Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Suspension For those with the Aussie Bar!!!

Well I finally had a chance to investigate the clunk I was getting from my rear suspension and it is not good news at all. I found the problem immediately, the passenger side mounting bracket and backing plate had torn itself from the subframe. Here is a pic of the bracket just hanging off the bar:


One of the subframe where the bracket tore itself free:


Underside of the backing plate:


Now as some you may notice, the upgraded backing plate was already added but I think 99.9% of the breakage occured prior to the upgrade. I spoke with Terry Haines about it today and he believes that the stock bracketry clamps hold the 24mm sway bar bushing too tightly and does not allow the bar to twist like it should, this causing the bar to put undue stress on the subframe and backing plate.

So to those of you with the Aussie bar I'd highly recommend getting the backing plate welded on ASAP and if you have not installed the bar yet, do the uprgraded plate at the same time. To those that used the stock bracketry for a while, check the stock backing plate thoroughly for damage before you get the upgraded backing plate put on.

For my car, I'm going to have Terry drop the rear subframe and mount new, higher strength backing brackets to insure that I won't have this problem again.

Learn from my problems, get those upgraded backing plates put in ASAP!!!!

mr. krafty, fix your first pic

Sorry to see that. Makes me thankful that I live in the south. No road salt to eat up my car.

I feel your pain. Or should I say, I felt your pain?

Drivers side bracket ripped from car.


The new backing plate. I know the painting job isn't the best, but it was cold and my brush sucked. The black stuff is POR-15.


I was amazed at how much better the car handled after the new, overkill backing plates were installed. I was actually suprised as to how much the stock **** could move. The car feels like I installed -another- Aussie bar!

Same thing happend to SQPlus...

Alex in Boulder,CO
95SE MTX
Fast...soon to be faster

84 Jetta GLI
Rice Burner

the bar pictured is under the car. isn't the aussie rear stb go in the trunk? the rear lower swaybar goes under the car, correct?

The Aussie bar isn't an STB it's a Rear Sway bar. It connects the rear suspension together for load balancing and added cornering ability.

ExDelayed, did you use 'L' stock instead of plate to reinforce? Get a longer weld bead on that way?

-Kurt

I used 1/4" thick angle iron. I had to notch the side of it so it would fit over the subframe. Its welded to the subframe on both sides of the bracket. There is a weld where the flat (mounting surface) part hits the subframe. The outerside of the bracket is also gusseted there too.

I am off tomorrow so if you want to see pics I can jack up the car, take the tire off and snap some. Its hard to digi-cam, upside down and through suspension parts.