side still intact with 0 play. Left side.. gone with the sway lol. I align my car twice a year just because I use a Hunter Hawkeye alignment every day on customer cars.
You're definitely right, had I any qualms about these bars I would've checked all bends for any fractures or stress marks. If/when I get a replacement one i'll keep an eye on it every-time my car is on one of my lifts which is every other week for MOAR mods.

3 weeks ago I installed the SPL FUCA and aligned my car. I didn't scrutinize my sway bars unfortunately.

Some tool/suspension porn.
Insta: technic370z for my build

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2815/3...4df46ccf_n.jpgTop drawer, snapon, toolbox by Elson Alonso, on Flickr

Torque Everything

https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2840/3...885cec65_n.jpgSpl, bilstein, snap on by Elson Alonso, on Flickr

Communication between Whiteline customer service and myself has been almost instantaneous. A new bar has been shipped from their CA location and should be arriving soon this week. I believe I was unlucky enough to initially receive a defective bar, which took a year to fail. I'll keep an eye on this new one every time i raise the car just in case but it'll just take a minute to inspect all the joints. It'll be paired with new SPL front endlinks and I'm looking forward to the better suspension feel.

I may start a build page and I'll keep you guys posted with everything!

Glad to know Whiteline stands behind their products, provides good customer service, and communicates well. Thanks for posting.

you're binding your stock endlinks when you're lowered. I'm surprised the small front endlinks didn't snap before your swaybar. You'll need aftermarket endlinks too. don't quote me but that's what I believe happened.

:rofl2: when I saw OP like, I went to the thread and just thought WHAT!!! looked ignorant here :shakes head:


OP
Great they sent you a new bar, hope you enjoy it without any hassle

yah, besides the crummy bushings the bar itself is tuned very well to the stock suspension. i use the soft setting (hole near the bar ends).

hope they included the metal clamps in ur replacement set. those bars use to come with this rubber ring + hose clamp which slid on the bar. :ugh:

Yes i was expecting the stock endlinks to snap way before. What no one expects is for the swaybar to break, swaybars are meant to flex and solid ones should have better retention. Lets not say the weak stock endlinks snapped the bar; that would be an interesting assumption. Sorry for quoting you, lol. That being said spl endlinks are incoming.

Is it just me or does it look like 1/3 of the bar was already damaged badly seeing how it has rust forming.

I believe that's what got them to just send me a new bar instantly. This car wasn't driven in salt at all this past season and I have put less than 3k miles since the install.

Just my :twocents: but if I was you I'd just sell the new one when it arrives and use the money to get a Hotchkis front bar.

:iagree:

I am thinking about changing my Whiteline to Hotchkis for the sole reason that I would be able to sell the swaybars as set faster, I like the car balance after removing the rear swaybar. Is it stiffer? Weight wise?

Sorry to OP as I am asking here :icon17:

I'm definitely considering it. But could I sleep with myself knowing i may put someone else less mechanically inclined at risk... No. I'm going to test this new bar through and through. IF it snaps mid turn at the track this year, you guys are going to hear about it.

Haha its ok! We're all buddies here, at least it's relevant. Once I start tracking this year I'm going to start a thread like yours.

The whiteline is a heavy bar definitely. I have not held a hotchkis unfortunately so I can't give you a weight comparison. If the hotchkis is tubular, id imagine it's lighter. I did hear that the Hotchkis is stiffer, but not adjustable. I'm not at that level where i would change my swaybar stiffness to match my suspension needs... yet..

I got hotchkis front and back, love them so far :)